Savage Vandal (82 Street Vandals #1) - Heather Long Page 0,48
I’m not injured. I just don’t have any products, and I had to make do with toilet paper.”
I jerked my leg out of Kestrel’s grasp. Mostly because the warmth of his hand on my thigh seemed to have left an electric imprint and burned all the way through my clothing to my skin.
Vaughn had frozen and so did Liam. Jasper stared at me as if I’d sprouted a second head, while Kestrel raised his hands in mock surrender. Yeah, typical guys.
“I just need a bathroom for a few minutes or a trip to a drugstore.”
Somehow, I doubted I’d be going to a drugstore. And if I went to the bathroom in my room, I wouldn’t be getting out again. This had been my one escape attempt. So…maybe what I needed to do was make friends?
Ugh. I could do this.
I had to pitch myself all the time at fundraisers.
Maybe that could work…
“Doc was here,” I said slowly. “We could just ask him.”
Vaughn shoved off the counter and was already through the door before Jasper said, “Don’t…”
“Too late,” Kestrel murmured. “And she’s right—Doc probably has supplies. He’s always got stuff for the girls over at the center.”
The center?
Jasper ran a hand over his bearded face and then focused on me. “Are you sure it’s just that? It’s not…something else wrong? Something that asshole did?”
I stared at him, then shrugged as I shifted in the seat. Now that Liam had pointed it out, I couldn’t escape the feeling of where I’d leaked. Really, it was bad enough he’d mentioned it, now I was intimately aware of it. As for the jerk in question, he still stared at me. The scrutiny didn’t help at all, so I just took another long drink of the beer. I kind of hoped the more I had the better it would taste.
Sadly, no.
The silence stretched, and Jasper swore again then slammed back the rest of his beer. Then it was just the four of us with the thump of music vibrating the walls for company. I didn’t sigh when Doc appeared, but I almost sagged. The last thing I needed was to incite Jasper, because the tension thrumming through him snapped him straight like someone had yanked a cord.
The scuff of Kestrel’s shoe behind me was the only warning before his hand brushed my back where he braced it against the chair. He wasn’t gripping me, he gripped the chair.
“Hey, little bit,” Doc greeted me, ignoring the obvious tension in the other men present. Well, in Jasper and Kestrel. Liam looked more intrigued than he did tense, and Vaughn’s expression was hard to read. “Vaughn said you’re having a bit of an issue.”
There was no mistaking the assessment in his eyes as he looked me over or the way his mouth tightened when he got to my leg and then back up to my arm.
“I got my period,” I explained. “And I didn’t have any supplies. I used some toilet paper, but apparently, it’s heavy this month.”
He nodded. “That’s normal for you?”
“For fuck’s sake, man,” Jasper snarled. “Really?”
Doc ignored him and focused on me. “Would you like to go somewhere more private?”
“Doc,” Kestrel warned, and I didn’t even have to look to know Jasper had stiffened further.
“It’s fine,” I said, not interested in getting Doc killed. “Prisoners don’t get rights. This happens some months. I just lost track of time.”
“Have you tried birth control to modify it?”
A faint smile pulled at my lips, because Liam actually looked a little ill and Vaughn shook his head in slow disbelief. I kind of wished I could see Kestrel and Jasper’s faces right now, but I kept my attention on Doc. “Not specifically, no.” I used birth control for the base purpose. Besides, I’d tried the pill, it wasn’t as effective as I’d have liked.
Doc narrowed his eyes. “There’s other options.”
Fuck it. “I have an IUD. Sometimes the flow is just heavy. It is what it is. I really need pads or tampons if you have them. Or if you don’t, could someone just get them for me?”
“IUDs usually help with the flow.” He let it go, thank fuck. The IUD was still new, and I’d rather not have that discussion. “I have some. Since I’m here, let’s get you cleaned up then I can look at that wrist and ankle.”
Great, we weren’t doing the physical exam in the kitchen, and I needed to change. I guessed I was going back to my cell after all. When I stood, Kestrel moved