Distorted Hope (17 page)

Mark sighed and shook his head. “I’m not at liberty to tell you that.”

“Oh.” I looked down at my hands in my lap.

“Where are you hurt?” Dr. Perez asked.

“My shoulder and my back.”

Dr. Perez helped me remove my sweater and muttered something in Spanish at the sight of the bruise on my shoulder. “What did he throw at you?”

“I don’t know. It was dark.”

The doctor examined me, running his hands over the skin and making me wince. “I’m sorry,
querida
,” he said when I inhaled sharply. After a few minutes of examining my shoulder and back, he nodded. “It’s a very bad bruise, but no permanent damage done.”

“Good,” Mark said from the other side of the room. He had sat down in the corner sitting area.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“You said he had a nightmare?” Dr. Perez asked, standing and moving to a bag he had brought with him.

“Y—”

“Let it go, Luís,” Mark said in a low voice.

The doctor turned in surprise. “But if he is having nightmares again—”

“I said, let it go.” Mark’s voice was sharp and the doctor gave him a strange look.

“Alright, alright.” Dr. Perez held up his hands before opening his bag and pulling out a small bottle. He handed it to me. “Take two of these every eight hours until the pain subsides.”

I was pretty sure it was ibuprofen, but the label was in Spanish and I wasn’t certain. I glanced at Mark, who nodded. “Thank you, Dr. Perez.”

He gave me a kind smile. “Now, for the reason I came. When was your last pelvic examination?”

I blushed. “I’ve never had one.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-two.”

Dr. Perez raised his eyebrows. “Why haven’t you had one?”

I shrugged. “I hadn’t had sex. I didn’t think I needed one.”

Dr. Perez studied me for a long moment and then frowned at Mark. “You took a virgin?”

It was Mark’s turn to put up his hands in surrender. “I didn’t know. I never in a million years would have suspected she was unexperienced.”

“Really?” I gave him a surprised look.

Mark grinned. “I told you I thought you were hot.”

I blushed again and played with the hem of my skirt. I was beginning to feel pretty. Especially when Nathan had—

“Do you need to stay for the examination?” Dr. Perez asked.

Mark stood. “Nah. I’ll be back in a little while.”

After Mark had left, Dr. Perez had me lie back on my bed and he examined me while asking me questions about myself—my health history, my family, my menstrual patterns. “Do you know about birth control?”

“A little.”

He told me about the different types he could give me. “El Patrón doesn’t like the IUDs because they can… well, they can get in the way sometimes. Pills are fine, but you must remember to take them every day.” He listed off other pros and cons of the various available methods. “Men who come here are required to wear condoms when you have sex with them. The men who live here at the house are not. I test them regularly and they don’t use any girls without condoms except the ones here.”

Most of the girls used a shot, and the doctor and I decided it would be my best option, too, but since I wasn’t starting my period for a few weeks, he inserted an IUD for temporary protection.

“Tell El Patrón it’s just temporary, and I’ll take it out next month.”

The IUD insertion was very uncomfortable and Dr. Perez had me take some of the pain medication and told me to rest for the remainder of the day. “You’ll feel better in a few hours.”

He patted my head and gave me another one of his kind smiles. “If you need anything, tell Pasha or Mark. I live in the village down the hill.”

I ate lunch in my room and dinner, also. When Mark told me I wasn’t needed at dinner, he looked upset. Like he hadn’t wanted to tell me.

I cried myself to sleep that night to the sounds of the socialization downstairs. I was painfully aware of how alone I was. Horrible images of Jason being with the other women filled my mind, and I didn’t understand why the thought of Nathan doing the same thing hurt just as badly.

The next several days passed similarly, except there was no doctor visit. Food was brought to me four times a day: the regular meals and one snack mid-afternoon. I didn’t see anyone except Beatriz, who brought my meals.

The socialization in the living room happened every night, and every night I felt more and more lonely. I found myself straining to hear Jason’s voice and was rewarded at least twice a day. One time, when I heard Jason approaching my room, I opened my door a bit and we made eye contact. He started to speak, but the needles erupted in my neck and I closed the door and screamed in pain. Apparently, Nathan still watched me. After that, I stayed away from the door.

On a few days, it rained, and I went out on my balcony to watch the torrential downpour. The balcony was shielded by the floor above me and I stayed out there—wrapped in a blanket and huddled on a chair—for hours. My Kindle, which Mark had returned to me on my second day of seclusion, sat next to me, unused, as I stared at the amazing storm in front of me. The only thing that could have made the time better would have been to be able to have Jason with me.

Oh, Jason!
My heart ached every time I thought of him. What was he doing? Was he okay? Was he enjoying himself? Was he still alive? Was he still here?

A week later, there was a knock at my door after dinner. I hesitated to answer it.

“Kyra?”

It was Jason. My heart leapt, but fear crept in immediately. I didn’t say anything.

The door opened and Jason stood in the doorway. I flinched, expecting the pain any second.

“Kyra, Nathan said I could come.” Jason opened his arms, his eyes full of love and, after a moment’s hesitation, I ran across the room and into his awaiting arms.

“Jason! Oh, Jason!”

He held me tightly and buried his face in my hair. I was thankful the bruises weren’t bothering me anymore, though they were still visible. I wouldn’t have pulled away, though, no matter how much it hurt. Tears of joy escaped from my eyes and I sobbed into his shirt.

We stood there for an eternity, clinging to each other. I was half afraid of the needles beginning again, but they didn’t, which meant Nathan must have really said he could come.

“Can you stay?” I asked, looking up into his dear face.

He grinned and nodded. “All night.”

I sighed in joy. At last, we would be able to be together again. My heart soared with love for him as he turned out the light and led me to my bed.

My heart was full the next morning when I awoke with Jason’s arms around me. We’d made love so many times I was sore, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was Jason was here, with me.

“I love you,” Jason murmured from behind me, kissing my ear.

I turned over to face him and beamed at him. “I love you, too.” I leaned forward to kiss him.

“You can come to breakfast this morning,” he told me when our kiss ended.

My eyes lit up. “I can leave the room?”

Jason nodded.

“Do you know why Patrón was angry with me?” I asked, tracing his cheekbone with my fingers.

“No. He wouldn’t say anything about it. He snapped at Mark a couple of times when your name was mentioned.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mark was trying to get Nathan to let you out of your room, saying you hadn’t done anything wrong. But Nathan got really angry and snapped at him to mind his own business.” Jason shrugged. “I think they’ve known each other for a long time. Like, even though Nathan is Mark’s boss, they seem to be more friends than boss and employee.”

I snuggled in closer to Jason. “I wish I knew what I did so I know not to do it in the future.”

“Honestly, Kyra, I don’t think you did anything. I think you… I dunno, triggered something in Nathan and that set him off. That’s what Mark seemed to indicate, anyway.”

Maybe it had something to do with Danielle.

“Oh, shit. Is that the time?” Jason sat up and then jumped out of bed. “It’s almost eight-thirty. We gotta go.”

He pulled on his pants and ran toward the door. “I’ll see you in a few minutes,” he said, glancing back at me before walking outside.

I dressed quickly and then cautiously opened my door. Nathan was walking toward the stairs and I froze with my hand on the door handle.

He looked at me for a moment, a strained look on his face. “How are you feeling, Kyra?”

I wasn’t sure if he was referring to something specific or just trying to be polite. But why would he feel the need to be polite to his slave? “Fine, thank you.”

“Are your shoulder and back better?” A flicker of regret crossed his face.

“Yes, Patrón.”

He nodded. “Good.” He turned and walked to the stairs and I quickly followed.

After a mostly pleasant breakfast, Nathan told me I was allowed to be out of my room in the mornings but after lunch, I needed to stay inside. It was a strange edict, but I was grateful to be allowed out and I thanked him sincerely. He gave me a stiff nod and then walked away.

Jason kissed me deeply before walking away with Colin to the workshop—as it was called—where Nathan had taken me the first day. I watched as he and Colin talked animatedly about something before turning and cautiously making my way to the garden.