Page 49 of Sins of Leo

The bug gave warning before landing on the back of her hand. A large mosquito that she slapped. It squished, and she grimaced, not only at the blood spot left behind but the guts on her hand. Gross.

She glanced around and saw nothing resembling a kitchen or a bathroom. Surely there was water somewhere. There were two doors to the place. A wooden slatted one that had to be for the front and a flimsy door to the rear with hooks beside it and the remnants of a threadbare towel. A peek through that opening showed a partially enclosed outhouse. Planks formed the walls but didn’t quite reach the ground. Corrugated metal on a slant formed the roof. While her nose wrinkled at the smell of the latrine—a portable eco toilet that might not have been emptied—she ignored it as she noticed a metal levered pump with a spout.

Water! She grabbed hold of the handle and began to crank. The pump creaked and groaned before spitting out a few drops of moisture. Had it gone dry? She huffed with exertion as she put some muscle into it and was rewarded with a gush of cloudy water, which had her wondering, was it safe?

It should be fine to wash her wands. She just wouldn’t drink it. She pumped until the bucket under the spout filled and then crouched to dunk her hands, rinsing the mosquito gunk and then splashing her flushed face.

Something tickled the top of her head, and she swatted, expecting a flying bug, only she hit something scaly that hissed.

Startled, she landed on her butt and stared upward at the slim brown and gray snake dangling from the outhouse roof. A snake that unhinged its jaw as it flicked its tongue. Pointy teeth peeked, and as it dropped, she shrieked and scuttled backwards.She moved fast, but so did the serpent. The front half of its body hit the floor and began to slither in her direction.

Ruth glanced around for something to defend, but there was nothing.

Just as it reared and threatened, Leo arrived. He grabbed the snake with a fist and yanked. “I don’t think so, fucker.”

The snake thrashed and hissed but was no match for the warrior.

Ruth didn’t feel bad at all when it went limp; she was thankful.

The second after Leo dropped it down the latrine hole, she threw herself at him.

“Thank you.” She hugged him tight.

“Sorry it scared you.”

“I thought it was going to bite me.”

“Oh it would have. In good news, Chilean slender snakes don’t have a deadly venom. Still nasty, though. Almost as bad as rats.”

She peered up at him. “You don’t like rats?”

“Hate them. Beady-eyed fuckers.”

She laughed.

“I’m serious.”

“I can’t believe you’re scared of rats.”

“Not scared. They’re creepy,” he grumbled.

“You’re funny,” she stated, her lips curving.

“Fuck being funny. I’d rather be handsome and fierce.”

“You’re that as well,” she offered with a teasing smile.

“I’ll accept fierce, but if I were handsome, you wouldn’t have shoved me away after I kissed you.” He proved blunt with his statement.

“I had to. You’re my patient. It’s not ethical.”

“I beg to differ. Technically, I am not your patient.”

“Even if Sage fired me, we still had sessions.”

“Sage fired you?” He snorted. “Of course she did. But there was no need because you weren’t technically ever hired. We managed two brief, interrupted meetings, where I never even got a chance to pay, meaning the transaction was never complete. Ergo, I am not now, nor ever was, actually your patient.”

Twisted logic to justify what he wanted—what he wanted being her. It flattered, but her sense of responsibility kicked in.

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