Page 21 of Of Flesh & Bone

"Just my birth control."

I throw daggers at her with my eyes.Suddenly, I'm white hot with rage.I thought she was a virgin.Why the fuck is she on birth control?I know it isn't for me.I haven't let her out of my sight since we met.Who is she taking them for then?

"I assume you were taking those before you met me?"I bite out.

"Yeah.Since I was 15.I had some gynecological problems, and my doctor recommended that I try birth control before doing anything more drastic and it worked.I'm all straightened out now, but I have to keep taking it.It's nothing major.Mostly period stuff."

I scan her face for any sign that she isn't telling me the whole truth.Nothing.This isn't proof that she's telling the truth though.She's quite adept at hiding what she's feeling.I don't see why hiding a lie would be any different.For now, I will take her word for it.

She uses the mouthwash cup to catch a drink of water and takes her pill before walking back out into the bedroom.

.............................

After my shower, I walk back into the bedroom and find Eve gone.I'm instantly filled with anger and unease.Heat prickles my skin while anxiety crawls up my spine.She left me.She knows I don't have my car here.If she thinks she's getting away from me, she's about to find out who she's fucking with.I get dressed in a blur and storm into the game room.This room is large enough to host the entire team and their plus ones.Not all of the players live in Eden House, but all of them spend most of their time here.Half the team is here now playing pool and watching the game.

"I need a ride.Let's go!"

Cal slowly stands from his seat like he's been confronted with a grizzly and can't decide if he should run or be as still as possible.

"Where to?"

"Eve's apartment.It's off campus on Boulder."

Cal is still moving cautiously."Everything okay, Cap?"

Slowly and with as much menace as I feel, I say, "I said to hurry the fuck up."Cal jogs to the dish on the counter and grabs his keys, following me out the door.I stop in my tracks when Eve's Jeep is sitting in the same space, she parked it in when we arrived.Where is she?I thought she left.It takes me a moment to realize that I can't see the driver’s seat.I walk up to the driver's door and there she is.There is so much relief in this moment.She has leaned the seat all the way back and she's lying down.Her legs are propped up on the steering wheel and crossed below the knee.She doesn't see me.Her eyes are closed, and she seems to be doing a deep breathing exercise.I turn back to Cal and motion for him to go back inside.

"Eve."

She startles slightly, but it's nearly imperceptible.She doesn't even open her eyes.

"Hey."

"What are you doing out here?"

"There was just a lot going on in there.Someone knocked on the door and there were so many people talking.I just came out to...I don't know.Be alone for a little while.She's looking at me now and I can sense in her expression that this is a wound she doesn't want me to poke at.

"So, what's the plan for today?"

She raises her seat up as I make my way to the passenger door.

"I really think we need to go get your car."

I arch a brow and look at her, conveying that she isn't getting rid of me.

"It's been in the campus parking lot since yesterday.Something may have already happened to it.We can go get it and bring it back here.If you really want to do what I do on Saturdays...I don't think you do, by the way but if you do, then we can leave your car here and go do it."

I have never been more curious in my life than I am in this moment.

"What in the hell do you do on Saturdays?"

"Well, I have games usually but those are always later, so I volunteer at the juvenile detention center downtown early in the day."

No words.There are NO words.I didn't know you could volunteer in those places.I've certainly never met anyone who would devote their Saturday mornings to juvenile delinquents.

"What do you do there?"

"I teach math skills mostly, but I also play games with them.Cards, dominoes, Jenga, just whatever."

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