Page 51 of Play The Game

Ash is shockingly good with directions and remembers how to get to Doc’s house without much prompting. The drive is clear of cars and he parks out front, unbuckling his seatbelt and pausing when I don’t make a move. Admitting when things hurt or are concerning me isn’t exactly my strong suit, I’d rather make a sarcastic joke, so I give myself a second to get my shit together.

He watches me fidget for a moment, and then gives me a look. He says, with a surprisingly neutral but stern tone, “I’m coming in. I don’t like him and if he has someone else in there, I don’t want you walking in alone.”

I nod, but I don’t move to get out yet.

“Is there something else?” he asks, and it’s in that soft damn tone he uses for Avery. I cave.

“I get severe cramps. I’ve been getting the birth control injection from him for years to help lessen the pain, but it’s not working out, and being at Hannaford makes it hard to get them on time anyway. I’m asking for something else.”

Ash frowns at me and shrugs as he opens the car door. “Stop worrying then. Let’s get this over with so we can go get breakfast. I need another coffee.”

Doc opens the door before we make it up the steps. “Hello, my girl! Brought a friend again, I see. I’m glad you’re being a bit more social.”

I can barely hear him over the noise of the kids running around the house, and Ash is scowling at them all. I wait until we’re locked safely in the exam room before I quietly murmur to Doc, “This is Ash. He is the one who tried to help Maria.”

Ash’s eyes snap to mine. “What do you mean tried to? She got out, didn’t she?”

Fuck. I grimace and Doc smiles wryly at Ash, clapping him on the shoulder. He doesn’t act like a man deeply mourning, but I can see the strain in his face, the signs of his devastation there if you know him like I do.

Doc answers Ash for me while I’m still fumbling for the right words. “You did get her out, and I cannot thank you enough. But she was a silly, love-sick girl and went back to Matteo. She’s gone now. Those noisy little beasts out there are all I have left.”

The mask snaps back over Ash’s features, and I curse myself for not telling him earlier. Doc gives him another little pat then directs us to sit down.

“Here for a shot? You’re late, my girl. I hope you’re not here about babies.”

I flush and grit my teeth at him. “No, Doc, I’m not here about babies. The shot isn’t helping anymore and I want the rod. That’s the next thing to try, right?”

He hums and starts rummaging around in his drawers. “Do you want babies? We could just cut it all out. That can be effective in stopping the pain. Not always, but it’s an option.”

Sweet mother of God.

Why did I bring Ash here again?

Fuck.

While I’m too busy freaking the fuck out about this, Ash snaps at Doc, “You’re not cutting anything out.”

Doc gives him a stern look. “Not your choice, boy.”

Ash surveys the room with contempt. “If she wants anything cut out, I’ll take her to a real hospital, with real doctors, so she doesn’t bleed out at the hands of a second-rate hack in the slums.”

I groan and bury my face in my hands. Is anyone safe from Ash’s sharp tongue?

Doc looks at him for a moment and then laughs, thank fuck, pulling out the equipment to insert the rod in my arm. It takes under a minute and once he’s finished sticking the band-aid over the wound, he gives me a stern look. “Any changes from our last visit? Do you need me to test you? Boys lie about being safe and clean, you know, even rich ones.”

I shake my head, still flushed, and Ash glares him down like he’s going to stab him.

“Seven days until it’s effective to stop babies.”

I wish he would stop saying babies to me, fucking lord.

Ash slips his hand onto my thigh and sneers at Doc. “Are we done?”

Thank god we are. Doc is good about Ash’s behavior and shoos us both out the door without too much fuss. Ash is smiling and teasing me again before we make it back to the car, and I forget for a second that we’re in the Bay.

We stop for waffles on the way back, at Avery’s request because she has a savage hangover and bad temper with it. Harley texts to say she’s already kicked Blaise out of the room and bitched him out for his antics last night. All I can think is thank fuck she didn’t know what I’d done with the other two.

Ash orders my coffee without asking what I like and when I raise a brow at him, he smirks. One sip of the sweet nectar of the gods tells me the smug asshole has been watching me closer than I thought.