8. Noah
Chapter eight
Noah
Cramps and secrets.
Driving into the underground garage, I park in my usual spot as Gabe’s red Porsche pulls up next to me. I kill the engine and step out, waiting by his driver side door as he pushes it open. “Already done with your shoot?”
He joins my side with a beaming smile. “What can I say? Apparently, my face is so perfect that it only took one take to get the perfect shot.” He winks arrogantly.
I chuckle and shake my head as we make our way to our private elevator and up to the penthouse. When we enter the foyer, it’s eerily quiet, and a sense of worry creeps its way through my veins.
“Veronica?” I call out, walking farther into the living room and looking toward the kitchen.
“Do you think she already left?” Gabe asks, looking around suspiciously.
I shake my head. “No, the groceries are getting delivered later on, and her things are still by the door.”
He heads down the hall, looking into the rooms on the main floor, and comes back empty. We both look up the stairs and head up, looking for our girl.
“Vixen? Where are you, baby?” Gabe says once we hit the landing.
I take a step forward, ready to search the rooms up here, but my foot catches onto something.
Veronica’s phone. I kneel down to pick it up and notice the screen is entirely shattered.
Just as I’m about to call out for her again, I hear a faint cry coming from my room.
Gabe’s head whips my way seconds before we both bolt toward it.
I can’t explain the tightness that forms in my chest as I look at the slender body balled up over my cover. She looks so small right now, and I hate it. I hate that I left her like this when I knew she wasn’t okay.
Gabe and I rush to her side and drop to the ground beside her. “Kitten, tell me what’s wrong? What happened?”
Her complexion is paler than it was this morning, and she has a line of sweat along her forehead. Her eyes are screwed shut like she’s in pain, and tears track down her face. From the large wet stain beneath her head, I’d say she’s been crying for a little while now. Shit.
“It hurts…” she finally cries out.
“Baby, what hurts?” Gabe places his hand on her calf.
She sniffs. “My stomach and my back.”
I push hair out of her face gently, placing it behind her ear. “What did you do for it to hurt?”
She shakes her head. “It’s… it’s my period. It happens every time.” She scrunches up her face and brings her legs up closer to her body as she whimpers.
“You go through this every month?!” Gabe asks with wide eyes. I’ve seen the other girls in a bit of pain during their time of the month, or being cranky and moody, but I’ve never seen them like this. That can’t be normal.
“Do you want us to take you to the hospital?” I ask her softly, continuing to play through her hair.
“No. They don’t do anything. It’s normal.” She shakes her head again.
“There’s nothing normal about going through this pain every month, Veronica. I may not be a woman or know exactly what you’re going through, but I know this isn’t normal, and you need to see a doctor.”
She cries out again, turning her face into the bed.
The sounds falling from her lips rip my heart open.
I want to help her, I’m just not sure what to do.
I think of what our team physician tells us to do to help with pain.
It always involves putting a bit of pressure on the muscles and massaging.
Maybe that could work? She said it was her back and stomach.
Without wasting another second, I rise to my knees and place one hand on her lower back, wiggling my other against her lower abdomen.
Slowly, I apply pressure and gently massage as best as I can with my fingers.
At first, she’s a little stiff and seems to recoil, but then her body relaxes and I hear her release slow, deep breaths.
“How does that feel?”
“Good.” She sniffles again, turning her face back to us.
“I’ve already seen a doctor, and it doesn’t happen every month.
I got the implant to help, and it does. But every three or so months it pops up, and it’s horrible.
She’s run every test possible, and they can’t find any reason for why it’s so bad. ”
“How do you usually manage the pain?” Gabe asks, his hand rubbing up and down her calf.
“I have a prescription I take that makes them milder. But I ran out and couldn’t cover the cost since I don’t have any medical insurance.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, Veronica. You should have said something. We would have covered them for you. Why didn’t you tell me this morning you were in this much pain?” I’m angry, but not at her. I’m angry with myself that I didn’t notice how bad it was.
“It had calmed down this morning. I thought I was going to be okay.” She whimpers as I press a more sensitive spot in her abdomen.
I sigh. “Gabe, can you run her a bath? Then I want you to go get her prescription and anything you think that could help with the pain.”
“On it.” He stands quickly and rushes into my bathroom to start the water. He then comes back and exits the room, returning a minute later with a handful of products.
“What’s all that?” I ask.
“Epsom salt, bubble bath, oils, candles. It’s all to help relax her body,” he says, pointing out everything.
“Good call.” I nod.
“You guys don’t need to…” Her arms tighten around her stomach, squeezing me in. “Ahhh!” she cries, folding herself in. “Do that…” she finishes in a tiny, broken voice as tears continue to pour out of her.
“Yes, we do. There’s no way we’re leaving you like this, Vixen,” Gabe says from the doorway of the ensuite, arms folded over his chest as he watches her. “You’re our girl,” he finishes with a soft smile.
She offers him a small one despite her tormented state, then whimpers again, and I suddenly fear I might be making it worse. “Do you want me to stop?” I begin to remove my hands, but she grabs onto the one that was against her stomach, forcing it to stay in place.
“No, please don’t stop. It’s helping,” she begs.
“Okay.” I place it back correctly and resume my movements. It would be easier if she were fully stretched out, but this seems to be the easiest position for her right now.
“Bath is ready. I’m gonna go get that medication, and hopefully you’ll be better soon,” Gabe says as he walks over and squeezes her pink-socked foot. “Do you need my help getting her in?”
“No, I think I can manage. Just hurry back,” I tell him.
“Will do. Hang in there, baby. We’ve got you,” he says before exiting the room.
“You ready to get in the bath?” I ask her.
She nods but seems reluctant. “It hurts to move.”
“Do you want me to help you out of your clothes?”
Another nod.
“Okay, Kitten. Can you lie on your back for me? It’s going to be easier like that, and I won’t have to move you too much.”
Slowly, she unfolds herself and turns on her back, whimpering with every movement until she’s fully laid out. She closes her eyes and cries silently. I take a deep breath, preparing to see Veronica naked for the very first time.
I start with her sports bra, unzipping it down the valley of her breasts until it falls open.
Then I quickly work it down her arms while also trying not to move her too much.
As much as I’d love to take my time and explore her body with my gaze, I know this isn’t the right moment, so I try my hardest not to peek at her small, perky breasts on display.
I then bring my hands to the waistband of her leggings and ever so slowly inch them down her hips and legs, along with her tiny black thong. I work her socks off quickly, then stand, not daring to look between her legs despite my growing erection.
I’ve waited so long to see Veronica like this, to have her naked in my bed, but it all feels wrong to look at her right now while she’s suffering.
Leaning over, I place one hand behind her knees and the other along her back, then lift her off the bed and into my arms. She cradles her head against my neck, arms crossed over her as she covers her chest.
I carry her to the bath and carefully lower her in until she touches the bottom.
Gabe filled the tub nearly to the top, which means that by the time she’s settled in, the front of my shirt is completely wet.
She takes her time lying back against the bath and lets her head drop against the edge, turning it to face me.
I remove my wet shirt and throw it behind me, then sit down on the floor beside the bath in the opposite direction as her so that we’re facing each other. I just want to keep an eye on her in case she falls asleep in the tub.
When my gaze meets Veronica’s, she’s glaring at something behind me. And when I look over my shoulder and spot the shirt I just threw, I chuckle and turn back to her. “I’ll pick it up after, I promise.”
“Mhmm, you better.” She smiles softly.
“How are you feeling now, Kitten?” I bring my hand up and glide it through her hair, her deep sapphire eyes watching my every movement.
“Better. It still hurts, but the heat is helping,” she says quietly. “Although it feels weird to have a whole bunch of tiny rocks under my ass.”
I laugh. “There’s my girl.”
We smile at each other for a moment, and I notice this is the second time we’ve made a comment like that, and she doesn’t contradict us like she normally would.
Maybe it’s just because of her state, or maybe she’s starting to see what we’ve always seen.
I can’t help but feel a bit of hope spread through me.
“You didn’t even look.” Her whispered words pull me away from my thoughts, and I furrow my brows in confusion. “When you undressed me. You didn’t look,” she clarifies.
“Your eyes were closed. How can you be so sure I didn’t?” I smirk.
“I could feel them on me. If you did, it was barely for a second.”
“You’re right, I didn’t,” I confirm.
“Why not?” She frowns.