Chapter 20 #2
We cross the street hand in hand, mainly because he won’t let go of me, and he opens the passenger side door for me.
I get in without a fight and do up my seatbelt.
Part of me wonders why I’m even leaving with him.
I don’t want to turn up at the doctor’s with him, and I’m still mighty annoyed about this morning.
But a small bit of fear has crept in after that conversation with Sloane.
Maybe their protection isn’t just Jagger trying to be a control freak; maybe there is more to it.
What the hell did I walk into the other night, and why could I now be in danger?
As we drive through town, Cruz taps his fingers on the steering wheel like he’s playing an instrument. He has this erratic energy about him. Like he has to be constantly moving. He should be in bed resting still, but I reckon it would be near impossible to keep him there.
“Why won’t you answer me?” I ask when the silence gets too much.
“About what, little darlin’?”
My eyes narrow in on him. “Am I in some sort of danger?”
“Not with us around, you’re not.”
I watch him, trying to gauge his reaction. “So, if I’m on my own, I’m not safe?”
A tick of annoyance crosses his face, but he keeps his grin plastered on his lips. “You won’t be on your own, so don’t worry about it.”
“Cruz, be straight with me. You’re freaking me out.”
His hand lands on my thigh. “You’re freaking yourself out. You have nothing to worry about. Let us take care of you.”
I slump back in my seat, staring out the front windshield. We’re going around in circles, and I’m still not getting any closer to the truth. He’s so infuriating sometimes.
“What else did you get on your shopping spree?”
I glance down at the bags under my feet. “Just some clothes and stuff.”
“What stuff?”
I shrug, not feeling like talking to him if he’s going to keep me in the dark.
“Something sexy for me to peel you out of later?” He wiggles his brow.
“Not while you’re keeping shit from me, no.” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest as I turn away from him.
He chuckles darkly, but for once, he doesn’t have something to say back. He pulls into the parking lot of a fancy new-looking building that has Ravens Hollow Women’s Health Clinic across the front of it.
I inhale deeply, not wanting to go inside but knowing I have to. That’s what happens when you let some cute biker blindfold you and you think with your pussy, not your head, Daisy, so this is all your fault. I go to open the door, but again, it’s child-locked.
Cruz is by my side, opening it for me. He goes to take my hand, and I won’t let him, instead striding in front quickly and into the foyer of the clinic.
I approach the counter where a nice lady with silver hair is sitting chatting on the phone.
She holds up a finger for me to wait then finishes up her call quickly.
“What can I do for you?” she asks, a friendly smile on her face.
“I have an appointment, Margherita Moretti.” I offer a half smile back, feeling awkward.
She quirks a brow. “Any relation to Alessandro, Ricky, and Maddox Moretti.”
I sigh, not wanting to get into it. “Maybe.”
She looks at me, waiting for me to go on, but I don’t want to get into the nitty gritty of it all. The family I was married into is messed up, and for the most part, I try and pretend I’m not part of it.
“Is there an appointment for me?” I ask when she’s still looking up at me all wide-eyed.
“Yes.” She hands me an iPad. “I’ll get you to fill in some details and then get this back to me. Ricky won’t be long.”
“Thanks.” I lean into the counter while I fill in the form. I glance at Cruz when it’s harder to fill in than I thought it would be. “What’s our address?” I ask, knowing how bad it sounds. “I’m just staying with friends while I’m visiting,” I tell the receptionist.
“Just put their address.”
“Look at that, she does still need me.” He smirks then takes the iPad from me, typing it in. Then when I try and take the thing back off him, he proceeds to fill himself in as my next of kin and self-pay, when he gets to the insurance part. “What? We will pay for your appointment.”
“Cruz, give it back,” I snip, and he hands the iPad back to me to fill in the rest. The thing is, I have to leave him as my next of kin.
What’s my other option, my brother who’s in Italy?
Or Sloane, I guess. But the truth is, I’m living with him, so he’s as good as anyone.
When I’m done, I hand the form over to the receptionist, and we take a seat to wait.
Ricky comes into view not much after. “Margherita,” he calls.
I stand, and so does Cruz. I glare back at him. “You’re not coming in with me. Stay here.”
“I got you into this mess; let me help get you out of it.”
“What do you mean by that?”
He leans into me. “Filling you with my love juice this morning. And I plan on doing it some more when we get home. Maybe ask if you can get an extra pill just to make sure we’re covered.”
I take a step back from him, shaking my head as a laugh escapes me. I can’t help it. What is this guy on? Love juice, oh, my God. “You have done enough. I can handle the doctor alone. But maybe you still need to do that research on boundaries,” I snip before I walk off in Ricky’s direction.
“I’ll be here waiting for you, little darlin’.”
I have no doubt he will be.