Chapter 30
Jasmina
CALLAHAN ASKED ME THE last time I’d seen a doctor, how the hospital stay went with my stomach, and that’s when I felt my nerves creep in. “We had so much going on—”
“And?”
“I didn’t go to the hospital. It was handled privately.”
“By who?”
“Callahan …” I sighed, because I could see his muscles tensing.
“Tell me you got proper care.”
“It’s not—”
“Tell me you got proper care, or your uncle goes on that list of people I’m going to cross off too.”
I had scrambled away from him and pinned him with a look that could kill. “Don’t you dare. My uncle is devastated over this. He was beside himself.”
“So beside himself he hasn’t gotten you the basic standard of care you should have.”
“I’m fine,” I wailed. “I played tennis today and then rode your cock, didn’t I?”
His jaw popped twice before he growled. “That shouldn’t have happened. We’re going to the doctor now.”
“Absolutely not.” I crossed my arms. “I’m fine.
“Then you will go and let them tell us you’re fine.”
“No,” I retorted quickly.
And that’s when he narrowed his eyes. “Jasmina, you go, or I bring the standard of care here. That means every damn nurse, doctor, surgeon, ob-gyn, anyone I can find. Jameson’s in the medical field too. I’ll call him over along with them.”
“Bring them, then. I don’t want to go to the hospital.” My voice was quieter now as I saw how this would play out. As I saw how I’d have to sit in a sterile room with only Callahan and medical professionals as they told us that I was probably barren.
I wouldn’t do that there. I could handle it here. It was a terrible realization, that I was finding comfort in a place that was surely about to be ripped from me after he found out the state of my body.
Callahan seemed to sense my sudden shift, because he got up and grabbed his clothes casually before walking up to me, still naked, and putting his hands on either side of my hips to lean in close to my face. “We got a month before the wedding, baby, and I need you healthy.”
I bit my lip. “What if I’m not healthy?” I whispered.
“Not?” He frowned, and then he watched as I rubbed a hand over my lower stomach.
“Baby”—he let that nickname fall from his lips like a caress—“Contract to marry you is with or without child. And I’d marry you without one over and over again.”
Why did my throat close up and my eyes well with tears I would absolutely not shed? I licked my lips and nodded, holding his gaze. “Then bring the doctors here … but not your brother, and tell them I want them to give it to me straight.”
He smiled big and pecked my lips before he chuckled, “Oh, I was always going to bring the doctors to you or bring you to them, Viper. And I don’t intend to have them sugarcoat anything. You know why?”
“Why?”
“Because we both know you don’t like it sweet. You like it raw and vicious.” He nipped at my neck, and one of his hands went between my legs.
“My come is still dripping down your legs from inside you as evidence that you like it just the way I’m going to give it to you. Raw. And real. So, be prepared.”
I lifted my chin, trying not to tremble under his touch, and told him, “I’ll be fine one way or the other.”
He nodded once and then pulled on one of my blue streaks before murmuring, “And I’ll be by your side before and after the news you get, one way or the other.
” And then he kissed my forehead like he was going to leave me for the evening, but instead he murmured, “Go shower. I’ll have a medical team here within the hour. ”
“An hour?” I screeched, and then I glared at him as I shoved him away. “Of course you’d only give me an hour. What if I need more time?”
“For a medical exam?”
“You’re an ass. Get out so I can get ready.”
He huffed, and then he went and sat on the couch. “Nope. I’ll stay.”
Of course he would.
And he did.
Through the exams. Through them telling us exactly how bad all the injuries were.
Through me getting a clean bill of health that seemed to relax every muscle in Callahan’s body.
And through them leaving. Then, he stayed in my bed that night, and maybe I should have complained and sent him away.
But I didn’t.
The next morning, Callahan woke me bright and early with breakfast and a list of plans. “We’re going to New York.”
I groaned at his chipper attitude. “It’s way too early for this.”
“Don’t start. We’re going to get your wedding dress.”
Romeo hopped on my bed and purred around my face. Hearing my voice had given him the signal I was up.
“Romeo disagrees. He looks ready. Where is his carrier?” I was half asleep and wanting to be rid of him by any means at this point, so I just waved toward the walk-in closet. He disappeared into it and reappeared with a suitcase and the carrier.
Then he was talking to my cat like they actually got along. “If you go in here without a fit, I’ll find decent treats for you.”
“He doesn’t eat treats.”
“Your mother doesn’t even give you treats. You eat the same food every single day. She’s tricked you into thinking this is the good life. You could have better.”
“How dare you?” I grumbled, finally sitting up. “Romeo has the best life.”
Callahan frowned. “I’m not sure he agrees. He’s going to have to fly with us, and most cats don’t exactly like travel.” But when Callahan unzipped the carrier, Romeo proceeded to rub against Callahan’s wrist before walking straight into it.
We were both silent as we watched. Romeo didn’t love Callahan, and his movement toward him was a bit shocking.
“Well, I stand corrected. He likes travel, and I’m pretty sure I owe him treats.
You’re bribing him to like you.” I scooted off the bed and went to pack my suitcase, because there was no way I was talking Romeo out of a trip now. He was already prepared.
Plus, I needed a wedding dress. What better place to get one than New York?
But he didn’t just take me to New York—he flew me halfway across the country and took me to face my family’s transgressions.
I knew once we were on the plane and he gave me a sober look before he said, “I’ll have my men with us.
” He pointed back at Archer and a few others in the back of the plane. “Along with others in New York.”
“For what?”
He sighed and looked out the window before he met my eyes. “You wanted to be involved, and so I’m telling you now: A woman’s willing to meet with me and you, if you’d like. She was one that was trafficked. She has information for me, but also—”
I didn’t even let him finish. “Absolutely. Whatever I can do, I’m there.”
Making it right would be hard—impossible—but still, even when you couldn’t, you had to try.
I met with her and Callahan while his men watched the building, giving her and me privacy. I held her hand, I listened to her pain, and I asked her what I could do because no apology from my family would be enough.
She didn’t want anything from Callahan or me. She wanted justice. Not just because of Paolo, but because of the men who’d abused her. Helping her find the men who’d hurt her was at the top of her list.
My uncle was to blame.
But so many others were too.
And when I told Callahan that was my new life’s mission, that I wanted every single name we could find, he didn’t even ask why. He just made a call and told someone to start pulling lists and addresses.
We were on the way to the dress shop like it was just another day before the wedding, and casually, he said, “If you’re killing them all, Jas, I get to be by your side while you do it.”
I think I might have fallen then.
He threaded his fingers through mine and murmured, “I think you should know, Monte and Perla might want to discuss this with you.”
“Why would they? I’m helping these women,” I responded. He was hinting at something with them again. Something I didn’t want to see.
Maybe I should have consulted Perla and Monte. But maybe this was the path of my life, not theirs. Maybe, sometimes, our choices were bigger than the ones we thought we loved.
And when I got to the boutique and saw my cousins, I hugged them extra tight in hopes they would never have to make a choice bigger than their family.
Both of them were alive and buzzing in skintight dresses.
They both squealed when they were let in by Archer and a few more of Callahan’s men.
They ran over to me when they saw me. Annarose pulled me in for a hug first and whispered in my ear, “He sent a freaking Rolls-Royce to pick us up, Jas. And look at him. The man he is. Tell me you hate him so I can have him instead.”
“Quit it,” I said with a chuckle, hugging her back.
Then Maribel pulled me into her arms next. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, not sure how to tell her I was better than okay but wrecked all the same. My life was being slowly dismantled, but it was a life I never wanted to have, one of lies and secrets that needed to be unearthed.
“Of course I am. Tía come with you?”
“She had to stay with Papa over something. They were yelling about nonsense when we left.”
My eyes flicked to Callahan, and he shook his head like he wasn’t going to worry about them.
“Dress time?” Annarose singsonged, because my cousin was ready for our most vain part of the day more than anyone else.
“We can take you ladies upstairs,” a slender woman wearing a name tag and a slimming black dress said.
Callahan started to walk with us, and I spun to tell him, “You can go work or do whatever you need to do.”
He looked at me like I was silly. “I could go, but I’ll stay.” Him and that phrase. And me and that phrase, actually. Why the hell did I love it every time he said it?
I think I was actually blushing as I whispered fast to him. “You’re not really supposed to see me in my dress before the wedding.”
“Not really supposed to sleep with you before the wedding either, but here we are,” he retorted loud enough for both of my cousins to hear. Their eyes bulged, and my jaw dropped.
“Callahan!” I tsked at him, but he just smirked like he couldn’t care less that they knew. “Why do you insist on being here?”
He sucked on his teeth before he leaned in and told me quietly, “Because your cousins bulldoze you, and I want you to get the dress you actually want.”
Oh. “I’ll be fine.”
“And I’ll be here, seeing you in fifty dresses instead of one.
” He chuckled, sliding his hands in his pockets before nodding toward the saleswoman.
“Pull every dress that will look good on her. Matter of fact, pull every dress because she’ll look good in them all.
We need to make sure we get the best one. ”
“Callahan, absolutely not. I’m not trying on every dress. That will take forever. You don’t want to sit through all that—”
“I want to see you in them all, Viper. I’m going to enjoy every single one.”