35. Orion
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
ORION
T he microwave beeps, and I look down at the things I have laid out on the counter.
Two different kinds of painkillers, a selection of bite-sized chocolates, and her laptop.
I’ve never needed a television in the bedroom, and it’s not something I’ve ever thought about getting, but if this is how Ember’s periods are, I might have to change my stance on that.
I want her to have every comfort she could possibly need when she’s in this much pain, and having a TV in the bedroom seems like a small price to pay to ensure that.
For now, she can watch something on her laptop, and when she’s feeling better, I’ll move her onto the couch where she can ride out however many days her period might last.
I know the basics, but from what I understand, no two women have the same cycle, which makes it really fucking hard to know what to do when you have a woman in your home for the first time.
I shake myself off and carry an armful of stuff into the bedroom where Ember’s curled up in the middle of the bed, her eyes pressed closed as she writhes around in pain.
Is this normal?
Maybe I should call a doctor, if for no other reason than my own peace of mind.
I carefully drop the items onto the bed and slip the heat pack beneath the blankets, resting it over the place her hands are clutching.
Her body visibly relaxes, which allows some of the tension to bleed from my body.
Seeing her in pain does things to me I can’t quite comprehend, and if we ever decide to have kids, I’m not totally sure how I’m going to survive seeing her in that much agony.
I shake off the thought because I’ve barely got her to stop trying to run away from me. I think we’re a long way off having a conversation about kids.
“How’s that feel, Little Flame?” I ask softly.
“Better,” she mumbles against the pillow.
“I have some pain meds here. Which one would you prefer?” I hold the options up, and she takes the Tylenol, quickly taking two tablets without water.
She laughs at the look of horror on my face and snuggles into the blankets. “If I can deep throat your dick, some tablets without water really aren’t an issue.”
A startled laugh bursts out of me, and the soft smile on her lips makes me consider curling up with her instead of doing the mountain of work I’ve been ignoring.
“Is the pain always this bad?”
She nods. “Yeah. It’s worse because I haven’t had a period in a while.”
My brows rise. “Is that normal? Do you need to see a doctor? I can have one here in a couple of hours.”
Ember shakes her head, but I can’t help but notice how sweet she looks curled up in the middle of my bed. “It’s because of my birth control. I got it to take away my painful periods. But one slips through every now and then, usually when I’m really stressed.”
I frown at the idea that I could have brought this on. I’ve been the main cause of her stress, which means I might be responsible for this.
“How long does it last?” I ask.
“A few days to a week. Just kind of depends.”
“Is that normal?”
Her sweet giggle hits me right in the chest. “I love how clueless men are about women’s health things. It’s really cute.” She presses a kiss to my hand. “It’s not out of the ordinary. There are some people who have periods that last for weeks. I’m just grateful that’s not me.”
“Weeks?”
She nods, her eyes falling closed for a moment before blinking open.
“Why don’t you take that nap, and when you wake up, we’ll get whatever you want for dinner.”
“Anything?” she challenges.
“Anything.”
It seems Ember doesn’t quite understand that there’s nothing I won’t do for her, so having what she chooses for dinner is hardly going to be a test to that.
I frown down at the platter of food she chose. This can’t be nutritious.
Three different chocolates she wanted, some candy, a cheeseburger and fries, and a pint of ice cream. The only vegetable in sight is the pickle on the burger that I’m pretty sure she’s going to pick out if the past is anything to go off.
Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to have anything she wanted for dinner.
I carry the tray into the bedroom and find Ember sitting up against the pillows with her laptop on her lap and a frown tugging at her brows.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, immediately on high alert.
Her eyes flicker up to meet mine and warm immediately. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it’s beginning to feel like we’ve turned a corner, and the relief that knowledge brings with it is unmatched.
“Nothing.” She shakes her head. “I set up an alert for Lucas when I was doing some research earlier, and it went off, but I can’t quite make sense of it.”
“What is it?” I ask, carefully placing the tray on the bedside table.
She looks over the array of junk food and grabs a few fries, shoveling them into her mouth before she turns her attention back to the computer.
“Just a safe house he doesn’t think anyone knows about. It’s the first place I expected them to be seen, as it’s off the grid, but I couldn’t find any proof that’s where he’s been staying.”
“But you just got that proof?”
“I think so.” She nods, plucking a few more fries from the plate. “These are really good. Thank you.”
“Anything my girl wants, she gets. You should know that by now.”
She smiles up at me, and I swear I fall more in love with her, a feat I didn’t think was possible for a man like me. But it seems Ember is the exception to all the rules.
I carefully take the laptop from her and place it at the end of the bed. “Let’s focus on getting you better and then we can start thinking about looking into your lead, okay?”
Ember frowns and looks as if she’s about to argue with me, but when I place the tray of snacks in the place the laptop once inhabited, she’s quickly distracted from whatever she was about to say.
Maybe I’ve got this whole period thing under control.