Ten
Dr. Devin
It had been four days since I’d talked to Lilly.
Did I feel bad about it? Yes.
Was it the right decision? Hell yes.
She’s a good girl and she didn’t deserve to be manipulated. We needed that money something serious, but I didn’t have it in me to do what Mrs. Rich Bitch was asking me to do, not to Lilly. Caring about someone else’s feelings wasn’t really my thing, but doing that to her was the equivalent of kicking a kitten. I hate cats, but I’m not that much of a bastard.
I finished up an oil change and then went over the books for the garage. It was bad…really bad. It wouldn’t be long before we’d be packing up everything and living on the streets.
I sensed the evil in the room before I looked up and saw the she-devil herself standing in the middle of the garage. By her expression you would’ve thought we were standing in a pile of dead animals and maggots. I pushed myself away from the broken-down metal desk and walked over to her.
“What can I do for you?” I asked.
I didn’t want to seem too familiar with her in case Dad popped up outside.
“Oh, you’ve done quite well already. I’m just here to give you your first installment. A deal’s a deal, right?” She held out a check and from afar I could see the long line of zeros.
I shook the bad thoughts out of my head and mentally flicked the little asshole devil from my right shoulder.
“I don’t want that. I’m not doing it.”
I saw raw anger flicker in her gaze before she quickly plastered a false smile on her thin lips that never reached her eyes.
“What do you mean you’re not doing it?”
“She’s a nice girl and I don’t feel right about it, OK?” I turned to walk away before the check could draw me any nearer. It was a like a tractor beam pulling on my back.
“I talked to Mr. Schaefer the other day, you remember him, don’t you? He was the man that had you arrested. He’s agreed to help you as long as I give my word. I guess it’s true what they say…money talks.”
“Look, lady, I said I can’t do it.”
“You’re a little too close to losing everything to suddenly develop a conscious, don’t you think?” she growled. “Don’t be stupid. Take the deal I’m offering you. You’d be the most selfish man alive if you didn’t, your poor little sister and dad living on the streets when you could’ve prevented it. Trust me, I know my daughter. She’d approve if she knew how close you were to living in that thing you call a car.”
Her words attacked my brain waves and then started to seep in. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. I had to do this, for my family more than anything. Maybe she was also right about Lilly. She’d understand after she got over the hurt, right?
“Let’s get this over with before your father gets anymore dirt on my BMW. At least I assume that’s your father outside drowning his sorrows in that can of beer out front.”
I looked outside and she was right, my dad was out there running his grimy fingers down the side of her expensive car. He was definitely drunk. I guess he was giving up just like me, except now I refused to give up. There’s no other way. I reached out my hand to her.
“Give me the damn check,” I said dryly.
“There’s a good boy,” she smirked, before turning and walking away.
“What a bitch,” I said out loud to myself.
Two hours later I was outside of Franklin’s jewelry store again. I shook the tension out of my shoulders and checked my clothes. What the hell kind of excuse was I going to give her for not calling for four days? I reached out my hand and pushed the door open. Guess I’ll just have to wing it.
I saw her standing on a stepping stool of some sort behind the counter. She was hanging fake swags of yellow and orange fall leaves and flowers. She immediately turned toward the door as I came through it and I watched as she lost her footing and fell. She disappeared behind the counter when she hit the floor. Running over to the counter, I jumped over it quickly. The bright red blood all over her leg and floor was a direct contrast to the gray carpeting behind the counter.
“Are you OK?”
It was a stupid question since seeing that her pants and her leg was ripped open she was most definitely not OK.
She looked like she was fighting back tears while she reached down and very slowly rolled what was left of her pants leg up.
“Ouch!” She jerked her hand back. “I think I caught the edge of the glass top counter there,” she hissed. “Apparently, it’s pretty sharp.”
I ran into the employee bathroom in the back of the store and grabbed as many paper towels as I could.
“Here, let me help you,” I reached down to help clean the blood.
She jerked away quickly like she had been burned. This let me know she was seriously pissed off at me and I couldn’t blame her. I’d be pissed, too, if I were her.
“I got it, thanks.” Her words were clipped and not once did she look at me.
I watched as she wiped up blood from her leg and the floor around her. She wouldn’t let me help no matter how many times I insisted, but when she almost fell trying to get up, I reached out and held her up regardless of her complaining. Once we got her settled into a comfortable chair she let me move the napkins and look at the huge cut down the side of her leg that was still pouring blood.
“We gotta get you to a hospital. I hate to tell you this, babe, but you’re gonna need stitches.”
She still looked like she was about to cry, but no tears ever came.
“It’s just a scratch,” she said. “It’ll be fine—I’ll just have to put a lot of band aids on it.”
The expression on her face as she looked down at her bleeding let me know she knew she was going to need stitches as well. I recognized the exact moment that she resigned herself to a hospital trip. She shook her head and tried to get up from the chair.
“I need to lock up first.”
She stood up to get the store locked and hissed loudly at the pain from her leg.
“I’ll do it. Just tell me what to do,” I offered.
She talked me through locking the front door then I pulled down the closed sign. While I was doing that, she called the owner of the store and told her that she needed to leave and explained why. I heard the lady on the other end of the line going crazy with worry.
I finally convinced her to let me take her to the hospital and soon we were on the way. There were no words spoken between us once we were in my car. The talkative giddy girl from our date was nowhere in sight and with her wincing in pain every couple of minutes I figured now wasn’t the best time to lie about why I disappeared off of the face of the earth. I was going to have to be something good—something that tugged on her heartstrings.
When we got to the hospital they took her straight back. She didn’t say anything when I followed.
“OK, Mrs. Sheffield, I’m going to need you to remove your pants so I can get a better look at this.” The ER doctor looked younger than us.
She peeked over in my direction, still not looking me in the face then took a deep conflicted breath. Instead of taking her pants off in front of me like the doctor asked, she reached down and ripped her pant leg off from the knee down.
I watched as the doctor cleaned the wound and was really surprised by how big it was. It was going to leave one hell of a scar, that’s for sure.
“Yep, we’re definitely going to have to stitch you up. Let’s get you numbed up first,” he said, as he pulled out a needle.
“Don’t numb me…just stitch me up, doc,” she hissed, as she turned her leg.
The doctor looks surprised for a second. “Are you sure, sweetie? This is going to hurt.”
“I’m sure.”
“OK, well you may want to hold your boyfriend’s hand.”
A soft blush covered her cheeks and I covered a smirk.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
She peeked over in my direction once more; again her eyes never reached my face. I wanted to make her look at me.
I watched as she flinched and gripped the sides of the hospital bed. Gritting her teeth, she made tiny hissing noises every time the needle went into her skin. She was in horrible pain, but not once did she cry—her eyes didn’t even water.
I lost count of the many stitches she received. I was too busy trying to stay in my seat. Part of me wanted to hold her hand and be there for her, but the tiny anti-Devin sign she was wearing kept my ass in my chair. I had the feeling I’d get bitten if I went anywhere near a wounded Lilly.
They gave her crutches and pain medicine and then I was helping her to my car. The ride back to her apartment seemed to take forever. I had to break the silence soon, this was crazy. I’d never had any problems talking to a female. Fixing cars aside, smooth talking the ladies was always easy for me.
I turned the radio down.
“Lilly, I’m sorry I didn’t call. I know you’re pissed off at me and…,” I started.
“I’m not mad—I understand.”
That stopped me. How could she possibly understand? Did her mother tell her?
“You understand?”
“Yepper deppers,” she slurred.
“Are you OK?” I asked.
She ran her fingers through her hair causing her bangs to slide over her eyes. I head bobbled a little before finally falling back against the headrest. I watched as a strand of her dark hair fell down her cheek and onto her neck. I suddenly felt like I was driving a drunk chick home from a party.
“Thy drugs are quick,” she slurred a quote from Romeo and Juliet before she laughed hysterically. “I should’ve probably mentioned that I have zero tolerance for pain meds, huh?” she spewed another burst of laughter.
There was no way in the world she’d take me seriously now. She was high out of her mind—glazed-over eyes and all!
Once we got to her apartment, I had to practically pull her out of my car. She laughed the whole way to the door while trying to maneuver one crutch and my arm at the same time. I caught myself laughing, too. The simple fact was she was a cute druggie.
If I were any other guy, I could take full advantage of this situation. I could bang her back out and she would have no idea about it in the morning. If I were any other guy that’s probably what I’d do. Instead, I took her key, opened her door, and then helper her to the couch where she collapsed in laughter, pulling me down with her.
I felt her arms go around my waist and my entire body reacted. The sensation shot straight down my abs and into my thighs. My jeans went tight in the crotch just that quickly and I freaked. As fast as I could, I pulled back and tried to get up to close the door.
“Don’t leave,” she slurred with her eyes closed. “I don’t want to be alone—I’m so tired of being alone.”
She looked up at me with unfocused, sad eyes before her head fell to my shoulder. She was out like a light.
I laid her back and then propped her legs up on the couch, careful not to touch her cut. I got up, shut the front door, and then contemplated whether or not I should leave her or wait until her roommate got home. I decided to wait and sat on the loveseat watching TV for what felt like hours.
Her last words before she fell asleep lingered in my mind. She was tired of being alone. Maybe when this is all over with I’d find her a nice guy who could appreciate her. All things considered, she was actually kind of great. Too damn good for a disconnected piece of shit like me. My own mother didn’t want me, why would that sweet piece of woman lying on the couch want me. I’m not good enough, but there was some dude out there that was and I’d find him if I could. It was the least I could do considering what I was doing to her.
I looked over and watched as she slept peacefully on the couch. She looked angelic… all innocence and I was the devil. I was the horrible fiend who was swooping in to attack. I suddenly felt a little sick to my stomach.
“I have to do this,” I said to no one, as I changed the channel and hardened my heart.
Finally, I felt myself getting tired and before long I was sleeping, too. I don’t know how long I slept, but I woke to someone saying “ouch” over and over again. I looked up to see Lilly limping towards the kitchen. I jumped up to help her.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m thirsty,” she was breathing hard.
“Why didn’t you wake me up, I’ll get it for you. Here sit down before you bust your stitches.” I helped her back to the couch and then went digging through the nicely decorated kitchen.
I found a coke in the refrigerator and took that to her.
“You want anything else. Are you hungry? I could make you something.”
“No, but thanks,” she rolled the coke can in her palms nervously. “You can go. You don’t have to sit here and babysit me. I really appreciate it, but I can call my mom and have her come over until Shannon gets home,” she winced in pain, as she put her leg back up on the couch.
“I don’t mind, I like being here with you.” I said it to make her not so weary of me, but once the words came out I realized that I actually meant them. “Besides, what kind of gentleman would I be if I left you here all by yourself? Just sit back and let doctor Devin take care of you.”
She giggled finally and then stopped suddenly as she gripped her leg in pain.
“Do you want me to get your another one of your pain pills? Enough time has passed…you can take another one if you want.”
“No, I’m OK. I don’t usually take pain medicine and I still feel kind of groggy from the dose I took earlier. Thanks anyway.”
“You’re crazy. If you’re in pain you should take it. I still can’t believe you let him stitch you up without of numbing you first. You’re a tattoo artist’s dream. Most girls would have cried.”
“I don’t cry,” she said blandly.
“What do you mean you don’t cry? Like ever? You never cry?”
That was the craziest thing I’d ever heard, women cry—that’s what they do. It’s, like, programmed in their DNA to be whiney and emotional. I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman that didn’t whine and cry about something or another. Even my little sister Jenny, who was a total hard ass, still cried occasionally about something.
“Never,” she sounded raspy.
“Not even when you were a kid?”
“The last time I cried I was fifteen. It’s been years since I’ve shed a tear and I don’t plan on starting again anytime soon,” she smiled tightly.
I didn’t say anything else on the subject. Something seriously traumatic must have happened to her. Her little confession changed something. There was a brief moment that I saw a broken Lilly. I know broken when I see it. But just as quickly as it slipped off, her giggle girl mask was firmly placed back on.
She was hiding something…a darkness that only another broken person could see. Suddenly, I felt a manly streak of protection run through me. It took everything I had not to growl and paw at the ground. It was a demented situation. Here I was… the delivery man of hurt and yet I wanted to beat the shit out of anyone who even considered bringing this girl pain.
I was shocked by how protective I felt towards her. It was a strange feeling considering the only female in my life that I’ve ever been defensive over is my sister. She’s the only female in my world that I give a shit about.
We watched a few sitcoms before she asked me to help her to her bed. Her room was exactly as I pictured it. Very Lilly… that was the only way I could explain it. First of all, there was no pink, which I silently gave thanks for. Her room was a neutral color with palm trees everywhere. It was like being stuck on an abandoned island. There was a huge king size bed that looked like fluffy clouds and beside the bed there was a night stand covered in books.
She limped into the bathroom and was in there for a while before coming out with her hair piled on top her head and a pair of sleep pants covered in cherries on. It was fitting since she naturally smelled like vanilla and cherries. I shouldn’t know that...I shouldn’t care to know that. I mentally punched myself in the balls.
I helped her into her bed, gave her the TV remote, and then got prepared to leave. Her huge room suddenly felt very small.
“I’ll call you tomorrow… if that’s OK?” I said, as I started to leave the room. “I’ll make sure the door is locked and if you need anything before Shannon gets back just call my cell.”
“Devin,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” I stopped and turned to face her.
“I really hate to ask this, but could you stay until I fall asleep? I don’t wanna seem like a big baby, but I don’t really want to be alone right now.”
The room began to shrink again. I shook my head yes and started back towards the bed. My words were literally stuck in throat. The last time I was alone like this with Lilly we almost had sex. I swore I’d never get into this position again. Yet here I was, climbing into bed with her.
I slipped onto the bed and sat up again the headboard. She snuggled up under the covers with her eyes closed while I flipped through channels trying to find something to watch.
I don’t remember falling asleep. I just know that I slept better than I had in many years. I don’t know if it was her plush, expensive mattress or the fact that she snuggled up to me all night long. All I know is when I woke up the next morning I felt a warm body pressed up against me in all the right places.
Half asleep I pulled that body closer to me and pressed my hard on against the soft warmth. I heard a little moan, which in my mind was a bright green go sign, so I kept pressing myself against her.
I pushed some thick sweet smelling hair out of my way and began kissing the back of her neck. I felt her turn in my arms and soon her lips were pressed against mine and I was grabbing a handful of ass and pulling her closer.
I kissed her deep and hard and her little sighs drove me harder. I slipped my hand inside of her shirt and felt her tense against me. She didn’t say anything so I just kept going. With my eyes still closed, I pushed her onto her back and fit myself between her legs. I didn’t need to see…I know my way around a female body. I pressed up into her thigh and it felt so amazing I thought I might unload right there, but I must have hit her stitches because she let out an ungodly scream that knocked me out of my sleepy, horny daze.
I jumped up and shook my head trying to get myself together. She pulled back the covers and started checking under her wrappings to make sure I didn’t accidently bust her stitches open.
“I’m sorry,” I said roughly, as I ran my hands through my hair pulling on the ends.
“It’s okay.”
Her hair was all ratted up and her eyes were heavy with sleep. Her lips were moist and red from my hard kisses as she nervously nibbled on her bottom lip. The strap to her tank top was pushed to the side revealing a little peek of side boob. She looked so tempting. All I could think about was climbing on top of her and burying myself into her hard and deep.
I shifted my hips and adjusted myself to relieve some pressure from my jeans against my hard cock. This shit wasn’t getting any easier. It was getting harder…literally. Like any harder and I’d be popping a button on my loose fitting jeans.
It pissed me off just thinking about it. This was complete and total bullshit. This is not me and I’ll be damned if some chunky virgin was going to turn me into some little bitch over sex. I wasn’t about to let that happen. I would play this off, get my money, and get the hell out.
“What is it about you?” I heard myself ask.
“What do you mean?” she asked nervously.
“I can’t seem to keep my hands to myself around you,” I laughed sarcastically to myself, as I ran my hands through my hair again. “Which is why I tried to stay away from you, but there’s just something about you. I’m sorry. From now on I promise I won’t touch you anymore.”
I couldn’t even bring myself to look at her as I spoke. I was embarrassed that I was even feeling this way. I was pissed off that I even had to apologize for myself. I’m a man and I liked to fuck... end of subject. I shouldn’t have to say sorry for that. It’s who I am.
I’ve always prided myself on the fact that I never lost control with any woman and yet here I was always losing my self-control with this girl. This chunky girl who I kept telling myself I wasn’t physically attracted to. It was cruel joke from God.
When she finally spoke, I had to force myself to leave.
“I like it when you touch me,” she whispered.
She was brazenly looking at me and I watched a pink blush covered her skin. It took a lot for her to say those words.
“I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”
Then I did what I was best at… I left a girl in bed begging me with her eyes to stay. I didn’t even wait for a reply. I had to get out of that room before I jumped into that bed and screwed her brains out.
I passed Shannon on the way to the front door and I thought for a minute that her eyes were going to pop out of her head. I closed the front door behind me, but not before catching the smirk that Shannon threw my way.