Sweet Retribution (Rydeville High Elite #3)(52)

CHAPTER NINETEEN


Sobs wrack my body, birthed straight from my soul, and I fall apart in Kai’s arms. I can’t speak over the tightness in my chest and the anguished cries emerging from my mouth. It’s too much. I can’t deal. Emotion overtakes me, and I can’t stop crying—it oozes out of me, like a river overflowing its banks, bursting forth in welcome relief. My chest heaves, and I cling to my husband, needing him now more than ever.

Kai holds me, whispering soothing words, and running his hand up and down my back, as the doctor discreetly exits the room.

“He lied,” I sniffle, staring at him with tears pumping out of my eyes. “That fucking bastard lied.”

“For once, I’m glad he did,” Kai admits, smiling through a haze of tears.

A tingle starts at the back of my skull, expanding as the thought grows. I run my fingers up my arm and I feel it. “Kai,” I rasp, taking his hand and placing it in the same place on my arm. “Do you feel that?”

He frowns. “What is it?”

“I felt it once before in the shower, but I didn’t pay much attention to it.” I remember thinking it was probably something they did to me at Parkhurst, related to one of the surgeries they performed on me, and not being overly bothered by it. If I’d thought to consider it more carefully, I might have pieced it together. I stare at him, confused as to what the actual fuck is going on. “I think it’s the hormone implant.” He looks puzzled so I elaborate. “It’s a form of birth control,” I explain.

His brows knit together. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either,” I admit, “but something is definitely off.”

The doctor pops his head back into the room. “Is it okay to come back in?”

A goofy smile graces my mouth as I let the full magnitude hit me. “Sure,” I choke out, my throat almost closing with emotion.

“This is the best news ever,” Kai says, leaning down to kiss me. I hold onto him, grinning like a loon, and I pinch myself, because I’m struggling to believe this is true.

The doctor approaches, holding a different type of handheld device. “I’d like to examine your cervix,” he says, “but I’ll need to do that via a vaginal ultrasound if that’s okay?”

A growl leaves Kai’s mouth, and I squeeze his fingers as I nod at the doctor. I’m not leaving here until he’s checked me thoroughly to ensure there are no more surprises.

He works quickly, avoiding looking at Kai, which is a smart move, because he looks like he wants to shove him out the window and watch him go splat on the sidewalk below. After he’s taken blood, a urine sample, and checked my blood pressure, I ask him about the little lump under my arm. His warm fingers press down in the exact spot. “That is definitely a birth control implant. I’d put money on it.” He smiles reassuringly. “Have you had any nausea, headaches, mood swings?”

“All of the above. And I was incredibly tired for a few weeks.”

“I’m not surprised,” he admits, removing his gloves and tossing them in the trash. “Your body has been in a heightened state of trauma after the abortion, the breast augmentation surgery, and being constantly drugged for a couple of weeks would’ve altered your body’s natural rhythm and zapped your energy too for a bit.” Rick obviously clued him in on stuff, but I can’t fault him for being thorough, because I know he was doing it in my best interests. “Everything you have felt has been normal.”

“So, Abby hasn’t had a hysterectomy and she’s protected from pregnancy?” Kai clarifies, and I’m glad to hear he can actually form words, because all he’s done is growl at the doctor since we came in here.

“That is correct.” The doctor’s face falls. “I don’t know the specific circumstances, because Rick explained it was safer that I didn’t know, but I was shocked when he told me someone had done that to you. I’m embarrassed for my profession, because no doctor with any moral code would even consider something so heinous. Especially to a young woman with her whole life ahead of her.”

He has no clue about the world we live in. And how that violation isn’t as heinous as some of the stuff being doing to those poor young girls in that dungeon.

“Well?” Drew asks, when we step outside, having thanked Rick’s doctor friend. Rick looks to his brother.

“The bastard lied,” I confirm. “They didn’t perform a hysterectomy on me.”

Drew pulls me into his arms. “Oh, thank fucking God.” He hugs me close. “I’m so happy for you, A.”

Rick has Kai in a bear hug when I shuck out of Drew’s embrace.

“At last, some good news,” Rick says, bending down to kiss my cheek. “God knows it’s overdue. I’m over the fucking moon for you, Abby.”

Kai tucks me in under his arm. “We are too.” He looks into my eyes, kissing the tip of my nose. “But I’d really like to know what’s going on. What does Hearst have to gain from lying?”

“He’s been trying to break her spirit,” Drew says. “But she keeps fighting back. He needed her to marry Charlie, so maybe it was just a threat to ensure it happened.”

“He knew I’d marry Charlie to keep Kai safe. He didn’t need any insurance.”