Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
“Well, I think maybe you should know one small detail about your precious Petal. She booked an appointment with Dr. Eva a few hours ago.” My mind searchers for the name. “A gynecologist,” Tia fills in for me.
“Here in the city?” Petal should be back at school. If she was in need of something medical, I should have been alerted. Her health care falls under ValenScott.
“Yes.” Anger starts to boil inside of me.
“And how the fuck do you know Petal has a doctor’s appointment? If it’s not because she told you, someone is very much about to be without a job and a possible lawsuit.” Tia’s face starts to redden as she realizes her mistake. “Your gossip circle has gone too far this time. She’s an adult woman. Of course she goes to a gynecologist,” I point out.
Though why didn’t I know about it? Was it upcoming in the next few weeks? She only made it recently. Was it when she was sending me sassy messages? Was she thinking about birth control? My head starts to throb with all the thoughts racing through it.
“Tia, shut down the bullshit. Don’t make me prove how ruthless I can be. You’ll never book a modeling job again if you continue down the path you’re currently on with Petal. I’m petty enough to have your stupid-ass Instagram and any other social media platforms you might have banned.”
“You can’t—” She stops speaking when her eyes fully meet mine.
“If any of you ruin what I have with Petal, I will not suffer alone.” It’s not a threat but a promise. With that, I walk out of the Prescott home without a backwards glance. My first call being to my mother.
“Who is Dr. Eva?” I say the second she answers the call.
“Well, hello to you too,” my mom says dryly.
“Mom, please. I’m begging here.”
“She’s one of the best gynecologists in the city. Why? Are you in need of a pap smear?” She laughs at her own joke.
“Petal booked an appointment with her.”
“Hmm” is her only response.
“Hmm? What does that mean? Is something wrong?” I suppose birth control might be an option. I take a steadying breath, not wanting my mind to start playing out all the reasons she might need birth control.
“Calm down.” I can tell my mom is holding something back.
“Mom!” I’m never one to bark at my own mother, but now I’m freaking out.
“I don’t see a girl going to Dr. Eva for birth control alone.” My mom gives voice to my own thoughts.
“So something is wrong.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How do you know this to be true?”
“Tia.”
“Why are you even talking to that girl? Have you heard what she is spreading around this city?”
“Yeah, I’ve handled it.”
“Good, about time you got this all sorted out.” There is no missing the smugness in my mother’s tone.
“She’s still in school, Mom.”
“About that. I got a call from Besly. They said they tried to reach you, but when you didn’t pick up they called me.” I pull my phone back to see that I do have two missed calls from them.
“What? So something is wrong?”
“I’m not sure, honestly. Petal is an adult, and they told me she’s good on her credits so she is free to go, but her last semester has already been paid for. I told them to keep it as a donation. The school has been good to her and—”
“Stop.” I jerk my car to the side of the road as I untangle everything my mom laid on me. “She left school?”
“Seems so.”
“Because something is wrong with her and this is why she needs to see this doctor?!”
“Do not shout at me, Vaughn Owen Valentinus.” I rein it in, knowing when my mom uses my full name that she’s no longer playing around.
“That could have been some made-up shit Tia said. She's going around saying you’re marrying her. She might be playing with your head.” She might not be wrong there.
“Where is Petal?”
“I suppose that’s the million dollar question.”
“That’s the billion dollar question.” I run my hand down my face. My little pet isn’t some run of the mill trust fund baby. She needs bodyguards if she’s not at school. Besly is locked up tight with security.
“I have a feeling my brilliant son will find that out in no time,” my mom chirps. “I’ll give you a head start. No, she hasn’t used any of her cards.”
That leaves two options. She’s using her best friend Christy’s name at first to get settled, but then she would want her own funds. She’ll also want the rest of her things if she’s back in the city to stay. Hell, she might be back to grab her shit and make a run for it.
If my little pet thinks she can outsmart me, she has a whole other think coming.