nightmares about his time
in the war and I don’t think he knows the difference when that
happens to him. I got the name Shade because someone thought I was
a ‘shade short on sense’ to be living out there.” Julie looked at
Cain. “I suppose he was right.”
Cain continued to stare at the flames.
Then seemingly coming to some decision, he turned and looked at
her. Julie waited for his anger.
“ We had unprotected sex.
There could be a child because of it. Are you...do you...how much
sex have you had with strangers? Am I safe?”
Cain wanted to know if she hooked. And
for as much as she was hurt by his question, she couldn’t really
blame him. She could understand his concern even, but it hurt
nonetheless. She stood up. “I don’t do drugs, not even to smoke
pot. I had sex three times if you count us fucking on the floor
like the animal you accused me of being. The other two times was
when I was sixteen, both with the same boy and both times with a
condom.” She straightened his shirt over her body. “I’d like my
clothes, please. I want to leave here. Now.”
Cain looked ready to say something, but
he door flew open and there stood an older woman with Jazzie right
behind her. Jazzie was crying and the older woman looked furiously
at her. Julie went to Jazzie. Cain stopped her.
“ We aren’t finished
here.”
Julie turned to look at him. “There was
never a ‘we,’ Doctor Waite. Excuse me,” she said as she brushed
past the older woman and out the door. She heard Cain ask what the
other woman, his mother, wanted before Julie shut the door behind
her.
Julie led Jazzie to the kitchen with
her arm around her shoulders. She just let the girl cry. Julie
needed to get out of here. When they entered the kitchen, Quinn was
seated at the table reading a paper. She looked up when she heard
them.
“ I told you to let me take
her in. She’ll probably ask Cain for the money for the prick’s bail
too.” Quinn smirked. “Knowing Cain, he won’t give it to her
either.”
Julie filled the pot on the stove with
water and turned the burner on. She hadn’t had a cup of tea in ages
and had no idea why she wanted one now. While the water boiled, she
took down three mugs and put them near the stove. Finding some Earl
Grey, she put a bag into each cup and set the sugar on the counter.
When she finished, she turned, and both women were staring at
her.
“ What?” she asked
embarrassed.
“ You’re living with Cain?
That’s so...well, you’re so...so, you and Cain, huh?” Quinn asked
with a smile.
Julie didn’t like the smile, nor did
she care for the way they were looking at her. Like they’d just won
the lottery and she was the grand prize or something. “No, we had
sex. Once. And for some reason, he believes I need for him to boss
me around.” Julie opened the doors under the sink and looked in the
trash.
“ Yeah, that’s Cain. He’s
very protective. I guess because he’s the oldest. And the only boy.
He protected us girls as much as he could while we were growing
up.” Quinn got up and poured the hot water into the cups when Julie
walked away.
Julie opened the cabinets, vaguely
noting they were well stocked. “Well, I don’t want or need his
protection. I do just fine on my own, thanks.” She closed the last
one as she finished speaking.
“ He doesn’t listen. He
thinks...what the hell are you looking for?”
Julie looked at Quinn when she asked.
“In case it has escaped your notice, I’m slightly under dressed
here. I know he hid my clothes somewhere just to make sure I
wouldn’t escape. But if I don’t find them soon, I don’t give two
shits what I don’t have on. I’m outta here.”
“ You want to...okay. I
have some clothes you can wear. They aren’t much, just some jeans
and t-shirts.” Quinn picked up her suitcase and began pulling out
clothes.
Julie watched her, amazed someone could
get that many clothes in one small case. She had more clothes in
her case than Julie had
in the war and I don’t think he knows the difference when that
happens to him. I got the name Shade because someone thought I was
a ‘shade short on sense’ to be living out there.” Julie looked at
Cain. “I suppose he was right.”
Cain continued to stare at the flames.
Then seemingly coming to some decision, he turned and looked at
her. Julie waited for his anger.
“ We had unprotected sex.
There could be a child because of it. Are you...do you...how much
sex have you had with strangers? Am I safe?”
Cain wanted to know if she hooked. And
for as much as she was hurt by his question, she couldn’t really
blame him. She could understand his concern even, but it hurt
nonetheless. She stood up. “I don’t do drugs, not even to smoke
pot. I had sex three times if you count us fucking on the floor
like the animal you accused me of being. The other two times was
when I was sixteen, both with the same boy and both times with a
condom.” She straightened his shirt over her body. “I’d like my
clothes, please. I want to leave here. Now.”
Cain looked ready to say something, but
he door flew open and there stood an older woman with Jazzie right
behind her. Jazzie was crying and the older woman looked furiously
at her. Julie went to Jazzie. Cain stopped her.
“ We aren’t finished
here.”
Julie turned to look at him. “There was
never a ‘we,’ Doctor Waite. Excuse me,” she said as she brushed
past the older woman and out the door. She heard Cain ask what the
other woman, his mother, wanted before Julie shut the door behind
her.
Julie led Jazzie to the kitchen with
her arm around her shoulders. She just let the girl cry. Julie
needed to get out of here. When they entered the kitchen, Quinn was
seated at the table reading a paper. She looked up when she heard
them.
“ I told you to let me take
her in. She’ll probably ask Cain for the money for the prick’s bail
too.” Quinn smirked. “Knowing Cain, he won’t give it to her
either.”
Julie filled the pot on the stove with
water and turned the burner on. She hadn’t had a cup of tea in ages
and had no idea why she wanted one now. While the water boiled, she
took down three mugs and put them near the stove. Finding some Earl
Grey, she put a bag into each cup and set the sugar on the counter.
When she finished, she turned, and both women were staring at
her.
“ What?” she asked
embarrassed.
“ You’re living with Cain?
That’s so...well, you’re so...so, you and Cain, huh?” Quinn asked
with a smile.
Julie didn’t like the smile, nor did
she care for the way they were looking at her. Like they’d just won
the lottery and she was the grand prize or something. “No, we had
sex. Once. And for some reason, he believes I need for him to boss
me around.” Julie opened the doors under the sink and looked in the
trash.
“ Yeah, that’s Cain. He’s
very protective. I guess because he’s the oldest. And the only boy.
He protected us girls as much as he could while we were growing
up.” Quinn got up and poured the hot water into the cups when Julie
walked away.
Julie opened the cabinets, vaguely
noting they were well stocked. “Well, I don’t want or need his
protection. I do just fine on my own, thanks.” She closed the last
one as she finished speaking.
“ He doesn’t listen. He
thinks...what the hell are you looking for?”
Julie looked at Quinn when she asked.
“In case it has escaped your notice, I’m slightly under dressed
here. I know he hid my clothes somewhere just to make sure I
wouldn’t escape. But if I don’t find them soon, I don’t give two
shits what I don’t have on. I’m outta here.”
“ You want to...okay. I
have some clothes you can wear. They aren’t much, just some jeans
and t-shirts.” Quinn picked up her suitcase and began pulling out
clothes.
Julie watched her, amazed someone could
get that many clothes in one small case. She had more clothes in
her case than Julie had
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