Derek was coming back tomorrow, so I had to leave today, but it doesn't mean I couldn't get my Starbucks first.

"I love you, Pookie!" I said, sipping on my Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino as Vincent glared at me.

"Do not call me Pookie, ever."

"My bad, G," I smirked, but he only scoffed. "Oh, come on, Starbucks is so cheap. You'll be fine."

"I don't understand why I had to take time out of my day to get it," Vincent complained while watching me eat.

I shrugged. "That's what good boyfriends do." He only snorted, and I pouted. "I have a question,"

He side-eyed me. "Yes?"

"Are you into BDSM? I'm asking because you were really turned on by me calling you sir."

"Yes, was that all?"

Jeez, no filter. "Are you not scared that you'll scare me off?"

"No, you're mine. You can't go anywhere."

I rolled my eyes. "Vincent, I can never tell when you're being serious or not."

"I'm being very serious. I would like to see you tied up, your cunt throbbing and dripping, you begging me to fuck you. I would very much make you walk around in public with a vibrator up your pussy and a butt plug up your ass."

I gaped at his crude words....well, my pussy's already throbbing.

Vincent smirked. "I know, A'roya, very soon, I'll take care of that for you."

"Oh, so not now anymore?"

Vincent shook his head. "I'd rather see you beg."

"Sadistic much?" I asked, throwing away my trash.

"Very," he smacked my ass roughly before walking away, leaving me with my mouth open.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Derek is about ten minutes from our house, and I'm doing some deep cleaning.

Derek cannot see the dishes and everything. Vincent didn't let me do jack-shit, and now I need to fix that.

I do now realize that this isn't the life I want and if I do have kids, for my children too. It's toxic and unreliable.

I love Vincent, and so I'm going to talk to my parents about it. I'm going to ask for their help in divorcing Derek.

But for now? I'll fake it till I make it.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

"Hey, Derek." I smiled at him, and he just walked past me.

"Where's my food?"

I rolled my eyes when he wasn't looking. "In the microwave, check."

"Come get it, stupid."

I sighed, walking into the kitchen and taking out his mac and cheese. "Here you go, darling."

I placed his food in front of him and, well, tried to move, but he grabbed my arm, pulling me closer to him. "I want a child, so be prepared."

My eyes bulged. "No-I–I'm not ready."

Derek glared at me. "You're twenty-six, you have a fucking job, and outside of your job, you have nothing else to do. What do you mean you're not ready?!" He shouted in the end, startling me.

"I–I–you take up most of my free time, Derek. I mean, I had to get your food for you– ah." I cried out when he backhand smacked me.

"Don't fucking play with me, A'roya. I can take away your job. Don't you dare get confident?" He grabbed my ear and pinched it hard. "Quit your job and have my kids or keep your job and have my kids. Either way, I get my way."

He pushed me into the table, took his food, and walked away. "Useless fucking bitch."

I need to tell my parents as soon as possible.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Sofia Lantern was a victim of a transgender hate crime. The injury left her with permanent damage to her cervical spinal cord, which is a part of the spine closer to your brain and basically helps to move your neck.

Because her injury was closer to the brain and affected a more significant portion of the body, her injury to the spine was very severe. She was diagnosed with tetraplegia, meaning she can no longer feel anything below her head. She can't move her neck even.

It was disgusting to see that people would do this to another person who's just trying to live their life. Their life is none of anyone else's business.

Sofia is our difficult patient, her therapist says it's because she needs time, her life has been drastically changed by a hate crime, and she's angry. She has a lot of anger. Anyway, I have been put up to the task of taking care of her, but she won't cooperate. She headbutts people, insults them, and spits, and today, she headbutted me while I was trying to help her in her wheelchair.

That shit hurts.

I had to go get an ice pack. On my way, I told Elora and Khascian, and they couldn't stop laughing at me.

"Jit got headbutted." Khascian shriek-laughed.

"Was it like a bull coming toward you, or you didn't see it coming?" Elora asked mockingly, laughing with Khasician.

I glared at them, icepack on my head while it was pounding. And I have eight more hours to go. I should have stuck with the elderly or babies because what is this? "First of all, fuck you both."

Elora and Khassy just start booming with laughter as if I said something funny.

"What's funny?"

Laughing turned into a screaming, but this time I joined in.

"Oh my fuck–oh, Doctor Clancy!" I smirked.

Elora blushed deeply as he smiled at us, kissing Elora on the cheek.

Technically, residents aren't supposed to be fucking interns, but hey, they do anyway, so them dating isn't anything we care about, at least. Plus, even if higher-ups found out, they couldn't do anything. Dr. Finnegan Clancy is the best heart surgeon on the team, he is talented, and the hospital can't lose someone like him.

"Sorry," he laughed.

My god, look at them teeth...and that smile. So contagious.

"It's fine, Dr. Clancy. We were off task anyway." Khassy chuckles, shoving Elora playfully.

"Please, call me Finnegan," he said with a small smile. "I saw you guys come here, so I wanted to invite you guys to come to Jamaica with my daughter and me."

Our mouths went wide.

"Finnegan?" Elora said in shock.

He just shrugged. "I was gonna ask you privately, but I know you'd want your friends around. It's for two weeks. You guys can bring plus ones. I'll pay."

I'm definitely forcing Vincent to come with me.

"Thank you, Dr. Finnegan, but this plus one would definitely want to pay for himself."

Elora and Khascian both glare at me. "Derek?!" They both shout, startling Dr. Finnegan.

I furrowed my brows. "No, dummies, Vincent."

"Oh, makes sense." Khascian and Elora nodded together.

"I'm bringing Silas, and he's a cheap bastard, so thank you." Khassy smiled.

"No, problem." Dr. Finnegan smiled again, making Elora flush red as he kissed her cheek again. "I look forward to it."

When he left, I smirked mockingly at Elora. "What's with all this blushing? I thought you were professional."

"No, for real, what's with the smiling shyly and blushing?" Khassy and I start laughing at her.

"Oh, fuck off." She glared back.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

"How far along is Phoebe?" Khascian asked as we made our way to Jericho's apartment.

"My mom hasn't seen her in five months, so I'm guessing she's halfway there. I haven't personally seen her. Talk to her on the phone, though."

"Calm down, Elora," I said when I saw her fidget, which she never does.

She smiles nervously. "Anxiety is apparently running through the family. Phoebe is our building block. She's so strong, and if something happens to her–I just her anxiety attacks. Jericho had to make her take maternity leave early. He calls me because he has absolutely no idea what he's doing, then Phoebe gets all emotional because she feels like she's stressing Jericho. It's a lot."

Khassy smiled hopefully. "She'll be fine. As you said, she's strong. Plus, all she needs is her sisters. Honestly fuck your mom if she supports how much Jericho treats her like a Queen."

I nodded in agreement. "I'm going to knock on the door. Are you ready?"

Elora nodded. "I'm so thankful for y'all."

We both smiled back before knocking on the door. Jericho immediately opened the door. "Oh–A'roya? You're alive? Damn, girl."

That's Jericho for ya.

Ask me questions about myself I guess or about the book I'll answer cus I always look at comments hehe