"—not to mention that you have to walk around with a wad of cotton stuck up your cunt."
I grimace.
"And take painkillers that make you woozy, so all you want to do is curl up under the covers and sleep. But instead, you are curled up on the floor of the bloody bedroom, watching as the man you thought you loved, the bastard who did a number on you by going behind your back to gang up on you with your family, is watching as you slowly bleed from between your legs like a pig stuck in a hole."
The blood drains from my face. Shit I really hurt her. I’d told myself to stay away after she’d left, to give her time, but hell, if I haven’t reached the end of my patience as well. I have to find a way to make her believe in me again. But how? Gregory had said woo her, but hell, if I am going down the tried and tested flowers and candles and dates route… Not that there is anything wrong in that, but seriously, this is Karina, a princess for whom nothing less than the very best will suffice.
I swallow, force myself to meet her gaze. "You’re not a pig." I scan her face. "Nope, definitely no resemblance."
She half snorts, then clears her throat. "Is that all you caught from everything I just said?" She sighs.
"The list of symptoms was impressive." I swallow, "Clearly, I’ll never know what it is to be on my period, but I can empathize."
"Oh yeah?"
"Sure, I mean, it’s like breaking your arm?"
"Armanda leg," she mutters.
"Arm and a leg," I agree, then take a step forward.
"And stubbing the big toe of the foot of your uninjured leg."
"That too," I nod, and move closer to her.
"And…then banging your elbow into the edge of a doorjamb."
"Totally." I reach her.
"And.. And…" her features scrunch up, "and like…losing the chance at having a child." She bursts into tears.
I swoop down and pull her onto my lap. "Shh! Baby, shh!"
She buries her face in my throat and weeps. Her shoulders shudder, her entire body shakes with the outpouring of her disappointment. A lump sticks in my throat. "Oh, sweetheart, I am so sorry."
She only cries harder.
I drag my fingers down her thick soft hair.
"Why did it have to turn out like this? Why?" She curls her fingers into fists and beats against my chest. "I wanted one thing…one thing. To have a child, someone of my own, to bring up without the shadow of my family and my past sullying it. I wanted this child, I really…really wanted it. I… I.."
Her breath hitches and more tears flow down her cheeks.
"I am so sorry, Sparks. I understand how you feel right now."
"You don't." She hiccups. "You have no idea how it feels to be convinced that you're pregnant and then have your bloody period arrive."
"Periods are meant to be bloody aren't they?"
She pauses, stares up at me, then bursts out crying again.
"Shh, baby, please don't cry." I hold her close and rock her. "I'm so sorry, Sparks, truly I am."
"Are you?" she blubbers. "Are you really sorry? Surely, you must be happy that you don’t' have to contend with a child, considering we broke up."
My heart stutters. My blood pounds at my temples. We may not be together now, but hell if I am not going to do my best to rectify it. "I didn’t realize how much I wanted you to have a child until I walked in and found you doubled over in pain and thought you were having a miscarriage."
"Miscarriage?" She stills. "It’s too soon for that."
