Page 102 of Under His Heel

“Listened?”

“To everybody. Every single person on the ship thought I was an idiot for trying to be nice to you.” Parsons turned his face away from Alex. “I thought, this poor guy. He’s getting tortured and demeaned and nobody is on his side.”

“What are you talking about?” Alex’s hands curled into fists. “‘This poor guy’? You were just pitying me?”

“Of course I was! Alex, it doesn’t take a genius to see that you have the emotional development of a three year old! I think Meilin is better adjusted than you are!”

“The fuck does that mean?” Alex stood, but his looming was lost on Parsons, who didn’t even look in his direction.

“It means that I thought I could help you! I thought you needed a friend to comfort you while Tracht terrorized you!” Parsons carefully adjusted himself so he was on his side, facing Alex again. “We were having normal conversations. And you seemed to like hanging out with me. So I trusted you. I fucking trusted you even though I should have realized you couldn’t change.”

“No! Fuck you, you can’t put this on me!” Alex bristled. “You wanted me to do your dirty work for you! Just like Nick! You thought it wouldn’t matter if I was your patsy for this, because why not screw me over some more? Who gives a shit if Alex gets hurt!”

Parsons winced but looked resigned. “The only person who matters to you is you. So just go away. I don’t care anymore.” He settled back down on his stomach and pointedly refused to look at Alex again.

Fuck him, fuck him. Alex had half a mind to beat him up some more. Tear the bandages from his back and just watch the blood trickle down all over again.

He felt nauseated three seconds later, and above all he really, really didn’t like how his eyes were burning.

Alex stormed out and was surprised to see Tracht and Singh waiting just outside the door. Tracht held an arm out to the side, and it took Alex a second to realize that it was an invitation. He stepped in and hugged Tracht.

“Did you get the answers you wanted?” Tracht asked, stroking Alex’s back.

“I never want to see him again,” Alex said. “Why’d you even let me in there in the first place?”

“Mm. An oversight, honestly. I forgot to remove the entry permission from last night. I’ll make sure to lock you out from now on.” Tracht sighed. “Dr. Singh has barred me from entry as well, for fear that my mere presence will cause Mr. Parsons undue distress.”

Alex saw Singh roll her eyes. “No, I’m doing it to prevent you from losing control again. I’ll take care of him from here on out. Don’t bother me for anything short of an emergency for the rest of the trip. I mean it. I’m still mad.”

She stepped around them towards the door. “Now get out of here, both of you.”

Alex watched her go inside and the door slide shut behind her.

“I guess you can count that as a reward,” Tracht murmured. “No visits to Dr. Singh.”

Not as nice as dinner and an orgasm, but Alex would take it. “Does it count if it wasn’t really you who gave the reward?”

“It’s all right. I have a better one planned for tonight. Now let’s get to work.” Tracht let go of Alex, put on his professional face, and started walking back towards the populated parts of the ship.

Alex took one last look at Parsons’ cell and then hurried after.

[Chapter 32]

The rest of the day would have gone smoothly, if Schultz hadn’t stopped Alex on his way to the gym and asked where Parsons was.

“How should I know?” Alex snapped. His hands felt a bit clammy, and he wished he’d waited for Tracht so nobody would bother him.

Schultz raised her eyebrows at him. “Because he’s usually hanging out with you at this time? But he didn’t show for our usual post-shift breakfast.”

She wasn’t exactly pretty—Alex wouldn’t have gone out of his way to pick her up at a club—but if pressed he wouldn’t have turned her down either. Her head was completely shaved, with just a small hint of a buzz, and her skin was kind of the same dark shade as Parsons’. Alex decided he didn’t like the sharp angles of her face, and he especially didn’t like the disapproving way she looked at him.

“Well, I have no idea, and I don’t care. Leave me alone.” He started walking towards the gym again.

“You know, Parsons always defends you.”

Alex stopped short. “What?”

“When people talk about you. Parsons will tell them to shut up or to have some sympathy. I’ve always thought he was wasting his time with you, and I guess I was right.” She walked off, leaving Alex to stare dumbly.

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