Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

ZANE

I take a seat and observe Graham. The look of horror after Violet slapped him still hasn’t left and his face continues to redden. He seems frozen in place.

“You okay?” I ask.

His gaze snaps to mine, but the shock of what just happened hasn’t gone away yet.

“I’m not asking because I care,” I add before he can say anything. “I’m asking because Violet will ask when I go in there.”

“No one’s ever hit me before,” he comments.

“And I’m sure she’s already feeling guilty that she did. How long have you had a job?”

His embarrassed look makes sense when he says, “Two years.”

“How long have you been seeing the girl?” I ask out of curiosity.

“A year.”

I quickly rein in my temper as a burst of outrage hits me. He’s had a fucking job for two goddamn years and continues to take money Violet gives him? Leaving her to think he doesn’t do anything all the damn time. Two years of having Violet pay his way and apparently pay for him to date this girl. What bullshit. I want to ask where in his mind he finds that it’s okay to mooch off his sister when he has a job, but I don’t. I’ve already crossed the line once and I don’t need to do it again.

“I don’t understand her. She wants me to get a job, and I need something better than I’ve got. I’ve got myself in this pickle and it makes sense to go that route.” Graham looks at me, actually confused.

“She’s terrified to lose you.” The obviousness of that fact is clear in my tone. “You’re all she has and all she’s tried to do is look after you and take care of you. All you’ve done is be mean to your own damn sister for no good reason. Things improve slightly, getting her hopes up that you two can get along, and you drop a bombshell like this on her.” My tone turns a bit too combative, so it doesn’t surprise me when he responds in kind.

“Like how you told me y’all are apparently married?” he snaps back. “She can make stupid decisions, but I can’t? At least I’m trying to do something to improve it; she’s acting like something will actually come out of her marrying a dumbass she doesn’t even know. She ain’t scared to lose me; she’s scared to lose you .”

My jaw clenches. I’ve never had my temper flare and rage as much as it has since I met Graham. I want to hit him a handful of times if only to make myself feel better.

“I think you’re missing the point, Graham,” I start as evenly as I can. “She wants to do right by your parents and your grandma and make sure you don’t turn into even more of a dipshit than you already are. She wants to spend holidays with you. She wants to have a regular conversation with you. She’s gonna want to be an aunt to your kid. She wants to make sure you can survive on your own. All she’s trying to do is help you the best she can and you keep spitting in her face like an entitled brat.”

I stand, over the conversation. “If you didn’t need to get your shit together before, you certainly do now with a kid on the way. I suggest you fix things with your sister unless you want your kid to grow up knowing it’s okay to treat your own family like shit.”

Leaving him to his thoughts, I find Violet sitting on the edge of her bed. Her head lifts from where it was buried in her hands. She hiccups from the crying.

“Is he okay? I can’t believe I slapped him!”

“He’s fine.” Whether he is or not, I don’t know and I don’t care. Violet doesn’t need that conversation weighing on her. “Are you okay?”

She falls into my side, the tears spilling over again. “I’m gonna lose him,” she sobs. “He’ll join the military, leave home, start a new family, and I’ll never see him again. I’ll have no one.”

“Hey now,” I start gently. “You’ve got Cassie. And me. And things will work out with Graham. He’ll come around, I promise.” If there’s anything I can do to make sure of that, I will. Be it beat some common sense into the guy or keep making comments until it gets through to him that all she wants is a decent relationship with him.

I hold Violet in my arms for what seems like a lifetime. Her tears eventually dry, but she makes no move away from me and I don’t bother changing anything either. I hate that she has to deal with shit like this. That she’s had to do so and has done it for so long.

A knock sounds on her door, pulling her from me slightly as she lifts her head.

“Come in,” she calls.

Graham pokes his head in. “I’m, uh, going to see my girlfriend and check on her. Not sure if I’ll be back, but I’ll text you.”

Violet nods. “Graham, I’m?—”

“We can talk later,” he quickly cuts her off.

Violet nods and lets him go. “Why does my life have to be such shit?” She looks at me as if hoping I can give her an actual answer.

I cup her face, wishing I could do more for her. “You’re not alone in dealing with it,” I remind her. “Get ready; we’re going out.”

She must either be completely distraught that she isn’t thinking to argue, or else she really needs to get out of the house. I give her some privacy and soon, we’re on our way. She needs something fun and lighthearted and I know just the thing.

“Zane, I don’t think I’m up for this,” she says as I park in Ian’s driveway.

“I know, but babe, this is a good distraction.” No one can resist Savannah’s bubbly personality. “Give it a chance and if you really want to leave, say the word.”

A minute later, Savannah squeals as she opens the door. “Z!”

“Savannah!” Ian’s stern reprimand causes her eyes to widen as she slowly turns to face him. “What did I tell you about opening the door?”

“But it’s Z,” she replies meekly.

“Did you know that before you opened the door?”

She shakes her head.

“You do not answer the door. No more. Understand?” Savannah nods, her little personality hiding after Ian got on her. Ian sighs and crouches until he’s eye level with her. “Sometimes, people come to the door and we don’t know them. I just don’t want you answering and we not know who it is first, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.” Savannah turns to face us again. “Are you here to play with me, Z?”

“Yeah, and I was hoping Violet could play with us too.”

Savannah eyes Violet, apparently still unsure of her. “Okay.” She holds out her hand, which I take, and I grab Violet’s to pull her along.

Ian chuckles and follows us into the living room.

“Where’s Sydney and Andrew?” I ask curiously.

“At her brother’s.”

Savannah orders us where to sit and launches her imagination as we continue the tea party she started with Ian. Little by little, as Savannah talks about all the imaginary animals that are in the room with us and the silly things they are doing, Violet relaxes. She even smiles, laughs, and entertains Savannah.

At some point, Ian and I slip away into the kitchen.

“That’s going well, I guess,” he says with a nod of his head toward Violet. When I nod, he adds, “You seem happy. Happier than before.”

Before when you were with Deanna.

That’s what he left off. I’m annoyed she keeps getting brought up. I know my reaction wasn’t great, but it completely threw me off that her other fuck buddy was my teammate and apparently none of us knew it. I had also been sleeping with her for so long yet made no progress to actually know her. It took Brayden way less time. But now, they are happy and I’m certainly over it. Why does everyone have to circle back to her?

“I don’t regret it,” I say. “Marrying her. Just hope she won’t regret it either.” Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever regret it. This time with her so far has meant so much. “It’s crazy, but I saw her and?—”

“You just knew,” Ian finishes. I glance over and spot his gaze on Sydney, who has come home. “Trust me, I get it. I was only a teenager when I first saw her in an airport and got swept away. By the time we dropped her off at her dad’s, I was a goner.”

I’m glad someone else gets it. The last thing I need is someone thinking I’m crazy. Not wanting to intrude on their family time any more than I already have, I say goodbye to Ian and the rest of his family, snagging Violet’s hand so I can lead her out.

“Can I stay at your place tonight?” Violet asks as I back out of Ian’s driveway.

“Sure; do you want to go by your place first?”

She nods. With that, I drop her off at her place, so she can pack a bag and drive her car back to my house. Later, Violet straddles my lap as I sit on the couch.

“Can I ask you something without you thinking I’m silly or…” She pauses, searching for the right word but there’s no need.

With a squeeze of her hips, I say, “No judgment here, babe.”

Violet smiles slightly. “Why are you still here with me? I have a never-ending pile of baggage and something is constantly going wrong. Why subject yourself to that? To me? What?—”

“I don’t regret marrying you,” I interrupt, figuring she should hear what I told Ian as well. Violet’s eyes widen in disbelief. “It’s crazy, but I have never been as happy and as sure of anything in my life. Being with you makes me feel more complete than anything else has, hockey included. I don’t care that you’ve got baggage; I can help carry it, Violet. I know in reality we’re just dating, but I can’t wait for us to get to a point where we can live together and feel like I’m your husband and you’re my wife.” A horrifying thought hits me. “Are you changing your mind? If you want out, I’ll make it happen and go. Ow!” A short burst of pain hits my side. “Why’d you pinch me?”

“Checking to see if you’re real.”

I laugh. “That’s not how that works.”

“You mean it?” she asks, ignoring my comment. “You’re sure?”

I barely nod my head before she launches herself at me. The fire, the passion, the attraction—it is all-consuming, heady, and lights a blaze within me. This? The heat between us? I’ve never felt anything like it. It’s seamless. Easily nurtured. It’s a strong undercurrent, threatening to pull me out to sea and I don’t give one single damn. Let me drown in the ocean as long as I never have to lose this. Lose the ability to touch her, please her, surrender to her.

I told her I thought I could love her. It’s both thrilling and terrifying as I realize I more than think I could love her. It’s easy to picture her as my wife. That kind of future is one I want badly; Violet could give me that. And the love I could give her in return is one she deserves so damn bad. She actually deserves better and I already know I’ll do everything in my power to give her that.