33. Violentia

CHAPTER 33

VIOLENTIA

The Mouthy One: I'm going to second our Mafia Queen in saying that if everyone could just BEHAVE on my wedding day, I'd appreciate it. [Prayer hands emoji]

Mr. Antihero: OUR wedding day, you mean.

The One with the Biggest Dick: [Popcorn emoji]

"Why didn't Auntie Kai want to come to the beach with us this morning?"

I sighed, dragging my glare away from where Xander and Butch were talking with the SNZ reporters to smile at Daisy.

"Kai wasn't feeling well this morning," I carefully replied. "So she's trying to get a little more sleep."

More like she refused to get out of bed.

Or say more than two words to me.

Daisy chewed on her bottom lip, and my gaze dropped to where her little hands anxiously twisted the fabric of her jumper .

"Auntie Kai didn't… eat any of the fried chicken, d-did she?"

Ah, fuck.

The Salah kids had been set up elsewhere for dinner when we'd discovered Felix's body, and I'd hoped the adults on that side of the family would've had the brains to keep the murder details to a minimum.

Apparently, that was too much to ask.

Our parents—their entire generation of both heroes and villains—mistakenly believed repeated exposure to violence created desensitized little psychopaths. While that worked in some cases, I believed it mostly resulted in PTSD and other neuroses.

As much as I saw my powers as a curse, I was also selfishly thankful I couldn't remember most of the horrors I'd seen. My siblings weren't so lucky—especially Wolfy, who took so many hits for the team.

No wonder he's gone out of office.

It didn't matter if supes were descended from killer aliens. We were still partly human, and that humanity was the only thing I could cling to when my own memory failed me.

What I need is an anchor…

With a start, I realized Daisy was still waiting for an answer. "No, petal," I replied. "Kai didn't eat any of the fried chicken last night."

The baby hero slumped forward, as if she'd been carrying the weight of the world on her tiny shoulders, and I realized I would do everything in my power to protect the next generation from the trauma we endured.

"Do you want to… talk about what happened?" I hesitantly asked, verbally stumbling over the unfamiliar concept .

I wish I was better at this.

Daisy's gaze snapped to mine, like a deer caught in the headlights. "No!" she shouted, loud enough that those involved in the nearby interview briefly paused and shot us some judgy looks.

"Oookaaaay," I murmured, sending Xanny a matching look in return.

How's it feel to have that energy Uno reversed, Antihero?

"I just… I can't…" Daisy stuttered before diving into my arms for one of our favorite "squeezer" hugs.

"It's okay, petal," I soothed, not wanting to make her talk about anything if she wasn't ready. "And you're safe. Whoever did this won't hurt you, I promise."

They'll have to go through me first.

"I know," Daisy mumbled against my stomach, weirdly calm.

Hopefully, it's not the shock talking…

I wished Kai was helping me handle this. While I had a natural affinity for caretaking, she brought the fun to our time spent with Daisy. I was good at making sure we were set up on the couch with snacks and blankets for movie night, but Kai was the one with the silly commentary, bringing lightness to the experience.

Lately, it's as if all her light is gone.

And I know exactly whose fault it is.

That was why I'd camped out on the beach during babysitting duty—to catch Xander after the SNZ interview was done.

And it looks like it's wrapping up now …

"Hey, doofus." I abruptly stood as the guys attempted to walk by the bench we sat on, using my body to effectively block their path. "We need to talk."

Butch glanced between his fiancé and me in alarm, knowing I wasn't talking to him. Not only was "doofus" a nickname reserved for my idiot brothers, but Butch had made a point to check in with Kai yesterday evening, before he and Smoldering Siren disappeared to interrogate the guests.

Xander couldn't be bothered. He'd been way more interested in playing scientist at the crime scene than making sure his best friend— his surrogate —was okay after discovering a dead body.

While I knew that trauma was the main reason Kai had been almost non-verbal since, I suspected it also had a lot to do with her continued neglect at the hands of my brother.

She would never have to deal with this bullshit again if I could just claim her as mine…

"What do you want, Violentia?" Xander huffed like the displeased diva he was. "We have a lot to do today before?—"

"No, you don't," I laughed derisively, beyond done with his shit. "Your interview is finished. Simon has handled every possible wedding detail for you. Zion is focused on the investigation, and I have been taking care of Kai for her entire pregnancy."

Butch at least had the decency to look ashamed but, true to bratty form, my real-talk only made Xanny double-down. "No one asked you to help with the pregnancy, Vi," he growled. "We literally live next door to Kai?—"

"Not anymore, though, huh?" I snapped, muscling my way into his personal space. "Now, the entire floor plan of both apartments belongs to you. "

When Kai had revealed that bombshell at dinner, my jaw dropped, and if everything hadn't happened so fast afterward, Xander would have felt the full force of my rage.

What I wouldn't pay for a wedding photo of him with two black eyes…

That asshole had the nerve to look confused. "Well… yeah. I figured it made more sense to have one big apartment so Kai could be closer to us."

Oh.

Oh, what an absolute idiot.

I took a couple deep breaths and sloooowly blew them out before replying. "Did it ever occur to you to mention this plan to Kai?"

He scoffed. "No. It was going to be a surprise for when we got back."

Id.i.ot.

"What if she doesn't want to live in the same apartment as you?" I asked, enunciating each word in hopes his enormous yet tiny brain would understand. "What if the loss of her living space is just another thing this pregnancy has stolen from her?"

Xander froze, but it was Butch who responded. "What do you mean?" the hero asked as whatever tan his pale ass had managed to get this week drained from his skin.

Buckle up, both of you.

It's time to learn.

I did my best to patiently explain. "Kai hasn't been acting like herself lately because she hasn't felt like herself. The pregnancy has taken a toll on her—not just because of physical and hormonal changes but because she can't participate in things she used to love, like dancing and acting. Even just working the desk at the hair salon for a full shift leaves her exhausted. While I've done my best to make sure her physical needs are met—enough sleep, healthy food, appointments—getting her to talk about the emotional aspect has been challenging."

Butch was listening attentively, like the good little schoolboy he was, but Xander was eyeing me suspiciously. "If Kai isn't talking to you about this shit, how the hell do you know that's what's going on?"

I sighed. Heavily. "Because I took the time to educate myself on pregnancy—on an experience that was different from my own—and because I paid attention to my friend."

My friend I wish was more than a friend.

Finally— finally— Xanny seemed to be hearing me, so I felt now was as good a time as any to set the stage for what needed to happen.

"Butch," I turned to our not-so- Token Hero . "Can you drop the little queen off with Simon for her ‘World Domination Lessons?'"

Not even joking.

The big beefcake perked up, probably more than happy to escape from my scolding. "Sure!" He turned to Daisy, who had been no doubt drinking in the tea with relish. "Wanna fly to the bungalows?"

Queen that she was, Daisy huffed impatiently. "Duh."

That's settled, then.

After the sounds of her joyful squeals had faded on the breeze, I motioned for Xander to walk with me in the same direction.

No easy outs for you, doofus.

"C'mon, Antihero," I muttered—with love. "I'll share the gory details of what Kai's been going through while you lived your blissfully ignorant life. And when we get to our bungalow, you can drop to your knees and grovel."

It's a start.

Unsurprisingly, Xander scoffed—also with love. "You're not the boss of me, Ultra Violent, and I kneel for no one . However, I do owe my bestie an apology, so… lead the way."

Good enough.

With that, I led yet another spooky little shit I'd been bossing around since birth to his well-deserved reckoning.