36. Sympathy Votes

36

Sympathy Votes

Violet

I'm tired after a long day of school and work, but I'm pushing through. At least with Kole at my side, he brings life back into my bones. His arm is wrapped around my shoulders, like it is every time he's around me in public, ever since that first time he claimed me in front of my friends.

Walking up the steps to his parents' house, he keeps me close. His grip tightens with every step, and even if I know he'd never admit it, I sense nervous energy radiating off him.

Kole's fingers rub my arm as he presses the button of the doorbell.

It's a haunting sound. A chorus of bells that might as well ring down the entire block. They wake my doubt and draw it to the surface .

After my interaction with Kole's stepfather and the stories Kole told me about him, this is the last place I want to be. Face-to-face with a man who doubts both of us. But I couldn't turn Kole down, and if I'm going to have to answer his questions, I'd rather Kole be at my side this time.

"You're nervous." Kole glances down at me, tipping my chin up to face him.

He's wearing jeans and a black hoodie, looking casual for dinner. I went with a knee-length black dress and jean jacket when my nerves got the better of me. It's not fancy, but now that we're standing at the doors to the Christiansen-Evans estate, it feels out of place.

"I've never met anyone's parents." I bite my lip, unable to hide my anxiety.

I've barely entertained a real relationship, much less met a guy's family. The closest I got was meeting Liam's brother. And that was only because we had classes together. But I avoided anything having to do with his parents for fear it would just be awkward.

It could be a side effect of having an absent father or the result of having an extremely independent mother, but I've always kept certain barriers in relationships.

Until Kole.

We're all in. Head under the water and not missing the air in our lungs so long as we have each other. Beating hearts in our hands and refusing all logic just so we can sit with the rush for a little longer .

It's addictive.

"You'll be okay." He drags his thumb over my mouth, pausing there.

The front door swings open, and Kole drops his hand as his attention turns to his stepfather.

"Kole." Captain Evans nods once then glances at me. "Violet."

Stepping to the side, he opens the door wider to let us through, and Kole holds me close as we make our way inside the house.

A fire crackles in a nearby room, and the warmth should seep through my bones when the chill of the cool winter night had me shivering. But even the heat doesn't settle my nerves.

Kole's stepfather guides us toward a large dining room on the left, and there's another fire burning in this room. I inhale the campfire smell and sink against Kole's side, letting him relax me.

The walls are heavily decorated in gold-framed paintings, and everything about the décor and furniture is expensive—from the details to the materials used to craft them.

The apartment I grew up in could fit in this dining room alone, and I can't imagine what anyone could possibly need with all this extra space.

"You made it." A woman walks into the room.

Her whole face lights up when her stare lands on Kole, and for the first time since walking through the door, I sense genuine love. But when her gaze moves to me at his side, her cheeks pale .

"Mom, this is Violet." Kole slips his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.

His mom stares at me, and I can see where Kole gets many of his features—from his thick hair with hints of copper to his dark, endless eyes. But her face is softer. And I wonder if Kole's strong jawline and height come from his father.

"Hi, Violet." Kole's mom clasps her hands together in front of her as her eyes dart between us.

"Mrs. Evans."

"You can call me Mona."

I nod, but the tension in the room is so thick it's molasses holding me in place.

His mom forces a smile. And unlike when she first walked into the room, there's no more light in her eyes. Her posture is stiff as she watches Kole hold me. She glances from her husband to us, and I catch a flicker of fear in her eyes. Like she's scared for me and begging me to hear her silent warning.

She wouldn't be wrong, given how dangerous her son is.

Not that it changes anything.

"Dinner's ready." His mom takes a step back, motioning to the table.

There's a full meal already served, and I appreciate that it will give me something to focus on outside of awkward conversation.

Kole pulls out my chair, seating me across from his mom, while Captain Evans sits at the head of the table. And when Kole takes the seat beside me, he pulls my chair closer to wrap his arm around the back of it.

"So…" Kole's mom unfolds her napkin, placing it in her lap. "How long have you two been…?"

"Dating?" Kole finishes when his mom trails off.

She nods, glancing at me again with a nervous gaze like she thinks I'm in danger.

"A bit."

He doesn't put a date on it, and I'm not sure if it's because he's avoiding a specific timeline with his stepdad watching us or if it's because we don't have one. But at least it saves me any awkward explanations when Captain Evans knows I was dating Kole's best friend not too long ago.

Kole leans toward me and dips his mouth to my ear. "Eat, kitten."

I push my food around with my fork, but I'm not hungry with the intensity of his mom watching me.

He doesn't seem to notice as he grabs his fork and digs into his meatloaf. Following his lead, I take a bite and try to focus on anything except for the unnerving tension in the room.

If this is how family dinners were for Kole growing up, I understand why he's so comfortable sitting in silence.

"So, Violet, what are you studying?" Captain Evans asks.

He's relaxed when everyone else in the room is tense.

I swallow my bite. "Criminal psychology."

"Interesting." He glances from Kole to me. "You want to go into law enforcement? "

"Not exactly." I shake my head. "I'm more interested in studying criminals after they're sentenced."

"In prison?"

"Yes."

Kole's grip tightens on his fork, and I glance up at him, not able to read what he's thinking as his cool expression hardens.

"That's an interesting career choice," Captain Evans says. "Voluntarily surrounding yourself with killers and psychopaths."

"I guess." It's either interesting or disturbing, considering my interest in his stepson.

"I've never cared much about criminal psychology in my line of work."

"Why's that?"

Maybe I shouldn't be questioning the police captain. But given his position, I assumed he would care about the mindset of the people he arrests.

"Because criminals are criminals. They'll rationalize anything. I say, let the courts do their thing and then lock them up. Feeding into their delusions doesn't do anyone any good. And no amount of explaining will make what they did right."

"It isn't about right and wrong," I argue, irritated about how little he cares about the people he arrests.

Not to mention, he's a hypocrite. Proven by the jagged scar down Kole's face and the worse things I'm sure he's done.

"Please, enlighten me then, Violet." A smirk lights in the corner of Captain Evans's mouth. "Why study a madman when he's already been found guilty? It's a waste of time if you ask me."

I didn't, not that he cares.

I push my food around with my fork, trying to gather my thoughts. "I'm not trying to undo the system or forgive whatever they did to land themselves in prison. I'm just trying to understand why they did it."

"Maybe you're thinking too hard about it." He narrows his gaze. "Some people are just evil."

"Some, maybe." I shrug. "But not everyone. Sometimes a person is raised to not know any different."

I glance up at Captain Evans to find his gaze already locked on me, and I wonder if he senses that he's part of the problem.

Beneath the badge and the confidence, I see the man who isn't who he says he is. The man who took a knife to Kole's face. The man who taught Kole murder is mercy. A man who molded a criminal himself yet excuses it in the name of Sigma House.

He's no better than the people he puts away.

"Interesting perspective." Captain Evans sets down his fork, watching me.

"Speaking of criminals," Kole cuts into the conversation when I've been staring at his stepfather for too long. "Any updates on Liam?"

He stuffs another bite in his mouth. Relaxed, like the subject of Liam isn't the giant elephant in the room. At least it's enough to break the tension and shift the subject .

Captain Evans shakes his head, chuckling under his breath. "Not yet. Or, at least, nothing helpful."

"Why do I sense there's more?" Kole must not miss his stepdad's amusement either.

"Oliver Westwood is announcing his candidacy for senator tomorrow."

My face pinches at Captain Evans's comment because it seems odd for Liam's father to be running for office when his son was just reported missing.

"That's Ian Pierce's seat," Kole says.

Declan's father.

"Exactly." Captain Evans nods.

Kole's jaw flexes. "That's a bold move, considering."

"Considering what?" I don't realize I've asked it out loud until all eyes are on me. "I mean, besides the fact that Liam's missing."

Captain Evans leans back in his chair. "Oliver's vying for a seat Sigma House gave to Ian Pierce. It's not a smart move."

"Why would he do that?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons."

If I had to guess, Captain Evans knows what those reasons are as his gaze moves to Kole. And I wonder if whatever tension is brewing between Liam's father and Declan's relates to the traitors Liam was talking about.

"He's smart though. I'll give him that. Using sympathy votes to win them over." Captain Evans almost looks proud that Liam's father would do something so callous.

Kole sits back, rubbing my neck when he must sense my nerves. He squeezes my shoulder and looks at me .

"Don't feel too bad, Violet. The two of them have been at it for years. It's not like Dec's dad got his seat by playing fair either."

Playing fair?

That's the least of my concerns. While Kole and his stepdad are focusing on the fact that Liam's father is vying for a fellow Sigma House legacy's Senate seat, I'm stuck on the fact that he doesn't care that Liam is missing.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

As Kole said, there's no escape once you're in. They all continue to play this sick game for their fraternity, never able to escape. Regardless of who it hurts in the process. Long after they've graduated from Briar.

For all I know, Liam's family doesn't even actually care that he's gone. Oliver Westwood might just be using it for his own benefit. And even if Liam had a dark side and wanted to do terrible things to me, no one deserves this.

"They don't even care." I look up at Kole. "Their son is missing, and it's just… political?"

Kole's brows furrow, and he looks genuinely confused. Like once more, he's trying to decide what it's like to be human and how to react to it. And I'm starting to wonder if that's a Kole quality or something shared between all members of Sigma House.

"Yes," Kole answers, not elaborating.

There's nothing to be said. Liam is gone, and no one will ever truly mourn him.

Like Kole senses my unease, he reaches under the table and places his hand on my thigh. It's a small gesture, but a reminder of a side he doesn't even see in himself. One that puts me above Sigma House.

Kole isn't the good guy. What he's done is unforgivable. But everyone in that house is evil in their own way. And unlike them, looking out for each other, Kole looks out for me.

Even when right now he should probably be looking out for himself.