Chapter 23 Violet #2
I forgot that Jude is kind of worshiped at GU and in this town as the hockey god and source of violent entertainment. They idolize him and the Vipers as if they’re immortals amongst humans.
Since he showed up with a girl on his bike, it’s naturally put me and my shabby hoodie and jeans under scrutiny.
I truly dislike having my body be the center of attention. It makes me feel on edge.
My nail catches on the strap and my hand slips off, but before I can try again, bigger, stronger hands wrap around mine, unclasp the strap, and he pulls the helmet over my head.
Jude’s touch is disturbingly gentle as he removes the strands of hair that got stuck to my glasses and tucks them behind my ear.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, seeing some people pull out their phones. “They’re watching.”
“I don’t give a fuck. From today on, you’re mine to do with as I please, Violet.”
“Do I get a say in this?”
“No. It’s payback.”
I let out a sigh. “You still didn’t forget about revenge after all. Did you disappear after I woke up from the coma to give me a sense of safety before you barged back in? Am I a punching bag for your frustration and anger issues?”
“Think whatever the fuck you want. The only fact that remains is that I’m claiming you, and there will be no one else.”
And then his lips crash against mine, devouring me. His hand rests possessively on my neck as he drags me out of my tiny bubble for the entire campus to see.
“Is it true?”
I wince as Dahlia pins me with a stare. We’re at a local restaurant at her insistence, and, honestly, I’d rather just eat at the cafeteria, but all the stares were becoming unbearable.
Hell, I was even cornered by a few girls and guys who demanded to know my relationship status with Jude, but when I said there was no relationship, they didn’t believe me.
The chatter around us heightens as Dahlia keeps staring at me.
“It’s not what you think,” I whisper after I swallow a mouthful of the falafel wrap I’m eating.
“Uh…then what is this?” She pulls out her phone and shows me a picture posted on some social media platform.
Of Jude kissing me.
Damn.
He has me by the throat, my glasses are hiked up my nose, and I have a hand on his chest because I was trying to push him, but that doesn’t show in the photo.
It just seems that he’s devouring me, plain and simple.
And he was. My lips were tingling the entire morning.
Damn him.
“Oh my God.” Dahlia puts her phone away, her face paling. “Did he force you? Is he still threatening you? Because I’ll have Kane—”
“It’s not that. Don’t make a big deal out of it, okay?”
“Considering he intended to kill you after he stalked you, yeah, I say I’ll make the biggest deal out of it. So what if he’s scary? I can be scary too or…like, Kane can be.”
I smile and take a sip out of my ginger ale. “Don’t be the one who comes between best friends, Dahl.”
“Well, if his best friend is bothering my sister, I’ll have words. Lots of them.”
God, she’s so fearless. I love that about her to bits.
But I’m also scared for her safety, and I definitely don’t want her to be on Jude’s shit list. Or for Kane and Jude to have a falling out because of me.
It’s why I refused to tell her what happened after I woke up from the coma, but truly, I dislike hiding things from Dahlia, and she’s also persistent, so I ended up telling her about the stalking and why Jude came into my life.
In pure Dahlia fashion, she threatened to kill Jude, then she blamed herself for not noticing, which is the whole reason I didn’t confide in her in the first place. I hate that she still blames herself for my coma no matter how many times I made it clear that it’s not her fault.
I wish I was back to working long shifts at HAVEN and worrying about each month’s bills.
Because Jude’s attention is not only murdering my invisibility, but it’s also provoking a side of me that terrifies me.
I know he’ll keep his word.
And despite the fear, the trepidation, and everything in between, a part of me is looking forward to that.
“It’s just complicated,” I say truthfully.
Dahlia stops with a French fry halfway to her mouth. “What do you mean by complicated?”
“I don’t think Jude would hurt me.”
“But you were so scared at the mere mention of his name after you woke up.”
“It’s…because he puts me on edge, but it’s not necessarily bad. I’ll figure it out, okay? Just don’t bring Kane into this.”
“I still don’t like him roaming around you. I went through hell during the time you were in a coma.” Her lips tremble. “I don’t ever want to lose you again, Vi.”
“You won’t.” I stroke her hand. “I promise.”
Being in that coma made me realize what really matters. It’s not my fractured childhood or my shitty past. It’s not the broken personality Mama gave me or my attempts to bury it all.
It’s having the luck to meet Dahlia and becoming each other’s family. It’s helping people like Laura and Karly—that I paid a visit to the other day. It’s finding my wings through my small embroidered pieces that many people seem to love.
It’s surviving one day at a time so I can see Dahlia smiling and happy.
I don’t ever want to be the reason for her pain like when I was in the coma.
If it’s for her, I think I can hold on a bit tighter and just stop being a burden so she doesn’t overthink my safety or well-being.
“Why, if it isn’t Dallas.”
A large guy slides onto the chair next to my sister, throwing a hand over her shoulder. Preston.
He’s dazzlingly handsome and seems to brighten up the scene with his presence—nothing about his beauty is concealed or subtle or dark like Jude.
Stop thinking about him.
“It’s Dahlia.” She glares at him, but he’s not looking at her as he steals one of her fries and smiles at me with those deep dimples creasing his cheeks.
For some reason, he looks so…familiar. Though I’m pretty sure I only saw him on TV before and only ‘met’ him the other day. “Hi, Violet. You still didn’t give me an answer to my question.”
“What question?” Dahlia stares between us. “And since when do you know Vi?”
“Since now. Listen…” He eats more of her fries as she tries and fails to push him off.
“I’m like the prodigy child and totally the best catch when compared to Kane and Jude—and yes, that means you two obviously don’t have taste.
But even though I wasn’t picked, I need to make sure no one is playing my friends.
You know, some medieval code of honor or some shit.
Point is, you need to have my approval, which you still didn’t completely earn, by the way, Daniella. ”
“Well, let me just drop to my knees and beg real quick.”
“That would be an ideal start.” He takes her drink, and she grabs it, too.
“Just order your own!”
“But I want this.”
“You don’t always get what you want.”
“Of course I do, Delilah.” Some of the drink spills on his hand, and I push mine in his direction, removing the straw.
Dahlia loves her soft drink more than I do, so I’d rather he have mine.
“Aw, you’re so nice, Vee. I can see why Callahan is obsessing.” He grins, gulping half of it in one go. “He and I always had a soft spot for the kind ones. Comes with all the love we totally didn’t receive as children. Oh, and the mommy issues. Big man and I share that in spades.”
“Mommy issues?” I ask, leaning closer on my chair.
If I want to handle Jude better, I need to learn more about him, and there’s no better source of information than Preston.
“I’m glad you asked.” He places both elbows on the table.
“He was the parent to his mom. She was a fucking mess, both mentally and physically, but the times she was all right, she showered him with love, and Jude chooses to completely erase the bad in his mind and only keep the soft, kind-natured version of her.” He taps the side of his head.
“If you look closely, there’s a scar on the right side of his head.
Because she tried to kill herself and he stopped her, so she hit him with a vase there.
If it weren’t for Julian, she might have killed him. Scary stuff, right?”
“That is scary,” Dahlia whispers.
“Oh, you’re still here, Dinah?” He sighs, then grins. “I was just kidding about everything I just told you.”
Something tells me that’s not the case.
He’s not joking.
All this time, I thought Jude mourned his mother because she was his light in the darkness, but what Preston just revealed makes me question something.
Does he feel a toxic attachment to her like I do with Mama?