When Doom Found Violet

Chapter 7- Family Line

Violet

"My brother didn't happen to leave my phone, did he?"

Doc shook his head.

"Your ass ain't getting it back."

I frowned.

"But I need to call my jobs. I have to get coverage for tomorrow at one, and then Monday at the school."

"I'll have your brother make the calls, Flower."

I gave him a sheepish look.

"There's a problem with that."

Doc raised a brow.

"He doesn't know about my night job. I need to make that call myself."

Doc stared at me for a second.

Then he pulled his phone from his vest.

He also pulled out a pair of glasses and slipped them onto his face.

I tried not to smile.

For some reason, seeing Doc in spectacles was adorable.

He typed something into his phone before putting it away.

That probably should've concerned me.

Actually...

It did concern me.

A little.

I'd known these men for barely any time at all.

Somehow they were already interfering with my phone, my food, where I went, and apparently now my jobs.

And if Doc had just texted Doom...

I mentally groaned.

I needed to remember something.

Doom couldn't tell me what to do.

I was a grown woman.

I paid my own bills.

I worked my own jobs.

I lived my own life.

One word from Doom would not change my mind.

Probably.

Okay.

Maybe.

Damn Mountain.

.............

A couple of days passed at Ethan's house.

By Tuesday, I was feeling considerably better.

Still sore, still bruised, but better.

I was grateful Ethan had let me stay with him.

The crappy part?

Mom and Daddy decided to visit.

Daddy was fine.

Mom?

Not so much.

When they arrived, Ethan was out back working on a piece in his large woodworking shed.

One of the prospects was hanging around the house with me.

Apparently, Doom still didn't trust me to exist without supervision.

When someone knocked, the prospect answered.

I expected him to let my parents inside.

But he didn't.

Instead, he looked at them, closed the door in their faces, and called Ethan to ask if they were allowed inside his house.

I laughed so hard my shoulder hurt.

Mom didn't find it nearly as funny.

Ethan came inside and let them in.

I stopped laughing about five minutes later.

"So you've been hiding here instead of talking to your poor husband."

I stared at my mother.

"Excuse me?"

"Paul was in the hospital for two days."

My stomach dropped.

"Why was he in the hospital?"

Mom looked at me like I should already know.

"Well, if you answered your phone, maybe you'd know. Apparently, he was mugged."

I pressed my lips together.

Do not laugh, Violet.

Do. Not. Laugh.

That wasn't a mugging.

That was Doom.

At least Paul had been smart enough not to tell anyone what really happened.

"Mom, I already told you baby sis was in a car accident," Ethan snapped.

"Her ass was put on bed rest by Doc."

Mom turned toward him.

"So no," Ethan continued.

"First, I didn't give baby sis her f*****g phone back. Second, I wouldn't let her near that piece of s**t anyway."

"Watch your tone, son."

Daddy gave Mom a look.

"She's your mother no matter what stupid s**t she believes."

Then he came over and kissed the top of my head.

"How're you feeling, Sweet Pea?"

"Better now."

I smiled at him.

"Still sore, though."

"You're looking better."

"Thanks, Daddy."

Mom sighed.

"Paul was so distraught."

I looked at her.

"And that expensive car he paid for was destroyed."

My mouth fell open.

"He didn't pay for that car."

Mom frowned.

"Of course he did."

"No, he most certainly did not. I did."

Her expression told me she didn't believe me.

"I worked a night job for a year to save the money. The Camaro was my anniversary present to him."

"No, sweetie." Mom gave me a sympathetic look. "You must've hit your head harder than everyone realizes. Paul had the nighttime job."

I stared at her.

Was she serious?

"Mom, don't talk about s**t your ass doesn't know."

Ethan's voice was low and angry.

"It was Violet. I know because I watched her back for the past f*****g year to make sure she stayed safe. And it was her ass that paid for that damn car."

Mom looked between us.

Something inside me cracked.

"Why do you care more about him?"

She looked at me.

"What?"

"Paul."

My throat tightened.

"Why do you care more about him than you do me? He's the one who slept with my cousin. Your niece. In our bed."

"Sweetie, you're both my children. I love you both."

Something broke.

Tears filled my eyes.

"No."

"Violet—"

"No, Mom."

The tears spilled over.

"I'm your child."

"Sweetie—"

"The one you gave birth to. The one you carried for nine months. Me! Not him!"

My voice rose.

"Because trust me, if I were married to my brother, that would be incest, you f*****g psycho!"

Silence.

Complete silence.

I'd never spoken to my mother that way.

I barely spoke to anyone that way.

But I couldn't stop crying.

Mom's expression hardened.

"You're being melodramatic."

I stared at her.

"You barely hurt yourself. Your husband made one silly little mistake. Get over it."

A silly little mistake.

My husband had slept with my cousin.

I'd been in a car accident.

My shoulder had been dislocated twice.

I was covered in bruises.

And according to my mother, I needed to get over it.

"All right, Linda."

Daddy's voice went hard.

"That's enough."

Mom turned toward him.

"Let's go. Now."

"But—"

"You're not going to talk to our daughter that way."

Ethan stepped forward.

"Yeah, Mom. Get the f**k out of my house."

"Ethan!"

"Your ass isn't welcome here."

Daddy didn't argue with him.

He guided Mom toward the door.

I couldn't even look at her anymore.

The second they were outside, Ethan slammed the door behind them.

I stood from the couch.

I needed my room.

I needed to be alone.

I barely made it two steps before Ethan pulled me into his arms.

That was it.

I broke.

I buried my face against my brother's chest and cried.

"Why?"

Ethan held me tighter.

"Why is she always against her own kids being happy, but cheers for the people who hurt us?"

"I don't f*****g know, baby sis."

I cried harder.

"She's never gonna change. She's been pulling this s**t since we were kids."

His hand moved over my hair.

"But we had each other, then."

I closed my eyes.

"And we've got each other now."

I nodded against him.

"We don't need her ass."

"I want to lie down for a while."

My voice barely came out.

Ethan kissed the top of my head.

"Don't let their asses get inside your head."

"I'm trying."

I pulled away and wiped at my face.

"I'm just mentally tired, E. I need a minute."

"I know."

He kissed my forehead.

"Go rest."

I slowly made my way to the guest room and closed the door.

The second I reached the bed, I crawled beneath the blankets and grabbed the pillow.

At least my shoulder was getting better.

My heart wasn't.

I buried my face in the pillow and cried.

For Paul.

For my marriage.

For the mother who somehow thought his betrayal was something, I should simply forgive.

For the life I'd thought I had.

Everything had changed in a matter of days.

And right then, I just wanted reality to leave me alone.

Ethan

Fuck.

My baby sister didn't need that s**t.

Especially not from our own f*****g mother.

I stared down the hallway after V disappeared into the guest room.

I sure as s**t wasn't letting Linda around her again.

Not while Violet was staying under my roof.

Maybe not after either.

"Ethan."

I looked toward the prospect.

"Prez is gonna be f*****g pissed when he hears what just went down."

"Yeah."

I rubbed a hand over my face.

"I f*****g know."

Because Doom had suddenly become interested in everything concerning my baby sister.

Way too f*****g interested.

I'd never seen him act like this over a woman.

Ever.

And I didn't f*****g like it.

Not one bit.

Doom was my Prez.

My friend.

I trusted the man with my life.

I'd stand beside him when s**t went bad without thinking twice.

But my baby sister?

That was different.

I knew Doom.

I knew exactly what kind of man he was.

I knew how he f****d around with the club whores.

I knew how little attachment meant to him.

And Violet wasn't built for that s**t.

She had a heart too f*****g big for her own good.

She'd worked nights for a f*****g year just to buy her husband his dream car.

Then the bastard had repaid her by f*****g her cousin in their bed.

No.

I wasn't gonna stand by and watch another man break her.

Even if that man was my Prez.

I looked toward the hallway again.

Doom might be interested in Violet.

He might even think her ass was his responsibility because he'd hit her car.

Didn't f*****g matter.

There was one line Doom wasn't crossing.

My baby sister.

Hands f*****g off.