me when Jersey and I almost didn’t make it?” Truck asked.
“Not really. You know me. Full of shit.”
“You told me you should always put the woman you love first. That it had been the problem with Dick and Mom. That they didn’t know how to sacrifice for someone else,” Truck said.
I didn’t really remember saying the words to him, but they sounded like me. And I believed them even as he said them. Neither of our parents had known how to sacrifice. When I didn’t say anything, he continued, “Thanks for doing that for Vi.”
My breath left me momentarily, and then I grunted out the one thing I truly meant. “I’ll do anything to make sure she gets the life she wants. The one she deserves.”
“Good luck with her letting you. That girl is as stubborn as you.”
“Woman,” I said.
“What?”
“She’s not a girl, Truck. She hasn’t been for a very long time. Don’t treat her that way. She’s a smart, vibrant woman who’s going to make the world a better place,” I said, watching as Violet and Jada talked. They were both energized and alive, more than I’d seen either of them in a while, especially Jada. I didn’t have to hear the words nanoparticles and bacterium to know they were talking science. Violet lit up when she talked about it.
But she lit up more when I was kissing her, when I touched her in places that made her moan and cry out my name. Jesus… I was hard in the middle of the hallway at the hospital just thinking about it.
“You’re right,” Truck said quietly. “Take care of her. But, Daws?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Make sure she takes care of you back. You deserve it too.”
His words twisted my heart. I wasn’t sure I’d ever deserved anyone looking out for me, but I’d had them anyway. Truck and Dax. Mandy and Leena. Even Jada had looked out for me. And most of all, Violet.
“Jersey wants to talk with Vi,” Truck said. “I love you.”
Damn. I wasn’t going to cry in the middle of the hallway any more than I was going to go full-on-erection-mode.
“Love you too, big brother,” I said as I heard the phone jostle on his end, and Jersey’s voice came on the line. “Vi?”
“It’s still me. Hold on. I’ll get her. She’s talking to Jada,” I said as I walked toward Violet who looked up at my words.
“Dawson…” Jersey said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you,” Jersey said. The tears hit my lashes.
“It was my fault she was involved at all, so don’t thank me,” I said.
“Knowing Vi, she pushed herself right into all the chaos, stood right in the middle of it, and demanded everyone follow her lead,” Jersey said.
I looked at Vi as she stood up, coming toward me, and I had to smile because it was sort of true. Jersey had created a superhero for her comics based on Violet, and there was so much of that fictional character in the real woman. Once she’d found out what was going on, she hadn’t backed down once. She’d gone into the lion’s den to fetch Jada. She’d thrown bleach in Ken’Ichi’s face to help them escape, and tonight, she’d eluded him with a branch and a Hansel and Gretel routine.
“Here she is. Give my brother and that niece of mine a hug for me,” I said as I handed the phone to Violet.
She took it and went into the hallway.
I sat down at Jada’s bedside, exhaustion filling me again. I didn’t know the last time I hadn’t felt exhausted. Jada squeezed my hand.
“Thank you for not letting him hurt her,” she said.
I nodded, a lump collecting in my throat.
“So, what science were you two geeking out over?” I asked, changing the subject in order to keep my emotions in check.
“Violet was doing all the geeking. I’m bringing sophistication and charm to the scenario,” she said.
“Are you thinking about going into business together for real?” I asked.
“Yep. About time this flaky socialite found a real cause, don’t you think?”
“You were never flaky, Jada.”
She looked away. “I’m done letting my father’s choices define me.”
Both of us had done things in our pasts we weren’t proud of, but I was glad we were both on the other side of that now. I was glad we could move forward with something we were passionate about. I looked out at Violet spinning in circles as she talked with Jersey.
Full of life. Violet had always been full of animated energy.