to be the goddamn golden boy of our high school. I’d succeeded in being the center of that small world. Sleeping around. Drinking. Racing cars and boats. Blowing engines. I’d almost thrown my life―and others’―away doing it. As it was, I was the reason Carlos was left without a limb and a life completely altered.
Truck and the Banner women had shown me the light. Leena and Mandy had a hand in it as well. Dax had given me a dream to work toward, and Malone had given me an even deeper purpose.
But here I was, still doing reckless things that put everyone at risk.
“She’s going to be okay,” Violet said softly after I hadn’t replied, as I allowed my brain to spiral out of control.
“What’s your code word?” I grunted out.
“Termites,” she said.
I laughed. “Termites?”
“You do remember Leena falling through the floor of the kitchen, right?”
I chuckled at the memory. “Yes. I also remember you giving us a lecture on their potentially lifesaving qualities.”
“Ah. The good old days. When I still thought I’d be a decent person and save the world with some super insect power.”
“You don't need to save the world to be a good person. I'm supposedly saving the world, and I'm still a shitty person.” The words were out before I could take them back, sounding self-pitying and more the boy I’d been when she had first encountered me and less the man I was now.
“You’re not a shitty person,” she said quietly. “You’ve never been a shitty person.”
“Selfish. This whole thing is selfish.”
“Saving Jada isn’t selfish. Stopping whatever it is that’s going on with her family…that isn’t either.”
“You…” I couldn’t even finish. If anything happened to Violet, I’d have to bury myself in a grave because neither of our families would forgive me any more than I’d forgive myself.
“Stop. I’m fine. I’ll even wear my Viola Jewel shirt Jersey gave me. It’s good luck.”
I wanted to remind her it wouldn’t allow her to camouflage into invisibility like her actual superhero namesake, but it was pointless.
“I’m going to watch the footage if they can get me the feed. Regardless, I’ll be listening.”
I wanted to be there. I wanted to be the one going in and not her, but I didn’t think Jada would make the eight hours it would take for me to fly there. And it would screw any last chance we had of righting this sinking ship.
“I’m glad you’ll be listening. It’ll be like you’re with me even when you’re not,” she said.
Goddamn, I was going to break into tears in the middle of a café in Spain.
“I will be,” I told her.
“Looks like I’m all ready to go.”
“Be careful,” I said gruffly.
“That’s the plan.”
“If you’re not, when I get back, I’m going to swing you from the mast.”
She laughed. “You don’t have a mast on your boat.”
“There’s one on the old Coast Guard cutter at the pier. I’ll string you from that one.”
She laughed again. “I’ll talk to you when she’s safe and sound with me.”
Then she hung up. I groaned, leaning forward and burying my face in my hands. I was exhausted again. I’d caught a couple of hours on the yacht while Dax and I had switched off behind the wheel, but the adrenaline spiking through my veins as we’d rushed over the dark waters hadn’t really given way to sleep any more than the restless nights I’d had before we left.
Now, adrenaline was shooting through me again, and I knew, when it was over, I was going to crash. But I had a few more hours―a few more days―to get through before I could let go.
I dialed Malone, hoping he’d get me a link to the live feed so I wouldn’t lose my mind while I waited for Violet to save our friend.
Violet
RIGHT HERE WAITING
“I hear your voice on the line,
But it doesn't stop the pain.”
Performed by Richard Marx
Written by Richard Marx
The wire I wore looked like a Band-Aid, and the camera was in a clip they’d put in my hair. It made me think of the clip Jada had worn to the bon voyage dinner. If I stopped to let myself think about what I was doing, I’d be nervous.
Jersey would flip.
Mandy and Leena would cry.
But Jada needed my help.
My Coast Guard brother-in-law would understand that as much as Dawson did.
I hadn’t been to Jada’s family home on the cliff hanging over the sea for five years. Back then, I’d been recovering from my car accident with Dawson and trying