“I hope you die a little more inside each and every time, until there’s nothing left.”
Luca stood there, tears spilling down his face until Lyric pushed through the crowd out in the hall. He was soaking wet, just like his twin, from their scuffle in the ocean earlier, but he dropped his arm around Luca’s shoulders and pulled him in for a tight hug. “Let’s go, bro,” he urged and guided him out of the room.
Violet was starting to crack; I could see it even as she softly begged everyone to leave her alone. Her dad took pity on her and herded everyone downstairs, but there was no way in hell I was leaving her.
Jagger caught my gaze again, wordlessly asking if I was going to be okay, and I gave a simple nod before he followed the others. My bestie needed me, and I wasn’t about to let her down.
When we were alone, Violet gave me a look that told me to leave her alone too, but she was out of luck. “Not happening,” I told her as I crossed my arms determinedly over my chest. “You just found out your ex might be a daddy, Violet. I’m not leaving you.”
“You know?” she murmured, the pain thick in her voice.
“Everyone knows.” I broke the news to her. “Your dad was watching you and Luca from the door, and when it became apparent you weren’t happy, he asked what was going on. Aunt Layla started crying, and it all came out. Uncle Shane exploded, and things got crazy. If Barrick and Harris hadn’t been here, I’m pretty sure he would have started throwing punches.”
It had been pure chaos, but all I’d been able to do was stand at the door, watching and feeling helpless as Violet’s life came crashing down on the beach, unable to stop it or to heal my best friend’s broken heart. All while the guy who owned mine stood beside me.
But it only reinforced the need never to be vulnerable like Violet was with Luca.
“O-oh,” Violet whispered.
Knowing she needed a moment to herself, I crossed to the door. It was hanging at a precarious angle, and I was seriously impressed with how easily Luca had broken it down. I tried to fix it so Violet could have a little more privacy, but it was too heavy for me. “How the hell did he break this thing down? I know he’s strong, but damn,” I muttered to myself.
“Sh-Shaw.” I turned to find Violet with her arms wrapped around herself, as if she were trying—and failing—to hold herself together. Her breathing started to become labored. “I… I really need you…to go.”
Scared at the way she was panting, I rushed to her side. “Vi? Hey, hey! It’s okay. Take a few deep breaths.”
“Go,” she gasped out. “Please.”
“No. I’m not leaving you. Especially when you’re like this. You’re… I don’t know. This is a panic attack, I think.” I wrapped my arms around her, desperate to help her through this. It was scary as hell with her face turning red and then purple. Her eyes were wide and wild as she frantically looked for a way out.
But my hug only seemed to make her worse rather than help, and she pushed away from me before running into the bathroom and locking the door.
I could hear small whimpers coming from inside as I moved closer and leaned my forehead against the door. But it wasn’t the meltdown she really needed to have. “Vi, please let me in,” I pleaded softly. “I know you’re hurting, but you don’t have to face this alone. You don’t have to be the strong one this time.”
I stood there for several long minutes, begging her to open the door. She needed someone to hold her, to help her by taking on the burden of the pain that was no doubt consuming her.
She was too concerned about protecting everyone else to let me, though. Violet couldn’t stand the thought of her pain making someone else hurt, no matter if she was dying inside or not.
Muttering a curse, I left the bathroom door and stomped over to the window. I pushed it open and then stuck my head out. Her bathroom window was only a few feet to my right, and the roof wasn’t all that steep on this part of the house. But it was raining, and the wind was starting to blow a little harder.
“Fuck it,” I grumbled as I climbed out onto the roof. My