“Take you to our house for now. We’ll figure out the next step once you’re ready.”
Violet looks at where I hold her hand. I suspect she’ll pull it away, but she just stares into my eyes with her blue ones.
“My parents are dead. You live in my old house. Is that where we’re going?”
“Yes. Do you need to see a doctor? Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Do you have anyone we can call?” I ask, feeling guilty for asking this traumatized woman to stay hidden after she’s spent years locked away.
“No. My parents are dead,” she says again. “How long can I stay with you? Do I need to find a job?”
Taylor looks back at me, wearing a frown. I had a lot of ideas about how Violet would behave if we found her alive. Crazed or catatonic. I wondered if she knew about her parents. Would she have a kid after her time with O’Meara?
Violet is calm, though. I realize maybe I underestimated how mundane evil can become when faced with it day after day.
“You can stay with us for however long you want,” I whisper against her ear. “You’re not alone.”
Turning to me, Violet’s calm resolve breaks a little as we reach the Boulders part of Shasta. “I kept my head above water,” she says as if I should understand. “I knew one day someone would come, so I didn’t drown.”
“Can I hug you?”
Tears prickling her once-emotionless eyes, Violet nods. I hold her, hoping she can find solace in my arms.
Once at the house, we move quickly from the SUV to inside, where few people are up. Max sits in the kitchen with Greer. Otherwise, the house is silent.
“Would you like to clean up and change?” I ask Violet, who stands in the kitchen she once shared with her parents.
“Yes, please.”
Taylor and I take her upstairs. While Violet showers, I plan to find clothes in Max’s room.
“Ramona is too short, and my ass is too big,” I explain to Taylor. “Max is tall and thin. We’ll steal her clothes for Violet.”
Taylor tells me to wait in the hall while she finds the clothes. I realize I’m getting emotional again.
Standing outside the bathroom door, I know I need to see Goliath. Shane and Taylor aren’t enough. I need to feel my love’s arms around me to know the world still makes sense.
Maude and Desi stumble down the stairs and find me in the hallway. I signal my preggo pal that the maybe turned into a yes. Her expression is almost as unreadable as Violet’s had been. They’re both good at hiding their feelings. As for me, I’m nearly sobbing by the time Taylor returns with the clothes. She opens the door a crack to slip them into the bathroom for when Violet’s done.
“You need sleep,” my best friend says when I cling to her. “You’ve been wired ever since we made the ID.”
“Where is Goliath?”
“Probably downstairs.”
As much as I want to go to him, I can’t leave Violet. “She knew who I was,” I whisper to Taylor so as not to wake Ramona and the boys down the hall.
“You saved her,” Taylor says as we hear the shower turn off. “You didn’t give up. Now you need rest.”
“She needs me to be strong.”
Taylor gives me a gentle smile. Yes, I know I’m losing my shit. I’m unbelievably hormonal. Before the baby, I could divert my emotional shenanigans into something positive. These days, I effortlessly descend into a hysterical-lady state and wallow there. The one thing that would help me isn’t an option. Goliath might be downstairs, but riding his dick will have to wait.
Violet opens the door, wearing gray sweatpants, a black “Kiss the Chef” T-shirt, and white socks. She seems surprised to find me teary-eyed. Then she notices my bump.
“You’re having a baby,” she says in a tone that reminds me of Desi.
“This summer.”
“I used to babysit for local kids.”
There’s something terribly young about Violet, and I get an incredible urge to hug her again. But I also sense crying on her is a mistake.
“What would you like to do?” Taylor asks in a soft voice. “Maybe we could go downstairs where we can talk normally.”
When Violet seems worried, I explain, “My nephews are sleeping down the hall.” I take her hand. “Would you like me to bore you with a lot of stories about how cute they are?”
Nodding, Violet gives me a sweet smile as we walk downstairs. How is she so calm? Once we’re in