When small arms wrap around my legs, I bend down and pick Jacob up and hold out my fist. He responds by bumping it immediately.
“Tea?” he asks.
Meg doesn’t miss a beat as she holds out her arms for him.
“Uncle Nathan has to go, but I’d love a tea party,” she says, taking Jacob from me.
His pout is adorable, and any other time I’d be more than happy for a tea party but right now, I need to see Violet, the thought of seeing her hurt because of me makes my stomach roll with unease. I need to see how badly I’ve fucked up.
ChapterForty-Five
VIOLET
Ethan made up the spare bedroom for me and managed to coax Char away long enough to give me some time to process everything from today.
I had a missed text from Nathan while I was getting stitches, but Ethan told him we were coming back here and that he’d be here as soon as possible.
Laying down, I close my eyes, feeling exhausted. It’s probably the painkillers kicking in too.
A faint knock on the door has me blinking awake, feeling a little discombobulated. The door opens, and Nathan’s face appears, and I immediately sit up, causing my head to pound. I wince and bring my hand up to my temple and glance back at Nathan, his face crestfallen as he enters the room, closing the door behind him.
“Are you okay?” I ask, my throat dry, my voice thick. I wonder how long I dosed off. My tongue darts out and runs over my bottom lip, the bump and the tender flesh reminding me of my split lip.
His eyebrows almost hit his hairline.
“You’re asking if I’m okay after I did that,” he says, his words cracking with emotion.
I scramble to my feet, albeit uneasily, but Nathan is there in less than two strides, his hands steadying me in place.
“I’m fine, Nathan.”
My palm moves to his face, his jaw grinding beneath my touch. He covers the back of my hand with his own.
“Violet, I hurt you,” he says, his eyes glistening, his voice hoarse.
“It was an accident. I know you didn’t mean it. It was a reflex. I was the one who grabbed you.”
He shakes his head and gently pulls my hand away from his cheek, dropping it between us.
“No, Violet, don’t make excuses for me. Do you even hear yourself right now?”
Wow, he’s serious.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Because it's the truth.”
I cross my arms.
“You tried to tell me to listen to reason, but I didn’t.” He waves his hand towards me, taking a step back. “And this is the result. I’m no better than him.”
His words hit me in the gut like a physical blow.
“No, Nathan. Don’t you bloody dare!”
My head continues to pound. I know I need to sit down. The back of my knees hit the bed, and I sit down, the urge to rub my temple overwhelming, but with the tension currently rolling off Nathan, I know it’ll only add to his already self-loathing.
“Come sit with me, Nathan.” When he does not attempt to move, I tap the space again. “Please.”
I see his resolve slip as he joins me, his back still rigid. I grab his hand and intertwine our fingers.
