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Violet closed her eyes, afraid to look at him. “I pointed a loaded gun at my father and told him to leave and never come back.”
Dean sucked in his breath, but moments passed without a word from him. Finally, she opened her eyes, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking by the unreadable expression on his face.
/> “Why would you do that?”
The question didn’t sound accusatory, but it still rubbed Violet raw. “Because he had Casey pinned down on the bed, terrifying him. He was high and looking for money for another fix, and he started choking Casey. I ran and got my gun, and I . . . I put a hole in the wall above him to make him get off, but he just sat there, telling me I wouldn’t do it. So I told him I would. And I meant it.” Violet wiped her hands down her face, tracing the trails of tears down her cheeks. “I would have shot my dad to save my brother. And if I had it to do over, I would do it again.
“But now he’s back, and he wants to pretend like none of it ever happened. Wants a fresh start and to get to know us, and I just . . . I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to deal with this. Either way, I lose. If I fight him and he tells them I threatened him, I’ll lose Casey, and if I just give in, I lose him anyway. I don’t know what to do.”
“If you’ve seen your dad, maybe you can talk to him? Come to some kind of agreement where he can have supervised visits with Casey. Maybe he’ll drop the suit if you give him a chance.”
A wash of irritation flooded Violet. After everything Casey had been through, how could Dean be so cavalier about Casey’s well-being? “My brother has already been at the mercy of two monsters. If I voluntarily let him back into our lives and he hurts him again, then it’s all on me. It will be like making a deal with the devil.”
“Okay, I understand everything you’re saying, but if your dad really has changed, shouldn’t you at least try?”
“No, because addicts get sober all the time, but most of them relapse. What if I let him into our lives and one day I find out he slips up and puts Casey in danger? I can’t do that, not voluntarily.”
“But just because a lot of addicts fall back into the habit doesn’t mean your dad will. Don’t you think that people deserve second chances?”
“This wouldn’t be a second chance; this would be his millionth chance.” Violet pulled out of Dean’s arms, but he held tight. “Why are you on his side? You don’t know him or everything he did to us.” Struggling to get off him, she snapped, “I don’t know why I even told you.”
Dean’s dark eyes bored into hers. “I thought you told me because you trusted me. And maybe you wanted my help.”
Violet yanked away, needing the distance from him. How could she have been so wrong to think he would understand? “No, for the last time, I don’t need your help. I don’t need you to take care of me or paint my house or rescue me anymore.” Violet didn’t want to be shouting all of these things, but it was like she couldn’t stop. Every time her life started to take a turn for the better, another obstacle would pop up. She’d been happy, finally. Let herself believe that she could have a normal, joyful existence with love and a family, but she’d been right all along.
Happy endings really were just a fantasy.
“Please, just go. I need . . . I need some time to think.”
“About us or your dad?”
“I don’t know.”
“Got it.” Laughing bitterly, he started to walk toward her bedroom, then stopped. “You know, I thought that this whole pushing people away thing was over. After this weekend, and everything I’ve done—”
“Do you want a fucking medal? Is that it? Do you want me to be simpering and forever grateful to you? I just had a three-ton weight dropped right back on my shoulders, and you’re whining at me about your hurt feelings?”
Dean shook his head, and the pain in his eyes was so intense that she almost took a step toward him, but she couldn’t take care of him. Handling another heart just wasn’t in the cards for her.
“No, I was saying that I thought for a second that there was something real here, something worth staying for.”
Swallowing hard, she drove the nail into the coffin. “Well, I guess you were wrong.”
“I guess so. Dilbert.” The dog slunk out of the bedroom to Dean’s side, and Violet turned away as he slammed out of the house, wrapping her arms around her body.
It was the right thing to do, better for everyone. She had been crazy to think that this would all work out.
She heard a squeak from above and looked up just as Casey came down the stairs, stopping at the edge of the living room. “What is wrong with you?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? If only she had a good answer. “It’s none of your business—”
“You are my sister, and you are messing up the best thing that has ever happened to you. Even I’m smart enough to know that.”
Casey went back upstairs, and Violet sank into the couch. He was right. She had lashed out defensively and stupidly jumped down Dean’s throat because she was terrified.
Why the hell was she ever worried about Dean hurting her? It turned out she could sabotage her happiness all on her own.
DEAN HAD A hard time sitting still for his meeting with General Reynolds, especially when all he wanted to do was go for a run or take a few turns in a sparring ring. Anything to fight through the cyclone of emotions circling inside him.
