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Violet didn’t waste any time rushing to her brother and squeezing him tight in her arms. When he groaned, she released him swiftly. “What happened? Did one of the officers do this?” The thought of a grown man with a gun doing this to her five-foot-two, hundred-pounds-soaking-wet little brother burned through her.
“No, a bunch of guys jumped me,” Casey said sullenly, avoiding her gaze.
“Who?” Violet would tear their lungs from their chests, beat them to a bloody pulp . . .
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Casey, damn it, who did this?”
Casey looked at her with their mother’s green-gold eyes, and she could see the pain and fear swimming in their depths. “Where were you last night?”
Violet’s face burned. The last thing she wanted to tell her brother was that she’d let her phone die while she was screwing a guy she just met.
“I was at Tracy’s; I just forgot to put my phone on the charger. I am really sorry, Casey.”
“Whatever, I’m fine.”
Violet could see that he wasn’t fine, but she didn’t argue. “At least let me see the rest of it.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Casey lifted his shirt. The right side of his body was so discolored there wasn’t a patch of natural skin tone left.
Violet’s eyes blurred as she stared at the evidence of the beating he’d taken, and she shook her head. “Did they take you to the hospital? You might have a broken rib or something.”
“I’m fine, Dr. Douglas.” He let his shirt fall, and she bit her tongue, trying not to lose her shit.
“The guard said you were being charged with vandalism and possession. What happened?”
“Assholes set me up. Luis and I were painting at the school—”
“Wait, do you mean tagging?”
“It’s not tagging, Vi,” Casey snapped.
Don’t be combative. Just let him tell his story . . . Then, you can lecture.
“Fine, you were painting a mural without permission. How did you end up looking like someone took a bat to you?”
Casey’s fists clenched, and his expression turned lethal. “Fucking Garret and his crew showed up, and they called Luis a rat because they think he told Principal White that Garret’s been dealing at school. They jumped him, and when I stepped in, they started whaling on me. We heard the sirens, and they scattered, but Luis and I weren’t fast enough.”
Violet made a note to contact the school and find out who this Garret was. She had to make sure Casey would be safe at school. “And the possession?”
“Come on, Vi, it was just one joint.”
Just the fact that he acted like it was no big deal after everything they had been through with their dad sent her blood pressure skyrocketing. “I’m sure that’s the same thing Dad said before things got away from him.”
“I am nothing like Dad,” he said coldly.
Violet sighed and ran her hands over her hair. “I know, but you are in serious trouble, Case.”
“Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. I kinda got that impression when they put cuffs on me and read me my rights.”
“Which wouldn’t have happened if you and Luis had stayed home—”
The guard stepped back in. “Time’s up.”
Violet gave Casey a gentle hug, ignoring the way he stiffened when she touched him. Lately he’d disliked anyone getting too close to him, even for a hug, and it twisted Violet up inside. He’d always been so affectionate, hugging her to the point that her ribs squeaked. Now he cringed if anyone tried to touch him.
“I’m going to get you out of here.”
