Page 281 of Allegiance

Everyone but Violet.

Dakota immediately noticed she was staring at him, and not in a good way.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, taking off his jacket and dropping it over the back of the couch.

“Yeah, sure,” she said. “Can I talk to you alone?” she asked.

Immediately, Eve’s eyebrow went up.

She knew this was a potential minefield. Doctor Gaines had told her that there might be bumps once Violet realized there would be a biological child thrown into the mix.

“Sure,” he said. “I could use some coffee. Let’s go talk,” he said.

Violet got up and headed that way. When Eve went to join them, Jinx grabbed her by the back of the jeans and stopped her.

“She might need…”

Jinx shook her head and was honest.

“You married him because you trusted him. Let him do this,” she said.

She knew she was right.

“He won’t hurt her, right?” she asked, that feeling of worry coming back. She loved Violet. She didn’t want her hurting.

Ever.

The team reassured her.

“Dakota is a dick, but there are two types of people he’s rarely mean to,” Maura said. “Women and children are generally pretty safe from his rage.”

Yeah, except she’d been his target of that anger.

“Uh, are you forgetting that he was a dick to me?” she asked.

Maura was honest.

“That’s because he had his dick in you. This is a different situation. Have faith.”

What choice did she have?

It appeared that her new husband was up to bat, and the outcome just might change everything.

Unfortunately.

In the kitchen, Violet sat at the counter, and Dakota made a cup of coffee. Without a second thought, he grabbed a soda from the refrigerator to give to Violet.

“What do you want to talk about?” he asked. “Is this about the baby, and how you feel? Because I want you to know that you’re very important to me and your mom. This baby is not replacing you.”

She opened the soda.

“I know. I’m glad it’s a boy. That’s what I wanted. Now, I don’t have to share a room,” she said.

That was a very teenager response.

He sipped his coffee.

“Then what has that look on your face?” he asked. “Because I can read a room.”

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