Page 104 of Already Home

“Stop saying that!” Beth sounded furious. “You’re not and thatbastard is the reason.” She brushed the moisture from her cheeks with her freehand. “How bad is it?”

“A lot of bruising.”

Beth winced. “Oh, Violet.” Her lips quivered, as if she were onthe verge of crying again, then she got control. “All right. You’re staying heretonight. They’ll be letting you out in the morning. I’ll be here to pick youup.”

“You don’t have to.” She didn’t want to put anyone out.

“I want to. I’m bringing you home. You’re staying with us untilyou’re healed. Do you hear me?”

The generous offer bewildered her. “I’ll be okay on myown.”

“Violet, you need taking care of.”

Simple words, spoken as if they were nothing more than a politeresponse to “How are you?”

“You barely know me.”

Beth bent over and kissed Violet’s forehead. “I know plenty.You’re coming home with us and staying in the guest room.”

Violet was about to protest when she remembered. “The store.Jenna. I’ve let her down.”

Beth actually rolled her eyes. “Right. Because you knew Cliffwas going to beat you up and you deliberately waited until Jenna was gone justto mess with her. What a great plan.”

Despite the pain it would cause, Violet giggled. “Okay. Goodpoint.”

“Thank you. Don’t worry about the store. Jenna’s due back onTuesday and I can take care of things until then. I’ll call Tiffany and Kaylaand have them come in extra hours. There weren’t any cooking classes scheduled,so that part is easy.”

Beth kissed her forehead again. “I need to let you get somerest. Henry was very clear about that. Marshall is going to pop in for a secondto say good-night, then we’ll be back in the morning to take you home.”

“Thank you,” Violet whispered. “For everything.”

“You’re welcome. Try to sleep, honey.”

She left, and Marshall stepped into the room. He was big andbroad, yet Violet wasn’t afraid of him. Not even when he looked so fierce andangry.

“I don’t know what to say,” the older man admitted as he stoodby her bed. “I’ve never had to deal with anything like this.”

“I’ll heal,” she promised. “It’s okay.”

“It’s many things, but okay isn’t one of them.” Marshall drewin a breath. “Can I hug you? Would that hurt too much?”

It would probably jostle the hell out of her, but at thatsecond, she didn’t much care. “It would be fine.”

He bent over and gathered her gently into his arms. She held inthe wince as pain seared through her rib cage. He smelled of the night andleather and Scotch, kind of like she’d always imagined a father would smell. Histouch was caring and safe. So very safe.

For a second she wondered what her life would have been like ifshe’d had a father to take care of her. If she’d mattered tosomeone...anyone.

“We’ll be back in the morning,” he whispered.

“Thank you.”

“We take care of our own, Violet,” he told her as hestraightened. “For better or worse, you’re a part of our family now. There maycome a time when you regret that, but you’re stuck with us. You hear me?”

She nodded.

“Go to sleep.”

The instruction was firm, and Marshall Stevens expected to beobeyed. For once, Violet did as she was told and closed her eyes.

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