Page 15 of Rescued By the Marine

“What the fuck?” I’m not sure if I’m mad or just sad.

“I tried to convince her to at least talk to you before she left, but she wouldn’t. She was crying and had a flight already arranged. I tried to call Zoe and make sure that she was on the other end of the flight to take care of Violet, but she didn’t answer.”

“I’ll call her in a second.” I’m still trying to absorb the impact of Violet leaving me. “What do I do?”

Dad sits in the chair for several minutes before getting up. He tosses my clothes up from the floor and heads toward the door.

“Get dressed. I’ll drive you to the airport.”

I do what he says. He’s always right and although I don’t know what I’ll say when I see Violet, I know that I’m not letting her go this easily. Even if it’s just to take care of her until she’s safe from the stalker.

I get in the car and slam my fist on the dashboard. “Does she know how stupid this is? She has a stalker who just sent her a violent message.”

“She hired a bodyguard to travel with her and not leave her side until she’s safe. It’s someone who blends in and won’t stick out. We’re hoping that’ll get the guy to do something.”

“Dad, do you have some secret connections you want to tell me about? How did you help her arrange that this morning?”

He laughs, “I know a few people and she has the money for the best. It was the only way I agreed to tell you that nonsense about not following her. I promised to tell you, not to make you follow it.”

“I’m going to call Zoe and see if Violet’s landed.” I remember what Violet said about Zoe last night and I feel sick in the pit in my stomach.

“What?”

“Zoe, has Violet made it back to LA?”

“Not yet. She said she didn’t need a ride from the airport, she’d hired a car. Do you know what’s going on with her?”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“She’s acting weird. She never hires her own car. She hardly makes decisions without my help. Now, she’s doing things on her own. Making moves on my brother.”

“She did not make moves on your brother. We are two adults who fell in love with each other.”

Zoe laughs. “Two adults who were stuck in the same place and used love as an excuse to fuck each other.”

Dad erupts then. “Zoe Devereux, don’t talk that way about your brother or Violet.”

“Sorry, Dad. I didn’t know you were in the car.”

“Shouldn’t matter,” I say. “You’re wrong about Violet and me. I love her and I know she loves me too.”

“She left you, Kane.”

I hang up the phone. I call Violet’s phone, but it goes straight to voicemail. I leave a message, telling her it’s urgent that she call me.

“Can you keep trying to call Violet while I’m in the air?”

“I will, Kane. Everything is going to work out.”

“I hope you’re right, Dad.”

13

VIOLET

LA is too sunny.I’ve only been back a few hours, but I want to be back in that cold, damp cabin in Star Mountain with Kane.

“House is clear. I’m here till eight and then Sandy will take over till morning,” my new bodyguard Liz says as she walks through the living room to where I stand by the window. She looks more like a supermodel than a bodyguard, which is the point of her services.

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