Page 77 of Corrupt Idol

“I have a little over a week left here.”

She leapt to her feet and faced him with her hands fisted at her sides. “You’re going to leave me?”

He blinked. “I have to.”

“No, you don’t!” she shouted and stomped her foot. “You owe me!”

“I do?”

“Yes, you do!” she bellowed as she paced in a circle. “You changed me and then waltzed out of my life to play the honorable soldier serving his country and left me in shambles.”

“You wanted me to leave.”

“And now I’m telling you to stay, so what are you going to do?” she challenged.

He shook his head. “I have orders.”

“Screw your orders! I need you!” She flung her arms wide. “I can’t do this by myself!”

“You’re a survivor, Violet. You’ll get through this.”

“Don’t go!”

His brows drew together. “Violet.”

“You can’t leave me like this!”

He grabbed her hand and drew her between his thighs. “You know I’d do almost anything for you, but I can’t.”

“But…” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I’m going to be all alone.”

He gathered her on his lap and kissed her cheek.

“I’ll come back.”

She shook her head. “You won’t.”

“I will. Are you going to keep your promise?”

“Promise?” she echoed.

He clasped her face between both hands and brushed away her tears with his thumb.

“The promise you made on the beach,” he prompted.

Are you going to be there for me after she’s gone?

“I’m going to keep it,” she said huskily.

“Then I’ll be back,” he said and gave her a bittersweet smile as he stroked her cheek. “You’re beautiful. Even though I want to rip my heart out because it hurts so much, just looking at you makes me feel better. Violet, my fucking morphine.”

He tipped her against him so he could rest his face in the hollow of her throat. His hands ran up her sides and breathed her in as if her proximity calmed him.

“You and Isaac are all I have left in this world,” he said hoarsely. “I need you.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him.

“Fuck, Violet, I need you.”

---