Page 52 of Corrupt Obsession

Brody shook his head. “I hope Violet learned her lesson, but I have a feeling she didn’t. What does she see in these losers?”

He had no idea, but if he had any say in it, Tucker would be the last guy she ever dated.

Brody filled him in on what he missed at practice yesterday and their upcoming game before he was cut off by their teacher, who called their attention to the board. As Brody took his seat, Jesse slouched in his chair and stared at the clock.

Why the hell had he brought them back to school? He should have taken Violet home. Giving her two class periods to think was dangerous. The last time he thought they were on the same page, she started dating Tobias. He wouldn’t stand aside thistime. He couldn’t. Not after having her. Not after being inside her. Not when he was so close to having all of her.

He felt like he was walking a tightrope. He was afraid of coming on too strong and scaring her or giving her too much space, allowing her to come up with more obstacles to throw in his path.

For four months, he’d been forced to watch her date the most bewildering lineup of guys imaginable. They were the bottom of the barrel, the invisible one’s other girls dismissed without question. Even his friends grumbled about her bad taste and asked him why he allowed it, but Violet was deaf to anyone’s advice. He knew it would be difficult to see her with Tobias. Little did he know, he was just the first, with each guy getting progressively worse until Tucker came along.

Tucker was the only one bold enough to kiss and pet Violet in front of him. The sight made him physically ill. He suspected Tucker did it deliberately to see if he would do anything. He wanted to, but he didn’t want to give Violet any more reason to avoid him as she’d done all summer, and she’d seemed genuinely happy. The only thing that kept him sane was believing she wouldn’t go beyond chaste kisses.

His aggression in sports had increased. He did his best to fill his days with as much activity as possible. At night, he staked his claim in the only way he could. They never had a replay of Violet touching herself or waking up when he was in her room, though he’d done his best to make that happen.

The need to check on her was hammering at him. She said she was with him, but what if she changed her mind again? He dragged his sneakers restlessly across the floor as his heartbeat accelerated. Then he would find a way to change it back again.

The fact that she joined him for lunch was a good sign. It had been a calculated risk to kiss her at the park. She’d been shocked and resistant at first. He kept his kisses light, almost teasing todraw her in. It didn’t take long for her to respond and then came that sweet acquiescence that frayed his control. He had to stop, or he would have taken her right there in the car. Her look of dazed pleasure was one he intended to see often.

Violet wanted him, but she didn’t want to want him. She’d done her best to keep their relationship platonic, but yesterday he broke through. He wasn’t going to let her withdraw. She was just as susceptible to their chemistry as he was. He’d chain her to him with bonds of the flesh and fulfill sexual desires she tried to keep hidden. She so badly wanted to be a good girl, but she wasn’t, just like there was another side to his wholesome facade. He had to destroy Violet’s image of him as her brother and make her see him as a man. He would make her lovehim, regardless of the title he carried.

Eight minutes left.

Mom finished work in an hour and a half, maybe two hours. Dad had the day off, but mentioned he was helping someone from church and wouldn’t be back until dinner. They would have the house to themselves. Would Violet let him touch her? If she allowed him another chance between her thighs, he wouldn’t waste it.

He lifted his hat to comb his fingers through his hair and touched the back of his neck where she’d left her mark. He took a picture of his back in the mirror last night, mesmerized by the chaotic pattern she’d created, which would fade all too soon. Under other circumstances, he would have loved showing off her brands in the locker room, but he couldn’t afford rumors to spread when he was supposedly single, so he would have to be mindful of such things in the future.

The teacher eyed him but made no comment as he rose and slung his backpack over one shoulder. He was halfway to the door before the bell rang, signaling school was over. Blaine called his name, but he didn’t stop. He briefly debated whetherhe should go to Violet’s class or wait by the car, but he didn’t want to risk missing her. In the end, he headed to the parking lot.

He leaned against the SUV and searched the crowd for Violet or her friends from her last class. Minutes passed. He was about to go hunting when he saw Violet crossing the parking lot with Lettie. His fears evaporated when Violet made eye contact and gave him a smile. His heart thundered in his ears as she said goodbye to her friend and made her way over.

He waited until she had hopped into the SUV before he climbed behind the steering wheel. Violet stared straight ahead with her hands clasped in her lap.Nervous, he deduced, but he could work with that. She hadn’t run or gone into another bout of denial. She came to him. That’s all that mattered.

The adrenaline rush made it difficult to concentrate.Please may Mom and Dad not be home, he silently chanted. When he pulled into the driveway, he opened the garage to make sure their parent’s cars were missing and said a prayer of thanks when he saw they were gone. He turned toward Violet with a silly grin, but she was already closing the passenger door and heading to the house. He’d spent the drive running all sorts of scenarios through his head and hadn’t said one word to her.

He jogged after Violet and caught a glimpse of her heading down the hallway. He checked to make sure they were truly alone before he stood in the open doorway to her bedroom. She took out her binder and set it on the desk. The sight of her trembling hands reminded him that he needed to tread carefully.

“Vi.”

“Hmm?”

“Look at me.”

She went motionless. The long silence and sudden awkwardness that filled the air made him move quickly. He lethis backpack drop to the ground and strode toward her. He clasped her face and gently lifted it.

“Violet.”

Her lashes lifted, revealing her eyes had turned green, a sure sign that she felt conflicted. He leaned down and rested his forehead on hers.

“It’s me, Violet.”

“I know,” she rasped. “But this is so…” Her eyes glistened with tears.

Declarations she wasn’t ready to hear clogged his throat. He swallowed them and murmured, “Do you trust me?”

She blinked, the question clearly taking her by surprise before she nodded. A tear hovered on her lower lashes. He brushed it away before it could fall. Tears had no place here unless it was tears of joy.

“I won’t hurt you,” he promised.

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