Page 40 of Mariposa
“I’ll skip on the fishing. I don’t like the outdoors,” he clips, sounding like the distant, cold, familiar boy I know.
“Adam, mmm, who are you talking to?” A woman’s seductive tone can be heard in the background.
“My dad,” he replies, muffled, probably pushing the phone into the crook of his neck, thinking I can’t hear. “Dad, I’m busy right now, but I can’t wait to hear from you again.”
“Son, you were the one who called me?”
He chuckles, but I don’t think it’s from anything I’m saying.
“Talk to you later!” His voice lowers like he’s pulling the phone away from his mouth. “God, you’re naughty.”
Click.
I stare at my phone screen in disbelief. I shake my head as I place it back on my nightstand.
He’s in bed with another girl, yet he’s calling me for a favor to keep an eye on Violet if we’re ever around each other. Just who the hell has Adam become?
I’m not going to keep tabs on her. I’m trying to get the hell away from her. And if he’s doing what I think he’s doing, then Violet made a damn good decision in letting him go.
Sighing, I go back to the floor when another image of her naked in the shower comes back to haunt me.
“I’m going to hell for this, fuck me,” I growl as I change to sit-ups.
She’s going to graduate. She’ll witness what I have. War, death, pain, trauma, and it’s killing me slowly. She reminds me a lot of Kid, in a way. Eager and full of ambition to get in the fight…
What am I doing?
I got no fucking right to think about her anymore.
Not Violet.
Not this soldier.
She’s Adam’s, and practically half my age.
I care about her, sure—but as my student. That’s all this can ever be.
I continue doing sit-ups, refusing to acknowledge the fact that a spark has been ignited, and Violet Isla has caught my attention.
And when a woman catches my attention, I have to have her.
16
VIOLET
Three loud knocks disrupt my phone call with my grandpa. He just got done informing me that Grandma is doing better, and the doctors hope she’ll fully recover soon.
“I love you! Please remember to take care of yourself, okay? I’ve gotta go.”
“Work?” he grumbles.
“Yes, today is graduation day!” I exclaim while looking at my dress uniform, pressed and steamed and ready to be worn. It hangs perfectly in the center of my closet.
“I know that. I wish we could be there.”
Two hard knocks follow again.
“Coming!” I bellow over my shoulder. “Okay, I gotta go now. Talk to you soon?”
