“The cruel side of it,” she said. “I guess this is my punishment. For falling in love with two brothers.”
What could I say to that? I couldn’t say that falling in love with either of them had been a mistake, because then her children would be.
Violet had her faults, but the entire situation was not only her fault, even though some people saw it that way. She didn’t create the situation alone. Two other people were involved and had to take responsibility for their choices, just like she did.
The entire situation was tragic and had no true, peaceful resolve.
How to put this delicately enough, though?
“If that were the case,” I said, “none of us would be exempt from punishment. No one in this world can say they’ve never made decisions that seemed right in the moment, but maybe weren’t in hindsight.”
She shrugged. She didn’t want to talk about that.
“The kids?” I asked. “What do they want?”
“Peter and Paul want it. Mitch and Mick both had a hand in raising them, and Mitch’s presence fills Mick’s absence. It also doesn’t hurt that Peter and Paul see Signor Fausti as a knight in shining armor. A fabled warrior. If he believes a man and a woman shouldn’t live under one roof not lawfully wedded, then it must be the truth. It’s law.”
“Violet?”
We both jumped at the sound. Neither of us had noticed that Mitch had come to the door.
“I got out of the shower, and you were gone,” he said.
“I left a note.”
“I found it, but you’ve been gone for a while. With everything going on, I got worried.”
“I’m fine. Just needed some time.”
“Dear God,” I breathed out, getting to my feet.
Violet stared at him too. Mitch had to turn around to see what we were looking at. He took a step back at the sight.
“Fausti. Your face, man.”
“It’ll do,” he said, staring at me.
His left eye was swollen shut. His lip busted. In the glow of the lamplight, all of the tender areas were highlighted, leaving his untouched features shadowed in darkness.
“Scarlett,” Violet said, reaching over and squeezing my arm. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“All right,” I whispered, but I couldn’t look away from him. I had seen him in worse conditions, no doubt about it, but emotionally, this struck a deeper blow.
Violet and Mitch moved around him, and he came in closer, shutting the door behind them with a softclick. He stood close to the door, staring at me, not offering up a word.
He wanted me to get a good look at what I had done to him by defying his father.
It took me a moment to build up the courage to speak.
“Wh—”
Before the words were completely out, he was on me.
Savage lust raged in his blood, sending mine rushing with the pounding of my heart.
Everything that was on top of the desk crashed to the floor before he set me on top of it. My legs opened to him, giving him access to come closer to what had always been his alone.
Cool weather clung to his clothes, seeping through mine. He smelled of burning wood, and tasted of whiskey, copper, and salt. His lip had clotted, but with the feral way his mouth attacked mine, it had split back open.
