Nodding slowly, Violet looks around again. "Okay," she murmurs. To my surprise, she shuffles toward me and kisses me on the cheek. "Thank you."
Her serene and slightly overwhelmed features turn a bright shade of red when her stomach growls loud enough for us all to hear. "Ugh." She pouts and drops her forehead onto my shoulder. "Why must you guys always have the big conversations when I'm hungry?"
Ellis gives her ass a love tap and climbs off the bed. "I'll start the waffles, Bubbles."
"You're my favorite!" she shouts as he exits the room.
"I'll get the bacon started," Jamie blurts and rushes after my partner.
"Never mind, Ellis!" Violet's eyes shine with humor and happiness as she teases the other two into getting what she wants. Their play fighting and stomps through the house make her beam with joy.
I love her so much and I hope someday she'll feel safe enough with me to love me back again.
Forty-One
VIOLET
Mom's in town for a few days. She said she and her men needed a small vacation and they were all itching to check on me. It's not that I don't believe her, it's just a gut feeling that there's more.
I know Jamie, Nate, and Ellis were a bit on edge when I told them I had plans with my mom today. They didn't think my joke about running away with her was funny.
I needed a reprieve from my thoughts for a moment, so I kissed them silly and turned them on each other as I slipped away. There's something about the way Mom has been lately that makes me wonder if something's going on.
The guilty voice in the back of my head has been running wild trying to figure out if I missed something and messed up again. I don't know what I would do if I caused Mama harm...again.
But she's here; she's sitting across from me. There's no way in heck I'm letting her out of my sight until she tells me what's going on. If someone is after her, I'll be stuck to her like glue.
Nate, Ellis, and Jamie will be the first to know if I have to go into hiding with Mom. As much as I don't want to leave them behind, I need to protect her because I didn't seven years ago.
It was my fault she was kidnapped. It's on me that we were unprepared for the worst. I can't let that happen again.
The longer she sits there with her blue hair curled around her shoulders and her hand plucking a napkin to shreds, the more I feel lightheaded. She's being super shifty and incredibly strange. Beautiful though. Blue is always beautiful.
"Violet, take a sip of water before you pass out," Mom suggests with a look of concern.
I do as she says because it's clearly a big deal. And I'll probably need something in my stomach. Who knows the next time we'll be able to stop for food and water?
Oh my god. I should have packed a bag.
Mom reaches across the table and takes my trembling hand in hers. "Okay, because you're on the verge of a panic attack, I'll just come right out and say it." Then she fucking pauses and takes a deep breath.
"Are you dying? Is someone after you?" I blurt, my anxiety quite literally exploding out of me.
"Shit, V, no. I'm sorry, I should have known this would scare you. Okay." She sighs, and I swear to hell my spine is about to snap in half due to how rigid I am.
"Mama!" I snap.
"I'm pregnant."
Silence.Holy shit. "You are?" I breathe, blinking repeatedly, my eyes already burning with tears.
She bites her bottom lip and nods hesitantly. If I knew how she felt about it, my reaction would come easier. Maybe that's how she feels about me right now too.
Yet I just sit here, staring, trying to understand what this means. "Do the guys know?" I ask and begin racking my brain for any clues I might have missed.
"Oh yes," Blue says, nodding with more energy now. "All four of them have been ridiculously protective. I'm trying not to beoffended that I'm being treated like glass, but I know we're all a little worried about the fact that I'm thirty-six. My body isn't in its prime, you know..." she trails off and yanks new worries to the surface for me.
"Was this...planned?" I ask, uncertain how to voice my questions. I have many but I don't want to overwhelm her like I am. My heart has taken up residence in my throat and I'm trembling.
