One Lucky Hero (24 page)

“If the assault charges go to trial, the jury is going to take one look at the Douglas sisters, at the pictures of their injuries, and they are going to convict you for the pathetic piece of shit that you are.”

Dean noticed Quinton's trembling form and went in for the kill. “Or you could save yourself the maximum on two assault charges, menacing, and whatever else the judge throws at you, and take a plea deal. If you're lucky, you might get probation. You can go on being a worthless member of society again in a few years instead of twenty.”

Grabbing the front of Quinton's shirt, he hauled him to his knees and stood up. “Or you can go after Daisy again and take your chances. Then again, you might end up at a prison where I know a few guards. Maybe they take a little longer to save you when another inmate jumps you for being an asshole. It would be a terrible shame to get your ass kicked daily with no protection, all over a girl who doesn't even want your sorry ass.”

Quinton nodded, his eyes the size of silver dollars.

“Is that yes, it would suck, or yes, you'll stay away from Daisy?”

“I'll stay away,” Quinton said softly.

“Good. Remember, you send one more text . . . You even look at her when you pass her on the street, and—”

Dean released him, and he crumpled to the floor, so Dean didn't bother finishing the threat. The guy had gotten the message.

As they walked into the deserted living room, Best said, “I guess the party's over.”

“Was it something we said?” Kline joked.

Dean didn't join in on their laughter, too busy thinking about Violet. Was she sitting up, worried about Quinton trying something else?

The three of them climbed into the car, and as Dean started it, Best spoke up, dead serious. “I gotta tell you, man, you scared the hell out of me for a minute there. It definitely gave me second thoughts about every time I've given you shit.”

“Good, then maybe it will stick with him,” Dean said.

After Dean dropped the guys off, he called Violet, hoping she was still up.

“Hello?” she said.

“You don't have to worry about Quinton. He's not going to bother Daisy anymore.”

He could hear Violet draw a big, shaky breath on the other end. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I'm sure.”

The quiet on the line lasted so long, he finally asked, “You still there?”

“Yeah, I'm here, but I don't know what to say. You could have gotten in trouble or hurt or—”

“I did it so you and Daisy wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. Because I want you to feel safe. Always.”

Dean didn't say the words that had been rattling around in his head all day, three little words that might change everything between them, for better or worse. Instead, he remained silent. If things went the way he was hoping, they'd have plenty of time to get there.

Dean thought he heard a sniffle and then a very watery, “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Anything else I can do for you?”

“Come back.”

Dean put the truck into gear and stepped on the gas. “On my way.”

V
IOLET CLIMBED THE
stairs to Daisy's dorm room for what seemed like the hundredth time on Saturday. Dean had been right about being able to fit everything into the back of his truck and the rest in Daisy's car. The ride had been pleasant, with Violet and Daisy in one car and Casey and Dean in his truck. They'd left Sacramento at six in the morning, and after stopping for lunch, they'd made it to the university just before three.

Nearly two hours later, Violet collapsed on Daisy's bed with the last box in her arms, breathing hard. “Just so you know, the next time we move you, your place better be on the ground floor.”

Daisy was lying on the floor in a heap. “There will never be a next time. I'm going to live in these dorms forever.”

Dean came into the room and sat next to Violet on the bed, his hand going to the back of her neck. When he started rubbing gently, she groaned and leaned into his hand.

“Me next,” Daisy said.

“Get your own,” Violet growled.

Casey bounded into the room with Daisy's desk lamp and a bundle of energy Violet found exhausting. “How much caffeine did you give him?” she asked Dean.

Dean shook his head. “None, I swear. He's been like this all day.”

“I wonder when your roommate's going to get here, Dais. Think she'll be pissed you took the left side?” Casey bounced on the other bed a few times and finally lay down. “Huh, this is pretty comfortable.”

Violet was too caught up in the amazing touch of Dean's hand as he worked on the tense muscles of her neck and shoulders. She couldn't blame the entirety of her tension on the drive or the hauling of boxes.

For the last four nights, Dean had stayed over, and although she knew that part of it was to make her feel more secure, she had been sure that after his sweet declarations, they were going to . . . well, for lack of a better term,
do it
.

Instead, he'd been the perfect gentlemen. They'd kissed, of course, but he'd actually taken the couch instead of sharing Daisy's bed with Violet. At first, she'd thought it was adorable having him downstairs making sure Daisy was comfortable and that he didn't step on Casey's toes, but now she just wanted him to stop pussyfooting around and take her like a man.

“Hey, Dais, if your roommate doesn't show up, can I stay here with you tonight?” Casey asked suddenly.

Violet's eyes flew open, and she could have sworn she saw something pass between her brother and sister.

“Sure, we can have a movie marathon,” Daisy said.

“You guys don't want to go exploring?” Violet asked.

The two of them looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously. “Nah.”

“We'll just walk to the store and grab some kettle corn, Oreos, Doritos . . . you know, binge on junk food,” Daisy said.

“Do you want us to go with you? We could grab dinner,” Violet said.

Casey shook his head at her. “Why don't you guys go get some dinner and take in the sights? We can meet here in the morning and grab some Denny's or something before we head back home.”

Violet wasn't completely dense. They were setting her up to be alone with Dean, and while she appreciated the gesture, it felt a little skeevy.

Before she could open her mouth, though, Dean grabbed her hand and stood. “Then I guess we'll leave you crazy kids to it.”

Violet glanced up at Dean, who had a definite devilish gleam in his eye.

But she was so torn. On one hand, she'd been desperate to get Dean alone all week, but this was the last night she'd get to spend with her sister for months. She was going to miss her.

As if reading her thoughts, Daisy climbed to her feet and hugged Violet hard. Putting her mouth against her ear, she whispered so softly that Violet strained to hear.

“I love you, but if you do not get out of here with Dean, I am going to do something embarrassing.”

Violet didn't need to know what her sister had planned. If they wanted her to go, she'd go, but not before she did a little embarrassing of her own.

“I am so proud of you.” Violet released Dean's hand to squeeze her little sister, kissing her cheek.

“Thank you. For everything,” Daisy said.

Violet blinked at the sting of tears in her eyes and pulled away. “I'll have my cell on if you need anything.”

“We won't. See you tomorrow,” Daisy said.

Violet shot her siblings a glare as she and Dean left the room.

“I can't believe they chased us off like we were the lame old people no one wants around,” she groused.

Dean took her hand once more and brought it to his lips. “I think it was more their way of paying you back for making them so happy.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

He stopped with her in the stairwell, pressing her against the wall with his body. “I mean, they love you and want you to come back tomorrow deliriously ecstatic.”

“And how are we going to manage that?” she asked.

“Well, I thought we could start by getting dinner,” he said.

“Like a . . . Like a date?”

“Yeah, that's the idea.”

Violet considered playing coy, pretending that she hadn't been dying for this moment. Did she have her reservations? Yes, of course, but right now they were being browbeaten into submission by the cheerfully insane part of her that was only sure of one thing . . .

That she had fallen completely and irrevocably in love with Dean Sparks.

And she desperately wanted to push away all the worry and fear of the future and just
be
.

“Okay, I'd love to go on a date with you,” she said.

“Good, because we've got reservations in two hours.” He pushed away from the wall and took off down the stairs with her hand in his, her sore legs screaming in pain as she tried to catch up.

“You made a reservation? Wait, you planned this?” Realization dawned on her, and she burst out laughing. “How much did you give Casey to go along with your plan?”

“Fifty bucks,” Dean said.

“Sounds about right. Was Daisy in on it, too?” They exited the stairwell and went out the building toward the parking lot.

“Yeah, but your sister wasn't as cheap. She did pack you something extra to wear, though, so I consider it worth it.”

Violet could just imagine what her sister had picked out for her; probably something short, tight, and leather, knowing Violet would hate it on sight.

“So, the first order of business is to go to the hotel and change.” As he unlocked his truck, he released her hand and grinned at her over the hood. “I don't know about you, but I could really use a shower.”

Violet pictured the two of them in the shower getting dirty as they cleaned up, and her heart kicked into a rapid tempo.

“Well, climb in, Vi. Time's a-wasting.”

Violet started as he used her nickname—usually reserved for friends and family—for the first time, then climbed into his truck slowly, her body humming with joy.

A
N HOUR AND
twenty minutes later, Dean walked out of his hotel room with a smirk. Violet had been less than thrilled when he'd insisted on separate hotel rooms, but he'd planned this night out perfectly and wanted it to start with the feel of an actual date.

He went to the door next to his and knocked. They still had forty minutes until the reservation, but he didn't want to get lost and miss it. Daisy had found an intimate little French restaurant that boasted a romantic atmosphere. And considering this was the first time he'd ever put so much effort into making a woman happy, he hoped Violet liked it. Otherwise he was going to feel like an idiot.

Dean knocked again, nervously impatient as he pulled on his suit jacket.

Finally, the door opened, and Violet stepped out.

Staring at her with his mouth hanging open, he took in the simple black heels that made her long, pale legs look incredible, especially when paired with a dress in deep, royal purple that hugged every curve and stopped midthigh. The strapless bodice showed off her smooth shoulders and arms, while that long mane of red hair was twisted up into a loose knot. Her eyelids were darkened with purple and gray, bringing out flecks of black and gold in her brown eyes he'd never noticed before.

And her mouth . . . good God. Her mouth was a lush, wet invitation to sample its sweetness.

“It's too much, isn't it?” she asked suddenly.

“What?”

“The whole thing. The makeup, the dress. I overdid it.”

Dean shook his head. “No. Not. At. All.”

Violet's face brightened, and the wariness and uncertainty that had been written all over it melted away.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Dean held out his hand to Violet, and the two of them headed down the hotel hallway. He helped her into the elevator, and as they traveled down alone, he had to fight the urge to push her back into the wall and slide his hand up that tight, short skirt.

They exited the elevator and crossed the lobby. Dean noticed a few men follow Violet with their eyes until they caught Dean's gaze and quickly looked away.

“Are you sure I look all right? You're awfully quiet.”

“I'm just waiting for one of these guys to try to snatch you away from me,” he said, only half joking.

“What?” Violet's laughter rang out as they crossed the parking lot to his truck, and he couldn't resist that saucy mouth anymore.

Spinning her into his body, he cupped the back of her neck and devoured her lips, running his tongue across the sweet surface. It would be so easy to just toss her up and over his shoulder and head right back up to his hotel room, strip off that tiny purple dress and make her come apart under his hands and mouth.

But he had planned this night to show her that he wasn't just interested in a temporary thing anymore.

With her, he wanted everything.

Dean broke the kiss and reached past her to get her door. “Hop in.”

“Are you sure?” Her husky tone made his eyes nearly cross with lust.

“No, which is why you should do it. Because if we spend any more time in this parking lot, we might never make it out.”

She giggled as she climbed inside. His mouth went dry as her skirt rode up over her thighs, flashing black lacy panties that made him want to reach up and run his hand across the rough pattern.

Dean closed her door, placing his hands flat against the door and breathing hard. Man, he hadn't been this wound up on a date since he was fourteen. Back then it was hormones, but now, it was all Violet.

Dean got into the truck and buckled up. As he entered the address into his GPS, Violet's hand crept over and started massaging his thigh above his knee, working its way up.

“Violet . . . ”

“Yes, Dean?”

“If you don't behave, I will not be responsible for what happens next.”

She pulled her hand back, and he concentrated on getting them to the restaurant. He'd never imagined that their date would be this torturous, but things just became more painful as the night progressed. Even after they were seated in a corner booth, she slid all the way around until she was plastered against his side.

“Dean?”

“Yeah?”

“Breathe,” she said.

He let out a breath, even as she picked up his arm and put it around her shoulders. “It's chilly in here, isn't it?”

Dean couldn't agree, since he seemed to be sweating buckets, but he pulled her closer. “Better?”

“Very much.”

Dean frowned as he read through the menu descriptions, searching for a simple steak. When the waiter finally came around to take their order, he looked at Dean like he was a cockroach when he asked if they had anything without a fancy sauce on it.

When the server walked away with their order, Violet giggled. “You, sir, are an uncultured swine.”

“To be honest, Daisy chose this place. I would have probably picked that bar and grill we passed down the road.”

“Me, too,” she whispered loudly.

Dean's eyebrows shot up, and he grinned. “We still could.”

“Yes, we could.” She held up the dessert menu to him. “But I was kind of looking forward to sharing one of these sinfully rich desserts with you.”

“Then we'll stay. Tonight, it's all about what you want,” he said.

“Okay, not that I mind this new and definitely improved attitude where you cater to my every whim, but it's just not you. So are you going to explain what we're doing here?” she asked.

I'm trying to show you what you mean to me.

“I just wanted to do something nice,” he said.

“You have done plenty of nice things. You've painted and cleaned up my house. You saved me and my sister from a violent bastard. You have watched over all of us and been so good to Casey . . . Honestly, I don't know if I can ever repay you for everything you've done.”

“I didn't do any of that so you would owe me something,” Dean said, affronted.

“I know, which is what makes you even more special. You are a good guy.”

“Only because I want to make you happy.”

Dean never looked away from her face, even as she brought his hand up to her mouth. “I want to make you happy, too.”