The Coincidence 04 The Probability of Violet and Luke (10 page)

“I’ll sleep on the floor.” Luke puts his bag onto the floor and releases a deafening breath before finishing off his beer and throwing the empty bottle away. “Sorry about this—about everything.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” I say, setting my half drank beer down on the dresser then bending down to unzip my bag and get the battery I bought for my phone out. “I pretty much forced you to let me come with you.” I don’t bother noting the other sorry he was throwing out there. It feels wrong for him to say sorry for something that was out of his hands. What his mother did wasn’t his fault and one day I hope I can fully tell him that.

“There was no forcing. Trust me. I wanted you to come with me more than I should of,” he says, sinking down on the bed, his head falling forward into his hands. “Because I’m selfish.”

“You’re not selfish.” I stand back up and open the package the battery came in. I take it out and put it in my phone, crossing my fingers it’ll work. “You’re anything but.”

He elevates his head, his eyes blazing with so much intensity I almost shrink back. “How the hell do you figure that?”

I press down on the
talk
button, shrugging as I wait to see if my phone will boot up. “You gave me my space when I left… when I told you that I didn’t want to see you. You gave me what I asked for and that’s not selfish.”

He gestures at the both of us, gaping. “We’re here now.”

“I chose to be here.” I relax as my phone screen turns on, but any elation plummets when I see that I have five new messages.

Unknown: So we’re no longer talking?

Unknown: Did I scare u that bad?

Unknown: Quit being a fucking cunt and text me back.

Greyson: Just checking in on u.

Unknown: U know I should have killed u when I had the chance.

Dizziness overtakes me as I read the last one and have to reach for the bed for support, but end up stumbling and grabbing onto Luke’s shoulder instead.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asks worriedly, his hand grasping onto my hip to hold me upright.

I shake my head, staring over his shoulder at the wall, unable to look him in the eye. “It’s nothing.” My voice is hoarse as I clutch onto the phone and also his shoulder.

Luke’s hand slides up my side, to my neck, then ultimately he cups my chin in his hand and makes me look at him. “What was on your phone?”

“Nothing.” I’m struggling to breathe, images of that night flashing through my mind. Is it his mother texting me? Or the other person? The man? The one I never saw?

Luke swallows hard, fighting some kind of inner rage. “Is it Preston? Because I won’t let him do anything to you. I promise.”

“It’s not Preston,” I say, finally subsiding down on the bed beside him and frown down at my phone. “You remember that guy, Stan the reporter?”

He nods, listening intently. “Has he been bothering you again?”

“I don’t think it’s him,” I say, unsure what else to say. I mean, how the hell am I supposed to talk about the killer and my parent’s deaths when his mother was part of it? And when she could be the one sending the texts. “Honestly, I don’t think it’s a reporter at all, with the things that they’re saying.”

“What kind of things?” His hand finds my thigh, his fingers grazing up and down it, not in a sexual way but a comforting way.

I close my eyes and give him the phone. “Scroll through the texts from the unknown number.” I remain sitting with my eyes shut, listening to his breathing quicken.

“Fuck,” he says under his breath and I open my eyes, hovering back at the fury in his brown eyes, his jaw tight, his hands balled into fists, clutching the crap out of my phone. “You have no idea who sent this to you? At all?”

I shake my head. “I’ve been getting little things off and on from reporters ever since the case was reopened, but this takes things to a whole new level.”

“How long has it been going on?” He struggles to keep his voice even and his anger under control. I’m sort of worried that he’s going to chuck my phone, with how hard he’s gripping it.

“They started up yesterday, right before I went to Geraldson’s,” I tell him. “I need to call Detective Stephner and report it.” I pause, reluctant to ask, but needing to do it. “Luke,” I swallow hard, “You don’t think it could be your… your mother, could it?” Finally, the large elephant that’s been hanging out between us has been acknowledged. But it makes the tension between us even worse, if that’s possible, especially when Luke remains quiet for what feels like forever. His knuckles turn white from holding my phone so tightly and I swear he’s going to grind all his teeth away with how tight his jaw is set.

“I want to say no, but honestly, I have no idea,” he finally says through gritted teeth as he gives me back my phone. “She’s fucking crazy and I wouldn’t put it past her to do something like this.” He drags his free hand down his face then leans forward and reaches for his cigarettes in his bag. He pops one out of the pack, puts it into his mouth and lights up, his hand shaking as he flicks the lighter. After a good, long, drag, he seems to settle down, but the next words he utters are far from settling.

“I’ll fucking kill her if she touches you,” he says, flexing his fingers as if he’s fighting the desire to punch something, like he was doing to the wall back at the apartment.

I don’t know what to say. I know it’s wrong, the whole eye for an eye thing, but part of me wishes his mother was dead. But not by the hand of Luke. There’s no way I’d ever want him to carry that kind of burden or suffer the consequences for doing it.

“Hey.” I put a hand on his arm, his lean muscles flexing under my touch. “Relax. I’m not even sure if it’s her, okay? So let me call Detective Stephner and see what he can do about it.”

His gaze fastens on mine. “I’m sorry this had to happen to you.” Sincerity pours out of his eyes like hot liquid trying to drown me.

Great, now I want to cry. Jesus, what the hell is with these last few days? I must be getting ready to start my period or something.

Unable to speak, I get to my feet and call Detective Stephner. It sends me to his voicemail so I leave a message telling him to call me as soon as he can, that I’ve been getting threatening voice messages. When I hang up, Luke’s smoking his cigarette and watching me with a look of inquisitiveness.

“What can I do?” he says as I put my phone into my pocket. “Should I take you back home? Please, tell me what can help this.”

“Going home isn’t going to help.” I reach for my beer and take a long swig before speaking again. “If some creep is stalking me, it’s better that I’m not there anyway.”

“Well, then what do you want to do?” He gets up from the bed and moves toward me, stopping in front of me and holding with the cigarette out to the side of him. “You name it and we’ll do it.”

“We’re going to go get you your money,” I say persistently with my hands on my hips. “That’s what I want to do.”

He wavers with uneasiness, scattering ashes all over the carpet, but his uncle doesn’t seem like one to care since there was some all over the kitchen floor. “I’d rather you not come with me. It’s too sketchy where we’re going.”

I roll my eyes. “You know what’s really sketchy? Going to a crackhouse for your foster mother when you’re fourteen because she’s as high as a kite and can barely walk but is sober enough that she threatens to throw you out on the streets if you don’t. Personally, I think she just didn’t want to risk getting caught,” I say. His lips start to part, but before he can speak, I interrupt him. “And I didn’t say that for you to feel sorry for me. You just need to understand that I’m not some clueless girl that’s oblivious to the dark side of life. I don’t need your protection. I’ve seen it all,” I trace my finger up my arm. “And I have skin of steel, baby.”

With his gaze locked on mine, he brings his cigarette to his lips, sucks in, then moves it away, smoke snaking from his lips. “I understand that, but it doesn’t mean I want to protect you any less.” He leans in and brushes his lips against my cheek, smelling of cigarettes, cologne, and beer, all things that are Luke and for a moment all I can think is
home
. I want home to be with him again. The contact causes my skin to scorch and longing to swell inside me. It’s so brief, just a flutter of skin to skin, but it’s enough for me to remember how mind-numbingly good it felt to be with him. “I’m going to go talk to my uncle and see what time we’re leaving. If you really want to go, then be ready when I get back.”

I nod, fighting to keep my balance and keep standing as emotions prickle at my skin. Only when he walks out the door can I breathe freely again.

Chapter 8

Luke

I’ve never wanted to get into a fight more than I do right now. Someone threatening Violet like that is tearing me to shreds. Worse, there’s that stupid nagging voice in the back of my head¸ telling me it could be my mother. She’s crazy enough that if she’s somehow found out about Violet, she would do it.

I try to call her a few times as I’m waiting for my uncle to take us to The Warehouse, but of course the crazy woman doesn’t answer her phone. Sure, she can call me every fucking hour of the day, but when I actually need to talk to her, she won’t answer.

“Give me like a half an hour then we’ll head out,” my Uncle Cole says as I sit at the kitchen table, drinking another beer with Ryler, wishing for something harder but also wanting a clear head for what I’m about to do. Ryler has a notebook and pen in front of him, our form of communication, just like the last time we met. “You got front money, right?”

I nod, patting my pocket. “Yeah, about three thousand.”

Nodding, he starts for the stairway but then pauses in the doorway. “Luke, does your father know you’re here?”

I shake my head. “No. I mean I called him for your number, but didn’t tell him why. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell him.”

“Well, I don’t think that’ll be a problem since he’s pretty much disowned me,” Cole says. “Ever since he went on a do-gooder streak a while ago.”

“That would make two of us.” I raise the beer to my lips and take a large gulp.
Yeah, definitely going to need something harder.

Cole looks about as uncomfortable as I feel. Usually, I don’t say that kind of shit aloud. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m off my game. “Um… yeah… Luke I’m sorry about that. You know he tried to see you sometimes, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” I say, peeling the label off my beer bottle. “Look, just forget I said anything.

He nods, letting it go easily. “I’m going to run up and change before we head out.”

Is your girl going?
Ryler writes then leans back to throw his empty beer bottle in the trash.

I should correct him that Violet isn’t mine, but as far as he’s concern she is. “I guess so. I’m not a fan of bringing her, but she’s pretty stubborn.”

The pen scratches across the paper again
. She looks pretty hardcore
, Ryler writes.
I’m sure she’ll be just fine.

His words gets under my skin, probably because he’s noticed her and made assumptions about her solely based on her appearance. Yeah, Violet comes off as tough and she’ll tell you the same, but I’ve seen her break apart in my arms.

But I drop it and head upstairs to see if Violet’s ready, but when I enter the room, I instantly wish I would have never came up here. Violet is standing there with only a towel wrapped around her, the bathroom door attached to the room wide open making the air muggy. She has her attention on her bag, her hair damp, her skin dewed with water. My fantasy for the last two months right in front of me.

The sight of her makes me want to rip off the towel and lick every inch of her skin but I make myself hover back at the door with my fists clenched at my side, mentally telling myself to calm the fuck down. “We’re going to take off in like thirty minutes,” I say, my voice strained.

She nods, not looking up. “What does one wear to a,” she glances up at me, “I’m assuming illegal poker game?”

I offer her a tight smile. “Whatever you want. You can wear those jeans and that t-shirt you were wearing earlier.”
That outfit that covers you up
.

Her nose crinkles as she looks down at her bag. “Nah, it’s too hot for that.” She bends down and God dammit that towel rides up her thighs so high that if I was behind her, I know I’d be able to get a view of her perfect ass. “I’m assuming that most of the girls there will be dressed all slutty?” She looks up at me again. “I mean, that is the general theme at these things, right?”

“Yeah, but I’d rather you don’t,” I tell her, growing the balls to step inside the room and shut the door. She raises her eyebrow with speculation. Sighing, I cross the room and crouch down in front of her, trying to ignore her near nakedness and the scent flowing off her, something fruity that makes me want to taste her. “What are your choices?”

“Well, I have that dress I had on yesterday.” She digs around in her bag. “But it smells kind of gross.” She pauses, grinning as she grabs a piece of fabric. “Oh wait, I have this.” She holds up a short, black dress that’s completely see through.

I frown. “You can see through the entire thing.” I’m not even sure why I’m being so territorial. It’s not in my nature, but the fact that she’s not mine and I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my entire life makes me want to be sure that no one else can have her. I blame it on my need for control. Violet has never been one to let me control her, which was what partly drew me to her. Although, I’d still like to control her in some ways.

She grabs another article of clothing, an even shorter dress, but it isn’t see through. “I’ll put this on underneath it.”

“I still think you should go with the jeans and t-shirt.” I straighten my legs and stand up, telling myself to take a chill pill.

“I’m sure you do,” she remarks as she stands up herself, the towel getting stuck on her thigh so she’s even more exposed.

I wait for her to ask me to step out so she can get dressed, but instead she just stares at me, nibbling on her lip as she holds onto the top of the towel as if she’s deliberating something deeply.

“Do you want me to step out?” I should just do it, but I don’t want to, so I need her to make me.

Her gaze deliberately scrolls up my body. “I don’t know.”

Be a fucking good guy for once and turn around.
“I should probably go.”

“Maybe.”

“Violet…”

She releases her hold on the towel, a unsteady breath escaping her lips as it falls from her body and onto the floor. “I don’t even know what I’m doing,” she says almost horrified. “Just that I want to do it.”

I’m fighting to breathe normal at the sight of her; long legs, smooth skin, that fucking sexy as hell tattoo that curves up her side, the way her wet hair drips water down her body, beads rolling down her flesh and across her nipples. I haven’t been with anyone in two months and with her in front of me, I lose it. Snap apart. Break. Shattered. So many different things I’ve never felt before.

Without even processing what I’m doing, I stride toward her, stealing any space left between us. Her lips part as she starts to reach for me, thinking I’m going to kiss her, but instead I drop down on my knees in front of her and press my lip to her breast, sucking her nipple into my mouth. I don’t even know what overcomes me. Foreplay was never my thing. I’m a taker not a giver, but enough people have stolen from Violet that I want to give to her—I’d give everything to her if I could.

I half expect her to pull away, but instead her fingers find my hair and she lets out a moan, causing my cock to instantly get hard. I have to fight the instinct to push her back on the bed and fuck the shit out of her, instead nibbling and grazing my teeth along her skin, making a path to her other breast. I trace slow circles across her nipple with my tongue, glancing up at her face, as my fingers wander up the back of her thighs to cup her ass. I’m surprised when I find that she’s looking down at me, biting her lip, her eyes glossed over with sheer ecstasy.

“That feels so good,” she gasps, her fingers running through my hair, pushing my face closer.

Good God… I’m not even sure what the hell to do with myself. I’ve never been down on my knees in front of a girl. I’ve always liked to fuck, but seeing that look on her face, the one I’ve desperately been missing for the last two months, I want to bring it out more.

My instincts overtake me, ones I didn’t think I had, and moving one of my hands to her stomach, I gently push her back until she’s leaning against the wall, then I grip her thigh and lift her leg over my shoulder, putting my face between her legs.

I know Violet’s not very sexually experienced and it makes me wonder if she’s ever done this before. I sure as hell haven’t done this—the only oral sex I’ve gotten is on the receiving end. The twisted part of me hopes she hasn’t because it means just one more experience she’s only shared with me.

God, I want her to be mine so badly it’s almost torture.

I just wish when it was all over, I could still have her.

Violet

There have been many times where I’m in a moment and I’m wondering how in the hell I got there. Like I can’t even backtrack to the second where I made the decision that led me here.

It was like one moment I was standing in the towel, tripping out over life, and how I need to find a way to settle myself down. There are a ton of tall buildings in Vegas and I was wondering how hard it would be to get to the top of one of them but then Luke comes walking into the room and was looking at me with that hunger in his eyes that actually makes me feel want instead of disgust like I do with most guys. I started thinking of how the last guy that touched me was Preston, how he made me get down on my knees, shoving me so hard that I bumped my leg on the side of the bed. Then he grabbed my hair and made me suck his dick. I want to erase the memory, not let it be so fresh in my mind, so I dropped the towel, hoping for… well, I wasn’t sure, but definitely nothing as amazing as this.

Luke’s face is between my thighs, one of my legs hitched over his shoulder, his mouth licking and pulling and sucking and nibbling, making tingles and sweltering heat shoot throughout my body. Never has a guy touched me like this. The guys I’ve known were always takers. Luke seemed like one of these guys when I first met him, but I learned quickly that his rough exterior was very misleading. He’s not the guy everyone thinks he is, at least when he’s with me.

I let go, relaxing against the wall, as he continues to work wonders on me with his mouth, his fingers digging into my thighs, pressing into my bruises, but I don’t feel the pain. All I feel is that wonderful sensation of freedom as heat builds inside of me and I grip onto Luke as I fall into the center of it. I end up pulling on his hair roughly, but I’m too incoherent to release my hold. But it doesn’t seem to bother him as his tongue and mouth continue to take me all the way to the end, until I’m coming down and breathing profusely. Then he starts to pull back, but pauses, his fingers grazing one of the bruises on my knee.

“What happened here?” he asks, his voice so low and husky that it causes vibrations across my skin, almost to the point that I think I’m going to orgasm again.

“I fell,” I lie, bringing my leg off his shoulder, feeling bad for not telling the truth, but the truth will only hurt both of us and we’ve shared enough pain to last a lifetime.

He catches me as I’m starting to walk away, then delicately traces the bruise pattern down my skin. “You know, I can tell when you’re lying.”

“Please don’t ruin this,” I say softly. “Please just drop it… I can’t tell you… not right now.” God, how wrong would that be. Right after he gives me oral sex for the first time, I say
oh, hey, by the way, I gave Preston a blowjob, so recently that I still have the bruises.

He wants to argue with me to tell him, because that’s what we do—argue, banter, and most of the time I enjoy it—but instead he gets up, his lips still wet from me as he leans in to kiss me, giving me the rush I so desperately needed from the naughtiness of the whole thing.

His tongue slides deeply into my mouth and our tongues briefly tangle before he pulls away. He tucks a strand of my damp hair behind my ear and looks me directly in the eye, as if he’s about to say something important.

“If I ever find out that he hurt you, he’s going to pay,” he says firmly. I don’t have to ask who
he
is. I know who he’s talking about just like he probably knows where the bruises came from—well from Preston, maybe not the blowjob part—even though I didn’t tell him. It gives me insight to him. I mean, before I took off, we’d only known each other for like a couple of months and barely were together for a few weeks. I only saw this protective side of him twice—once with Preston and once with the reporter, Stan. I’m learning, though, that it might be his thing and I both love and hate it. Hate because I don’t want to rely on anyone to protect me like that. I’m too strong for that and relying on people will only break me and make me weak when they become unreliable. And love, well, because I’ve never had anyone do that for me.

It’s always been me against the world. But part of me wonders, if I could ever, possibly, maybe, let go of the past enough to really be with Luke if it could be me
and
him against the world.

But that might be me just wanting to stay in the land of make believe.