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"Mugged? Are you honestly going to sit there and tellon? That this was so deeper into the cushion Technically, James Nua was never her case Or Sara’s She’d just run into hiht in Antonia Cornett’s apart," Violet answered, trying not to choke on her oords "The case we’re working on had nothing at all to do with this"
Jay frowned at Violet over the top of her nored him
"Sara cagie A as she knelt down in front of her daughter "Mugged, Violet? Co so from me Both of you" And then she took both of Violet’s hands in her own "You can’t bla worried--or even upset You’ve asked us to trust you and we have" She h Violet didn’t want to hear what her"At some point you have to trust us"
"Whatwhat are you trying to say?"
"I’ your dad and I need to talk things out We need to think about what happened and what it rip, Violet folded thehtly in her lap as she stubbornly blinked back tears Her cheek ached, as did al as much as the ache in her chest
There was no way she could stop working with her teamnot now that she’d finally found them
Having Jay there with her was the best kind of medicine Once they were alone, he was both sweet and attentive, and ht possible
"I can’t believe this happened to you When are you going to stop putting yourself in danger?" His voice was laced with outrage He was furious that someone--anyone--had laid hands on her, had hurt her in that way He sighed heavily "I wish I’d’ve been there, Vi I would’ve never let him hurt you like this"
Violet didn’t tease hi member; he was too serious, and she was still too dazed tothat made either of them feel better was that Violet was certain Jaht her a hand ether they curled up on her bed and began exploring her injuries, each of theers carefully over the bruise beneath her eye, testing the feel of her swollen skin, and exaer
When he was finished, he cli over her He gently unclasped the necklace Krystal had given her, and Violet was glad he didn’t ask her what it was or where she’d gotten it She didn’t want to talk about her teaht now
She watched as he lifted the hem of her shirt so he could look for bruises beneath, and she s he wouldn’t find any, but ed by the reverence she saw on his face By the tiain, reassuring
He flattened his hand lightly over the surface of her stolide over her skin in a feather-soft caress He brushed lightly across a scrape along the side of her rib cage, froainst hirazed it And then he bent forward, letting lips touch the tender abrasions He took his tioose bu him closer until she was torn between two very different kinds of agony--the kind just below her skin’s surface, and the one that came fro herself, she released the soft waves of his hair "Are you al only his eyes to hers His lips moved lower, until at last he found the faintest bruise at her hip It here James Nua’s foot had clipped her
She felt his lips then, tenderly--so, so tenderly--press against it His tongue flickered lightly over her skin’s surface Heat surged through her, et there was any pain at all Then he moved all the way up and kissed her lips, ined she could bear, one final time
"Now I’lazed expression with complacent satisfaction
He stood and Violet felt a stab of panic "You’re not leaving, are you? It’s barely five o’clock"
"Is that your way of asking ain, and his hair was a wild, tangled mess She hated how desperate she sounded
"No If you have to go" She sulked, wrapping her ar it wouldn’t bother her to see him walk out the door
Jay half-frowned, half-sly handso you alone again"
Violet sighed, a relieved sound that came from deep in the back of her throat "Whatever I’oin’ on here The only reason ave you an all-access pass to my bedroom is because they’re pretty sure we can’t ht, it turns back into an isolation chamber"