Page 79 of Blue Norther
“Best big brother.” Beau winked at Hayes, who flipped him off. “Protector.”
“Friend,” Hawk added.
“But this hat, we know how much this hat means to you. How badly you’ve wanted to wear this hat. That you’ve waited so many years to put it on.” Hayes cleared his throat. “We’reallso happy for you that this is finally happening. For you and for Vi.”
My eyes drifted to Beau, who was nodding in agreement.
“I think?—”
“I know.” He held up his hand before I could finish my thought. “I need to say it to Violet, too. I’m working on it. That, and an apology.”
My eyes dropped down to my hands, where my fingers were still running over the edges of the hat.
“Put it on,” Hawk encouraged.
I lifted it to my head just as I heard the sliding door to my parents’ deck open.
“Colt!” The worry in Jessie’s voice had me spinning around to face the door. “Vi needs you.”
I pushed off my chair, tossed my hat down in my place, and jogged inside. As soon as I stepped into my parents’ living room, confusion slammed into me because all the women were gathered around Violet. Mae was rubbing her back, Birdie was holding her hand, and Ma was holding something that looked like a picture frame with a horrified look on her face.
“What’s going on?”
Violet stood, walking towards me. “He was here, at your parents’ house,” she whispered. “I’m putting everyone in danger.”
Fuck. I could feel the fear rolling off of her in waves as she barreled into my chest.
I lifted my hands, cupping her cheeks. “Youdid notask for this, Vi. This isn’t your fault. Come sit back down.”
We moved as one back to the sofa, and Violet curled into my side as best she could. I think if no one was around, she would have sat right on my lap, which made me want to scoop her up and take her home. But I needed to see what the hell had everyone reacting this way.
“Here.” Ma handed me the picture frame.
“I’m so sorry,” Lily said, her voice breaking. “I saw the present on the porch when Sloane and I got here. We thought someone couldn’t make it and wanted to leave their gift.”
“It’s okay. We would have seen it one way or another. He always makes sure of that.”
“It’s from my apartment in New York,” Violet whispered, not lifting her head off my shoulder. “He was in there. I mean, I knew he was, because he mentioned my cell phone in that one email, but I…I should have taken that picture with me. Why did I leave it on my dresser?”
I flipped the frame over, immediately recognizing Vi in her wedding dress. The picture was cut in half now, the side where I was once standing in tiny shreds at the bottom of the frame. And on the backing was written the same threat she’d been getting over, and over again.
MINE.
“Vi?” I called out her name as I kicked off my boots. I knew she’d gone upstairs after we got home, but a part of me thought she might rally after having some time to herself. There was this itch in my stomach, like I knew I shouldn’t have given her space. Butshe looked exhausted, and had pushed so damn hard for time on her own.
I’d gone outside, installing the car seat in the truck that had shown up two days ago. Figured being outside might make it easier if she needed to cry and didn’t want me to hover.
“Vi?” I called out again as I took the stairs two at a time. Still nothing. The fucking hair on the back of my neck stood up. She would come get me, wouldn’t she? If she wasn’t feeling well?
I took a right at the top of the stairs, stopping as soon as I stepped over the threshold to our room. Thank God, Vi was laying in bed. She was on her left side so I couldn’t see her face, but I knew that was the recommended sleeping position for this far along in the pregnancy, so I didn’t give it another thought.
As quietly as I could, I made my way to the dresser. I had my watch off when the tiniest sound hit my ear. Not a sleeping sound, no. It was a sniffle. I whipped around to study her for only half a second before I saw the shake in her shoulders. Fuck. She was crying.
“Violet?” I whispered. “Hey, talk to me.” My voice fucking caught in my throat as I walked around the bed and got a good look at her. She had her eyes closed, but her cheeks and her nose were cherry red. Tears were running all the way from her lashes to her chest, and her hand was pressed protectively over her belly. Christ.Something was wrong.
I pressed my hand to her cheek and sat on the edge of the bed, her belly bumping into my hip.
“Come on sweetheart. Was it another bad dream?”
