Page 67 of A Violet Obsession

“It’s not like I’m a virgin.” Her cheeks flush. “I’ve had sex. Once. It was super fast.” Her lip curls. “And not particularly comfortable. I think it’d be different with you.” Her eyes glitter in the firelight.

“Yeah, it would.” My heart is flopping around, trying to decide which conflicting emotion to go with.

“So, you agree?” She smiles. “You’ll be the best teacher.”

Don’t encourage her. Not when she doesn’t know what she’s saying.

But my ego won’t sit down. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yup. I know how single-minded you get when you decide to do something.” She looks so hopeful. “You’d be thorough. Teaching me how to touch a guy, what to do.”

A whole filthy parade of things I’d love for her to do to me marches behind my eyes.

“I never really wanted to before. I only did it that once when I was sixteen because I didn’t want my virginity anymore.” She shrugs, like she’s commenting on the weather. “It was only a matter of time before one of Scott’s friends raped me, so I figured I’d at least make my first time my choice. On my terms. I got a guy at my part-time job to help me out.”

I swear the earth just went off its axis.

The breath leaves my lungs, and my hands curl into fists against my thighs before I even register the motion.

Help me out.

She was six-fucking-teen.

I force my jaw to unclench. I want to ask. I want every name of every person who took advantage of her. Abused her.

The picture my mind is creating is enough to make me see red. But her lashes are already drooping, her body going heavy with sleep, and I don’t want anything else she shares with me to be because she’s under the influence.

“Don’t be mad at Trevor and Dawn, okay,” she murmurs, eyes drifting shut. “They mean well. They just have issues with boundaries. They’ve been good friends to me.”

I stroke her foot over her fluffy socks and keep the rest of my words locked behind my teeth. “Not as good a friend as you and Emma, obviously. I’m super lucky to have both of you.” Her eyes flutter open for half a second, that moss green hitting me like a bolt of lightning. “I do, right?”

The flicker of vulnerability I see there, guts me. “Yeah, Butterfly. You’ve got me now.”

I watch her sleep for a while before I stand. Slipping an arm under her knees, the other behind her back, I lift her easily. Her curves settle against me in a way that feels too natural and too right to be safe for either of us—and carry her to the bedroom. The wind is picking up outside as I tuck her under the blanket.

Hera struts in and hops up to join her.

I stroke her back absently. “Look after our girl.”

She sniffs, then finds the edge of the blanket and burrows underneath.

I’m can’t believe I’m talking to the cat.

24

LILY

Something is missing.

My hands are empty, and they shouldn’t be.

I’m supposed to be holding something.

The workroom is too bright, and the overhead lights buzz, turning every silver frame and gilt edge into little flashes that hurt to look at. The floor is too slick under my shoes. I can’t remember why I came in here.

The necklace.

No.