Crushing Violet

by Bree Rivers

  Davis had already positioned himself, lined up, and impaled himself inside her. Violet’s mouth fell open with her moan, and Kane used the timing to side his aching dick between her panting lips. They matched their movements perfectly, Kane pushing his cock all the way to the back of her throat, and Davis shoved her forward in his entrance. The gym filled with the sounds of moans, flesh slapping against flesh, and overwhelming panting need. Kane needed the control, gripping her skull in his palms, he kept her mouth steady as he fucked her mouth hard, bruising her lips. The joy in her eyes was turning him on as much as her curvy body and beautiful spirit. Davis let out a shout of satisfaction, Violet screamed, and Kane finished with a bellow of his own as they all collapsed into a pile of limbs and sated bodies.

  COMING OUT OF THE DEN, Violet’s giggles as she tried to straighten her clothing and they kept mussing them put a smile on Kane’s face. They froze when they saw Ivy, Lara, and Daisy waiting for them. “I think we’re in trouble,” Violet shared in a sotto voice to her men.

  “Not at all,” Ivy said.

  “We’re sending in the guys to take over the shipping.”

  “Shipping what,” Violet asked Daisy.

  “Your collection.”

  Ivy shook her head at Daisy’s mutinous expression. “Daisy set up your show in two days. We’re all going to New York to be there for it.” Ivy glanced at Daisy with concern at Violet's silence.

  “Hold on,” Davis began.

  “What about her security?” Kane asked.

  “When we said we’re going to New York, I meant we’re all going.” Ivy opened the door to let in a line of mercenaries carrying shipping wardrobe boxes. “You three head to Lara’s. Maria’s keeping plates warm for you.”

  “I can’t go to New York,” Violet whispered.

  “Of course you can,” Lara said following the men inside.

  “We’ve got it all handled,” Daisy threw out as she went to help.

  Lara shook her head. “All of the men are coming with us. David’s arranged for us to stay at a friend’s hotel that hasn’t opened yet. We’ll be secure. You guys don’t have to worry so much. We got this.”

  “They don’t know what the Senator is like,” Kane muttered.

  “So should we not go?” Violet asked him. “I mean, I’m fine if you don’t want to go.” She looked between Kane and Davis trying to make up her mind if she was happy or saddened at the idea.

  “No, my Precious. We shouldn’t go, but we’re definitely going to anyway.”

  “How come?”

  Kane nodded at Davis. “Because it’s more progress. You need to have your work seen, it’s terrific. Hiding in the shadows is no longer an option.” He looked into the distance with a thoughtful expression. ”For any of us.”

  “But what if I—”

  “You,” Davis cupped her face in his hands, “are going to be within arm’s reach of one of us every moment we’re out of this compound. If for any reason we get separated, you are going to be with Conroy and Martinez. Am I clear?”

  She nodded, her lips trembling.

  Kane pulled her into his arms and wrapped her in his embrace. “If we’re putting you into those two’s hands you know how serious we're right now. You are going to stay safe, Violet. I won’t lose you again.”

  Chapter 21 - Before

  Violet was humming to herself as she opened her apartment door. Everything was perfect. She and Kane were doing well. Senator Long was far away in Switzerland. And even her father was okay about her relationship with Kane, though he kept talking about their future life on easy street.

  She laughed at his expression when she said they wouldn’t even know how to find such a place and should check Google.

  Dropping her gloves by the door, she wrenched off the boots she wore when gardening and headed to her room. She had just enough time to shower and change. Though given how much she enjoyed her punishment when she was late to meet him, maybe she should take her time.

  Entering her room, she went to the bed and froze. There was a pair of shoes on the floor. Man’s shoes. Black Italian loafers that were well shined.

  Kane didn’t wear those kinds of shoes.

  “I was wondering what was taking you so long. I see you’ve been mucking about in the dirt where you belong.” Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the Senator. “Dirty little slut.”

  “Senator Long ... you’re supposed to be in Switzerland.”

  “I go where I want to, whore.”

  “Well, you can’t be in here, please leave.”

  “And why would I leave my property, slut?” The Senator back-handed her sending her whirling to the bed. She scrambled up to escape, but he tackled her back down. His hands were everywhere, pinching, twisting. “I own you, and your useless stupid father. So I’m going to do what I should have done three years ago and take what’s mine. I can’t believe I let my—”

  Violet slammed her head back and hit him in the nose. The blood spurted out. She twisted and kneed him in the groin. She was tired of being hurt. She was done with his horrible treatment and the demeaning way he dealt with every female on the estate. She went to hit him when he got his breath and rose. His right fist struck her face and made stars explode in her vision. When she crumpled to the floor, he was instantly on top of her. He grabbed her hair and slammed her head into the floor, over, and over, and over again. His other hand pulled her shirt up, and elastic waist shorts down, and his icy, claw-like hands were inside of her.

  Things were starting to go dark when his weight was suddenly off of her. She took a quivering breath, but her eyes continued to blink in and out. Her father was there. She could see Maria in the background, her hand over her mouth, the older woman’s eyes huge.

  Next time she came to, Maria was gently bathing her face with a cloth. She was on the couch, and her Mother’s quilt was wrapped around her body.

  Violet had no idea how long she was gone when she felt herself get lifted. She fought her father’s arms, and he put her back down. “What is it, honey? Are you okay? Maria didn’t think you were hurt inside, but—”

  “Kane,” she whispered. “Where’s Kane?”

  “I am so sorry Violet,” Maria said. Her lined face appeared over her father’s shoulder. “Mister Kane left.”

  “No,” tears filled her eyes. “He wouldn’t just leave me and not say anything.”

  “He’s gone, bebe. I am so sorry.”

  Violet felt the bolt of agony sear her insides. How could she burn up from inside while her exterior was so cold?

  “Listen to me, baby. I’m going to get you somewhere safe. I’ll come back and get the rest of our things, but we have to get you as far from that monster as we can. I need you to relax so I can get you to the truck.”

  “No, Kane—”

  “He’s gone, baby.” Her father’s voice was a whip against her senses, but the next time he lifted her she didn’t try and fight him. He put her in the car, and Maria shoved her purse in her hands.

  She drifted off but was jerked out of her unconsciousness by the shake of the car. Looking out at the rainy night, she tried to figure out where they were. It was so dark outside, she wondered just how long she’d been asleep. Turning to her father, noticing his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, his tense jaw, she reached out a hand to him.

  A whizzing sound split the air, and the car jerked again on the lonely country road. The signs said they were approaching a river and to be careful on the bridge. Violet turned around to see the car following them, the bright headlights sending shafts of new agony through her throbbing head. “Daddy?”

  “Hold on, baby.”

  Taking the turn on two wheels, the car screamed in agony as they fish-tailed on the slick rain road. There were no other cars. There was just the darkness, the rain, and the malicious threat of the vehicle following, its lights and bullets piercing the night. Another round of fire and her father jerked the car to the side when they hit a slick patch of road on a
cold night.

  The car turned over, and the world became a maelstrom of images as they made an impression of a washing machine. Violet tried to scream, but the tumbling sent her stomach into her throat. The car burst through the guardrail and went sailing into the chasm and toward the water below.

  Chapter 22 - After

  Violet forced herself to stay awake on the plane by drinking every cup of coffee she could get the flight attendant to bring her. The private jet, compliments of Ivy’s family, was the most luxurious thing she’d ever seen, but she felt so miserable from being exhausted she didn’t even enjoy it.

  By the time they got to the hotel, she felt like a zombie. Kane and Davis kept tugging her place to place as they went through the rituals of checking and claiming their rooms. She stood, numb, as Kane undressed her and helped her into the crisp, clean hotel sheets. “I don’t understand, sweet. Why didn’t you just rest on the plane? I know you aren’t getting much sleep at night with the terrors, but on the plane—”

  “The night terrors are why she didn’t want to sleep on the plane,” Davis cut Kane off when he realized the answer.

  “I couldn’t stand the idea of everyone pitying—” A massive yawn made her shudder.

  “Enough.” Davis slid into the bed and arranged her head on his shoulder, braiding their fingers together. “Sleep.”

  “What about Kane?” Another yawn made her toes curl.

  “I’ll be close.” Kane brushed a kiss across her forehead.

  She curled closer to Davis the heat of his body soaking into her muscles and relaxing her. “What if I dream?”

  “We’ve got you, Precious. We’ll always have you.”

  Davis’s voice felt oceans away as she drifted off into the darkness. The dream didn’t come at first. Instead, she got stuck in a flash reel of difference scenes each designed to torture her. She had a horror of running away from someone who wanted to kill her, scared and alone. Back in the warehouse, the three monsters raping her, ripping her body in two. Finally, off she was in the worst one.

  The feeling of drowning, danger all around her, the sorrow of incalculable pressure crushing her.

  She woke sitting up, Davis behind her, Kane in front, his head resting against her. His breath smelled of whiskey as he gently blew air across her lips. A slight tilt of her head and she was kissing him.

  “Wait,” he wrenched his lips away from her. “What’s different?”

  “I’m okay,” she swore.

  “How are you possibly okay?”

  “You are never okay after one of those dreams, Precious.”

  “I am now.” She pushed Kane down and slowly crawled up his body until she reached his mouth again. “I love kissing you. She pressed her lips against him, their tongues dueling. “I want you.” She pressed a kiss in between each word heading to his ear. “You guys have always been my life preserver. It’s always been you guys. Even before I knew you, before I met any of you, it’s always been you.”

  “What do you want, Precious?”

  “I want you.” She reached out her hands and grabbed onto one theirs. “I’ll always want you. I want this night with you. I want to be the Violet from that summer before things went wrong. I need this night.”

  “Then you should have it, sweeting.”

  Kane kissed her and groaned when she pressed her hot pussy against his thigh. “What do you say, Davis?”

  “I always say whatever my Precious commands,” Davis drawled. “Whatever at all.”

  Chapter 23 - After

  They caught her. Sneaky bastards. Violet froze on the train platform staring at Conroy and Martinez. She felt so guilty. Her fashion show was a huge success. All of her friends were busy dealing with the press and buyers. In one forty-minute period she went from being a virtual ghost in this country, she’d never even joined social media she’d been so scared of being found by anyone, to a flavor of the month ... whatever the hell that meant.

  Violet knew as soon as she woke up the other night what had been haunting her for years. She finally understood why she was compelled to hide. And run.

  She just wasn’t going to do it anymore.

  “You do realize how much trouble we’ll be in with Kane and Davis?”

  “They’re gonna take my Godzilla. How could you fake us out like that?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Prove it by coming back with us to the hotel and lying down like you told us.”

  “I can’t. And if you make me, I’ll just run again.”

  Conroy started to respond, but Martinez shook his head at him. He stared at her, hard. His eyes assessing her expression, her body language, and especially her hands. “They’re going to kill us.”

  “No, they won’t. They’ll start with me, anyway.” Violet feinted to the right, turned on her heel and jumped onto the train that had started to pull out from the station. “Sorry,” she called out to the two special forces men left behind. She made her way through the cars until she found one with few people and picked a group of seats that left her a bank of chairs to put her bag, and a whole bench to stretch out on. She was going home, and when she got there, she was going to be prepared enough to face the monster and win.

  “Did you really think it’d be that easy?”

  Looking up, she was equally horrified and impressed with the arrival of Conroy and Martinez. They moved her bag to the compartment above their heads and took the seats facing her with smug smiles.

  “You can’t be on the train without a ticket!”

  “Who said we didn’t have tickets?” Martinez asked her as he withdrew the small pieces of paper from his pocket.

  “You take first watch.” Conroy snapped at his friend as he pulled out a well worn Godzilla, put it against the window and closed his eyes. Within a few breaths, he started to softly snore.

  “Is it something I said?” Violet kept her question at a whisper.

  “His feelings are hurt. You could have just asked us to come with you. It’s not like we’ve given you any indication we’re not down for a tussle.”

  “I ... I ...”

  “You’re going to confront Senator Long, I assume.”

  “Well, yes.” Violet shook her head violently. “How’d you know?”

  “Not that hard, Spitfire. Is it just about him taking you the last time?”

  Violet took a quavering breath. “No. It’s about so much more than that.”

  “And you never told Kane?”

  “How could I? The Senator may not be Kane’s father biologically ... but ...”

  “Kane’s an honorable bastard.”

  “Going against the Senator for him would be doubly hard. I couldn’t put him I that position. I just couldn’t.”

  “And the agent who’s investigating the Senator?”

  “This is personal, Martinez. Deeply.”

  “Then tell me about it.”

  KANE FINISHED READING the note Violet left for them, crumpled it up and threw it into the fire. They'd just gotten to the point where he wasn’t worried she’d disappear if he took his eyes off her, and the love of his life ran away. He’d weep if he were anyone else. She’d left to confront his pretend father, and the bastard had expertise in destroying people on a level a sweet thing like Violet could never understand. Now he didn’t know what to do.

  “Gray says the three of them are definitely on the train heading to Virginia.”

  “Can Mag gets us a ‘copter?”

  “He’s already making the calls.”

  “Good.” Kane stood up and wearily ran his hand over his neck trying to ease the tension gripping him. “What about weapons?”

  “David and his special agent friend are supporting us there.”

  “Then let’s go get our girl.”

  Davis hesitated in the doorway. “You sure she’s going to be alive to get got?”

  “She’d better be. The copter should put us just a few minutes behind them. There’s no fucking way after waiting and fighting for so l
ong that I’m going to let anything take her away from us now.”

  “Even if it’s her?”

  “She’s the last person we should fear,” Kane started to walk out of the room. “Let’s go slay the monster.”

  Chapter 24 - After

  “Maria where the hell is my dinner?” The Senator screamed out his question from his seat behind the big desk in his office. Violet had always been terrified of this room until Kane once showed her the saw marks on the legs of the chairs. He explained to her teenage self that the Senator was so sensitive about people looking down on him that he forced them to sit in baby chairs.

  “Maria left,” she reminded him. When his head popped up in surprise at her entrance, she took a moment to categorize the changes in the monster. There were more lines in his face, his hair was completely white. His eyes were still keen, narrowed to slits, he stared at her. “You know that.”

  “Ahh, Vanity—”

  “I’m called Violet now.”

  He slammed his hand down so hard on the desk she wondered how he didn’t break it. “I don’t give a damn what you think you should be called. What you are is mine, and you damned well shouldn’t have run from me.”

  “I have never been yours.”

  The Senator rose, stalked around the desk and stood in front of her. Leaning in, he reached out a hand to touch her cheek. Violet’s hand snapped up and kept him from reaching her bare skin. He scowled and reared his other hand back to hit her. Violet ducked the blow and used his off-balance stance to flip him to his back. “You bitch,” he staggered to his feet. “Guards!”

  “Did you really think I came alone?”

  “Guards!” The Senator kept looking from the office door to her face his expression growing darker. “I said, guards!”