Mr. Heartbreaker: Black Mountain Academy

“Where is this job?” Rooster asks, proving he’s thinking about it.

“Texas.”

“I can’t move to Texas,” Rooster denies immediately.

“Rooster—”

“I won’t leave my girl. There’s just no way. She needs me,” he says resolutely.

“I can take care of Violet,” I offer, but Rooster shakes his head.

“You need someone to look after you too, boy. Damn fool getting yourself kicked out of school and you didn’t even hand that little twerp his balls on a platter,” Rooster mutters disgustedly.

I’m starting to think I underestimated him. He certainly doesn’t sound weak when he’s giving me hell.

Parker is laughing in the background. I ignore him—at least as best as I can.

“Come on, Rooster. I’m begging and I think you know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t do that if I didn’t want you on my team. I’d just give you money.”

“I wouldn’t take it,” Rooster says resolutely.

“Rooster, take the job. You like Texas. You know you do.”

“I want Violet and Mike with me. So, your fancy, schmancy apartment better have more than one bedroom,” Rooster warns.

“Rooster, I can’t move to Texas,” Violet gasps, shaking her head.

“Why not? You and your boy toy are kicked out of that fool school. You need to start over. We might as well all start over in Texas,” Rooster tells Violet.

Violet stares at him for a minute and then her gaze rises up to look at me.

“I’m in Texas and I have to admit, I like the idea of having my baby brother close,” Parker says, and I look at my brother with a tight smile. I’m not an over-emotional asshole, but with everything that has gone on, it’s damn good to have him in my corner.

“Mike? What do you think?” Violet asks softly.

“I think that I am by your side no matter what you choose, Angel. If you’re happy, I’m happy,” I tell her, hoping she can hear the honesty in my voice.

She stares at me for a minute and then slowly I see it on her face.

We’re moving to Texas….41Violet“Are we really moving to Texas?” I whisper, snuggled up next to Mike. So much has been decided and changed today. I’m excited, but worried at the same time. Rooster is smiling though and he’s happy. This could be a great thing, but I can’t help but be nervous.

Mike gives me a squeeze and kisses the top of my head and then he moves me so he can look me in the eyes. As our gazes lock, I’m struck for like the millionth time with the fact that this man is beautiful. He’s also got these eyes that sparkle. I think that’s probably because they hold my heart inside of them.

“I thought you liked the idea of moving to Texas?” he questions softly.

“I do, I think. It’s just...”

“Just what, Angel?” he asked, moving to slide his hand against my neck, bringing our faces closer together.

“We’re making a lot of changes. What happens if…”

“I think I’m learning you pretty well, Violet, but I don’t know how to read your mind just yet,” he jokes with a slight smile on his lips.

“What if you get tired of me?” I respond so quietly I’m not sure he can hear me. I’m not sure I want him to hear me. When I watch his forehead crinkle and those eyes spark, his body jerk… I know he heard me.

“Angel, what kind of bullshit question is that? You have to know that you’re everything to me. I know I’ve been a dick in the past, but I’ve tried to show you how much I love you every day. I’ve tried to make up for my mistakes—”

“Stop, Mike, it’s not that,” I reply to him, feeling guilty for making him worry that he’s the one that’s not good enough—when the exact opposite is what is true.

“Then, what is it, Vi? Talk to me. What are you so worried about?”

“What if you’re upending your entire life for me and I’m not…”

“Violet—”

“What if I’m not worth it, Mike? What if you discover what my parents and everyone else in my life has always known? That I’m…”

He doesn’t let me finish. He moves like lightning, flipping us on the bed so my back is flat on the mattress and he’s over me, caging me in with his body. We’re so close that his air is mine and vice versa. There’s only me and him in existence. I want to rejoice in that, because when it’s like this, that’s when I feel the safest.

When I’m happiest.

“We’re young, I get it and neither of us have really done this relationship thing,” he says, and it makes me smile for some weird reason.

“This is starting off romantic,” I laugh.

“You’re it for me, Violet. I love you. I want to spend my life with you. I want to create a world with you. The kind of world where we grow old happy and satisfied because we spent that world together. I’m young, but I’m not stupid. I know things will get hard. I know we will have days when we yell at each other and need a break, but I also know something else,” he rumbles.