Falling into You (Falling Stars 3)

That was right when Emily and Royce came rushing in. Worry was written all over my sister’s face, her attention darting everywhere, looking for an answer. “Oh god…Rich…what’s goin’ on? Have you heard anything? Is Violet okay?”

“We don’t know yet. We need to get back there. Watch Daisy so I can take her father back, yeah?”

Her brow pinched. “Of course.”

We moved back to Mr. Marin who had sunk down onto the chair next to Daisy.

Helplessness slumped his shoulders. The man weary and worn. Weathered and worn to the brittle bone.

I curled my hand around his shoulder. “Come with me. Emily and Royce will see to it that Daisy is safe.”

I sent Royce a look at that. My eyes cutting with the message.

Guard that little girl with your life.

Evil’s afoot.

He gave me a clipped nod, tat on his throat bobbing with aggression, hands already in fists.

Mr. Marin pushed to his feet, and I kept a hand on his upper arm to guide him toward the double doors. The receptionist buzzed us through.

Anxiety battered me with each step.

Heart on the thrashing floor.

Because I would never fuckin’ forgive myself if something happened to this girl.

If I failed again.

My eyes jumped over the numbers outside the draped-off enclosures.

Second I saw hers, we moved that way, my heart beating a storm of chaos.

I pushed the drape aside, holding my breath, and I peered in to find Violet propped up on the bed.

Eyes open.

Heart beating.

Brutalized but whole.

Relief rocked me. Body and soul and mind. It butted with the rage that curled and twisted and glowed like a hot iron searing a brand on my spirit.

A crush of protectiveness rose so fast that I couldn’t see.

Couldn’t feel anything but the need to hold this girl.

Care for her.

Love her the way she’d always deserved to be.

My eyes swept her. From her head to her feet and back to that gorgeous face again.

That fury flashed. Hatred boiling my blood when I saw the way her jaw was swollen, clearly taking the brunt impact of a fist.

But it was the fear and shock in those violet eyes that was going to destroy me.

“Oh, mi amor,” her father wheezed in pain from my side when he caught sight of his daughter.

“Daddy,” she whispered.

He rushed to her side while I hung back at the far side of the enclosure.

He flitted around her, uncertain, desperate to make it better but having no idea how to make it right.

I did.

Hunting the fucker down and ending him sounded about right.

Thunderbolt eyes found mine from across the space.

Energy lashed. Surges of intensity. Of possession. Of greed.

I eased that way, going around to the opposite side of the bed from where her father was.

I was struck with her aura.

Violets and dreams and the girl.

The one real thing in my life.

Light. Light. Light.

Compelled, I leaned in, unable to stop myself. I brushed back the hair matted to her cheek, my gaze adoring as I stared down at this girl who’d been battered. And for the sake of what?

“Are you okay?” It raked from my throat. Barbs and thorns. “Tell me who did this to you.”

“Why are you here?” she asked instead of answering.

I kept brushing my fingers tenderly through her hair. “Because I don’t know how to be where you are not.”

“Richard—”

My head shook to cut off the defense I knew she was going to give. “Not going anywhere, Violet. This? This just fortifies that. I never should have left you. Never.”

Those eyes softened, but in them swam the turmoil. Confusion and pain and fear.

“Tell me you’re okay.” Didn’t mean for it to come out a demand, but that was honestly the only answer I could handle.

She heaved out a mirthless laugh. “Physically? Yes. Or at least I’m gonna be. The rest of me, I’m not so sure.”

I attempted to rein in the fury, but it was getting loose. Seeping from its confines and igniting in my bloodstream. “Did you see the attacker?”

Violet winced when she barely moved. That made me want to end someone, too. “No. I didn’t see anyone. Didn’t get a chance to before a bag was pulled over my head to keep me from seeing.” She blinked rapidly. “I don’t understand…why would anyone attack me that way?”

Anger grabbed me, claws sinking into my flesh.

Terrified that I’d brought this to her doorstep.

My mind immediately moved to that prick who’d shown on our property, prying for something.

I forced the words around the tight clamp in my throat, “Did he say anything? Say what he wanted?”

Fear blanched her face, and Violet’s throat trembled when she swallowed. “Can we talk about this later? I’m tired.”

Her eyes told me there was more. That she couldn’t burden her father with more than he was already shouldering.

She turned to him, trying to force a smile, but there was no hiding her worry. “Where’s Daisy?”