Page 25 of Crash
“And you think I can help her with that?”
“Could do.” He glanced over my shoulder to where I knew Andrea was running on a treadmill. “Keep an eye on that one.”
I nodded. I’d already seen the look on her face my second morning here. It was the look chicks gave one another when they found someone sniffing around in their territory. Andrea had staked a claim over something that wasn’t hers. If anyone was taking something, it would be me, and I wasn’t grabbing anything any time soon.
“You can trust me,” I said. I didn’t know if anything was there with Violet despite wanting it, but I wasn’t about to force her into anything she didn’t want to do. It was obvious she wasn’t ready, and I wasn’t that kind of guy. That was the only reason I’d backed out of asking her to lunch yesterday.
“She’s stubborn as fuck,” Ash went on, practically describinghimself. “She mightn’t know she can trust you, but I do.”
Ash Fuller, fuckin’ trusting me?Strangest shit I ever saw.
“Fuck with her and you’ll have more to worry about than a fuckin’ shoulder injury, mate.”
Glancing up at the office window, I knew he had nothing to worry about. I’d look out for her. No problems. I’d wanted more face time with Violet and it looked like I was going to get it.
The ultimate question was,what was I going to do with it?
Nine
Violet
“How is the job going?”
I sat on Dr. Ormond’s plush leather couch, my arms hugging tightly around my chest, hands jammed underneath my armpits.Textbook response to fear.
“Okay,” I replied.
“Just okay?” She tilted her head to the side, her lips pulling into a gentle smile. She was wearing her red-rimmed glasses today, her lips stained with crimson lipstick. “Violet?”
“I’ve been trying,” I squeaked.
“Trying how?”
“I went into the kitchen. I had a coffee at work in the morning.”
“That’s good, spending some time with your coworkers.” She smiled again, trying to reassure me. “Have you made any friends?”
I shrugged. I wasn’t quite sure what having a friend entailed. I had Ren and Josie to an extent, but they were only there because of Ash. Were they my real friends? I guess they were.
Squirming, I dropped my hands into my lap and began worrying the hem of my shirt. Should I tell Dr. Ormond about Lincoln? Maybe she would know what to do—it was her job.
“You can ask me anything, Violet. You know that.”
Damn, she knew, she always knew.
“There’s a guy there…” I trailed off, feeling stupid for even bringing it up.He’d walked away from me,and I was blowing it out of proportion.
“Does he work at the gym, too?”
I nodded.
“What’s his name?” she asked, looking pleased. “Tell me about him.”
“Lincoln,” I whispered, my cheeks heating. Curling my fingers into tight fists, I felt that familiar ache begin to spread through my body at the thought of him. I guess that meant I liked himalright. He was getting me all worked up, and he wasn’t even in the room. “I knew him before.”
Dr. Ormond knew before meant before the attack. “Were you close then?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Him and his brother, they’re twins, they fought at the same gym as Ash. We were the same age, sixteen. I had a crush on him back then, but nothing ever came of it.”
