Hidden Truths (Violet Chain Book 2) Read Online Free

towards her.
    “Actually, Violet, I’m going to stay here. I want to help clean up so you don’t have to come back and see all this. I’m sure Vince will give me a ride back,” Callie stated as she gazed at Vince.
    Vince nodded. “I will give you a ride back.”
    “Great,” Callie responded.
    Violet hugged Callie. “Thank you.”
    “I love you, girl. Go to Chain’s and relax.”
    I clutched Violet’s hand and we made our way out of the house. As we walked towards the car, Violet picked up a stray bag lying by the side of the house.
    “What’s that?” I asked her.
    “It’s the bag I packed to go over to your house tonight; it was the reason why I came home before I went to my parents’.”
    Guilt swarmed me. This was all my fault. Had I not asked her to come over tonight, she would never have stopped at the house to grab her things, thus never running into Phillip.
    “It’s not your fault, Chain,” she mumbled. Was this woman a mind reader? “Come on, I want to get out of here.” I nodded, placing my hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the car.
    ***
    During the ride to my apartment, Violet was quiet, staring out the window. I reached for her hand, rubbing it gently. “Are you okay?”
    “No, Chain, I’m not. I can’t believe Phillip did this to me.”
    I pulled up to my apartment, placing the car in park, the guilt still pressing on me hard. No matter how much Violet tried to convince me differently, I still couldn’t shake that all of this was my fault.
    I swiveled my body to face her. “Violet, I’m sorry. If you had never met me none of this would have happened.”
    A look of concern encompassed her face. “It’s not because of you that this happened, so stop blaming yourself.”
    “The only reason why he was angry was because David and I stopped talking to him.”
    “Even if you and I weren’t seeing each other, this still would have happened. He attacked me at the bar, remember? And he didn’t even know about you and me then.”
    “I know in my gut, part of the reason he came after you again , was because David and I didn’t want to have anything to do with him.”
    She exhaled. “So you think because we were seeing each other he attacked me?”
    I blinked hard before answering. “Yes.”
    “No,” she countered.
    “How can you say that, Violet? He knew about you and me.”
    “When he attacked me at the bar he didn’t. I’m assuming David would still have disowned him, right, even if you and I weren’t seeing each other?”
    “Oh, for sure.”
    “And if David had told you about it, you would still have done the same thing too, even if we weren’t seeing each other, right?”
    “Of course, I’m not going to be friends with a man who forces women to have sex against their will.”
    “Exactly. Don’t you see, this still would have happened. So it’s not your fault, Chain, it’s Phillip’s.”
    This woman was beyond amazing; she just went through one of the most horrific ordeals a woman could encounter and she was sitting here, trying to make me feel better.
    I leaned closer to her. “I think I may be in love with you,” I whispered as I slid my index finger across her collarbone.
    “You think?” she queried.
    I moved till my lips were almost touching hers. “I know. I’m in love with you, Violet.” Then I pressed my lips to hers.
    As I deepened the kiss, she pulled away gasping, a frightened look splashed across her face. “I’m sorry,” she said as she turned away from me, looking out the car window.
    “It’s fine, Violet, I understand,” I responded. And I did, she had just had a man try to violate her, rape her against her will, her actions were normal.
    Violet and I stepped out of my car simultaneously. I strolled behind her as she walked quickly to the elevator, sliding the key card into the slot.
    She leaned against the elevator as it zoomed up to my apartment, staring at the wall. I could tell she was in her own world, her mind deep in