Page 80 of Beautifully Ruined

“What I said is close enough to that.”

“I said I know you.”

“I don’t know,” I finally say. “I don’t fucking know why I didn’t explain it to her, apart from the fact she’s at work.” I cast him a glance. “And I don’t need you to point out I can tell her at home, and I might not. Maybe I’m…maybe I’m trying to protect her, stop her hopes being crushed. She’s putting so much on finding a girl who might never be found alive.”

“Yeah, I know. And I think you hit it on the head with the last one.”

I think he’s right.

Violet means way more to me than she should in such a short period of time. She’s like my sun.

I want to protect her, I want her safe, not just from harm but from the harshness of the world.

And I also know it’s more than that.

Much more.

I swallow, a lump appearing in my throat that makes my eyes prick and blur a moment. “I think it’s because the thought of something happening to her is something I don’t want to think about. I almost lost her once when that fucker broke in. I can’t lose her. And if this is connected to Ivan or people who are worse, then I want her far from any dangerous situation. No matter what I have to do to protect her, I will.

“She’ll be fine.”

I hope so.

No matter what happens, I’ll tell her about this and anything else I find out. As soon as I have something concrete to share with her.

Chapter Fourteen

VIOLET

I’m loving my life.The internship is everything I could ask for, and it’s really shaping my ideas for my future career, helping me hone them.

Everyone’s wonderful and helpful and welcoming. My only dark spot is I haven’t learned a thing about Gianna. Earlier in the week, I asked about Joseph Walsh’s family but everyone glossed over it.

And I couldn’t push.

I couldn’t be seen as someone trying to get information or gossiping, so I asked about everyone else’s family, too. They asked me, and I told them the truth, how I’d been alone for years, but it had just given me drive to achieve all my goals.

I also waxed lyrical about the internship, which wasn’t hard to do.

The truth like that is never hard.

The internship here is a complete one eighty to the one with Isaac. The people there weren’t the problem, he was.

It’s not just the sexual harassment, though. Isaac wasn’t supportive. He was the personification of greed and entitlement. He overlooked me when he could and worked me on the wrong ends of things, turning me into his glorified secretary, emphasis on the glorified.

Chief of Staff is sort of like being a personal assistant. But one with superpowers, and I so want those.

Joseph’s staff bolsters me, but I never before got how wonderful it was to have someone who supported me, who believed in me.

Who didn’t have a sordid agenda.

And Joseph doesn’t. He’s great to work for, and I’m learning so much. He’s not interested in me or any of the others on the staff except as people, and it’s freeing.

I hope, when all this is over and we find Gianna, I can work for him more. I’d like to stay with him during my PhD.

I take a breath. tempering myself.

One step at a time.