Page 23 of Eternal Pieces (The Violet Delights Duet #2)

Everyone starts to whisper among themselves.

I finally find Max and Maddox thanks to the sun shining off their blond hair.

They’re coming toward the stage. No doubt planning on carrying me out of here and making a massive display of the whole thing.

I shake my head at them, and they freeze by the steps leading off the stage.

I can handle this myself.

The babies start kicking up a fuss in my stomach. Reminding me that those harsh words don’t matter. So what if they think I’m a slut? I’m a slut who’s in love with two men and about to have their babies and live the life of my dreams. There’s nothing wrong with that. It sounds pretty perfect to me.

My smile comes back easily, and with it plastered on my face, I walk to the front of the stage.

The chanting quiets down as I stand there with one hand on my hip.

Once it stops completely, I open the front of my gown and smooth my hand over my stomach, showing off my huge pregnant belly. I blow two kisses to Max and Maddox.

Someone hollers. Is that Sarah? She starts clapping, and I spot Reginald standing up on the other side of the quad, clapping and smiling.

A few others awkwardly join in. Most of the crowd is either confused or turning their nose up at the scene.

I flip the tassel on my cap and keep my head held high as I walk off the stage, taking the hands of Max and Maddox as I descend the steps.

“I’m going to fucking kill him!” Maddox snarls.

“Not here.” Max gives him a look that I know spells danger.

They pull me away from the crowd.

“Running off to blow your brothers?” Aaron shouts, and I cringe. Not because of his words, but because of what I know my brothers will do if they get their hands on him.

“Max is right, not here.” I force them to come with me into the closest empty hall.

Maddox starts pacing, running his hands through the top of his hair. “How fucking dare he?”

“I know you’re angry for me, baby, but I’m not upset,” I tell him. He shakes his head and smacks the wall. I look to Max for support, but he’s full of a cold fury that chills me to the core. There’s no stopping them now.

The doors burst open, and my guys rush to protect me.

Sarah yelps as she’s caught off guard, and they back off, keeping close to me.

“Are you alright?” she pants.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I wish everyone would drop it now so we can move on. College is over forever. Aaron will find someone else to target and forget all about me.

“That was pretty badass,” Sarah chuckles. “Are you heading back out for pictures? Aaron’s gone, probably to get his party started, so he won’t bother you.”

I look at Max and Maddox’s angry faces. “We should head home.”

“Are you sure? You shouldn’t let that asshole spoil the whole day for you.”

“These little ones have tired me out already.” I pat my stomach. “I’ll be falling asleep on the spot if I don’t get a nap.”

“As long as you’re sure.” She hugs me, and before she leaves, she turns to Max and Maddox. “Thank you for getting James locked up.”

She doesn’t wait for them to reply before she goes to find her parents, who actually made it here for her today, all the way from France, despite their hectic schedules, unlike mine.

“I’m going to go pee. It’s just around the corner, so neither of you needs to go with me. Go find your dad, and tell him what happened, I’ll meet you by the car.”

Max and Maddox are both averse to the idea, from the way they don’t budge. “Please? You saw how I handled myself out there, and Sarah said Aaron’s gone, so I’ll be fine.”

“Alright. I need to go ask Sarah something anyway. I’ll meet you back here. I don’t want you walking to the car by yourself.” Maddox storms off, leaving an awkward air behind him. Max lingers in front of me.

I wave my wrist in the air. “You know where I am, and if anything happens to me, you’ll notice. Go. I’ll be two minutes tops!”

He watches me walk away, but doesn’t follow.

In the restroom, I grip the sink and take a deep breath. The babies are still kicking up a fuss, and I stroke my stomach to calm them down. “Your mama’s fine,” I tell them when in reality I’m shaken the fuck up. In that moment, I felt invincible, but it was actually terrifying.

I take off my gown, folding it neatly next to the sink with my cap and watch on top, so I can splash my face with some cool water. My makeup runs a bit, and I fix it up with some paper towels.

Behind me, the door opens, and I look in the mirror to see who it is.

“Mom?” I exclaim, turning to face her. She’s dressed up for the occasion with her pearls around her neck.

But there’s a smudge of lipstick on her cream blouse, and the hem of her pencil skirt is fraying.

Rather than point out all her flaws like she would to me, I simply state the obvious. “You missed the ceremony.”

“I saw it all.” She looks at me with nothing but disappointment, and I feel like a little girl again, desperate for her approval. “Don’t you see how hard your life will be from now on? Those boys stood there and watched you be humiliated.”

“They didn’t come to my rescue because I didn’t want them to.”

“And where are they now? I saw Maddox sneaking off with some girl. They’re probably hooking up as we speak.”

She can’t seriously think a lie like that will work on me?

“You haven’t cared about me my whole life unless it was about how fat I am. What changed?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re my daughter, I’ll always care. That’s why I tell you when you’ve put on weight. No one wants to be the fat girl in the room.”

“Maybe I like being the fat girl.”

She scoffs and rolls her eyes.

Grabbing my hair, I groan loudly. “You’re impossible! I wanted to give you a chance, but you do this every single time.”

“Do what?”

I push past her out of the door.

“Violet! I’m talking to you!”

Turning on my heel, I look her in the eye as I tell her what I should have made clear the last time I saw her. “I’m done with you, Mom. All you do is try to manipulate me, and I’ve had enough. I don’t ever want to see you again. Not at the wedding. Not when these three are born. Never. Again.”

“You don’t mean that!”

I don’t spare her another word. I’m completely done with today. There will be no more second chances for anyone who thinks they can hurt me.

When I storm away from her for the final time, she doesn’t try to stop me. She doesn’t fight for me like you would someone you love. I’m not sure what I ever was to her. A mistake? An inconvenience? Nothing?

I feel free of her, but also the pain of cutting her out of my life stings. Max and Maddox will know how to make me feel better.

As I turn the corner, I wipe the tears brimming in my eyes and bump into a hard chest. “Crap, sorry,” I mumble.

They don’t move out of the way, so I try to step past them, but they block me again.

“I’m surprised they left you alone.”

I look up to see Aaron smirking at me. Can I not catch a break today?

As fast as I can, I step back, but he grabs me by my upper arms and shoves my back against the wall.

“Get off me!” I yell.

“You sent my friend to fucking jail!” he hisses in my face, keeping me pinned. I struggle against him, but he’s too close and he’s huge. I can’t risk the babies.

Max will come for me. He always knows when I’m in danger.

Steeling myself, I force my words out. “What do you expect me to do about it? James is guilty, I can’t change that.”

“I want you to stop swanning around the place like you fucking own it. You’ve nothing to be proud of.” He touches my stomach, and my breath hitches with repulsion. He’s not rough, but his hand there feels like the worst violation, and it breaks me.

“Please don’t hurt me.” The words rush out of me.

Max. Maddox. Please, come. Please.

“You’re a fucking nobody, a slut who ruins lives.

You should have been fucking flattered that James took any interest in you at all.

” He moves his hand to my throat, and I try to scream, but he cuts it off.

“It’s pathetic the way you flaunt your incest relationship around.

Everyone on campus hates you. Your only friend is James’ old fucktoy.

Now you’re going to stop being so pathetic and do everything I say. ”

I look down the hall, praying anyone will come.

Aaron laughs, spittle hitting my cheek, making me squeeze my eyes shut.

“No one’s coming. Look at me.”

I don’t. I can’t.

He lets go of my throat, and I breathe, but the air is immediately knocked out of me by a harsh slap to the face.

“I said fucking look at me!”

This time, I do what he wants, and I’m met with eyes that are filled with so much hatred toward me.

“You and your inbred family are going to get the fuck away from this town. If I see you around here again after today, then you won’t have to worry about picking baby names.”

I brace myself for him to hurt me again, but he steps away. My legs give out, and I slide down the wall.

He spits at my feet and says, “Do I need to make myself any clearer?”

“No. I understand.” My voice comes out numb.

Everything becomes crystal clear in my head as I come to the realization that this is only going to end in pain.