His Steel Princess (His Broken Princess #2)

7. You have no right

She tells me that there’s nothing between us with tears in her eyes. ~ A. Gupta

VIOLET

There’ s a hollow feeling inside me, a restlessness that I couldn't put in words if someone asked me to. Not that anyone will when I had a smile pasted on my lips and appeared unaffected all the while I engaged with Daisy and Hayley, participated in their plays as they had a fake fashion show. But no matter how hard I tried my mind was still on the man who had walked out of that ice-cream parlor with hurt in his sherry eyes and because of that I had been constantly checking my phone for Bree’s reply to my last text asking her if he got back to her or Carter house. But he hasn’t returned and despite what I told myself, how hard I tried to not care, I couldn't help the frisson of unease and worry that gripped me.

“Hey...” I looked up from my phone that I had been checking every few minutes even though it was not on silent and I’d know if I received a message. Daisy settled beside me on the sofa, we were in the living room and Hayley had gone back to her room to show us the new shoes her father brought her. “What’s bothering you?” Then she thought better of it and added, “Apart from the obvious?”

I smiled at her. ‘I don’t know how to explain it...’

She nudged my shoulder with hers, and replied, “I know what my brother would say. He’d tell you to not even give Cole a second of your day now that he is back. But, Vi, I know how difficult it was for you to move on and I also know you never actually did in all the sense of that word.” I swallowed, looking down at my hands where dry paint still stuck under my nails. It was by accident, but Daisy was the only person who knew what my paint room held in it. “My brother likes you and maybe he loves you too but I don't think his emotions could be compared to what you felt for Cole or maybe still do.”

‘It doesn’t matter though, when he doesn’t feel the same for me.’

“And how would you know if you won’t give him a chance.”

‘He wouldn’t have left if his feelings were true.’

“But he’s back now.” I turned to stare at her. She said, “I know. I know. I definitely hate him for what he did but I love you and believe it or not I have been tired of seeing you with that plastic smile you’ve perfected all this time.”

I rolled my eyes. ‘It’s not plastic.’

“The only time you’re genuinely happy is when you’re with Maddox or your parents, and Hayley. And that walking talking sexy man with green eyes and a head of messy hair that I’d like to caress my fingers through.” She ended up on a dreamy sigh.

It has been blatantly obvious of her having a crush on Alex since forever but I was glad that it was harmless one and didn’t include her actual feelings because I would hate to see her heart break as Alex was already taken by a girl he was still searching for. After that very awkward kiss which was a grand mistake I won’t ever be making again, he had set me down and told me that he’ll be my partner in crime, however I want to do whatever I think Dad and Mad won’t let me do, I can come to him and he’d let me do it, considering it’s not something like 'going out to watch hallmark movies or to go shopping' he exactly said those words. And then we had a long chat, I got drunk for the first time and broke some more s**t under his watchful eyes. Since then we have been more than friends and still less, not crossing that one line that would make everything awkward between us like I almost did.

Now whenever I think about that kiss, it makes me shudder. I could've lost such a great friend if he hadn’t brushed it off and blamed it on my chaotic emotions. He had said, ‘It’s okay, Vi. You don't have to apologise, whenever the chaos here,” He had pointed at his temple, “becomes too much, let it out. And I have so many ways you could use.”

I patted Daisy’s shoulder as I signed, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get someone better.”

“Better than a Carter?”

I chuckled. ‘Maybe. Or maybe not.’

“Well... He’s not a Carter. Do you think he has a brother, older or younger, I’ll take any.”

The mention of him once again put my mind back on him and I checked my phone again, just then it rang in my hand. Bree’s name flashed on it and I quickly picked it up. She didn’t wait for me to respond as she rushed out, “Oh my god, Violet. They took him to the station. The man filed the report against Cole.”

“What?” I choked out.

“Yeah. Mad just told me and I instantly called you. I’m going to the Carter house. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“I will drop you,” Daisy mouthed to me as she heard our conversation because she was sitting so close to me.

“Daisy will drop me. I’ll be there.” I said through a tight throat, barely able to form the words.

Daisy squeezed my shoulder. “Tell me what happened on the way?” I nodded. “Let’s grab Hayley, I’ll need to drop her off at the diner.”

Ten minutes later we were deriving away from the diner, I didn’t get out as I waved at Hayley, not wanting to face Kevin and see him judge me for worrying about Cole and hurrying to make sure he was okay. And on the way to the Carter house, I told Daisy everything that happened since yesterday. She listened without any comment or judgy look like her brother.

“Damn, he really beat up someone just like that?”

It reminded me of the time when we had gone out to the mall and how he had protected me from those men. If he hadn’t been there that time then those men would’ve added more nightmares to the collection I already carried, but he had protected me like the protective hero I used to think of him and only stopped when he left me. But now he was back, he was here and once again he came rushing to my side when he thought I was in danger. He didn’t think twice as he beat that man bloody and made him apologize to me when that man was demanding an apology from me not minutes ago.

I blinked away the sudden prick of tears and swallowed the rush of emotions that clogged my throat. “He shouldn’t have.” I murmured absently. I didn’t want to be the cause of him being in a problem. I didn’t want to see him in trouble over me no matter how much my brain reprimanded me on caring for him.

“What are you talking about? Of course, he should’ve. No one gets to talk to you like that. He did right.”

But now he was facing charges from that man. What if he faced jail time? The thought made my stomach cramp up and my chest ached. He had already been in jail before and he got out because of Dad, but what if Dad didn’t help him this time because he thought I wouldn’t want him to. I knew Dad, Mad and Alex were giving him a hard time since he came back because of me and I loved them for it. But they must know that this was different that they’d have to help him out now.

When the Carter house came into view, Daisy slowed her car and covered my hand with hers. I looked at her and she smiled, “Don’t worry, okay? I’m sure everything will be alright. Text me when you can. I’ll send you a lot of memes.”

I nodded and thanked her before I got out and made my way inside. I couldn't help it but as soon as I was halfway up the driveway, my worry consumed me and got the best of me and I ran up the remaining distance. I climbed the stairs up to the wide doors and pushed them open, glad that I didn’t have to wait for someone to open them for me for once and rushed inside with a frantic heart.

I found Mom, Bree and Mad in the living room. The three of them turned to me with a different emotions on their faces. Mom called my name, but I had only one thought in my mind and I ran straight to Mad as I grabbed his hand in a desperate grip as I rushed out, “Mad, please, we have to go and help him. He only did that because of me. I know you're angry on my behalf but you should help him. He’s your friend. You have to help him.”

“Vi, take a breath, darling.” Mom caressed my back.

My eyes filled with tears as I looked into the blue eyes of Mad, my brother for all sense of that word, “Please, Mad, I—”

Footsteps accompanied with deep murmurs came from behind me and I turned around just in time to see Dad and Alex entering the house with Cole between them. A sob stuck in my throat, making it impossible to swallow. Not even a day and that man has already made a mess of my emotions and my mind. I hated him so much.

“As you can see, he’s alright. Dad went as soon as I told him.” Mad said, his voice low.

I fisted my shaking fingers and marched to the man with sherry eyes that were now on me as he stood there, looking perfectly fine while I was worried sick. As soon as I was close enough, I punched him hard across his jaw. His head whipped to the side and I heard twin gasps from behind me. Mom and Bree. And more than felt the amusement of the two men and pride from one.

“You.” I gritted out, my anger swelling. “You had no right to defend me. You hit that man for me and made him apologize to me when I didn’t ask for it. You had no f*****g right. And I’m warning you not to do it again. Not to come to my place. Not to follow me around the town and in no f*****g way try to think that there's anything left between us.”

While I ranted on and on, he had lifted his hand to his face and his fingers were probing his jaw where I had hit him. And there was a tiny smile that tilted his lips at the corner, making me frown at him. “There was nothing amusing about my words. Stop smiling.”

“No. There was nothing amusing about your words.” He agreed and added, “I hated them.” I paused at the way his tone turned sombre. Then he lifted his hand to my face, I stood still afraid to breathe as his finger touched my cheek and when he lifted it up to show me, only then I realised what he was doing. And registered the fact that I was crying as he held up a teardrop on his fingertip. He said, “But your tears tell a different story, princess.”

He took a step closer, making me stiffen as I gritted out, “Don’t.”

He ignored my warning and came closer until my breasts brushed his hard chest and everything in me doused in warmth that I had cried for, like a child missed the cradle where he felt safe. Not aware of my overwhelming emotions, he said, “They tell me that there sure as hell is something still left between us. And I’m going to bet everything I am on it and spend my lifetime, if need be, to make you accept it and give me a chance. Give us a chance.”

I gulped. “Never.”

“Never say never, princess.”

“I should punch you again.” He didn’t say anything instead turned his head to the other side, presenting me with his other cheek. I narrowed my eyes on him and then schooled my features and pasted the plastic smile Daisy accused me of not too long ago, and said, my words aimed at Alex, “We haven’t gone on a long drive since the last time you were here, Alex, shall we now?”

He laughed. And held up his keys. “Anything you want, beautiful.” Trust him to always keep my back.

I nodded and shouldered past Cole, might have deliberately hit him in the side with my elbow too which earned me a snort and a giggle from Mad and Bree. I heard Cole ask no one in particular, “Are they really going on a long drive? Together?”

I smiled when Dad answered him and told him, “They do most of the things together when Alex is around.”

.

A. Gupta

Hello dear readers, if you're new check out the Carter brothers Book they are all completed with Maddox and Bree's book- Saved By The Devil. (do check the warnings these books are dark and the brothers are not your everyday romance heroes, you won't get sweet words and soft touches)

Thanks!