You Wouldn't Dare (Khaos Trilogy Book 1), стр. 72

Chapter 20

Violet

I packed and unpacked my suitcase a dozen or more times throughout the night, eventually leaving it unpacked but with my clothes neatly folded on the bed next to it. I sat in the chair I was beginning to hate, and stared at the pile of clothing as though it were going to bite me.

Even my wolf was pissed, constantly growling her anger, and cursing the day we were ever paired with a fickle, shallow cheat. I knew it was bad when even she was hating on him; she was always the one who begged me to forgive him.

I wanted to go to the cabin. I wanted to explore the chemistry me and Khaos had found between us, but I didn’t want to do it at the expense of my self-confidence and respect. I was under no illusion that this relationship was borderline toxic. How many other couples had the constant back and forth we had? How much longer could I excuse his behaviour because of his childhood? Eventually he would have to learn that whilst what he experienced was tragic and inexcusable, it wasn’t a “get out of jail free” card that could be expected to forgive anything he did. It was the current Khaos that had kissed someone else. Not his childhood, not Ryssa or Drake, and not Louisa. It was a conscious decision that he had made. He knew that it would hurt me, that it would damage the fragile trust that had only just blossomed between us, but he did it anyway.

On the other hand, I knew despite all my inner self-doubt; I had to go. I would forever resent myself if I didn’t give it this one last shot. I owed it to myself and the baby.

Then again, how far was I willing to take this? What was I willing to sacrifice in return for the baby having two parents?

I eyed up the phone that was sitting on the pile of clothes.

Well, that’s one way to distract yourself from Khaos.

 Before I could talk myself out of it, I reached over to snatch it up. A little voice niggled in the back of my mind, reminding me I should have done this days ago. If I wasn’t so selfish, avoiding confrontation all the time, Logan might still be alive.

I bit my nails as I waited on an answer, the ringing sounding as loud as a drum to my ears.

Eventually, after endless rings, a familiar voice picked up. “Atlantis.”

“Mum. It’s me.” Silence. “Mum? It’s Violet. Are you there?”

There was a heavy sigh, a sigh I knew all too well. Then she kicked in. “Honestly, Violet! You’ve been gone a little under three weeks, no phone call, no mind-link, nothing! You could have been murdered for all we knew! Then you have the nerve to call the house at this late hour when you know how much my sleep routine means to me! It’s never too young to start, you know, you can’t rely on your wolf to keep you young forever, ageing will kick in eventually. Might I suggest you start with a nice moisturising cream... Which reminds me, I picked up this wonderful youth serum yesterday...”

The woman was crazy. Completely crazy.

She had no idea what could have happened to me, but she just had to chastise me before launching into yet another of her obsessions.

Youth.

It was a script I had heard many times before. So much for having changed!

I pulled the phone away from my ear, rolling my eyes as she continued her monologue. I could picture her now, as perfect as always, sat at her vanity table with the curlers in her hair for that perfect, shiny bounce - but, no heat, obviously! No self-respecting beauty queen would damage their hair in such a way! She would be staring at her cosmetics collection, each labelled with the date she opened them, so she never, ever applied an out-of-date product to her skin. I grimaced as I glanced at my own hazardous make-up collection and heat styling products. We really were polar opposites.

“Hello to you too, mother,” I muttered dryly when she finally finished her tirade.

She gave a small ‘humph,’ before replying. “That attitude isn’t becoming in a young lady, Violet. So come on, out with it. When shall daddy and I pick you up?”

“That’s not why I’m calling mother, I’m not coming back home.”

“Don’t be silly, darling, of course you are. You can’t possibly mean to stay with that monster? How utterly preposterous!” She gave a small laugh before continuing. “Although, it is slightly inconvenient to pick you up straight away. Daddy couldn’t possibly leave the pack without notice - not with all the drama going off at the minute. I also have an extremely important luncheon with the ladies tomorrow. You really did some damage to our reputation, you know, Violet, swanning off with that lunatic like that. There’s been an awful lot of damage control that we’ve had to do, it’s aged me horrendously.”

“I suppose you’ve forgotten the fact that your lives were at stake if I hadn’t gone?”

“Yes, well, maybe that would have been for the best in the current situation. The rumours are positively ghastly, you’ve no idea the stress we’ve been under. But let’s not dwell over your silly mistakes, it’s water under the bridge. So, shall we settle on a date then? How does two days