Something Bolder (Book Two)

LIX. Slumber

"Really."

"Yeah," I replied, annoyed by her vague response. "It'll fizzle out before you know it."

"You think so?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed.

"Mmhm," Jane hummed with a small, smug smile.

"Unless you know something I don't..." I said with heavy suspicion.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I can't remember the last time I've seen him lose his cool. Much less like that."

"You're just saying that to get my hopes up," I frowned.

"Maybe," she said, smiling at me sweetly.

I was just about to go in on her for being an bitch again, but the motel room door swung open and the guys returned - so that was a wrap for Girl Talk.

* * *

Violet didn't look good, even Alec had to admit that.

Her skin was pale and sallow, dark circles were appearing under her eyes, and now she had large, dark bruises from the car accident.

All of the stress and trauma she'd been exposed to was finally starting to show.

"We'll wake her in a few hours," Jane said resolutely.

Felix, Demetri and the twins were loitering around the motel room while Violet slept soundly on the bed. The outdated TV at the foot of the bed splashed blue light across the room, and murmured quietly, cutting the silence.

It was dusk again and they'd already acquired a nondescript midsize car for the rest of the drive; all that needed to be done was to wake Violet up and get her buckled in.

"She looks ill," Felix observed.

"She was in a car accident," Alec replied tersely.

"She's starting to look unhealthily thin," Felix pointed out.

"I give her food. I can't make her eat it," Jane said sharply.

"She's a nervous wreck. How could you expect her to have an appetite?" Demetri asked Jane, his voice laced with disapproval.

"Aro's going to have a fit if he sees her like this," Felix said.

"She'll recover," Alec said sternly.

"Strange. I would've thought you'd care more," Demetri said to Alec bitingly.

"I warned her," Alec said darkly. "I told her you wouldn't take care of her."

"I'm her boyfriend, not her babysitter," Demetri said languidly. "I was under the impression that it was up to you two to keep up with her," he said to the twins.

Alec gave Demetri an icy glare. Demetri was unmoved.

"Demetri and I actually have work to attend to when we're home. You can't expect him to have time to micromanage his girlfriend, too," Felix added in Demetri's defense.

Violet snorted and flailed her legs around under the covers a bit before cracking her eyes open.

"Are you guys talking about me?" she asked, her voice thick from slumber.

"Why would we be talking about you?" Jane asked pointedly.

"I donno," Violet mumbled.

"Go back to sleep," Jane commanded.

"But it's dark out," Violet protested, even though she was already drifting off again.

"I don't care. Go to sleep," Jane said.

"What is wrong with you people?" Violet mumbled into her pillow before passing out again.

Everyone waited a few minutes to ensure Violet had actually fallen back to sleep.

"Maybe she wouldn't be so stressed out if you stopped hazing her all of the time," Felix said to Jane.

Jane narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't tell me how to treat her. We get along now."

"Since when?" Demetri scoffed.

"We talk," Jane said dryly.

"You don't know this already, Demetri? How telling," Alec said judgmentally.

Demetri gave Alec a worn look.

"I don't think you have any business making remarks about my relationship," Demetri said smoothly.

"With my—" Alec stammered. "Violet is mine."

"Apparently not," Demetri said breezily.

"And that means what exactly?" Alec glowered.

"Nothing," Demetri smirked.

Alec scowled. "This," he spat, wagging his finger between Demetri and Violet, who was still out cold, "is fleeting. Whatever pitiful little bond you may think you have with her won't last. She'll return to me in the end."

"That's an awfully bold statement, Alec," Demetri said, tilting his head to the side. "Why don't we just wake her up and ask her what she thinks?"

"Let's not," Jane interrupted.

"I thought we were trying not to stress her out," Felix said.

"Yes. This squabbling needs to end," Jane said firmly.

"I will never stop fighting for my Violet," Alec said to his sister sharply.

"You called her a whore, you idiot," Jane said, her temper flaring. "You've officially revoked that privilege."

"You're only saying that because you're the one who broke us up in the first place," Alec said bitterly.

"You did that yourself, brother," Jane retorted.

"So you condone this?" Alec asked, baffled.

"No," Jane snapped. "But I think it's within everyone's best interest that you leave her alone."

"You know I can't do that," Alec said darkly.

"Yes, you can," Demetri said, growing thoroughly annoyed.

"I will personally make you regret—" Alec threatened Demetri.

"Enough!" Jane yelled, interrupting her brother.

"Wha—!" Violet exclaimed, abruptly lurching out of sleep. "Jane! What the hell?"

"Go to sleep," Jane replied.

"No! I'm awake now," Violet complained.

"Perfect. Get dressed. We're leaving in five minutes," Jane commanded Violet before turning to the men. "Out!"