When Doom Found Violet novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: Hands Off

"Zane, it was an accident," I said from the couch.

His fists stayed closed.

"He didn't aim at me. It was the wrong place at the wrong time, and he pulled me out of the car."

Zane breathed in and out.

Slowly he nodded.

Doom reached into his vest and took out my phone.

"Her husband's been blowing this up," he said, and handed it to Zane. "Keep it from her."

"Want a beer?" Zane asked.

"No."

At the door Doom stopped and looked back at me.

"Thank you for the ride," I said. "And for getting me out."

He gave me one short nod and left.

The SUV pulled away, and my brother turned to look at me.

"Pizza," he said. "Then we talk."

I picked up the envelope from my lap.

"Can you keep this somewhere safe?"

He opened it and his eyes went wide.

"Thirty thousand?"

"It's what Doom paid me for the car."

"You spent thirty grand on that cheating, lying piece of garbage?"

I looked at my knees.

"I loved him, Zane."

All the anger drained out of his face.

He sat down next to me and put his arms around me very carefully.

"You deserve a lot better than him," he said.

"I know that now."

My stomach growled so loudly we both heard it.

"Pizza," I said.

He laughed and ordered from Genaro's, my favorite place in town.

While we waited I asked if I could stay with him a few days.

"You're really asking me that?"

"I don't want to be in the way."

"You're not going back to that house," Zane said. "I'll go tomorrow and get your clothes."

I ate three slices and fell asleep in his guest room before the last one was cold.

The next morning I found out the day before had only been the preview.

Everything hurt.

My head, my back, my neck, and the shoulder in the sling.

Zane stood in the doorway and winced when he saw me.

"You look terrible."

"I feel terrible."

He helped me to the bathroom and then to the couch, set a glass of water and two Tylenol on the table, and picked up his keys.

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