Shattered

Chapter 29: Home

Violet's POV:

"Don't get too close, it's dark inside. It's where my demons hide." –Imagine Dragons

I wasn't sure why I told him. The only thing I knew for sure was when Zed said that in front of everyone it wasn't just that I didn't want anyone to know that about me, it was that a crazy part of me panicked at what Kaden would think of me.

He didn't know what to say when I told him it was self-defense against my dad. I couldn't fault him for that. He stared at me for a long time with wide eyes before his expression turned to one of pain. "I'm so sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry."

I didn't know what to say to that. I was sorry too. Not that he was dead, but that I had blood on my hands in any way. Even his, and his wasn't the only one. There were so many, so many I never wanted to admit to, ones I hated myself for. My dad was the first one, six years ago, but he was only the beginning.

I still had nightmares about all of them, even my dad. I knew I wasn't in the wrong. I knew the world was a better place without him. I knew that. It didn't change the fact that I'd never forget the sound it made when the knife sunk into his back, or the look on his face when the life left him. I had nightmares about all of them, but the worst ones were the ones I was forced into, people that didn't deserve to die. My dad's death was terrifying because I didn't know what would happen when I was taken into the police precinct, surrounded by his friends who tried everything they could to get me charged with first degree murder, even as a minor. The police record was permanent but with Jen as my lawyer, they didn't get what they wanted out of me. She came at them with the force of a fucking hurricane when they tried to charge me with first degree. Jen was the only reason I made it out of that nightmare, I just was tossed into another one right after. All of that was terrifying because I didn't know what would happen to me there and I was scared to find out. But Knox...

My dad may have been the first person I killed, but Knox was the second one and the first one that broke my heart.

Five years ago...

"Shoot him, Rose," he said, putting both my hands on the gun and my finger on the trigger.

I shook my head, tried to pull my hands away but he wouldn't let me. He kept his hands tight on mine so I couldn't let go.

"He touched what's mine," he snapped, his breath right against my ear, making me nauseous. "Shoot him."

"He didn't," I said, shaking my head as the tears came out. "He didn't, I promise."

One hand let go of mine but went to my hair yanking it back so I fell back against his shoulder. "Why are you protecting him, huh? Am I suddenly not good enough for you?"

"No, of course not, he just didn't do it, I swear," I said, whimpering when he pulled my hair harder. "He didn't."

He really didn't. The man on his knees in front of us, covered in blood, bruises and cuts, he hadn't touched me the way Max thought he did. Knox was trying to help me, he was trying to get me out, away from Max's claws and free. He'd been trying to find a way to get me out and tonight was supposed to be the night, until Max caught him sneaking into my bedroom. It looked like something it wasn't.

It wasn't the first time Knox snuck into my room. He came in often to clean me up, to stitch up the cuts, give me some comfort and reassurance. He'd been in my rooms many times, but as he kneeled before me I was terrified it would be his last.

"What'd you do to my girl that she thinks she can't tell me the truth?" Max said, letting go of me and standing, walking to Knox and kicking him in the ribs.