“Just call if you need anything. Ring up The Rotten Apple and anyone who answers the phone will know how to get in touch with us.”
A moment later, they walked out of the shop and Violet hugged herself, trying to stop the aching pain inside of her.
Chapter 12
Another delivery!
Violet stared at the beautiful flowers, not sure what to do or say. Every day, sometimes twice a day, flowers or a small gift was delivered to the shop. When she refused to accept them, she found them propped up outside of her apartment door after she’d locked up for the night.
Every day, she received something from him and every night, he texted her, saying that he was sorry and he wanted to talk.
At first, she’d ignored his messages. If he’d wanted to talk, then he should have talked to her immediately after George had demanded more money. But he’d just stopped communicating with her. He’d cut her out of his life because he didn’t think she was worthy of his high moral standards.
Now…she had no idea what to do. She’d gone out to lunch with Tyla a couple of times and she’d relayed how horrible he looked. That had hurt and Violet had been worrying about him ever since.
She smiled as she said goodbye to another customer. “I can’t do it,” she mumbled to herself.
“I’ll do it for you,” a deep voice said.
Violet swung around, almost tripping herself as she looked up into the ragged eyes of Creek. She opened her mouth to say something but the words wouldn’t come. A part of her wanted to throw herself into his arms and beg him to believe she wouldn’t be that kind of woman, the kind that would sell her body for a price. But another part of her wanted to hide, to protect herself from everything.
He looked wet, she thought. It was such an inane observation that she blinked. “What are you doing here?”
He rubbed a hand over his scruffy jaw. It looked like he hadn’t shaved in a week. “I had to see you.” His eyes roamed over her figure, then came back to her eyes. “I told myself to stay away, but I couldn’t do it, Violet. I just…I had to see you. I had to be near you, if only for a moment.”
She didn’t know what to say.
“You look tired,” he commented in the painful silence.
Violet couldn’t help the laughter that broke out of her. “I look tired? Have you looked in a mirror lately?” she asked. Her voice was hoarse with the effort to speak.
He sighed and shook his head. “No. I can’t look at myself. I’m too ashamed.”
“Ashamed?” Her heart was squeezing with his words.
“Yes. I should never have believed George. I should have known that you would never…that you weren’t…”
She bowed her head, blinking rapidly because she didn’t want to think. Thinking meant hurting, and she was so tired of hurting!
“Why did you?” she demanded, even though she’d tried very hard not to say anything. She’d vowed that she was through, that Creek had believed the worst of her, so she wouldn’t have anything to do with him.
But one look at his handsome face, so ravaged by the same pain she was feeling, and she couldn’t stop the words any longer. “I am so mad at you!” she finally said, but she still threw herself into his arms, just like she’d wanted to do from the first moment he’d walked in here. “Why?” she sobbed out, burying her face in his shirt.
She felt his arms pull her closer, his own face burying in her hair, and she sobbed harder because she’d needed him so badly over the past few days. “I’ve been sleeping on my couch because I couldn’t sleep in my bed without you. And I can’t really sleep because you’re not there to hold me. Then I wake up and I’m furious with myself, because I shouldn’t want you any longer!”
His arms tightened and he rocked her gently. “I know, honey. And I’m so sorry!”
“Why?” she asked, pulling out of his arms so that she could look up at him.
He sighed and shook his head slightly. “You don’t understand where I come from, Violet. I'm not a bartender. I have businesses all over the world. I came to Alaska to feel clean again. Everyone in my previous life, they aren’t who I wanted to be. They are brutal, vicious, willing to stab someone in the back to make another million dollars. They have no conscience, and I was becoming just like them.”
Her hand moved higher, her fingers touching his jaw. “You’re nothing like them!” she said with a vehemence that was heartfelt. “Nothing! You’re good and kind, and so gentle.”
He shook his head again. “No, Violet. I’m not. You don’t really know who I am. And I’ve hidden that side of myself from you because I need you. I need your goodness. But I didn’t trust it. I’m so used to people being…bad. So when you came along, I wanted you so much. Not just your body, but have no doubt! I wanted you in my bed, Violet.” He felt her stiffen but wouldn’t release her. “I wanted all of you. I wanted your goodness and purity. I need your smiles, and I need you to look at me and see me as a good person.” He sighed. “I know this doesn’t make any sense, but I’m just so used to not trusting people that, when George came along, I was floored when he put you back into the category of all the women I’ve known in the past.” His hands moved up her back. “I guess I was willing to believe that you weren’t as perfect and beautiful so that I could protect myself.”