Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal #1)(79)

She didn’t entirely understand what it meant.

Violet figured as long as it felt right, it couldn’t be wrong.

Kaz’s arms opened the closer Violet came to where he was leaning against the hood. She dropped her bag to the ground a second before she was swallowed by a familiar, strong embrace. Her feet came off the ground before she realized it, and her backside met the hood of the Porsche.

Violet’s grin and breathless laughter was muffled by Kaz when he kissed her hard, taking away what air she had left. For a moment, she was lost in him—again. It was easy to forget about the rules she was supposed to follow and the stupidity of her choice to be there with Kaz when his hands grasped tightly to her jaw, he forced her head back, and he kissed her even deeper, a smug smile growing.

“You sent me a dirty picture,” he told her, dotting kisses along the seam of her lips.

Violet shook her head. “That was not a dirty picture. You sent me one with your cock in it. Totally different thing.”

“Mmm, no.”

“I beg to differ.” Her hand landed against his chest, needing the space to think and talk. Kaz moved at her unspoken request, but he was still pressed firm enough between her thighs that she could feel the length of his erection straining against his slacks. “I showed you what you left. You—”

“Showed you what you left,” he replied, smirking.

Violet had to look away to keep from smiling. “You’re terrible.”

“No, I’m just not going to lose this argument. That’s all.”

“Mine was innocent. Last word. It’s final.”

Kaz cocked a brow and said, “You knew damn well that wouldn’t be innocent, and I wouldn’t take it that way.”

She had.

Violet wouldn’t admit it, though.

“I see how this works,” Kaz said after she stayed silent, refusing to budge even an inch.

“Good. Then we’re on the same page.”

His sexy grin grew into a softer smile. “Missed you, huh?”

The statement was simple enough—innocent, even.

But it still didn’t feel that way.

Violet didn’t think Kaz was the kind of man to just blurt out something like that for just anyone. And if he did say it, he likely meant it and probably more that he wasn’t saying. It was just one of the many reasons why Violet was finding it especially difficult to keep distance between her and him.

When she stayed away, or tried to, something was pulling her right back in.

“Missed you, too,” she said honestly.

Kaz swept the pads of his thumbs over her cheekbones, leaning down for another quick kiss. “I take it you didn’t have any trouble getting down here?”

“No. I came here from Amityville, and then I’ll head back up to Manhattan.”

He stiffened slightly. “Your father’s place?”

“Called me over before classes were out.”

Violet wondered if Kaz would just come right out with the fact he had a run-in with her brother, or if he wouldn’t say a thing.

He surprised her.

“I take it your brother ran to daddy, yes?” he asked.

Violet laughed dryly. “What did you do to him?”

“Very little. Less than what he deserved.”

“Carmine is a little …”

“Spoiled. Entitled. Unqualified. I have a couple more, but feel free to tell me to stop.”

Violet didn’t need to. “All of the above, but he’s also bitter and jealous.”

Kaz glanced down at her. “For what?”

“Me,” she said, unfazed. “And my dad.”

His fingers pressed a little firmer to her jaw, forcing her gaze back up to his. “Doesn’t that bother you at all?”

“That he’s jealous?”

“No, that your father has made him that way,” Kaz replied.

Violet hadn’t ever looked at it like that before. “Never really thought about it.”

“Maybe you should.”

“Why? I don’t see how it matters. It’s the same thing with my mother, only the tables are turned. Carmine is the golden boy and I’m the … leftovers, for lack of a better word.”

Kaz tipped his chin down, something flashing in his gray eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I really don’t want to talk about how f*cked up my family is. It’s better that no one sees it at all. We’re just hiding it all behind closed doors, and sweeping it under rugs. It’s always been like this.”

“But your father …”

“What about him?” she asked, feeling her defenses rise a bit at the bitter twist to his tone.

“What did he call you over for today, anyway? The run-in with your brother had nothing to do with you, no? You didn’t need to be there, Violet.”

“Wasn’t really about that. He was worried, wanted to see me. And then we had a chat about how I’m f*cking up lately with school, and can look forward to becoming the best little housewife for some man if I don’t correct it and soon.”

Kaz’s hands dropped to her sides instantly. “That, right there.”

Violet’s head snapped up. “What?”

“You believe that shit.”