Page 52 of Burn Me Down

“Can I speak with her?” Derek held out his hand, and I nibbled my lip. This could go really bad, very fast, but I nodded.

“I’m going to give the phone to Derek so he can talk to you. Please don’t hang up.”

Derek hit speaker so I could still hear the conversation. “Hi there, Violet.”

“Derek. If you’ve hurt one hair on Beck’s head or threatened her in any way to try and get to Asher and me, so help me, god.”

“I think you know your friend better than that. If she didn’t want to call you, she would cut off her fingers before being forced into it.”

I smiled as Vi made a little snort sound. “Okay, that is true.”

“I was going to save this for dinner, but I will say it now, and hopefully, it will convince you to get together with us. I’m sorry. No matter the reasons I had, I’m sorry that I took your parents from you and hurt you. I’m also sorry that my pain, resentment, and even jealousy have caused me to do things that I’m not proud of. But they are all things I cannot take back. I would only like the opportunity to explain my side without a raging fire around us, and I’d like to hear your side. I don’t know you well, Violet, but I still love my brother, and I’d like to speak to him. No tricks, no games, no death threats, just one civil conversation.”

I could hear Vi mumbling to herself, which was a good sign. Whenever she was thinking something over, she would talk to herself. She and Derek had that in common, although I don’t think Vi’s inner dialogue was telling her that she was useless.

“It’s been four months, Derek, why now? What has changed?”

Derek looked down at me. “Because for the first time in my life, I have something to live for. I have someone to live for.”

My heart swelled, and I hugged him tight.

“Can I speak to Beck again?”

“Sure, here you go.” He handed back the phone, and I took it off speaker and held it up to my ear. Derek squeezed my shoulder and walked back to the truck, giving me privacy.

“Hey, it’s just me again.”

“Fine…one dinner.”

“Tonight?”

“That should be fine. Asher was on nights and is sleeping, but he is off today. Beck, please make sure this isn’t a trap.”

“It’s not, I promise. This was all my idea, not his,” I said, as my heart filled with hope. “Same goes for you. No police, and I’ll call with the address later today. I’m trusting you and our friendship as much as you’re trusting me. This is a truce for one night.”

“Truce for one night it is. I’m sure Asher will be thrilled. He’s been pretty torn about Derek, and he thinks he’s hiding his feelings, but I see it. So, yes. For you and him, and only because I love you both so much will I do this, but I make no promises that I won’t try to leap across the table with a knife.”

I smiled as I pictured her trying. “That’s fair. Talk to you later, Vi, and I love you.”

I hung up before she could answer or change her mind.

“So,” Derek asked as he put the last of our things from the truck bed into the cab.

“It’s on for tonight. We need someplace neutral and safe.”

“I think I know the perfect spot,” Derek said.

I never thought I would be one of those women who would ever consider not speaking to my best friend for a man. But if Vi insisted on trying to tear Derek and me apart, then I wasn’t so sure about my decision anymore. I was falling for him. I could feel it, and like he said, we were made for each other. I truly believed that just as I believed that for all the wrong Derek had done, he deserved a chance at happiness.

Derek

My phone dinged, but I was too preoccupied to pay attention to Beck picking it up.

“Um….”

I glanced over, and Beck’s typically sunny expression was dark, like she was going to break my phone in half.

“What?”