Free One Lucky Hero by Codi Gary Page A

knew was that in the three years since, he’d never tried to come home or contact them. Part of her wondered if he was dead, and sometimes she hated herself for missing him. She didn’t miss the junkie who had made their lives miserable, but she did miss her dad, who he was in those rare moments when he wasn’t consumed by the need for one more fix.
    After he left, it took a while, but things finally started to come together. Violet filed for guardianship over her siblings and had to prove that with her father’s addiction, she had been solely providing for them for years anyway. It had been a stressful time in their lives, but their judge had been sympathetic, and although a social worker was supposed to keep tabs on them, they hadn’t seen one in years. But that was fine, because things continued to get better. Above all, they were happy and safe for the first time in too long.
    Well, they had been happy, but with Casey’s moodiness and acting out the past year, she wasn’t sure anymore.
    â€œHey, you okay? You kind of went away for a minute there,” Dean said.
    Violet shook herself out of the past and back to the present. “Sorry, I was just thinking about my own sister. She can be a pain, I’ll admit it, but we ultimately have each other’s back.” Mortified that he might have taken her observation the wrong way, she quickly tried to apologize. “I didn’t mean to imply that you guys didn’t have a good relationship, I’m sorry—”
    Dean held up his hand, and she stopped rambling. “I didn’t take it that way, and besides, it all worked out. Natalie got grounded for keeping the secret, and Dotty and her boyfriend had a simple wedding a month later before she blew up like an oil tanker.”
    â€œOh, my God, you’re horrible! I hope you didn’t say that to her face,” Violet cried.
    â€œNo, but I would have been within my rights. She called me Gonzo until high school because my nose was so big.”
    Violet studied him. “I don’t think your nose is big. It’s a nice nose.”
    â€œThanks, but until my junior year I was pretty much a twig with a small head. I barely reached five feet five inches and was the kid who got his ass handed to him almost every day by guys who were bigger and meaner. Then, I grew six inches over the next year and started hitting the weight room every morning. By the time I enlisted, I wasn’t the favorite victim anymore by a long shot.”
    â€œI definitely wouldn’t try to shove you in a locker now.” Violet grimaced at the lame joke, an attempt to fill in the conversation when all she really wanted to do was ask him more about his family. His life.
    But that went against everything that he’d said all night. That this was casual, nothing serious. You didn’t ask people you weren’t interested in getting serious with about their childhood.
    Yet several times tonight she’d bitten her tongue, tempted to do just that. First on the drive to his place and now. He was such an interesting enigma, but she didn’t have the right to uncover all his secrets.
    Especially since there was no way she’d be baring any of hers.
    â€œConsidering I haven’t gone near a locker in almost twelve years, I think we’re both safe.”
    Violet jumped when his arm went around her waist, and he squeezed her hip.
    â€œWant some coffee?”
    Coffee. Coffee was a good choice. It would make her more alert and less apt to say or do something stupid. Like get to know him.
    And realize you might like him?
    Yes, because that was the last thing she needed.
    â€œSure. Coffee would be great.”
    D EAN LED HER down the hallway with his hand still on her hip, enjoying the soft swell beneath his palm. He noticed that she had tried to tame her wild hair and the black smudges under her eyes were gone, and it made him smile. His sisters had once told him that if a