I woke up on a couch in a room I didn't recognize. My shoulder throbbed with pain; it was bandaged, and I was in clean, dry clothes. There was a document on the table and a single pen."How are you feeling?" I looked over at Theodore standing in the doorway.I struggled to sit up and nodded. "I'm fi
Violet"What the hell?" I almost yelled, backpedaling and slamming the door shut.I stared at the door for a moment, trying to process what I had just seen. My pulse was pounding, and I could still hear the echoes of her cries in my head. The image of Theodore fucking some random woman wouldn't leav
"I wouldn't mind--"I pushed him off. "I'm sure you wouldn't, but I do. Keep your distance, Theodore. I know what kind of man you are, and I'm not interested."He laughed. "You think you have me all figured out already, Violet?"I gestured toward the stairs. "You've made it pretty clear."Something
VioletI fell silent, staring at Theodore. It was... romantic in a way, but also spoke to exactly how spoiled he'd grown up. He sounded younger than I'd ever thought the infamous Theodore Nightshade of being. He was only two years younger than me, but right now, he seemed more like a teenager and a
I frowned, meeting his gaze in the mirror.“It's perfect for you,” he said softly. "Do you like it?""I think it's more a matter of if you like it.""You're wearing it.""I've never really cared much about what I wore." I shrugged. "So long as it was neat and presentable."He hesitated. "... was tha
VioletThe tension in my body slowly ebbed away as I let him hold me. I wanted to relax, but I couldn't let myself forget that he was still an arrogant jerk."Thank you," I said, all the same."You're welcome," he said softly. "I meant what I said before. You're safe with me.""If I could believe th
"I think I'll take my chances.""... do you want me to adhere to that even then?"I swallowed. "Yes."He chuckled. "Don't ever change."I closed my eyes. "I appreciate you trying to tell me, to offer some insight, but I--""Don't want a bond from me?""From an indiscriminate playboy who hasn't found
VioletThe next morning, I woke up to less pain and at least fifty notifications on my phone. Some of them were from news outlets having mentioned me at the Gathering, but most of them were of me in Theodore's arms wearing that wedding dress as he carried me around Midnight.My face heated, embarras
I shook my head. My conscience would nag at me all night if I didn't, and I had better plans to enact tonight with my husband than worrying about my ex-husband's mistress. I licked my lips thinking about the look in Theodore's eye before he'd stolen that kiss. Yeah. A lot better things to think ab
Violet The combat matches drew to a close rather quickly. No one was dragging it out after Lucas and Owen had been tossed around like helpless chickens for nearly an hour. I won't say that it wasn't entertaining to watch Lucas land hard and fast at the feet of men several times his age. Owen was no
Finally, in one coordinated movement, we both struck—our blades flying from our hands and landing in the grass at the same time. The crowd erupted in applause as we stood there, breathless and staring at each other. “Well,” I said, panting. "What happens--" I yelped as she tossed me over her shoul
Theodore She came in fast and hard, cutting low and quick, faster than I expected. Faster than should have been possible with her still laboring under her bond with Violet. She aimed a solid kick to my shoulder, pushing me enough that my feet slipped and skidded across the ground. The sleeve of my
“You’ve already won most of them over,” she murmured, her voice calm and confident. “Consider this a chance to seal the deal. Having noble allies is always a good thing.” That didn’t stop the knot of unease forming in my stomach. Fighting Violet? In front of an audience this critical? It felt lik
Theodore As we crossed the area towards the seating, around the combat pitch, I struggled to keep a straight face. The scene unfolding was almost too good to be true. Owen’s wife and Nora trailed behind him and Lucas, looking thoroughly out of place and entirely ignored. The nobles, who had been so
My eyes widened. "What?" She smiled. "The Vainthott Events are quite expensive, and it would be to every noble in attendance in accordance to their cost of attendance and any cost that could be proven." I blinked and looked at her. "You'd probably annex Twining River with ease." And I'd do everyt
Theodore The nobles erupted into a polite round of applause, though the undercurrent of excitement was anything but subtle. The Luna whispered something to her husband, her expression sharp, but he merely patted her hand and smiled, clearly unbothered. I turned to Violet, who was watching the scen
Nora looked down, her face burning red. I was impressed by the show of noble solidarity. It was nice to know that she was loved and card for, defended even. After it was clear that they would either have to bulldoze their way into conversations, i.e. Owen would have to order someone to talk to him