Violet I took a deep breath, forcing my chest to rise and fall even though it felt like all the air had been punched out of me. I couldn’t let myself get distracted by him. This wasn’t about feelings, or about me. It was for Sebastian. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else could matter. “Yes,” I whispered. “If it was any other man, I would have given myself to him. You make no difference.” The silence that followed was louder than the ringing in my ears. The instant the words left me, I wanted to take them back, but it was too late. I swallowed, waiting for the backlash. I watched his expression change. The shift in his eyes was slow but terrifying. I had never seen them darken like that. It was as if the very idea of me giving myself to another man was more than just distasteful to him, it was unbearable. What now? Would he get angry? Would he shove me out of his house and wash his hands clean of me, like everyone else eventually did? The thought made my chest ache. Worse,
Violet I thought I would wake up screaming. I’d been bracing for the same dream, the one where Sebastian died and looked at me with anger, where I took every bit of it because I’d failed him. I told myself I would take it all. Even knowing it was only a dream, I would not fight back. I would not ask for forgiveness. I would accept the blame because part of me believed I deserved it for not leaving that family a long time ago. That did not happen. Instead, I had a nice dream for the first time in years. My parents and brothers were there, smiling at me. I hugged my mother so tightly it felt like my ribs might crack, burying my face against her shoulder, wishing I could stay there forever. I don’t remember all the words. I only remember the feeling of finally having a complete family again, the idea that, at least for a moment, everything could be normal again. As I hugged my mom, my fingers brushed something that didn’t belong there. I frowned, pressing in harder, and the body u
Violet I never thought I’d act like the female lead in some cliche movie, but here I was, knees drawn up to my chest, head resting against them, staring blankly at the road, drenched to the skin, and waiting in front of Hades Sinclair’s gate like a fool with nowhere else to go.That’s what a desperate woman would do, right? A woman who wanted his attention, who thought by waiting in the rain she’d look fragile. A woman who thought Hades Sinclair would see her as something delicate to hold on to. But I wasn't here for attention, or pity. My hair clung to my face, rain streamed down my cheeks, and my clothes were cold against my body.How long had I been sitting there? Hours? I couldn’t tell anymore. Time blurred together. All I knew was when I left that house, my legs carried me here. I knocked on his gate, again and again, but no one came out.So I waited. I told myself I’d wait until they returned. Even if it took all night, or days. Hell, even weeks. What else could I do? Waiting
Hades I leaned back against the car seat, one leg crossed over the other as I flipped the next page of the file in my hand. The rain drummed on the roof, drowning the city in noise.The suit I wore fit perfectly, tailored as if it had been made for me. My gray watch caught the dim light inside the car every time I tapped my finger lazily against the door. On the surface, I must have looked calm, and indifferent. But the words on the file blurred together until they meant nothing.“Stay away from me, Hades.”Her words echoed in my head. It had only been a day, yet I couldn’t push her out of my mind. She had imprinted herself on me.Today I sat through a meeting with some of my directors, men who would do anything for my full attention, but my mind kept wandering to her voice, her body, her lips, the way she looked at me when she smiled, the flush that spread across her face when she was angry, and those wide, doe eyes that stared at me with lust.I couldn’t stop thinking about when I
Violet My uncle paused. “Impossible… Sebastian is in a coma? What happened to him? How can he be in a coma?”“Ask your daughter,” I spat back. “She knows what she did.”My uncle looked at Riley. She shook her head fast, her face pale. My aunt jumped in before he could even think. “What the hell are you talking about? Why would Riley be at fault for your brother being in a coma? We had no idea what happened to him to begin with. Don’t blame others because you can’t handle what’s going on with your brother.”Julian tightened the hold on me and I twisted against it, but it did no good. I was held firmer. I forced the words out anyway. “Your daughter threatened me. She threatened to harm Sebastian yesterday. She must have made someone do something to him.”The room went silent. My uncle looked torn, like he didn’t know who to believe anymore. Nora scoffed and spoke up. “Is that your evidence?” Everyone turned to look at her. She kept going. “Because she threatened you, are you even makin
Violet “See you in hell, Riley.”I swung the knife, the blade cutting through the air, but before it could reach her, the doors burst open.I froze, my arm halting. My eyes snapped to the doorway.My uncle stood there, his secretary right behind him. His eyes widened the instant he saw Riley pinned beneath me, my hand gripping her throat, the knife hovering inches from her face. He looked at Riley, then at me, his expression a mix of shock and confusion.“What… what is going on here?”My grip on Riley loosened involuntarily. The second she felt it, she sucked in a ragged breath, coughing and gasping for air.“Dad! Help me, she is trying to kill me!” She screamed, reaching for him, but my weight held her pinned to the floor.Her father stared at her in disbelief, unable to believe what he was seeing. My aunt immediately rushed forward, clutching his arm.“Look at this! She’s trying to kill our precious daughter. Didn’t I tell you? I warned you they were all insane, that we never shoul