Chapter 1

Conrad turned me down at once.

"Violet, your father gave his life to save mine. I took you in to repay him, not to use you as a bargaining chip in some marriage deal."

He looked at me the way a father looks at his daughter. "The man in Italy spent five years in exile, and he still came back and seized power. He's more dangerous than you can imagine. Violet, I want you to marry for love, not become a pawn in someone else's power struggle."

I clenched my fists. My chest ached.

I'd always known how much he cared. He wanted me to have choices, so he'd raised the family's most promising boys alongside me, hoping something would grow between us.

But every one of my knights in shining armor had chosen to stand by another woman.

They'd made their choice. I had no reason to stay and wait for any of them.

"Don, I've made up my mind. The Nelson family needs this marriage, and I'm willing to go."

Conrad's expression darkened. He looked close to losing his temper.

"Who told you about this? Eli? Tristan? Christian? All of them? Those boys have completely forgotten their place!"

He was about to call them in and demand answers, but I stopped him. "No one," I said quietly. "I overheard it."

I'd overheard them talk about marrying me off while they comforted Serena.

Conrad sighed. "If anyone gives you a hard time, you come to me. I'll take care of it."

I saw the gray showing in his hair and gave him a guilty smile. "Thank you, Don."

I had kept everything about Serena from him.

If he ever found out they'd all turned on me because of her, the boys who'd been by my side since childhood would face his wrath.

They had once treated me so well that I still couldn't bear to see them punished.

Whenever I wanted afternoon tea at the Ritz, they chartered a private flight to take me there.

I was allergic to pollen, so they tore out every flower on the estate and planted the cedar trees I liked instead.

Whatever I said, they believed me without question and always took my side.

But after Serena arrived, whenever she got upset, they assumed I'd done something wrong. They stopped listening to my side of the story.

Eli said I needed to grow up.

Tristan dragged me over to Serena and made me apologize.

Even when I was in tears over how unfair it was, Christian still blamed me. "You were wrong this time."

Their words weren't especially harsh, but they hurt more than any scolding could.

It wasn't that they protected Serena. What hurt was the way their trust in me faded, little by little, after she arrived.

The people who used to believe me no matter what had taken someone else's side for good. Fine. I didn't want them anymore.

Conrad steered the conversation elsewhere. "I won't agree to this marriage. Violet, you're an adult now. It's time you chose one of the three boys I raised as my sons."

I shook my head and gave a rueful laugh. "I've always thought of them as brothers."

I looked at him, pleading. "Don, after all these years, you're my real father as far as I'm concerned. I want to do this. I promise I'll take care of myself."

He was moved, but he still wouldn't give in. "Don't decide something like this on impulse, Violet. Come see me again in three days."

I nodded, then asked him to keep it from my brothers.

When I left his study, Christian was waiting by the door. A lipstick mark stood out on his cheek.

I stared at it until Christian finally noticed. He had always cared about his appearance, but he didn't get angry. He just smiled fondly. "That's Serena's way of saying thanks. She's always so affectionate."

I forced down the bitterness in my chest and played along. "Right."

That threw him. He knew I had never liked Serena, and he'd been braced for me to make a huge scene.

But he didn't press me. Instead, he took a beautifully carved turquoise pendant from his pocket and handed it to me.

"Happy 18th birthday, Violet!"

He kissed my forehead. "This stone's been blessed. It'll catch any bad luck before it reaches you."

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest.

I decided to tell him how I felt, as I'd meant to at my birthday party, even though I was leaving in three days.

But before I could say a word, Christian stopped me cold.

"Violet, in three days you'll have to choose a fiancé. Don't pick me."

He ruffled my hair. His voice was still deep and tender, the voice that always made my heart race. "You've got plenty of people around you. You don't need me. But Serena only has me."