Page 61 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

“You know when Adam whispered something in the luna office to Chris?” she asked, turning onto her belly with a conspirational look on her face.

“Yeah?”

“Well, apparently Adam told Chris that he would help protect his mate so you would go out more and Chris didn’t correct him. When he protected you from Ada, he came back and asked Chris if he saw him keeping his promise. Chris still didn’t deny it. He only said he didn’t get a chance to correct Adam while blushing. I can’t believe you missed it!”

“He probably didn’t mean anything by it,” I said, looking away and feeling my face heat up.

“I see that blush! Do you like him? Do you want him to be your mate? I think he would make a great mate. Except, I don’t think he can be a second chance mate unless he lost his own mate and Cory never mentioned...”

“He could be my second-chance mate,” I whispered, my eyes flickering to the closed door that connected to his. I didn’t feel comfortable sharing private information about the man to my sister, so I hoped she didn’t try to ask for specifics.

“That’s perfect! I mean, not that he lost his mate, but that maybe the Moon Goddess will give you both another chance.”

“I don’t think so, Bells. Chris doesn’t look at me like I could be his mate. I’m his job. His assignment. That’s all.”

“He could. I could find out? You like him, don’t you?”

“I-I do,” I admitted quietly. “But the Goddess wouldn’t be so cruel as to pair him with someone like me.”

“What? Why would that be cruel?” Bells looked confused.

“You know why,” I answered.

“What happened to you wasn’t your fault. Has Chris ever told you otherwise?”

“No. But Bells, I can’t be a good mate, and Chris deserves a good mate, not a broken one.”

“How are you broken? Because you were raped and are healing from it?” Bells asked.

“No, I—”

“Do you know how many women get raped per year?” Bells asked, suddenly very angry. “One in three women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. One in seven will be raped by their partner. Do you think all of us are broken and undeserving of a happy life? Just because the Goddess made a mistake and paired you with an asshole who thought your only purpose was to please him? Do we not deserve happiness, Violet?”

“Us? Bells, di-did Brandon force himself on you? Did he rape you?”

Bells stared at me for a while, and I could see her trying to make sense of things in her inebriated state.

“Don’t be silly, Violet. I was speaking in hypotheticals,” she said before she drank the rest of her fourth brew and reached for another. “Let’s keep watching, yeah?”

I was going to push, but Nenetl chose that moment to speak up.

Don’t, Violet. Denial may be the only way she’s coping right now.

I can’t just do nothing.

You can ask Dr. Campbell what she suggests you do.

Bells seemed to forget the conversation minutes later and after Moana was done, she put on another movie. I laughed and drank with her, but after our conversation, it was like even the alcohol wasn’t doing anything to me. Bells gave me a bear hug near midnight and left, leaving me wondering what kind of hell my sister had lived through alone for the last eight years.

“Time for training, Little Warrior,” Chris’ voice woke me up.

I hadn’t realized I fell asleep. I couldn’t have slept more than an hour or two. I groaned, not from a hangover but from the lack of proper sleep.

“Do I need to go get a hangover cure?”

“No, just tired,” I answered, yawning. “I’ll get ready.”

“Alright. I’ll be back in ten, then.”

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