Page 36 of Reckless King

He eyes me for a long moment. “You sound way too happy about it, considering how reluctant you were to begin with.”

I shrug. Not that I’d admit it, but maybe I am looking forward to this arrangement. The thought of spending more time with Violet is appealing in a way it shouldn’t be, considering how she feels about me. “There’s no reason I can’t make the best of the situation.”

“No reason at all.” His expression is a littletoobland for my liking.

I scrutinize him, searching for his angle. Is it some kind of strange payback for when I interfered in his relationship? Regardless, I don’t have time to figure out what he’s insinuating, so I do what I do best and ignore it.

I push myself up from the chair. “I look forward to seeing you and Delilah tomorrow night, then. Delilah more than you, obviously.”

Then I’m gone, heading out the door with a smile on my face. Not long ago, our interactions were nothing more than curt emails about work. They say every cloud has a silver lining, and if Dad’s arrest was the cloud that had hung over our company and our lives, then my improved relationship with my brother is the silver lining. Roman might still be a work in progress. He’s completely consumed by his role as CEO, but hopefully, given time, I’ll see some changes there as well.

With a glance at my watch, I pull out my phone and find my short text conversation with Violet.

Are the stylists there?

I organized a team of stylists to go to her apartment and help her choose a dress and shoes to wear to the gala tomorrow, as well as some outfits for other events we’ll probably have to attend during our arrangement.

Her response is immediate and short.

Yes.

Have you found a dress for tomorrow night yet?

Not yet.

The responses make it clear she’s still disgruntled. Her annoyance, strangely, makes me smile. The funny thing is, I’ve never seen Violet be anything less than friendly and sweet, except with me. I get under her skin, and I like that I have that power. I like getting a reaction from her. What we did at Onyx can’t ever happen again, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take advantage of my new role in her life. I grin to myself as I tap out another message.

Looking forward to our first date, butterfly.

There’s no immediate response this time, and I can imagine her studying the message, wondering if there might be some other meaning to my words. The funny thing is, there isn’t. For the first time in a long time, Iamlooking forward to attending one of these events.

When Violet’s response finally comes in, I have to laugh.

It’s not a date. And you need to stop calling me butterfly.

I quickly type out my reply.

Yes, it is, and not a chance. See you tomorrow, butterfly.

Still smiling, I slide my phone back into my pocket. Tomorrow night will be interesting, to say the least. I can’t wait to see how well Violet acts the part of my girlfriend under the scrutiny of cameras and the public. I get the feeling she’ll keep me on my toes. This time, I embrace the thrill of exhilaration that sparks through me. I have no idea what to expect from her, and that’s exactly what makes her so damn intriguing.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

VIOLET

The makeup artist and hair stylist that Tate organized for me left twenty minutes ago, and I’m staring at my reflection in my bathroom mirror. I’ve never looked like this before, so polished and put together. The shimmery gold material of the dress I chose yesterday clings to my curves and falls to the floor in a perfect drape, the neckline dips just low enough to show the swell of my breasts, while almost all of my back is left exposed. My eyes have been beautifully painted to make their blue color pop, my lips are a subtle, glossy pink, and my hair has been styled into gentle waves that tumble down my spine and over my shoulders. A few strands are loosely braided along the sides and meet at the back, where they’ve been woven together and pinned to add a whimsical touch. I look like me, and yet not me.

Finally forcing myself to look away, I pick up my phone from the bathroom counter and check the time. Tate will be here to pick me up soon, and my stomach is roiling with nerves. Part of me wishes that our first appearance as a couple could be more casual, more subdued. It would relieve some of the pressure tightening my chest if we were going somewhere a little less high profile. But then, being seen together is the whole point of this arrangement.

I give myself one final inspection, then head to the front room to wait. My nerves get the best of me, so rather than sitting patiently, I head straight for the window. When I move the curtain aside and peer out, there’s no long black car parked outside yet. Though I should have expected that. Tate will probably call me when he’s near so I can meet him downstairs.

Letting the curtain fall, I turn and pace back across the small room. I shouldn’t be this nervous. It’s not like I’m incapable of making small talk with strangers. Spending almost every day at the coffee shop talking to customers means I’ve had plenty of practice. And thanks to Tate arranging the dress, and my hair and makeup, I look as much the part as I can.

When my phone beeps, I pull it out of my clutch. It’s Anna. She stopped by earlier to hold my hand as I got ready, but since she has a date of her own tonight, I sent her home after an hour so she could get ready herself. In typical Anna fashion, she found it incredibly entertaining that I ended up in this situation. Thank god the NDA allows me to discuss it with her. Even if I hadn’t already told her about it, there was no way I could have successfully lied about my sudden change in feelings toward Tate. Not after I went into detail about my less than stellar opinion of him when we left Onyx the other night.

I swipe open her message.

Is he there yet?

---