Page 150 of Violet

I wipe a hand over my face and get up, traipsing through the monster mansion to the front door. I do have staff. I just sent them on vacation because, in the mood I’m in, I’d probably fire them all otherwise.

I jerk open the door and sudden pain explodes in my face. The bottle of bourbon in my hand falls and smashes as I reel back.

Another punch, this one to the stomach.

“Fuck!”

“You fucking cunt.” Heath hits me again.

I hit the floor.

“Stop.”

This time he kicks, his boot landing in my ribs, and pain blooms in ricocheting waves. He’s fucking bruised them, maybe even cracked a few.Fuck. I scramble away as he goes to kick me again, and I get up and launch myself at him.

We roll, fists flying wildly, but luckily his anger is making him clumsy, and I manage to pin him. “I saidstop.”

But Heath isn’t having that. He flips me and hits me again but I block it from connecting with my face.

I throw him off me. “I mean it.Fuck.”

“You’re a piece of shit.” He wipes his mouth, breathing hard.

“I know.”

He just snorts. “My sister has a tender, sweet heart. And you…you fucked it up.”

“I know.”

He blinks, surprised by my admission. “You know?”

I nod. “I fucked up, and I don’t know what to do.”

Heath stares at me for a long time. Then all the fury seems to wash away and he shakes his head. “What have you got to drink in this place?”

With a sigh, I lead him upstairs to the bar. I select another bottle of bourbon and crack it open, pouring generous shots for us both.

He takes a glass from me then sits opposite. “A fine fucking mess, asshole,” he says.

“I take it you know everything.”

“Oh, yes. Your aunt told me what you did, and honestly, I should bury you.”

I should just let him. “The contraceptives won’t hurt her.”

“Contra—” He holds up a hand, eyes narrowing. “What? No one told me that. Oh, let me fucking guess. You either made her take them or gave them to her without her knowing.”

“Something like that.” I take a long pull from my drink.

“Harm comes in all shapes, Ashford. I get why you’d want to do it, but you know you had nothing at all to do with Cecilia, right? It was a freak thing.”

“I got her pregnant.”

“You fucking ass. If you were leading her into a life ofcrime with high stakes, yeah, your fault. But that?” Heath shakes his head. “It’s like me saying if I’d stopped Dad the day of his accident he’d be alive, and therefore it’s my fault he’s dead.”

He looks down.

“It’s the hardest part, knowing shit happens we have no control over. It’d be better if we did. But that’s false thinking, and you…you fucked up with Violet by trying to control that.”

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