Page 45 of Violet

“There’s no way that’s going to work,” I reply.

“Men always want what they can’t have. And when there’s another powerful Alpha interested, it sparks competition. Believe me.” There’s a mischievous gleam in his eye. “Then at the end of the Season, you and I part ways—me heartbroken, blissfully single, and ready to return to Emporia, and you in the arms of your perfect mate. I get totrick the Monarch into thinking she’s won, and we both get exactly what we want. It’s perfect.”

I frown. “It sounds too risky.”

He searches my face. My heart flips and spins. “You need buzz. The title of Luxe can only do so much, so we create drama. Bend the rumors in our favor. We give Stitchers like the Queen Bee what they want.”

“You’re confident this will work?”

“Acting to be in love? Easy. It’s sort of my specialty.”

It sure is.And I had almost fallen for his charms, but it’s clear now Stephan Ashford and Asher St. James are just two sides of the same coin.

Anger stirs.

How many other girls has he led on?

I’m an idiot.

But his proposal has some merit. His acting skills fooled me into thinking he was interested in me, so I have no doubt he could convince others.

Stephan steps closer to me, his earthy oak scent engulfing me and making my head whirl. “So, Princess. What do you say? Do we have a deal?”

This could lift me, help me pick the best Alpha for me and my family. And then, at the end of the Season, I’ll never have to see him and his stupid handsome face ever again. I’ll be happy, mated, and I’ll make sure to never watch an Asher St. James movie for as long as I live.

“Deal,” I say.

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

Stephan

Iwanted to kiss her.

Really kiss her. Not like that small, pathetic peck I gave her at the ball.

But that’s rule number one through fucking thousand: Do not kiss my friend’s little sister.

She’s not my type, anyway. She wants this whole thing—the mate, the pack, children.

And now, with our arrangement, it’ll complicate things. So if it’s not part of the show, I have to keep my hands to myself.

Even if touching her is becoming an obsession.

But despite the itch to grab her and taste her lips again, I let her walk away and return back to her sisters after promising I’d be seeing her soon.

Then last night, my dreams were plagued by her. And not innocent by any means.

She’s naked, hovering over me, her sweet, perfect pussy so close to lowering onto my painfully hard cock. Even in my dreams, I want to rut, to knot, and claim my princess in every way possible.

I woke up panting, sweating, and cock stiffer than steel. Heart thrumming hard and fast like it’s speeding, and the ache there, too, my balls high, my body burning.

The dreams sucker-punched me out of nowhere, but no matter how many times I tossed and turned or scolded myself to stop thinking about her, the moment I closed my eyes again, there Violet was, begging for me to fuck her senseless.

It had felt so real.

At four a.m., I gave up fighting and wrapped my hand around my hot, hard dick. Starting to stroke myself, I envisioned it was her hand around me, soft, knowing just how to squeeze, where to rub, right under the head. And then it was in her mouth, that hot mouth with the soft tongue, licking and teasing.

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