Page 47 of Violet

“Heath!” She rolls her eyes as her brother spins on his heel and stalks off toward his father’s office. She bounces along as I follow. “Look, Asher, look. Someone wants to know if you had a romantic tryst at the ball. Did you? I don’t know how because Mari and I were with Vi basically the entire time.”

That earns a dark expression from Heath as he pulls the study’s door open.

“No, I didn’t,” I direct to Rue, who’s hopping up and down on her tiptoes. “As you said, you were at the beach with Violet, and I was at my place all yesterday, fixing it up. I was nowhere close to a boathouse or the boardwalk. They’re just rumors.” I give her a reassuring smile.

“Ooh! I’m gonna post that. Official quote.” She spreads a hand through the air like she’s admiring the imaginary post, and my stomach turns to stone.

“Do that, Rue,” Heath mutters, “and you’re grounded until you’re thirty.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Watch me.”

“Can I at least have a cat?” she asks.

“No. Go away. I need to talk to Stephan,” he says and Rue stomps off.

Heath gestures for me to go inside first. Then he locks the door behind us.

The house is quiet. No intoxicating scent of violets, besides a lingering hint. Not strong enough to suggest she’s here.

Is Violet out with another Alpha already? “Where is everyone?”

“Are you planning on ruining her?” Heath snaps, completely ignoring my question.

“She’s not—” I stop. I was going to say not my type. “What were they saying online?”

“Look for yourself.” Heath sprawls in a large armchair, glaring about.

I pull out my phone. It’s pretty bad. There are wild theories from how I’m trying to steal the glory of landing the Luxe to prop up my career, or get back at Felicity, or just because I can. There’s even one about Violet having bewitched me with her femme fatale ways or got herself knocked up for fame.

That one is at least more laughable.

But the rumors are painful to read through. There’s even a picture of the boathouse the supposed onlooker is claiming he saw us come out of. Luckily, the picture was taken at night, so he didn’t catchusexactly. But still… We’re going to have to be more careful about where and when we meet if we’re going to pull this off the right way.

I sit in the chair opposite him and sigh. “I know it’s early, but drink?”

He waves a hand, and I get up and pour us both a whiskey.

“Do you have something to tell me?” Heath asks, eyeing me.

“No.”

“Is the rumor true, Ashford?” He leans forward. “Were you almost caughtalonewithmysister in the boathouse yesterday?”

There’s no way in hell I’m telling him the truth. I don’t have a death wish. “As I told Rue, I was at my place yesterday getting it ready. There was no reason for me to be by the beach at all.”

“Right.” But he doesn’t look convinced. “You danced with her at the ball.”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“She’s the Luxe.” I shrug. “It was just a dance.”

“You are supposed to be helping me find Alphas who would be right for her. Not inflate your ego more than it already is.”

“I know. I needed to find out more about her—you know, her likes and dislikes, her hobbies, what she wants in a mate. And?—”

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