Page 48 of Violet

“And what?”

Oh man, how am I going to say this without getting my head ripped off? “And…I found her interesting.”

He blinks. “Excuse me?”

“Violet. She’s beautiful. Considerate. Humble. Sharp-witted. Funny…” All true. “And the more I talked with her at the ball, the more I realized I couldn’t come up with a single Alpha I knew who would be the best match for her.”

“Then talk to the Alphas you don’t know.”

“That’s the thing. I don’t think the kind of man exists.”

“And you got all this from a single dance with her?” he asks, skeptical. “One dance?”

“You said it yourself, she’s special. There’s no one else like her, and I see that now.”

“Whatever you’re trying to say, might as well spit it the fuck out,” he says and takes a deep swallow of his drink. “We’ve known each other for a long time, and I don’t appreciate the runaround, so out with it.”

Right then is when I consider telling him about the ruse Violet and I agreed to. He is one of my closest friends, after all.

But would he understand? Doubtful. He’ll think I’m using Violet to get what I want. That it could ruin her if we’re found out.

All true, but I’m not counting on getting caught. That won’t be enough to convince Heath it’s a good idea, though.

Best not to tell him. Which means I have to act like pursuing Violet is the real deal. Which also means I’m going to get my ass handed to me by her overprotective big brother.

I draw in a deep breath.Here goes nothing.

“I…I want to put my hat in the ring of potential suitors for Violet,” I say.

He’s quiet for a long moment. Too long. Instead of answering, his jaw muscle jumps as he gnashes his teeth together.

“Heath.” How do I explain myself? “I know we talked about this before. I know I told you I wasn’t interested, andI wasn’t…then. But after talking to her, after…dancing with her—” I almost saykissing herand blow it— “I realized she’s someone I could really see myself with.”

He’s still deathly silent, and it irks me.

“After what happened with CeeCee, I haven’t thought I could be with anyone else like that again.” Mentioning Cecilia makes my mouth dry, but I push on. Bringing my old mate up is the only way I’ll be able to convince Heath I’m serious. “So I want to make sure it’s okay with you if I take her on a date. Court her, or whatever these old-ass Sabine rules call it. The proper way. She deserves that much.”

Heath throws his head back, downing the rest of his whiskey in a single gulp. He slams the empty glass on the side table, and says, as strong and deafening as a gunshot: “No.”

“No? What do you mean, no?”

“Exactly that. No. You’re not going to court my sister. I won’t allow it.”

“And what if it’s what she wants? Doesn’t that mean anything?”

“She’s too good for you, Ashford.”

Asshat. But I guess I’ll take it. It’s better than him punching me in the face.

Although that’s still very much a possibility.

“So you want me to believe that you’ve suddenly had a change of heart? As if you own one of those,” he says.

“Shit, Gardener. Ouch.”

“Does Violet know about your suddeninterest?”

“Yes.”

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