Page 34 of Violet

“Me first!” another Omega barks.

“Over my dead body.”

This is worse than I thought. I’m fairly used to the attention of fans in Emporia, but even those women know I’m not looking for anything serious. Thanks to Sophine, I now have a big target painted on my chest to every mate-hungry Omega.

“This way, asshole.” Heath has my arm and drags me into the men’s room, an outdated lounge area thick with cigar smoke and full of older mated men and bachelors.

“Thanks, man.” I slap him on the back. “I owe you one.”

“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you? Had to steal all the attention for yourself,” he says, and I can’t tell if he’s joking or not from his tone.

“The battle-ax fed me to the lions.”

“The Monarch?” he asks. “What happened?”

“She added me as one of the Season’s available bachelors.”

“Shit.”

I rub a hand over my face. “Yeah.”

Gaze dancing across the smoke-filled room, he leans close and whispers, “So I’m guessing you haven’t had the chance to scope out the competition then?”

“Not the competition—I’m not really on the market, no matter what Sophine says. But no, I haven’t had much of a chance. I’ll find out more. We can go to one of the bars, see who’s there.” At his raised brow, I add, “Our part of town. Like a club. Then when you go, I can see what’s said.”

“Okay, okay.”

The sister I’d seen Heath talking to earlier walks through the door and comes bouncing up to us. Her hair’s light, almost golden, and cropped short at the shoulders. Freckles kiss her cheeks and across her nose, and I can’t help but think about how she would glow on screen.

“You shouldn’t be in here,” Heath says to her.

“I don’t care.” She shrugs and then looks at me. “Who’s your wolfy friend, Heath? He looks familiar… Oh, right! You’re the one who tried to crush Rue. Can’t be done. She said you thought you were famous or something, but… Got it—you’re Asher St. James fromKnot a Chance. I loved that movie.”

“His name is Stephan. The other’s his screen name,” Heath says.

She ignores him. “But how do you know the stone formally known as Heath?”

“This is Marigold, the third-eldest sister at eighteen.” Heath gestures to the girl.

“Hey,” I say.

“Call me Mari.”

“Better yet, don’t call her at all.” Heath glares.

“Are all your sisters here?” I ask.

“Yes, I lost that battle. Mom’s here, too. It’s a nightmare,” he says as Mari elbows him. “Now, Iris is…” Heath frowns. “Actually, I don’t know where Iris is. She and Dahlia were helping calm Violet down. I think she’s a little overwhelmed. She’s?—”

“Prone to panic attacks?”

“No.” Heath blinks, as if he’s wondering how I came to that conclusion. “She just isn’t used to the spotlight, that’s all. Unlike you.”

Now I’m really intrigued by Miss Violet Gardener. When I’d seen her before, she was on the verge of a full-blown breakdown. It’s probably why she was hiding herself behind a plant. Yet, she’s managed to keep her anxiety hidden from her own brother? From the rest of her family?

Damn. She must be a better actor than I thought. Award-worthy.

My next question is why?

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