Page 83 of Crimson Desires

I stepped out of his car and made my way into the restaurant.

It was exactly the kind of place that I’d expect Jack to make reservations for. The decorations were resort-inspired—with oversized leaf-blade fans, rattan-backed chairs, and tropical plants peeking out of every corner. The back wall of the restaurant was open to accommodate patio seating.

I approached the hostess at the front podium and gave her Jack’s name. She smiled brightly, leading me out to a private cabana table on the patio.

That’s when I saw Jack’s ‘friend’ and realized that I’d been set up.

The woman sitting at the glass-top table wasn’t Alicia. Nor was it Verity or Kay.

It was Violet. My sister.

I debated leaving right then. I wanted to march out of the restaurant, middle fingers pointed toward the sky. I wanted to go back to the concert venue. I wanted to hunt Jack down like John Wick and fucking kill him for tricking me into this situation.

Instead, I just stood there, frozen.

The part of me that had been ashamed for my inability to curse Violet out back in Charleston forced me to stay.

This is your chance, it told me. Don’t run away from it. Tell your sister how you feel.

And so, I did.

“Fuck you, Violet,” I said.

The hostess, who had been standing there the entire time and was still apparently waiting for me to take my seat, laughed nervously. “Okay, well, I’ll leave you both to it. Enjoy your meal.”

Face red, she scampered off.

Violet sighed. “It’s nice to see you too, Aster. Care to sit?”

“No.”

“I swear, I wasn’t the one who thought to trick you.”

“I know. The only person stupid enough to pull a stunt like this is Jack,” I said.

Violet’s smile was microscopic. “I told him that this was a bad idea. I said you’d kill him.”

“You knew it was a bad idea, and you went along with it anyways.” It was a statement, not a question.

Violet sucked in her cheeks. She ran a trembling hand through her bangs. “Yes. Bad idea or not, it was a chance to finally talk to you again. I couldn’t pass that up.”

I uncrossed my arms, hands balling into fists as they fell at my sides. “Why should I give you the time of day? Give me one good reason.”

“Because you deserve to know why I ran away,” Violet said. When I didn’t respond, she rephrased, “You deserve to know why I left you behind.”

Violet’s eyes met mine. Blue against blue. Patience against rage.

I was the first to surrender. I looked down at my sneakers.

“Sit, Aster,” Violet said. “Please.”

Despite every muscle in my body begging me to run away, I obliged. I forced myself to take the seat across from Violet’s. A cup of water had already been placed out for me, condensation from the cold drink dripping down the outside of the glass.

A waiter came by to attend to us. He swiftly took our orders, then left. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t try to make any corny small talk.

“I want to preface this by saying that I’m not expecting, or even seeking, forgiveness from you. Even though I had a valid reason for running away, it was wrong for me to leave you behind without explaining myself first.” Violet’s voice was firm and steady. As if she had practiced this speech to the point of memorization.

She continued. “Honestly, I still can’t believe that you’re sitting in front of me right now. You look so grown-up.”

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