Page 18 of Violent Reign (Violent Kingdom)

I don’t get a chance to finish the sentence. There’s a knife on the table.

The knife is not supposed to be here, not within my reach. Nathan wouldn’t let that happen. This is a glaring mistake that the staff made. A carving knife, right there next to the serving dish in the center of the table. The waiter will come over and cut and serve and that’s what he’ll use.

It flashes in the light when I pick it up. Jennifer doesn’t see—she’s staring out at the crowd, looking pale and shaken. I don’t think she’ll ever look another way again. Where the hell do I put a carving knife? My garter’s the only place, which necessitates standing up and bending over, lifting the hem of the dress, slipping it in.

Jennifer puts a robot-like hand on my back. “Do you need help? Did your bustle come undone?”

“My shoes are hurting,” I tell her, and step out of them so there’s proof. The damn things hurt anyway. “I have to pee. I’ll be right back. And Jennifer?”

“Yeah?” She looks at me, head cocked to the side, eyes dead.

“Can you create a diversion? Spill some wine, break a glass—anything.”

A hint of life comes back into her expression. “Sure, Aves.”

I circle around the outside of the ballroom, but it’s not the bathroom I’m looking for. Behind me, a plate shatters on the ground, drawing gasps from the crowd. I catch a glimpse of the back of Nathan’s suit jacket rushing that way. The crowd of guests in front of me splits apart, and there, right in the center, is the guy I’m looking for.

Tyler Capulet.

He sees me coming and raises his eyebrows, but he doesn’t resist when I take a fistful of his jacket and haul him off toward one of the shadowy alcoves in the back of the ballroom. Nobody can see us here, behind a thick arch of carefully arranged flowers. And then, because I’m at my breaking point, I take the knife out of my garter and press the point to his neck.

That gets his attention. The music mixes in with the commotion behind us, but all I can see is Tyler’s stupid fucking face. “Where’s Rome? Tell me now.”

He laughs. His hand flies up faster than I expected and—fuck!—the knife goes flying. It skids across the floor and lands underneath one of the tables.

“Wow.” I let all my Capulet disdain drip from the word. “You’re so big and strong, aren’t you? So big and strong that you can’t even fuck a girl without drugging her first.”

Tyler’s hazel eyes darken and his hand comes up around my throat. His thumb forces my chin up so I have no other choice but to look into his eyes, into his horrible gritted teeth. “Listen carefully, you presumptuous little bitch. I never fucked you.” His eyes skim over my lips, my neck, his hand. “You should ask Nathan what really happened.”

I can’t get even a tiny sip of air. None. “I wanted to fuck you. Hell, I had my pants around my ankles and my dick in my hand. I know I’m a piece of shit. But I never got to have the pleasure of the deed I was accused of committing. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be the outcast of this fucked up family for something I never even did?”

He lets go, stepping back and wiping his hands off like he’s wiping away all those years of being an accused rapist. He did rape me, though. It was him. Wasn’t it?

“Don’t lie,” I hiss, tears pricking at my eyes. “You did that to me. There was blood. I could barely walk out of that room after what you did to me.”

He shakes his head forcefully. “Not from whatIdid to you.” His eyes are so damn haunted. Even the anger that oozes from him can’t cover it up.

The blood drains from my cheeks. Oh, fuck. He’s not lying. Tyler takes one step out into the ballroom and disappears into a clutch of glittering guests. A hand slides over my arm and I jump out of the alcove, straight into Nathan’s arms.

“Hey,” he says, and he’d sound affectionate if I didn’t know. If I couldn’t see the suspicion burning in his eyes. “What were you doing over here?”

Being in shock. “I—I don’t know.” The numbness starts at my heart and seeps down over the rest of my body. If it wasn’t Tyler who raped me all those years ago… who was it?

Nathan gives my shoulders a little shake, but I can’t snap myself out of it.

“You know what, wifey? I think it’s time we went home.” He puts his arm around my waist. Suddenly, I’m terrified to leave the safety of other people. Even if that safety isn’t real.

“No. People will expect us to be here. It’s the biggest reception of the year.” And I want witnesses. Give me witnesses, please, at least for a little while.

“You don’t look well, Aves,” he insists. “I’m going to get you out of here. And I’m going to take great care of you.”

Chapter Eleven

AVERY

We settleinto the back of the limo for the drive back to Nathan’s apartment. This is our last night there before we move to the Capulet mansion. There’s a humming sound in my head, like TV static.

Tyler’s hand on my throat.

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