Hmm,one daydidn’t really fit in with his plans. His new and improved plans. Perhaps if a child wasn’t involved, he could extend his preferred deadline for marriage, but if there was… itwas going to be welcomed into the world with his name on the birth certificate, into a family bound with love, trust, and the damned ring.
He’d lost her once through stupidity.
Through his own desire to control the situation as best he could.
Never again was he going through anything like the past two years; Violet needed security, safety, to know she was loved beyond all else, and he was going to give it all to her come hell or high water.
But for now…
This was enough.
Violet
Two days later, she couldn’t decide if she’d made yet another disastrous mistake.
For two nights, she’d slept in the same bed as Reaux, careful not to touch him even as her body attempted several times to instigate some kind of connection. In all fairness, he’d respectedher restraint, keeping his hands to himself, as well as that phenomenal dick she craved.
Her mood reflected her inner turmoil, and she was on the verge of verbally decapitating someone or dragging Reaux into the dungeon to punish him for his part in denying her what she damn wellneeded. It felt like she was losing her mind, torn between keeping him at arm’s length and needing him as close as he could physically manage.
Despite her internal turmoil, she’d abided by her new rules—she kept her mouth shut before any insults slipped out… well, most of them; Reaux made it so damn easy for her sometimes. She was more accommodating, open to sharing her personal space.
In some respects, it felt similar to what they’d had before.
In others, it was awkwardly different.
She’d caught him a few times with those beautiful eyes lingering on her belly, full of profound longing and hope. It didn’t take a genius to understand where his thoughts were; when it came to the idea of being a father, he was obviously all in.
Violet grimaced, thinking of her own father. Returning to Louisiana meant telling her family she was home, and that was the least attractive prospect of all. They didn’t know about her career, wouldn’t approve of it, and if she went back pregnant, single, unmarried… well, Reaux might just find himself staring down the barrel of her father’s shotgun.
Of course, he wouldn’t mind—he’d strut to the preacher with a smug smile on his face and a cocky hitch in his step.
The way things were at the moment, she was the one who’d be poked down the aisle with the gun; her father was traditional, old-school, and hell would rule on earth before his daughter gave birth to a bastard.
“—to Violet. I repeat, earth to Violet.”
Disorientated, she lifted her gaze to meet Merrick’s calm, amused stare. “Huh?”
“Real succinct there, Mistress. Ready to finish the conversation, or do you need to continue with your nap?”
“Oh, bite me.”
“Think Boudreaux’s the man for that job. He’s been eating you up from across the room for about ten minutes now. I figured you were getting laid on the regular, but judging by the way he’s walking, the guy’s got blue balls.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That’s a personal observation coming from you, Merrick.”
Huge shoulders shrugged. “Callin’ it like I see it. Don’t look as tired and washed out as you did a few days ago. The air’s different between you two now, not as strained, more… peaceful. There’s still some unresolved tension, mind you.”
Oh, didn’t she know it. It was emanating from her side of the line, that shimmer of distrust and uneasiness. If it was visible, she imagined it as a thick, corded cable tying her to Reaux, glowing gold at its strongest, wavering to shades of red and black at its weakest.
The bar was quiet for mid-afternoon. Most of the Masters were working, club guests were either playing or next door in the restaurant. Jonah was manning the bar for the few clients lounging in the seats, and Tamsyn was noticeably absent on a socialization playdate with Callie and Sierra, much to her horror.
“Maybe we resolved a couple of issues,” Violet said carefully. “I swallowed some of my anger and pride. Reaux made some valid points and his explanation was… reasonable.”
“Did it ease the hurt?”
“Some, I guess. I have a better comprehension of what he was thinking, why he did what he did. I just… what we had was so strong, so resilient, until that point. Then it fractured, shattered.Nothing that broken can ever be fixed again the way that kind of trust needs to be.”
Merrick pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Nope.”
