Roman snatched the paper from her and froze. Without reading the letter, he dropped it to the floor and grabbed her hand to inspect it. “The paper didn’t cut you, did it? I didn’t mean to grab it like that.”
A surprised laugh bubbled out of her. “I’m fine, butyouwon’t be when you read that note.” She forced back a new onslaught of tears.
Roman picked up the discarded letter and scanned the contents, his face contorting with fury. “How could he do this to you?” He wrinkled the paper in his fist, violence rippling off him in waves. “I will fucking kill him for what he’s done to you.”
Violet leaned forward and took the crinkled paper. Smoothing it out, she held it in front of him. “Whattheydid tous. He left with Vivian.”
Roman pushed the letter away. “You think I care your sister left?”
Violet tried to make sense of his response but came up short. “Um, yes? If your bond no longer exists, then theymarried. Yourmatemarriedsomeone else.” Right before their wedding. What a fucking bitch.
“And she will lose her head for her crimes,” he said stoically.
She blanched. “You can’t kill her.”
The prince took back the paper and folded it neatly to place in his pocket. “Yes, I can. She committed treason, and so did Titus. Theywilldie for what they’ve done.” Violet shook her head, and he cupped both sides of her face. “What they’ve done to you isunforgivable.”
She ripped her face from his hands. “They’re assholes,” she agreed, “and right now I hate them, but I don’t want them to die.”
The tender look Roman afforded her took her aback. “For you, I’ll let them live, but they cannot go unpunished.”
It was the best she could ask for. As far as Violet knew, a royal mate bond had never been severed, and she didn’t know what it meant for the future. “Thank you.”
A knock on the door made her jump back into Roman’s arms. “It’s just my mother and War,” he soothed and picked her up.
Violet wiggled as he stalked to the front room. “Let me down,” she ordered. He obediently lowered her feet to the ground. Straightening her dress and wiping her nose, she hastened to the front door to open it.
Queen Sarah took one look at her face and gasped. “Is Vivian dead?”
Roman’s chest pressed to Violet’s back. “No. She married Violet’s boyfriend.”
The queen gasped again and looked between Violet and Roman. “How do you know?”
Roman reached into his pocket and held out Titus’ note. The queen skimmed the contents and raised her shocked gaze to theirs. “Oh, honey.” She wrapped Violet in a motherly embrace, squeezing the life out of her. “I am so sorry. We’ll kil—”
“No,” Roman interrupted her, and they shared a silent exchange.
War nudged the side of Violet’s leg, and she released Roman’s mother to squat beside him. He nuzzled her face with his giant head, purring loudly.
She encircled his massive neck with her arms, reminiscent of the day in the woods when she’d broken down over Dominic. Did War remember that day too? A dam within Violet broke, and loud sobs wracked her body.
Roman pried her away from War, lifted her effortlessly into his arms, and carried her into her room.
* * *
After Violet cried herself to sleep, Roman reluctantly released her and crept out of the room.
“Honey, are you alright?” his mother asked when he entered the living room. She reached for him and pulled him into a hug. “I know seeing her hurt hurts you.”
He freed himself from her arms and held both of her shoulders. “She refuses to let me kill them.”
His mother’s mouth turned down. “Why?”
Roman shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’ll not upset her more.”
Violet might not want him to kill them, but that didn’t mean they would get off without punishment. He would send Ares on a scouting mission to find them.
His mother nodded curtly. “If that’s what my sweet girl wants.”
