He heard her apprehension, knew what she feared. “No. I planned on killing him once I found a way to dissolve the bond with Vivian, but I never would have allowed him to hurt you the way he did.”
The guard closest to him took a few more hesitant steps backward.Good, Roman thought. Every person in his kingdom should fear him where his mate was concerned.
“How many people have you hurt because of me?” Violet rasped. Her tone suggested condemnation of his behavior, but her eyes told a different story. The black of her pupils ate the blue of her irises, and her lids drooped slightly.
He tried not to smile, he really did. He invaded her space further, leaving nothing between them, and wrapped his hand around the side of her neck. “Hurt or killed, princess?”
“Oh my gods,” she breathed.
“You areeverythingto me.” Leaning down, he dropped his mouth to hers. “I will soak the earth beneath your feet with the blood of anyone who disrespects you.” Roman straightened and spun to look at the small crowd. “I would lay my life down for this kingdom and any of you.” He ushered a still-stunned Violet forward. “Except when it comes to your queen. I would not hesitate to make a necklace of your bones if she’d only ask.”
He expected abject horror, but he saw none. His warriors and the few guards who stood around merely answered with variations of their understanding and respect.
* * *
Violet wondered how hot hell was because it would surely be her eternal resting place for the thrill that ran through her at Roman’s declaration.
He’d scared off the boys in school. All these years she’d thought it was something about her they hadn’t liked, but it’d been Roman’s doing.
It should infuriate her.
He’d killed Dominic.
It should horrify her.
It should make her feel a lot of things.
More in love than ever shouldn’t be one of them.
35
“I told you she wanted you,” Violet said, smugness sneaking into her irritated tone.
“How was I supposed to know she thought I wanted her when I’d never said that?” he asked, perplexed. Never once had he given Marissa any indication he wanted anything more than friendship with her. Friendship was pushing it. She worked for him.
His stomach clenched uncomfortably. He’d had her follow Violet to protect her. Would she have intentionally allowed someone to hurt Violet? The thought stopped him cold.
Violet halted beside him and shook his hand clasped in hers. “Hey,” she said softly, “I’m not mad at you. Irritated at your obliviousness, yes, but not mad. I know you’d never betray me that way.”
Looking into Violet’s eyes, his fear and anger subsided. “I can deal with your anger, but I can’t deal with the thought of you being hurt because I trusted the wrong person.” Her head tilted in question.How many confessions will I make today?“Before you left to travel, I had Marissa follow you during the day when I couldn’t to ensure your safety.”
Violet paled. “You hadherfollow me?”
Maybe he should have lied; one time in their entire lives wasn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things. “I wanted you safe.”
“You could have assigned anyone else,” she protested. “She is more likely to kill me than save me.”
Roman’s body tensed as if ready to strike. “I thought I could trust her. She’d proven herself trustworthy. I had no idea she would fall in love with me.” Violet’s mouth set in a hard line, and he smirked. “Can you blame her?”
His mate’s nostrils flared, and she tried to pull her hand from his. When that didn’t work, she whacked him in the gut with her left hand. “It is not the time to joke. I want her sent out of the capital.”
Roman pressed his lips together. If he sent Marissa’s body out of the capital, it wouldn’t be a lie to promise Violet her request.
Slender fingers thumped him on the forehead. “What is that look?”
Sighing, he lifted her hand to his lips for a kiss. “Princess, I can’t let her live.”
“What is wrong with you?” Violet gasped. “Gods, Roman, as much as I love you, I cannot condone killing people for disrespecting me. I already have to live with Dominic’s death on my conscience.”
