Julian finally opened the box and held it out to show me. The ring inside was stunning. A deep green emerald surrounded by small diamonds, set in what looked like platinum or white gold.
“This ring belonged to my grandmother Helen,” Julian said. “She wore it for sixty-three years, through every challenge life threw at her and my grandfather.” He paused. “She left it to me, and she said I'd know when I found the right person to give it to.”
He took the ring from the box and held it between us.
“I found her,” he said, eyes locked on mine. “I foundyou. And I love you more than anything.”
The chamber was absolutely silent. I could hear my own heartbeat, my own breathing. Could feel the weight of all those watching eyes.
“Violet Jayne Calloway,” Julian said, voice steady and sure. “Will you be my wife?”
My mind whirled as I considered my response.
I thought of my sister first, who'd stood in a motel room last October, excited and in love, waiting for Roman to find her. Who'd trusted her best friend and paid for it with her life. Who'd never get to wear a white dress or say yes to the man she loved.
Then I thought of the fear I’d felt all those months ago. Of being stalked and hunted. Of fleeing through those woods in utter terror while Julian pursued me.
But then I thought about how he'd protected me for months, risking his own life. How he'd given me space when I needed it and shown up when I asked.
I thought of how he respected me now. How he'd never once tried to control me or diminish me. How he looked at me like I was his equal, not just a possession. How he loved me so damn much, and how I loved him just as fiercely.
When I transferred to BHU four months ago, I was only looking for answers about Cal's death, and I'd planned to finish my degree and move back to California afterward. Find a normal job and live a normal life.
So all ofthiscertainly wasn’t the life I’d planned.
But…it was the life I'd chosen.
I'd chosen it when I stayed after passing the first trial, and I'd chosen it when I passed the second one too. I'd chosen it every day for the past few months as I learned to navigate this world of power and secrets. And I was choosing it now.
“Yes,” I said, lifting my chin high.
The word echoed in the chamber, and Julian's expression instantly transformed. Relief and joy and something fiercer; something possessive and triumphant.
He slid the ring onto my finger. Then he pulled me into his arms and kissed me in front of the entire Club.
The chamber was erupting in applause when we finally broke apart, breathless and grinning.
Julian's forehead rested against mine. “Thank you,” he murmured, bringing one hand up to cup my face. “For choosing this. For choosingus.”
My smile grew even wider, and I kissed him again. Around us, the Dionysus Club kept celebrating, but somehow it felt likeit was just us in this moment. Just Julian and me and the future we were building together.
A future that was undeniably ours.
49
Violet
Seven monthslater
“I can't believeyou'll be married in under twenty-four hours,” Ginny said, shaking her head as she raised her glass of wine. “Like, actuallymarried. At twenty-one.”
I smiled. “Tell me about it,” I said, lifting my own glass. “Sometimes I can barely believe it myself.”
We were at The Cove, the same bar we'd come to almost a year ago when I first transferred to BHU. Back then, Cherry had been here too, laughing and drinking and pretending to be my friend while hiding the fact that she'd murdered my sister. Now it was just the four of us. Jeremiah, Dylan, Ginny, and me. The way it should’ve been from the start.
“I just can’t believe you’re marrying Julian Valcourt. The guy I once described as a straight-up psychopath,”Jeremiah said, arching a brow. “Although… I have to admit, I was pretty wrong about him. We all were.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said. “Cherry was constantly lying and manipulating everyone into thinking Roman was a bornand bred psychopath. Part of that involved throwing the entire Valcourt family under the bus and making it seem like they’re all psychopathic assholes. Julian included.”
