Page 35

I stand in the corner, iced water in hand, and distract myself by watching her. Violet’s soft blonde hair drapes over her shoulders and down her back in waves. It’s pulled half up in a bun, the shorter ringlet strands framing her face. Her ocean eyes sparkling with the holiday lights around the bar. She’s wearing a dress that matches the plum purple lipstick I bought her. It’s open over her shoulders, but the lace that covers her shoulders and neck disguises my mark on her. She stands at the bar with Pru and Dean. The latter dares to flirt with her as if I won’t fulfil my promise of breaking his hands if he touches her. I’m only here now because my heart is pounding, and if I get too close to her when I’m like this, who knows what I’ll do. Everyone is here, and I’m not ready to go public with her yet.

“Hey!” Cal dances over to me through the crowd, arms in the air pumping to the beat of the music. “Today’s the day, brother!” he pats me on the shoulder with a little too much enthusiasm. The energy in this room is already overstimulating.

“Oh yeah? What day is that?”

“The day I make her mine,” he says, nodding towards the girls, or, just Pru. Violet’s gone missing.

“You’re too young for her, man.” She’s my age, so only two years older than Cal. She’s in this stupid registration program, too. So, she will be married off in a few years if she doesn’t meet someone on her own. But I can’t see her saying yes to anyone younger than her; she has a thing for older men.

“No way! I’ll show her exactly what she wants. Me!” Cal brushes past me, then leans back, lowering his voice. “And if I am too young for her, she’s too young for you.” He smirks, I give him a shove forward, and he struts over to Pru.

I’m impressed. A few words, and he has her smiling. He leans toward her ear, and she turns to hide her face. It takes a lot to make her blush. What the hell did he say to her?

Scanning the room, there’s no sight of my purple princess. I walk to the bar, nodding to Dean to come over. He hooks elbows with a girl over the counter, eats a lime from her fingers, and they both take a shot before he strides over.

“Where did V go?” I ask when he leans over. He’s drunk, speaking far louder than he needs to.

“You’re slllacking on your staalker responsibilllities.” He laughs. I grab him by the shoulder and pinch down hard.

“Ah ah ah okay, okay. Prick. She went out back with Lazeroff.”

I shove him back and make my way to the door leading to the back rooms. My heart is pounding in my ears, and my temperature is rising. That fucker can’t have any good reason to be alone with her.

I hear the crowd cheering, ‘hot chef! Hot chef!’ as the door closes behind me.

Marcus Lazeroff is the son of my father’s right-hand man. He is every ounce as vile. He struts around with a pretty boy attitude, beloved and desired by many. But any time I’ve been alone with him, I am left with a rotten taste in my mouth and one thought. Snake.

Although I’m sure snake tastes better than this fucker.

The back hall is dark and quiet. Here are dressing rooms, the music room, a janitorial closet. I stride slowly, keeping my ears sharp. But when I hear her, I certainly don’t have to try.

“I said no!” Violet shrieks come from a door ahead, the music room, and I run to it, ramming my shoulder full force, breaking the door wide open.

Marcus shoots a glare over his shoulder, and my eyes dart to Violet. My rage explodes when I take in the sight of her trapped beneath him on the hard floor, folding her arms to cover her bare chest where Marcus sliced her bodice. Tears streaming down her velvet-smooth cheek.

I reach Marcus in two strides, grip his collar, and lift him to stand. Then grabbing his neck, I slam his face against the wall. Once. Twice. Three times. Violet gasps as she scrambles to get up and hide somewhere behind me. Marcus sputters against the wall, blood painting his face and dripping down his neck. I lean in to his ear while I hold him steady against the wall, my grip around his neck, a threat.

“Do not touch her, do not look at her. If you see her in a room you turn right around and leave. Do you understand?” I emphasize my question with a squeeze, pinching his airway a tad. My list is already long, but I wouldn’t mind adding this fucker to my to-do.

Silence. Not good enough. Lifting his head, I slam his face against the wall again.

“Do you understand?” I grit the words through my teeth.

“Yes! I understand,” he grits back. Prick. I grab his arm and spin him around, and his stumbles out the door when I toss him.

When I turn to Violet I swallow. Her eyes are wide, her tears smeared against her cheek. Shit, she looks scared. I take a few deep breaths, then approach her slowly. Pushing away the rage coursing through my veins.

Had I been any later… I know exactly what he would do.

Her chest rises and falls as she tries to calm herself, her arms tight around her chest to hold her dress together. I’ve seen her naked plenty of times, but it should never happen like this.

I swallow; her dignity is more important than my secrets. I bite my cheek so hard the skin breaks, then I lift my shirt over my head and help her slip it on. I still have a white tank top on as a first layer, but it does nothing to hide my body on its own.

Violet takes a step toward me, rises on her toes, and kisses my jaw. Her hands grab my chest, my waist. Her eyes widen, and I know there’s no more hiding this from her. She looks down, her fingers moving lightly over my stomach. Over my scars. Her touch sends a shock through me, her fingers soft as they move over the ridges and bumps on my skin.

“What happened?” She questions, her voice barely audible.

“Shh” I soothe, cupping her face in my hands. “This didn’t happen today,” I say, kissing her once before taking her hand to guide her back home.