Chapter 15
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Violet
I ’m lying in the warm cozy shade of an oak; the smell soothes, slows my heart down from galloping to an almost steady beat.
“She’s ice cold,” a deep voice says. “Did she eat today?”
“Oh my goodness, Mr. Ashford, you’re a hero,” Mom breathes. “A real hero.”
Heath grumbles something I can’t make out.
“O.M.G.!” Rue’s there too. Her flurry of words flies over me. “You missed Vi’s crash and burn, Iris and Mari! It was awesome, wasn’t it, Dahlia?”
“You moved so fast. You caught her right before she hit the floor.” My mom chatters to Stephan almost like she’s channeling Rue.
It rushes back to me. I was at the lunch with the other Omegas and their mothers in town. There were snide comments about my dress at the ball, about the Stitch posts suggesting Stephan and I have been sneaking away to private places to do un-Luxe-like things.
And then I…fainted?
No.
I’m home. The lunch isn’t why I fainted.
“Ohh.”
My eyes open, and I see Stephan first, his honey-brown eyes full of worry. Real worry. He’s hovering over me, arm under my head. Next, I see Heath, who’s standing nearby, hair a mess from raking his fingers through it too many times. Mom’s there, along with every one of my sisters. I’m surrounded.
I try to scramble to my feet, but Stephan’s quick to put his other arm under my knees, scoop me up like a child, and carry me over to a chair. Someone presses a glass of iced tea into my hand.
“For your blood sugar,” Iris says, then leans in close.
“I fainted,” I whisper to her. “I never faint.”
“Full-on panic attack, Vi,” she whispers back. “Drink.”
I attempt a sip, but my stomach is twisted into a tight knot. I’m so embarrassed.
“Feeling better?” my brother asks.
I nod.
“Mom, can you get everyone out?” Heath asks. “If Stephan is going to court Vi, I need to speak to them both. Privately. So close the door.”
For a moment I think Mom’s going to insist on staying, but then she ushers my sisters out.
When it’s just us, worry streaks through me. I don’t know how much Stephan has told Heath, or if he’s told him anything at all. But I don’t want to ruin our plan.
“Before the Hargrave House party,” Heath says, looking a little gray, like the fainting might be contagious, “there are some things we have to get straight. First—Vi, you didn’t answer Stephan when he asked if you’re interested in him courting you. Are you?”
“I…am,” I say, still a little shaky.
Heath shakes his head, as if he’s surprised by my answer. “Okay then. So, the rules.” He turns to Stephan. “You do this the right way. No dates without a chaperone. Never alone. We don’t need any more bad rumors going around than there already are. Hand-holding is allowed. A kiss on the hand or cheek is fucking pushing it.”
“Heath!” I gasp.
“Touch her in any way, defile her, and I’ll kill you. Do you understand me? I don’t care that you’re my friend. I’ll destroy you.”
I know my brother is serious. Dead serious. I know he’s protective over all of us, but I’ve never seen him so aggressive.
“Most important of all, Violet is allowed to be courted by others if she so chooses, and when she’s made her decision on a mate, you have to step back, Stephan.”
“You say that as if there’s no chance she’ll pick me,” Stephan says.
“Violet’s smart. She’s not going to put up with your bullshit,” he replies. “So let’s just say I’ll be very, very surprised if this—whatever this is—gets past two dates.”
“Heath,” I start. I don’t understand where all this animosity is coming from. “He’s your friend. ”
“You’re right. Two dates may be too much, actually.”
Scowling, Stephan steps toward him. “Hey, you know me. You know that when it comes to stuff like this, I don’t fuck around.”
“Yes, I do know you. And I know that fucking around is all you’ve been doing lately. I refuse to let you hurt my sister and mess up her chance at real happiness.”
A growl rumbles in Stephan’s chest, and suddenly his scent fills the room as his annoyance inflates. “Fuck you, Gardener. If you cared anything about your sister’s happiness, you’d let her make her own decisions, live her own life, without the pressures of what society says.”
Coming over to me, he takes my hand and places a light kiss on the back of it. My heart flutters. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, Princess.” Then with one more hard look at my brother, he storms out of the study, leaving me and Heath alone.
“Princess?” Heath asks me in the tense silence. “What the hell is that about?
I wince. What am I getting myself into?