Indeed, she’d gotten ahead of herself once again, blurting the words without much thought. But then, how much thought was appropriate for such decisions? They’d already done all the things lovers did. Did it not come down to whether they wanted to do it again or not?
Violet had never been so conflicted in her life. Mad, sad, overly glad that he hadn’t accepted her proposition to be her lover. Which made no sense whatsoever, and she was aware of that. A person could not simultaneously want something and be relieved to have been denied it, could they? Except apparently, she could, because what she had wanted was not merely a word. Not merely the title.
What she had wanted . . .
Urgh.
Was a moot point now.
She was not so ignorant as to believe lovers shared every truth. Except she wanted a partnership founded on openness, on trust freely given. Perhaps Drake sensed that in her. Perhaps that was why he’d opted for vague deflection. For what if all he could ever offer was a portion of himself, the rest kept carefully, deliberately, in shadow? And what about her? Could she expect him to trust her if she couldn’t bring herself to be truthful? Honestly, she was now certain the man was looking for the identity of the Bulldog, which she’d known all along.
A dungeon awaited her if he discovered the truth though, didn’t it?
Persephone, at least, had been offered a throne alongside her chains.
The thought stopped her cold. Wasthatwhat she truly wanted? A throne next to his?
“What has you so down,petite fleur?”
Violet glanced at the man who’d sidled up to her, taking a seat next to her. She pulled a face. “Will it get back to your brother if I tell you?”
The man arched a brow. “Someone is in a mood today,petite fleur.”
“Stop calling me little flower,” Violet scolded. “I am not.”
“You look pretty little to me.”
She lifted her chin, regarding this Fury. “As I told your brother once, some flowers have teeth and they bite.” Some were poisonous, too.
He tossed his head back and laughed. “You are a spirited one, aren’t you? I thought you would have demanded your release by now.”
“Am I a captive?” Violet retorted, even knowing the answer was not as simple as yes or no.
He shrugged. “Depends on the perspective.”
She snorted. Exactly. “Well, given that I am still here, I suppose the danger hasn’t passed.”
He grinned, then taunted devilishly, “The danger is locked in our dungeon. You know something about that, don’t you?”
Coldness swept through her. Did he know? Blazes, please tell her he didn’t know! She wasn’t ready to face the truth yet. Deflect! Calmly. “If you are referring to the time I locked your brother in a dungeon, I suppose I do.”
His smile slipped and said flatly. “You locked Drake in a dungeon?”
Violet slowly arched a brow, mentally patting herself on the shoulder for keeping her cool. “You didn’t know?”
“Well, cock on a duck.”
Cock on a what? In any event, it appeared Drake kept everyone in the dark about certain matters, not just her. Which rather exposed how foolish she’d been to think that taking her to the one place his brothers did not know about had meant anything at all. It was simply another convenience. Another means to an end.Shewas just another means to an end, which would explain his reaction to the prospect of a lover. Anything more than a means to an end became an inconvenience, didn’t it?
“Wait,” Violet said. “What do you mean by the danger is locked in your dungeon? Did you capture some of those bandits?”
“Drake didn’t tell you?” He snorted. “The man is full of damn secrets. We have the two who tried to kill him. Your brute is with them at this very moment.”
“I see.” Violet returned her attention to her tea. He hadn’t told her. She understood. He had no obligation to inform her. And given the awkward way they’d parted, why would he? Herbiggest concern now, if they’d caught her brother’s bandits... Did the one who’d stabbed Drake recognize her?
“Do you wish to see for yourself?” a new voice interjected.
Violet turned along with Reaper.
