Page 38 of Violet

“We don’t want the neighbors to call the cops,” Cash tells him calmly, raising his hands once more. Except this time, instead of casting, he shows his palms in the universal sign of surrender.

Nole glares at Cash for several heart-stopping moments. Then he grunts and shifts back.

I feel a wave of relief, which dies a sudden death when Nole spins around to face me.

“Violet,” he says my name in a way I’ve never heard before—part growl, part accusation. Then he storms toward me, and I start to tremble.

“N-Nole? W-what are you doing here? Why did you attack Cash?”

“You want to know why I attacked your secret boyfriend?” he shouts.

“Cash isn’t my secret boyfriend!” I deny, suddenly feeling the urge to flee. I’ve never been scared of Nole—not once in all the time I’ve known him—but I’ve also never seen him like this.

“I’m definitely not her secret boyfriend,” Cash says, and even though it’s exactly what I said, for some reason his words hurt. Then he zooms to the front door, closes it, locks it, and zooms across the living room at vampire speed. His movements are a blur, and it takes all of a few seconds for him to move to my side. Then he takes my hand and adds, “Violet’s my mate.”

The hurt dissipates, replaced by warmth. Warmth that dies a sudden death when Nole’s eyes zero in on our linked hands. “Mate?” he growls, his face darkening with barely contained rage.

He takes a menacing step toward me, but Cash gets in his way. One second, he’s next to me. The next, his hand is gone, and he’s standing between the bear shifter and me. I don’t even see him move.

Nole growls and shoves him aside. Cash hisses, showing teeth, and I place a gentle hand on his arm to stop whatever he’s about to do. He calms down, but it has the opposite effect on Nole.

“Every day for a year, Violet!” the bear shifter shouts, his face filled with rage. “Working next to you, telling you everything. About my mother, my brothers, my life. And this whole time, you were what? Laughing behind my back while you were screwing that guy?”

“I wasn’t. I’m not!”

“We just met yesterday,” Cash adds calmly.

Instead of looking relieved, Nole looks like he’s been slapped. “Let me get this straight. You spent a year pretending to be some old lady with me, and you met him yesterday and he’s good enough?”

“W-what—?”

“Don’t play games with me, Violet! I saw you throw yourself at him. I saw you shift!”

“Nole, no,” I hiss. “Please, keep your voice down.”

“Keep my voice down? What? Afraid someone will find out, and you’ll lose your precious job? Good to see what your priorities are.”

“Please! You’ve got it all wrong.”

“So you haven’t been going around shifting into a young girl and screwing—”

Cash flicks his wrist, and suddenly the room goes silent. Nole’s lips move, but no sound comes out. His face turns red with rage, and I think I’m going to be sick.

Cash flicks his wrist again, and the moment sound returns, I rush to explain. “Cash and I aren’t hooking up. We haven’t even kissed.” My checks flush. Because we probably would have, if it wasn’t for my wonky powers.

“Like I’d believe anything you say,” Nole snaps. “You’re a liar and—”

Cash flicks his wrist again, and everything goes silent. The moment he ends the spell, I whisper, “Nole, please. Just let me explain!”

“Explain what? That I wasn’t good enough to be your mate? That you told him, but you never told me?”

“M-mate?” I ask, gaping at him.

Nole’s only response is a scowl. “Well, I guess you really did pull the ultimate prank, Violet. My brothers would be proud. Not that they would be cruel enough to go this far.”

“It’s not a prank.” I feel my lower lip tremble.

“Really?” Nole demands, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Well, come on. Let’s see it, then.”