After I pay and give the clerk the address to my office, I search for Violet. Her eyes are haunted as she stares straight ahead. She’s stiff-shouldered and her skin is pale.

What the fuck?

I stalk over to her and kneel right in front of her. Her pretty brown eyes are lost. Those plump pink lips are positively kissable, but she’s in a zone. Trapped in a memory. I know far too well how that feels. It fucking sucks.

I cradle her face with my palms and tilt her head to look at me. “Violet, sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

Her eyes shimmer with tears, and a sound of despair groans from her throat. Without thinking, I press a kiss to her cheek and then her nose. Then to her forehead against a pale white scar. When I drag my nose against hers, her breath hitches. Our mouths are so close to kissing it makes me crazy.

“Gray,” she murmurs, her voice so damn soft.

I pull away and regard her with a frown. “What just happened?”

Her entire body shudders as shame crosses over her features. She darts her gaze past me while she worries her lip between her teeth. “Nothing.”

Fucking liar.

I refrain from rolling my eyes.

Instead, I indulge her.

“Okay,” I say with a sigh. “Let’s go grab some lunch.”

She doesn’t balk when I take her hand in mine and guide her out of the store. I want to take her someplace nice but the nicest place at the mall is a Mexican restaurant. Thankfully, they find us a round booth in the back corner away from everyone. I’m able to sit close to her with my hand still clutching hers.

I hate how zoned out she is. Whatever her past holds, I intend on shaking it out so I can inspect it. Someone hurt her. And I will hurt that someone.

It isn’t until after I’ve ordered our food and drinks that she seems to snap out of it. Her hand tries to pull from mine, but I grip it.

“You’re okay,” I assure her and give her hand a squeeze. “You’re safe now.”

Her eyes dart to mine and her cheeks blaze red. “Oh my God. I am so sorry for that.”

“Panic attack?”

She bites on her bottom lip and shrugs. “Something like that.”

I let out a heavy sigh and reach forward for a tortilla chip. “Friends open up to one another.”

This time, she’s the one letting out a heavy breath. “Some things are better left locked up in the past. Some monsters belong there.”

I’ll free her monsters.

Because once they’re free, I can find them and kill them.

“What’s his name?” I probe.

She shudders and jerks her hand from my grasp. “He was nobody.”

“He was somebody. I have a sneaking suspicion he’s the reason you go to great lengths to protect yourself. That shitty cash-only apartment is one of those ways.”

Her body stiffens. “Vaughn.”

The name on her lips is like ice. Cold and bitter. Whoever this Vaughn fucker is has hurt her badly. I need to know how he hurt her so I can fix it.

“Was he your boyfriend?”

She darts her head toward the rest of the restaurant and skims the growing lunch crowd as if she’s searching for someone. When she doesn’t find said person, her body relaxes.

“Ex, yeah. Things didn’t go well toward the end.”

I want to ask her more but don’t want to sour our date. “Do you have any family?”

My sudden change of subject has her jerking her head up. Tears swim in her eyes and her bottom lip quivers. “My mom.”

I smile at her. “Feel free to elaborate.”

She smirks, and I’m glad to see her mood lighten. “She gave birth to me.”

“Smartass,” I growl.

A cute laugh escapes her. She grabs for a chip and shrugs again. “I don’t know. She’s just Mom. Works at a diner back home. I love her and miss her dearly. Haven’t seen or spoken to her in years.”

“Did you have a falling out?” I probe.

She bites the chip and shakes her head. “More complicated than that. I just wanted her to be happy. And with me”—she sighs—“it was impossible.”

I can tell she doesn’t want to talk about it because she starts babbling about some real estate news she read about this morning in the paper. I focus on her face. A storm brews in her brown eyes, but she keeps it at bay, her face a picture of calm. Those juicy lips move rapidly as she speaks, and I want them. All over my body. Between my teeth especially.

My gaze drops to her slender throat. I imagine suckling the flesh there and turning the cream to crimson. Would she pant softly or moan my name? My cock throbs in my pants. One day I will have her. But my Violet is like a frightened stray. I need to feed her with affection and gain her trust before I slap a collar on her and declare her mine.

“So what does Gwen do for a living?”

I jolt from my daze and scowl. “She’s an artist.”

Her brown eyes light up with excitement. “Really? That’s amazing.”

I down my water glass to keep the violent words from spewing. “Yep,” is all I manage.

“Now look who’s being vague and strange,” she admonishes softly. When her palm rests on my thigh, I stiffen. Everywhere.

I turn to look at her, and she stares at me with an expectant look. “Gwen has issues.”

She frowns, and I like the way her forehead crinkles between her brows. It makes me want to rub the wrinkles away with my thumb until it’s smooth again so I can kiss it.

“Feel free to elaborate,” she throws back at me with a smirk.

“She’s a lot like our mother. Mom is clinically depressed.” And clinically insane. “The depression bleeds into all aspects of her life.”

Her eyes dart over my face in confusion. “But she’s so sweet and…” Her nostrils flare. “Normal.”

A harsh laugh escapes me. “Is she?”

We’re silent for a moment before I rest my hand on hers that still sits on my thigh. “She’s on one of her highs right now. The lows are dark and abysmal and fucking scary.”

Understanding flashes in her eyes. “I suffered from depression years ago.”

I quirk up a brow and my full attention is back on her. Her cheeks and throat have turned pink again. “After him?” I ask.

She gives me a clipped nod before turning her head back to the increasingly crowded restaurant. Her gaze sweeps the room for a moment before she looks down at her lap. “He did a number on me.”

White-hot anger surges through me and it takes everything in me not to slam my fist on the table. I hate this fuck, whoever he is. I’ll find him. Until then, I’ll find out what I can about him from her.

“You’re safe now,” I assure her. I fucking dare him to even look at her.

She snorts and her tone is cold. “I will never be safe.”

I’m about to drill her with more questions, but the server brings us a giant sizzling plate of chicken and steak fajitas to share. The rest of lunch is light and easy as we share not only food but also laughs.

Once lunch is over, and we’re walking back to the car, she lets me hold her hand again. I know I told her we’d be friends but I can barely refrain from pushing her up against the closest wall, tearing a hole in her yoga pants, and fucking her until we offend everyone at the mall.

My cock likes this image because it thickens in my slacks. I swear all I do is get hard in her presence.

“I can’t believe the weekend is nearly over,” she groans once we’re back on the road. “My boss is a real prick.”

I smirk and shoot her a smoldering stare. “I bet you’ll find that once you get to know him, he’s not so bad.”

I don’t miss her smile before my attention is back on the road. She lets out a sigh and stares out the window. I like how serene she is right now. Most of the time, she’s wound up tight. But not now. Now, she’s relaxing and letting me look after her. As it should be.

“Do you want to change before we go to my house?”

She laughs. “Am I really coming over?”

“As if you have any choice in the matter. Once Gwen and Gray Maxwell hook their claws into you, you can’t get away,” I tease. “Friends aren’t really our thing so when we make one, we don’t like to let go.”

Her chuckle is sweet, but I can tell she likes the idea of being our friend. I like the idea of my cock deep inside her wet cunt better. Baby steps.

Once outside her ghetto building, she runs upstairs. While she’s gone, I pull up the Internet on my phone and start scouring the web for anything to do with Vaughn. Without a last name, I’m helpless. I’m still grumbling fifteen minutes later when Violet returns. Her brown hair is down and even the glum rain clouds can’t take away her shininess. The gold strands in her hair glisten and sparkle just like her. My gaze falls to the scoop neck of her dress. She wears a leather jacket over the jade-colored dress. Her black boots and tights complete the sexy look. Her eyes are darker with mascara and her pretty lips shimmer.

My cock aches for attention, but she’s stolen the show. I can’t look away from her. She pops open the door and laughs.

“Take a picture. It’ll last longer.”

Don’t mind if I do.

I’ll wait until you’re asleep and naked, though.

* * *

The girls chat on the sofa as the game drones on. My gaze is fixated on Violet as she chomps on some pretzels. Gwen came through and made enough food for an army. I’d be annoyed about her wasting so much food except that cooking is something that draws her out of her rooms. Those rooms are a chain keeping her from total freedom. When she cooks, she’s free for a little while.

My phone buzzes, jerking my attention from my woman.

Bull: That fumble was bullshit.

I barely register that the football game is on.

Me: I slept under her bed.

His response is immediate.

Bull: WTF. You have issues.

I snort and my eyes find Violet’s. She’s drawn her attention from my sister’s babbling to regard me curiously. I flash her a panty-melting grin that makes her throat flush red. When she turns back to Gwen, I reply to Bull.

Me: She’s so fucking beautiful. I’m going to make her mine soon.

Bull: Fuck.

I dart my eyes back over to her and my gaze lingers on her creamy thighs that are visible now that her dress has ridden up. I’m dying to taste her there—to taste her everywhere.

Bull: Maybe you should call Elisha. You’re losing touch here.

I grumble and tap out my response.

Me: Elisha is nothing compared to her. Nobody is.

Bull: Why can’t you just date her like a normal person? Is it necessary to stalk her?

Me: I’m trying. And until then, yes.

She stands and asks Gwen where the bathroom is. Gwen directs her, and I stare after my woman as she walks away. Her ass is round and fucking delectable in her dress.

Bull: You do realize if she ever finds out, you’re fucked. Like seriously fucked. Like you could lose your company and go to jail fucked.

I smirk.

Me: She’s worth getting fucked over.

He responds with the hand flipping the bird emoji. Gwen starts cleaning up her mess in the kitchen, so I stand and shove my phone into my pocket. I stalk down the hallway because I want to steal a moment alone with Violet. She’s been teasing me in her sexy little dress all night. But when I approach the bathroom, the door is ajar and she’s not inside.

Fuck.

I rush into my room first because I worry I’ve left my chest open. Once I realize it’s still locked, but she’s not there, dread fills my chest.

Oh, God, no.

I take off down the hall to the other side of the house. The side I never want Violet to see. No other woman I’ve ever brought home has dared leave my bedroom or the living room. They were there for one reason only. But since Violet is here “as friends,” I guess she’s taken it upon herself to explore.

“Violet,” I holler as I stalk down the long hallway of my giant house. There’s a reason why Gwen stays on the other side. When I near her rooms, the stench hits me. I hardly ever come over here, and the housekeeper has been forbidden to step foot past my bedroom. Bile creeps in my throat when I find that one of the doors is open. Her bedroom. The fucking worst.

I pull my shirt up to cover my nose and mouth. Violet stands just inside the doorway. Her entire body is frozen stiff as she stares.

“Fuck.”