Page 19 of Ballrooms & Blackmail

They’d see it as pure weakness.

As leverage.

As something to be used up until there was nothing left of the River I know.

River who knows I like beer.

Who stress-bakes brownies.

And opened her heart to Briar in an instant.

And who lives in an apartment that’s small but is filled with so much more warmth than mine.

The thought of Lyon attention turning fully toward her makes something ugly shift beneath my ribs.

I can’t let that happen.

Which means I can’t let this happen.

I lean forward, intending to get to my feet, to get the hell out of here?—

“Here,” River murmurs, setting the bowl in front of me. “Eat,” she adds, her voice gentle in a way that I’ve never had directed at me.

And it’s so damned beautiful, so fucking wonderful…I can’t make myself move.

Not when she puts a plate of bread between our bowls.

Not when she—rightfully guesses—and sets a glass of ice water beside it.

Not when she sits across from me and orders again, just as gently,

“Eat.”

Seven

River

His face.

It’s filled with a pain that calls to the wealth of hurt inside me.

I don’t know why he’s here—or how he learned where I live.

Then again, he’s rich and has powerful connections.

I’m sure it wasn’t that hard.

“How’s Violet?” I ask when he stays still and quiet.

The pain turns to softness in a flash that has my heart squeezing. “Fine,” he says.

“Just fine?”

He lifts and drops one of those big shoulders. “She likes the gourmet salmon treats I bought her.”

I still, my spoon suspended a few inches from my mouth. “You bought her gourmet salmon treats?”

A nod. “The pet store recommended them.”