“This one last thing is all I ask from you,” she says quietly. “End it with Violet. Do what you’re supposed to do. Break her, Ryder. Break her so hard she shatters into a million little pieces, and there will be no one left to put her back together again.”

The thought of doing that to Violet makes me sick to my stomach. “She has her sisters,” I point out. “Her father.”

“Not her father,” she says quickly. “And those selfish sisters of hers will pretend to be there for her in her time of need. But then they’ll carry on with their lives in their usual vapid ways.”

I remain silent, which makes Pilar crazy.

“We agreed,” she reminds me, her voice cold, her eyes narrowed as she points her index finger at me. “You said you wanted to ruin her. Seduce her and ruin her. Remember that night? When we talked about how much fun it would be? How we could have whatever we wanted if we got Zachary and Violet out of our way? Well, I did my part. Now it’s your turn to hold up your end of the bargain.”

“What did you do to get rid of Lawrence? He was already gone before you stepped in. And I thought you were going to get me his promotion.” I grip the back of my head with both hands, sick that we’re talking about this, that I still have to deal with this, with her.

I don’t know if I want that London position if it’s going to cost me Violet. I don’t want to hurt her. Break her into a million little pieces. If I’m the one to blame for her downfall, I definitely won’t get on Forrest Fowler’s good side.

The man will hate me. Is that Pilar’s true plan? Does she want to get rid of … all of us?

“He’s going to London, but it won’t last. He’ll come back. Trust me. I’ve already put the proper bug in someone’s ear. You’re going to get a chance at that job, too. Just you wait.” Pilar smiles, looking quite pleased with herself.

Who is she talking to if not Lawrence? I don’t get it. I don’t understand how she’s able to make these promises when she has nothing to do with them.

Unless there’s someone else she’s sweet-talking, someone on the executive board, maybe?

“I won’t ruin Violet until I have the guarantee that I’m getting that position,” I tell Pilar, my voice tight. I’m trying to rein in my anger, but it’s so fucking hard. I drop my arms to my sides, my hands clenched into fists, not that I want to take out Pilar or anything.

More like I want to take out myself. I have no one else to blame for how I ended up here.

“You’ll do it now. It’s the only way I can ensure you’ll get what you want at Fleur,” Pilar tells me. “It’s time, Ryder. Time to put your plan into action and destroy Violet completely.”

What if I don’t want to? What if I changed my mind? I can’t imagine ruining Violet. I … I fucking like her. I want to get to know her better.

Deep down inside, I want to make her mine.

“If you don’t do it, I’ll go to Violet and tell her everything you said, every last little detail, including our plans for them.” Her smile is smug. “I’ll tell her all your little secrets, too. How you used to eat scraps of food out of the Dumpsters behind restaurants. How I brought you home, cleaned you up, and you became my personal fuck toy. How you used to sell drugs. I’ll tell Forrest about you, too. If you won’t ruin her, I’ll ruin you.”

Defeat settles over me, heavy and cold. My shoulders sag. She’s the one woman who saved me. And now she holds all the power. She’s turned into the one woman who will destroy me.

“It’s your choice,” she finishes with a gleeful smile.

None of this was ever my choice. Not that she’d agree. Not that I can argue, either. I rest my hands on my hips and hang my head, my mind racing to come up with an alternative. Anything so I won’t have to do this.

I feel weak and I never do. I’m always in control. No matter what shit life threw at me, I always fought back.

For once in my life, I’m utterly defeated.

“Now let’s seal the deal. Come here and give me a kiss,” she practically purrs.

Keeping my head bent, I round the coffee table and go to her.

“You’re late,” Violet greets me as she throws open the door, a mixture of irritation and excitement written all over her pretty face.

A pretty face that I’m so glad to see, I almost sag with relief. God, she’s gorgeous. I’ve missed her. It’s been less than forty-eight hours since I saw her, but all I can think of is what a waste those last hours were when I could have been with her.

“I’m sorry.” I never say I’m sorry. Ever. Yet with Violet it’s all I seem to say. “Something came up.”

She contemplates me, looking sexy as hell in a pale blue oversized sweater and black leggings that make her legs look incredibly long. And I know for a fact those legs are long. I can’t forget how they wrapped around me while I fucked her against the very door we’re standing in front of.

I feel dirty, unworthy of entering her home, as she looks me over. I think of what just happened back at my apartment, the argument with Pilar. How I let her maul me and I placated her so I could get away from her and head over here.

Where I’m now supposed to end it with Violet in the most brutal way possible.

I don’t know if I can do it.

You promised.

Pilar’s singsong voice haunts me and I rub a hand across the back of my neck, getting irritated that Violet hasn’t let me in yet. “Am I forgiven?”