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"Fine," Violet said, but not without stepping away from Roman.

Why was he so touchy-feely with her? It felt good—too good—and that was exactly the problem. He was messing with her head, and making her feel things she had no business feeling.

Roman didn’t follow after her this time. He simply stood there, waiting patiently as if he already knew she’d come to the conclusion he wanted.

Violet told him. "I’ll leave the Cardinal Alphas."

Roman smirked, looking far too satisfied. "I knew you were a smart one."

"But only on one condition."

The smirk on Roman’s lips thinned in an instant, and he muttered under his breath, "And I knew you weren’t going to make it easy either." He ran a hand down his face and sighed. "Fine. What’s your condition? State it."

Violet didn’t hesitate.

"Get Elsie off our backs. She is not to touch me, nor my roommates. Keep your bitch on a leash. That is my condition."

Whatever happiness Roman had felt at first vanished. His jaw ticked as he rolled his shoulders back, cracking his neck stiffly. For the first time that night, his expression looked pained.

"You know that’s a tall order. Elsie’s had it out for you from day one."

Violet stepped up to him, tilting her head up with a sharp glare. "And getting Asher to stay away from me isn’t hard? You know that too."

A muscle in Roman’s jaw twitched. Violet saw it and so she pressed her advantage. "If Elsie’s after me, I’m not stupid enough to let go of Asher, who at least shields me from your fiancée’s evil ways."

Roman growled at the mention of that word, but Violet stood unflinching.

"Pretending doesn’t fit you Roman Draven. You know what your beloved Elsie is but you turn a blind eye and defend her because you want the throne. But that’s none of my business. So about the deal, what do you say?"

He exhaled through his nose, his nostrils flaring. His voice was tight as he said, "You know nothing about Elsie or why she does the thing she does."

"There’s no excuse for bad behavior." Violet said simply.

"You —"

"Deal or not?" She demanded.

"I’m going to try." Roman said.

"That’s not enough," Violet countered, her tone laced with fire. "If Elsie comes for me or my friends tomorrow, or Monday, we can consider this whole agreement off." She stared him straight in the eyes. "And I promise you, Roman Draven, I will come full force."

"Fine," he gritted out the words. "I’ll handle her. But in return, stay out of the spotlight. Don’t provoke her. Don’t engage her. Just be a quiet Rogue for the rest of the school year, and we’ll be good to go."

The ’quiet’ part would be difficult. But if it meant avoiding an all-out war with Elsie, then so be it.

While Violet loved a good fight, she was outnumbered and she had her roommates to consider. Elsie would fight dirty and surely hurt them. She couldn’t let that happen.

Roman extended his hand. "Deal then?"

Violet eyed it with suspicion but still, she shook it.

"Deal."

Roman smiled, his fingers lingering over the top of her palm and caressing it slowly.

Violet tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let go.

Then without warning, the idiot yanked her forward, making her stumble into his chest. His tactics was beginning to get boring.

Violet scowled. "What is it now?"

Roman’s grin was wolfish. "About our other conversation?"

Her brows furrowed. "What other conversation?"

Roman lifted a brow knowingly. "The offer I made you."

"Oh. That."

At that, Roman loosened his hold, allowing her the space to step back, which she did.

"About that..." Violet dragged out her words, watching him carefully before delivering her answer. "I think I’ll go for a dick that hasn’t been dipped into more holes than I can count."

Roman’s eyes flashed with dangerous gleam, but he blinked it away just as quickly. "You do know you’re the only one who calls me a man whore and gets away with it." His tone held a warning edge.

Violet shrugged, entirely unbothered. "Sorry, but I don’t know how to fit in with your sycophants."

Roman stared at her at a loss for words, then he burst into laughter that was deep and disconcerting.

Taking that as her cue, Violet turned to leave. "Alright, I’m done here."

But just as she spun around, he caught her again. "What now?" she growled, exasperated.

For the first time that night, Roman looked strangely nervous, which made her frown. His mouth opened, then snapped shut, as though he was struggling to say something important.

Violet’s patience wore thin. "Chat me up when you’re ready to talk."

She turned.

"Elsie is not the only reason I sought you out tonight."

Huh?

Slowly, Violet turned back, brow lifting in fresh curiosity. "Then what is it?"

Roman dragged a hand through his hair, ruffling it as he began pacing.

Violet sighed, she did not sign up for this right now.

"Roman?"

No response.

"Roman?" she called again, louder this time.

Still nothing.

"Roman!" she snapped, having had enough. "It’s the middle of the night, and I cannot stand here forever waiting for you to open your mouth and speak!"

Roman stilled. For a second, he almost reached for her, as if to grab her and make her understand, but he stopped short when she instinctively stepped back.

Losing that last shred of confidence, he ran a hand over his face and began muttering, "This might sound crazy to you. Actually, of course it will. You... you don’t even know how my abilities work.. I mean I was hoping you’d accept the offer and I’ll solve the issue without you knowing and then—"

"Roman!" Violet cut him off. "I have no idea what you’re talking about. Make yourself clear!"

"I bonded with you."

"What?" Violet asked, baffled.

"No, not me," he stressed, "my animal side."

Violet blinked, staring at him like he had just spoken a foreign language.

"Excuse me?"