Violet POV
"VIOLET HERA ASHMORE!! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!!" I rolled over, my groggy sight touching on the blaring red numbers of 6:00 AM. It's too fucking early for this shit. The shrill voice of my lovely stepmother screeched up the narrow stairs of my attic room as I pulled myself into functioning order. "Be right there!" my hoarse, gravelly voice answered back. It had taken nearly 6 years to be able to speak at the normal volume I had without pain, let alone trying to answer at the ear shattering volume of Mrs. Vivienne Sheena Cartwright Waller Ashmore. After rushing to pull on something presentable, I poked my head out the door to look down into the ice cold eyes of the viper married to my father. "What's taking so long Violet? Hurry up!" I nodded and popped back in, sighing heavily as I grabbed my shoes. With one last forlorn look at my bed, I grabbed my bag and made my way downstairs.
Vivienne stood at the bottom of the stairs, her stiletto clad foot tapping impatiently as her arms crossed over her surgically modeled chest. The blood red claws she meticulously maintained, dug into the green cashmere sweater she wore that probably cost more than a month's pay at my sales job. Her slender blonde brow arched, the cold hatred and disdain I had always seen in her eyes evident as she took me in from head to toe. "You can't be seen today, especially looking like that, but you have to prepare the house. Alec is coming home today." My blood ran cold, my hand instinctively reaching up to the scar crossing my neck at the mention of Alec's name. I could feel the cold sweat pooling just under my hair line, sliding down the gooseflesh along the nape of my neck. I must have missed the rest of what she said because the sharp slap across my face brought my admittedly distracted attention back to her.
"Insolent girl! You aren't even listening to me. I can't believe I have to deal with you on top of everything else today! Just make the house looks spotless, prepare a light lunch and then make yourself scarce, I doubt Alec will want to have to see you either." I swallowed hard, nodding absently as I tried to keep myself from dropping into memories at every mention of his name. I'm sure I responded in the affirmative as she promptly turned and escaped, but I couldn't tell you one way or the other what I said. I could feel the bile crawling up my throat as I dashed to the nearest bathroom, a closet of a space that had been relegated as my working bathroom. The acrid taste of bile burned my already pained throat as I voided my stomach in the toilet. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead as the darkness of memory pulled me under.
"Come out, come out wherever you are little Mouse." the sing-songy sound of my constant tormentor rang through the passages of the house. My hands covered my mouth as I shivered in the darkened void of the ballroom, hiding beneath a table covered in a dust sheet. The echo of his steps passed on and I let out a relieved breath, a shaky half-laugh escaping at the relief. It was short lived as I heard the sharp snap of the sheet being thrown off and a hand twisting into my curls before yanking hard and pulling me screaming from my shelter. "There you are little sister. Hiding from your big brother is never wise, especially right in the middle of our game." Even at 11, I could see the burgeoning madness in his eyes, Alec, my step brother, had found me. I let out a panicked whimper as the cold press of metal curled against my throat. "You belong to me, little Mouse. And I'm going to make sure you never forget it." The first slice of the blade, pulled a scream from my throat, by the last, I had lost my voice. The nanny had found me, laying in a pool of blood, rushing me to the hospital. There was no proof it was Alec, my fear that he would finish the job keeping me from naming him, but the Gods must have pitied me, because Alec was soon accepted to school in Europe.
I pulled myself back, the harsh memory having its allowance before I shut it away again in a steel, chained lined box in my mind. I had one more month before I was finally free of this hell, one more month of dealing with my step mother, one more month of her daughter picking up her brother's torment of me, one more month of my father's indifference, and now, I would have to deal with my nightmare returning. Nothing could make this day any better. Rising from the floor, I flushed the refuse away, rinsed my mouth of the foul taste and began the preparations for the prodigal son's return.
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Hours had passed, but with each one, the already tidy house was transformed into an interior designer's wet dream. The white and gold monstrosity that I had lived in since my father married Vivienne, wasn't what I would call homey. The amount of dust bunnies that came to commit suicide was astounding considering the veritable army of staff they had. Me, I'm just the back up, especially when they sent the staff home early, like today. I could feel the emptiness of the house, like a mausoleum or temple to some forgotten god.
If there was one thing that I actually enjoyed doing, it would be cooking. Despite the lack of enthusiasm my family displays when I do cook, I know what I make is delicious. The kitchen was one of the few places I was able to hide effectively, Alec barred from it and Alicia too stuck up to degrade herself. The smells, the flavors, the bustle, I loved everything about it. I enjoyed the smiles and murmurs of satisfaction the staff gave when they were privy to tasting. I knew very little of what I made would even make it into my family's mouths, but it didn't stop me from making something I could be proud of.
The smell of lemon-dill and seared scallops filled my senses. The sizzling of the pan as I expertly flipped the scallops before plating them with a tangy lemon-dill sauce drizzle. The grain salad with burrata was next; quinoa, roasted tomato, fresh herbs and creamy burrata mixed together with a hot, honey vinaigrette. A fresh salad with arugula, spinach, cucumbers, sliced carrots and olives, tossed with a rosemary vinaigrette was the third course. Finally, a light whipped vanilla mousse over a raspberry tart completed the meal. I ensured the meal was ready for them before escaping to the maze garden to make myself scarce before the inevitable encounter between Alec and I occurred.
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I had always loved the maze, it was well tended to with many discrete alcoves and hidden fountains. I had never run to hide here, knowing full well my haven would be destroyed the moment I was found, so it was my little secret that I hid here when I had to get away, which was far more often than necessary usually. Finding a quiet place that can't be dismantled by Alicia and Vivienne was a real challenge, but I managed and now I was well on my way to my favorite alcove.
Past the naiad fountain, down the path guarded by two austere lions, right at the bust of one Augustus Bloomworth the IV, and through the wisteria arch, there was a stone bench watched over by the doomed forms of Juliet and her Romeo. Probably kind of morbid, but I never said I wasn't a little dark. I curled up on the bench and pulled a book from my bag, intending to disappear into myriad problems of my favorite book boyfriends. I was just getting to the part where the clothes started coming off when I heard a rustle in the silence. Looking up from the pages, I was met with the most vivid shade of green eyes I had ever seen. They were like clear jade set in an tanned golden setting, ringed by kohl and sin. I blinked, trying to absorb the clear illusion standing in front of me, leaning against the wisteria arch. A tainted smirk pulled at his lips, as he watched me. "Um...hello?" I had never really been ashamed of the work I had made in reclaiming my voice, but the harsh tone of the gravel wasn't doing me any favors.
"Who knew such a lovely bloom was hidden away in this garden?" his deep, lightly accented voice drew shivers down my spine like he was a walking, talking ear-gasm. "You seem to be lost. And on private property no less. I recommend leaving before your caught." I tried to fortify my voice with authority instead of the arousal this man had pulled from nowhere. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Don't worry little flower, I'm right where I'm supposed to be. It led me to you, so whatever brought me here must have been the right thing." Oooo....this guy was slick. My eyes narrowed, instantly suspicious of someone so quick to flirt. I rose to my feet, the serenity of my escape broken by this intruder.
I started to walk towards him, intending to brush past him, but the closer I got, the more I realized just how imposing the man was. I would swallow my shoe if he was shorter than 6'5", towering over my own 5'6" frame. His jet hair was lightly tousled, the sun filtering through the strands. His jaw was sharp and defined, his shoulders broad and if those black jeans weren't lying, he had those wonderful, massive thighs that made me drool every time I watched Gladiator. I looked up at him as I approached, watching as he took all of me in as well. I stopped short when I was hit with the scent of his cologne. Something woodsy and caramelly, kind of melt in your mouth caramel while you run through the woods just after it rained. I don't know what it was, but it sure worked for him. My knees buckled slightly and the way he moved to catch me caused me to gasp in fear. A deep growl rolled up from his chest, vibrating through my hands pressed against him. I pulled back, shaking off the electrifying feeling touching him had given me, chalking it up to nerves.
"If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." I twisted away and scurried away from him, taking a different path than I took to get here. "You can run, but you can't hide for long, little flower." The parting words making me move faster, hoping that I had just been hearing things and not a threat from a virtual stranger that smelled like a perfect summer camping trip. Goddess help me, I hope this was just some crazed hiker who got lost, and not someone I'll have to worry about dodging on a daily basis.
