Wild Violet (The Vi Trilogy of The Gilded Flower Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

ass. His gaze is pure hunger and lust. “You know why I wouldn’t ever charge you for my company, don’t you?”
    Vi’s expression turns serious. “Besides the fact that I wouldn’t pay for it.” She gulps. Is that a lie?
    “Because we’re friends. Money ruins friendships and relationships. I don’t want anything to come between us.”
    Vi doesn’t respond. This is about the most serious declaration of care that she’s received in years. The last time was a guy in high school who swore he’d kill himself if she broke up with him. She was confused by it all since she didn’t even realize they were dating. They had hooked up after a dance and turns out he had been a virgin.
    Vi quickly pushes away the memory and steps back. “Right, so I’ll see you later,” she says, walking out of the closet.
     

Chapter 12
    “Your father wants you to meet him at seven o’clock this evening.” Her father’s secretary’s voice is stern. He has four secretaries. This one manages his family and social calendar, the official and otherwise.
    “What if I have plans?” Vi challenges. She resents being on-call for a man who is only her father by blood. He never made an appearance in her life at any major life events, yet he presumes that she should come when he beckons her.
    The secretary remains quiet, expecting Vi to take the hint.
    “Fine,” Vi finally sighs. “Tell me where.”
    “Mandarin Oriental for drinks, followed by dinner at Masa at 8 p.m.”
    “Am I allowed to bring a date?”
    “Excuse me, Ms. Rai?”
    Vi chuckles. She loves throwing this woman off. It’s understood that one does not bring a date or a friend to these outings. This is business.
    “It was a joke. Tell my father I’ll be there.”
     
    Vi rushes toward the elevators in the Time Warner Center at 6:55 p.m. Her father expects punctuality. And while she would like to think she doesn’t fear him, there’s a small part of her that does.
    She arrives breathless at 6:59 and spots her father sitting at a table in a dark corner of the bar.
    “Father,” she says. “It’s good to see you.” Vi takes the adjacent seat.
    He nods and studies her for a moment. “And you.” He pinches her arm lightly. “You are too thin. Are you eating?”
    Vi suppresses a laugh. “That’s very parental of you to say.” She knows deep down he’s criticizing her, but she can’t take him seriously. All of his other children are a bit heavy, being such huge consumers of everything that his money can buy them. Her mother was a model, one of the most beautiful supermodels that defined the early nineties. Naturally, it’s what attracted her father to her mom. Fortunately, Vi inherited her mother’s looks as well as her metabolism.
    Her father grunts and sips his beer.
    When Vi orders a sidecar from the waitress, he puts a hand on the woman’s arm and says, “Bring my daughter a soda water. She’s too young to drink.”
    Vi’s jaw drops. “I’m twenty-one,” she asserts, her voice betraying her anger. Will he always continue to treat her like a child?
    “Fine, so you’re twenty-one now. Good for you. Still no alcohol.” He waves his finger at her.
    Vi eyes his beer. “That’s not just a bit hypocritical?”
    “Now Violet, let’s not get into this,” her father chides in a condescending manner.
    Vi checks her watch impatiently. This is going to be a long night, especially if she can’t drink.
    “How’s school?”
    “Fine.” Vi shrugs her shoulder
    “You still studying math?”
    She nods.
    “Good marks?”
    Vi looks up at him. “Top of my class.” Pride fills her when she notices a slight smile form.
    He pats her hand. “Good, good.”
    They sip their drinks awkwardly. Vi has never asked about his other children, the legitimate family who are scattered in Mumbai and Dubai. She has two half-sisters, whom she’s never met, and one half-brother she met once when he was traveling with their father to New York. Her father just turned seventy this