Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1)

by Julie Soto

In its place was a piece of paper, words appearing slowly as ink seemed to pull from below. She glanced over the first few lines as they were written. Riann Cohle—Cordelia Hardstark Del Burkin—Didion Winchester, Velicity Punt Aron Carvin—Phoebe Rosewood

Well damn , that just made my heart melt

There was a drawer in Toven Hearst’s bedroom that contained a shoebox. Inside that shoebox was a hair ribbon. And try as she may to rationalize it in any other way… that ribbon was hers.

As Briony looked around, she found every woman slowly squeezing another’s shoulder, hand, wrist, support vining among them all. Octavia and Jellica and five other women she didn’t know were holding tightly to one another, as if they could all infuse Cecily with what she needed to stand up and sit back down on Collin’s lap. It almost felt like magic—this connection, this contact. Tears pooled in Briony’s eyes at the thought.

“If you insist on forgetting your manners, Rosewood, then maybe I’ll be tempted to forget mine,” he whispered against her mouth.

“High suit is…” Canning turned over the card Jellica chose, and his face split into a smile. His eyes slid to Briony. “Roses.” The men chuckled as Canning flipped the card onto the table. It had an ornate rose in the center. “Wild card is…” Canning took the next card from Jellica’s hand and barked out a laugh. “The Rose in Chains.” His eyes glittered as he stared across the table at Toven and Briony. “Well, if that isn’t just the perfect thing.”