Five Things

Five Things Violet Paine Five Things Copyright © 2023 by Violet Paine All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without the prior written permission from the author, except for the brief quotations used in reviews or critical articles. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Editing: Dee’s Notes Formatting: KB. Row Cover Design: 3Crows Cover Design [email protected] Contents Foreword Dedication Playlist Prologue Beatrice Chapter One Beatrice Chapter Two Maverick Chapter Three Beatrice Chapter Four Beatrice Chapter Five Beatrice Chapter Six Beatrice Chapter Seven Beatrice Chapter Eight Beatrice Chapter Nine Beatrice Chapter Ten Beatrice Chapter Eleven Beatrice Chapter Twelve Beatrice Chapter Thirteen Beatrice Chapter Fourteen Maverick Chapter Fifteen Beatrice Chapter Sixteen Maverick Chapter Seventeen Beatrice Chapter Eighteen Beatrice Chapter Nineteen Beatrice Chapter Twenty Beatrice Chapter Twenty-One Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Two Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Three Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Four Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Five Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Six Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Seven Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Eight Beatrice Chapter Twenty-Nine Beatrice Chapter Thirty Beatrice Chapter Thirty-One Beatrice Chapter Thirty-Two Maverick Chapter Thirty-Three Beatrice Chapter Thirty-Four Maverick Chapter Thirty-Five Maverick Chapter Thirty-Six Beatrice Chapter Thirty-Seven Beatrice Epilogue One Beatrice Epilogue Two Maverick Acknowledgments Stalk Violet Other titles by Violet About the Author Foreword While Five Things is the lightest book I’ve written in terms of romance, it is also the heaviest due to the topics mentioned. This story deals with mental health and the effects of domestic violence after the fact. The characters in this book, and their struggles, are very real and this may be triggering to some people. There are scenes that depict violence and mental illness on the page. All I ask is that you please think of your own well-being before taking this journey if either of those topics are something you may struggle with. Your mental health is important. To the ones who struggle to get out of bed in the morning; just remember, you’ve survived all the worst days of your life so far. While you may be trapped in darkness at this moment, you will find the sun again … it does get better. Playlist The Mess I Made - Parachute I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2 Friends – Ella Henderson Hate Me – Miley Cyrus Fly – Nicki Minaj, Rihanna Breathin – Ariana Grande Bad Blood – Taylor Swift What Hurts The Most – Rascal Flatts Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa Better Days – Hedley All I do Is Win – DJ Khaled Unanswered – Hanniou Memories – Maroon 5 Wide Awake – Katie Perry Breakeven – The Script Need You Now – Lady A Remember Who I was – James Arthur Everything Has Changed – Taylor swift, Ed Sheeran Pillowtalk – Zayn Good Riddance (Time of Your life) – Green Day Let It Go – James Bay Wildest Dreams – Taylor swift Stay – Rihanna Easy On Me – Adele What About Us – Davina Michelle Last First Kiss – One Direction Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley Everything – Michael Bublé Best Day Of My Life – American Authors Too Good At Goodbyes – Sam Smith Let Her Go – Passenger Hold Me While You Wait – Lewis Capaldi Leave Me In The Dark – Alexander Stewart Impossible – James Arthur Chasing Cars – Tommee Profitt, Fleurie Fight Song – Rachel Platten If You Love Her – Forest Blakk, Meghan Trainor A New Day Has Come – Céline Dion This I Promise You – *NSYNC If you want to listen along: Spotify Playlist — Five Things Prologue Beatrice Stifling heat stirs under the weight of my blazer, the black polyester suffocating me as it clings to my body. Paired with the formal black trousers my mom insisted I wear, this outfit is a far cry from my usual look. Appropriate though, given the day. Lawyers argue back and forth, going over character statements, trying to find witnesses from that night, but there were none. It was only the three of us, and yet everyone has an opinion, or a statement to make about what kind of person we each are. My mom grips my hand as I bounce it on my thigh, unable to sit still under the bright lights of the courtroom. Leaning over, she whispers, “Hey, it’s okay. He’s totally got this.” I nod, knowing I can’t echo her sentiments. He doesn’t have this. I made sure of that when I walked into the lawyer’s office this morning with an affidavit in my hands. As though he can hear my thoughts, his head jerks toward me, and his stormy-gray eyes lock on mine. He smiles at me and winks, and in that moment, my heart cracks. Even under the scrutiny of every eye in the room, he seeks me out, ensuring I’m okay. But I can’t do the same today. Swiftly turning my head, I break away from his gaze, and in my peripheral, his shoulders deflate and his brows wrinkle, his mouth gaping as his stare pricks me. Never in my life have I turned away from Maverick Brady, but today, I have no other choice. A silence goes over the room when the lawyers stand, moving toward the judge’s bench. They whisper, and the viewers strain to hear their words, to know what’s happening. Maverick’s lawyer turns away first, his gaze snagging on mine, and his clenched jaw tells me he’s lost his case . . . because of me. Sebastian’s lawyer, though, he smirks in glee, rubbing his hands together as he saunters over to the table where my ex-boyfriend is sitting. When the lawyers are done speaking with their clients, Maverick’s eyes snap to mine, but before our gazes can clash, I look down. His anger is a palpable essence in the room, aimed at me and only me. “Beatrice,” Mom hisses as