Page 152 of Lovely Venom

He storms back into the bedroom seconds later, snapping his phone shut. “Fucking Irish think they can outmaneuver me.” His eyes narrow when he sees me still on the floor. “Get up.”

I don’t move quickly enough. He grabs my arm roughly, yanking me to my feet. Stars pop out behind my eyes as he pulls me against his chest. His nose wrinkles watching my mouth, and I take my shot.

I use my good hand to grab a fistful of his shirt and crush my mouth to his, shoving my tongue past his thin lips. Noel goes rigid at first. Caught off guard.

Then he kisses me back, greedy and punishing, his hands digging into my hair. “Fuck, I knew you’d be a hellcat for me. I’m gonna love beating you then fucking you hard and senseless while you bleed and cry.”

He’s about to say more, but he pauses. His tongue juts from his mouth, and his lips roll in and out. He tastes it. His eyes flare wide as the bitter almond sinks in.

“You bitch!” he hollers.

I shove him back and run into the bathroom. I can break the mirror and use the shards as a weapon if I need to. With the door locked, Noel kicks it, roaring my name.

Shaking, I dig into my bra’s other cup for the antidote vial. I just have to swallow it and then wait for Noel to die.

But, oh my fucking God. It’s not in my bra. It’sgone.

My fingers fumble uselessly, and panic slams into my chest. My legs start to tremble, and everything is a blur.

Noel screams from the other side of the bathroom door, his voice growing weaker. It starts getting hard to breathe, and I see spots before my eyes.

Then chaos erupts in the front foyer.

Shouts.

Gunfire.

Broken glass.

Was that a battering ram?

I hear boots slapping against the marble floors and deep voices howling orders.

“FBI! DOWN ON THE GROUND!”

Noel is being raided by the goddamn Feds. That wasn’t the backup plan. One of the knights must have given up the fuckingkyre!

I stumble from the bathroom, not seeing Noel. Feeling dizzy, I drag myself toward the bedroom door. I can barely see. Air forced into my lungs feels like shallow bursts. The almond taste is everywhere.

In the hallway in front of the bedroom, Noel is on his knees. Blood is leaking from his nose, and his face is gray. He’s surrounded by shouting agents. But he’s staring atme.

He knows I poisoned him.

Our eyes lock.

His are filled with hatred.

Mine are fading.

He’s dying, and I’m not far behind. I take one step toward him and everything goes black.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

Connor

Istare at York Towers’ glistening façade, lights from nearby buildings bouncing off the glass. It’s un-fucking-believable I let Rhys talk me into standing down so Raina can murder Tahiri.

They stayed up all night mapping everything out. Rhys said the plan was solid, but he wouldn’t give me the details. Probably anything he told me would have made me go for his throat.