Page 91 of Lovely Venom

Making me crawl to his side of this fight. Only, he doesn’t know who he’s fighting, and I don’t know if I can trust him.

My next move needs to be on my terms. And not tied down on a table in his chamber, being rammed in the ass or fucked against a brick wall in broad daylight. Although both were hot as fuck.

And I crave more of it.

Back in the kitchen, Ruby is eating one of my donuts, trying to cover up the sugar granules spilled onto my countertop. Her father hoards food from her and tracks her calories. He wants to keep her fit for better tips at the club. Money she’s forced to give him,like he’s a fucking pimp.

I give her a minute to finish eating while I check my purse for quarters. My phone buzzes, and I yank it from my pocket, hoping that it’s Connor. I exhale when I see Valdrin’s number flash across the screen.

“Yeah. Hi. Listen. We need to talk, I—”

“The Quinlans have one of our men.” Valdrin’s sharp, urgent voice cuts me off.

“Who?” I ask, hoping it’s Noel.

“One of the few leaders who is nearly as important as ourkyre.”

A storm brews in my chest from the strain and stress in Valdrin’s voice. Whoever Connor ensnared is important.

“Where do they have him?” I ask.

“In that damn tunnel,” he bites out like it’s my fault since Connor is still breathing. “Guards have the entrance surrounded.”

“What do you want me to do if the tunnel is surrounded?” I stagger into a chair.

Ruby is watching me. “Raina, what’s wrong?”

I shake my head, not wanting Valdrin to hear her.

“Connor already killed your father,” he says low. “And he won’t stop until he’s ripped the spine out of the entire command. You’re the only person who’s found a way to get close to him. Do your duty to the brotherhood. If you don’t take out Connornowand show that we know the meaning of retaliation, he and his brothers will think we are weak. They will wipe outyour familyone by one. That will eventually includeyou.”

The line goes dead.

Shaking, I turn around to stare at the laundry basket resting on Ruby’s hip.

The entrance is surrounded...

Valdrin means the street entrance where he dropped me off. He doesn’t know Connor’s apartment is on the opposite end, or his men would have stormed the tunnel from that location. Unless that’s guarded, too.

The Quinlans want a war. They want a bloodbath. Once again, I’m cornered.

Frozen, I don’t know who to fight for. Whose side am I on?

I have to be onmyside. If I get there in time, I may be able to leverage this abduction and renegotiate with Noel. Maybe I can get Connor to let the guy go. Waltz Mr. Important into York Towers and make demands of Noel to give me my rightful inheritance, and he can keep his ring.

I stare at Ruby again. “I have to go, Ru.” I hand her a bunch of dollar bills to get change. “Why don’t you go to the laundromat around the corner? Get some fresh air and something healthy to eat.”

“Where are you going?” she asks, taking the cash.

“I have...a situation to handle.” I head to my hall closet to grab my gear.

“With Valdrin? Is he in danger?” Her concern for him stops me in my tracks.

“No. He’s not. But it’ll all be okay.” I hug her, loving her fresh powdery scent.

She breaks the hold, and smiling weakly, she leaves with the laundry basket. When my apartment door clicks shut, I start loading my Sig.

AS VALDRIN SAID, THEstreet-side entrance to the torture tunnel is guarded. I ask the taxi driver to drop me off around the corner. I break into the locked private alley Iused last time when I crawled through Connor’s window.