Page 52 of Of Venom & Vengeance

My thoughts are confirmed when none other than Elijah Washington steps out onto the landing. He’s covered in blood. His face. His hands. If his clothes weren’t so dark, I’m sure they’d be stained red. There’s a fur strap around his torso.Fur? Oh my God.Bile burns as it rises up in my throat.It’s not fur. That’s hair.I’m going to be sick.Human hair.He’s wearing the scalps of my men like a fucking victory sash.

The remaining guns swing in his direction. No idea how he plans to get out of this one. There’s still four of us down here and just one of him.

Joseph is standing to my right with his gun trained on the psychotic soldier on the landing. Movement catches my gaze, and I turn toward Joseph to catch him whisper “Post Man,” He sounds devastated.Post Man? My uncle said that’s his nickname, or alias, or something. How does Joseph know it?

Joseph is lowering his gun, andwhat the fuck is going on?

“Shoot him! What are you doing? Shoot him!”

The other men look at Joseph as if asking for permission, and Joseph jerkily shakes his head.

“I didn’t know. We didn’t know it was you. I swear.”

Elijah just stares back at him.

“What THE FUCK is happening? Shoot him!”

Joseph looks down to the floor. His jaw is clenched, and he has a white-knuckle grip on his gun.

“You said...a simple protection detail. You said...jealous ex-boyfriend with a military background.” The words are filled with loathing and desperation as they’re pushed through gritted teeth.

“Yeah! That’s him. Fucking kill him.”

Joseph chuckles under his breath and shakes his head like I’ve missed the plot.

He again addresses the man on the landing when he asks, “Amir?”

Elijah simply shakes his head in response.Amir is dead.

“Shoot. Him.” My voice is low and tremulous. I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but I don’t like it.

Joseph still doesn’t look at me when he speaks. “He’s already ten steps ahead. We were dead the moment we stepped onto this property. You...the moment you met him. You’ve fucked us all.”

“How are we all dead when there are four of us with guns on him and he’s just one man?”

“I don’t want to find out.” Joseph turns his attention to Elijah now. “Should’ve vetted this job a little better, huh?”

Elijah simply nods.

“The girl...she yours?”

Again, a nod.

“Yeah. Thought so.” He’s silent for a while before speaking again. “Listen, they didn’t know. This is my fault. If you let them go, I’m sure there’s some good Karma coming your way.” Joseph’s men look at him in astonishment. They’re just as confused as I am by his cowardice.

“I paid you to do a job. Now, do the fucking job.”

Only now does he turn his gaze on me. There’s a hardness in his eyes.

“You can go. Take what men you have left...and go. Consider the losses a learning curve.” Elijah has spoken for the first time, and just now I realize the music stopped at some point amid all this insanity.

Joseph chokes back a cry when he speaks. “Thank you. I’m in your debt.”

“You were already in my debt.”

There’s history between these two.They know each other? Fuck. Me.

“You can’t do this, man.” They’re all lowering their guns and moving toward the front door. “We had a deal! I paid you!”