Page 108 of Sweet Venom

The moment I look up, I nearly drop the phone.

I’m holding the umbrella so low, I can only see sneakers, jeans, and the hem of a leather jacket. But I know it’s him, even before I tilt the umbrella up, watching the rain cascade down.

Jude stands in front of me, fully drenched, absolutely unconcerned about the rain that beats down on him. His hair is glued to his temples and his face is tight.

Too tight.

“What are you doing here, Violet?”

I pause because his voice sounds rougher, deeper. I wish I didn’t recognize that, and I wish my heart wasn’t beating so damn loudly right now.

“That’s none of your business.” I turn and start walking.

I don’t know where I’m going or why I’m running away from him.

Maybe it’s because a part of me felt a crushing weight lift off my chest upon seeing him.

Maybe it’s because, really, I knew Kane could have an umbrella and Dahlia wouldn’t have been walking in the rain, but I stillchoseto come here anyway.

Whatever it is, I realize I don’t truly want to face Jude right now.

A large hand grasps my wrist and spins me around. The umbrella falls from my grip and hits the ground as Jude slams me against the wall.

I’m drenched within seconds, rain falling on my face and hair, gluing my clothes to my body, but I’m consumed by Jude.

He’s so close, I can smell him, the scent of wood and leather provokes memories I wanted to ignore until the end of my days.

“Why is it yellow this time?” His gruff words slip beneath my skin, feeling too intimate, too raw.

“What?”

He doesn’t speak, just watches me as if I’m not real. The place where he grips my wrist tingles and burns, not even the rain is able to douse it.

The silence stretches for long, suffocating moments, and the tension wraps around my throat like a noose.

I can’t read his expression.

But I can feel the tightness in his emotions spreading from his hand to my wrist, to my soul.

“Why did you do that to Mario?” I ask. I don’t blurt it out, don’t shout, just ask in a low, steady voice.

“Do what?”

“Let him be collateral damage. I know you hate me and want to kill me, but Mario was following your orders; he didn’t deserve to be hurt by you.”

“Hurt by me?”

“Yes! He’s in a coma because you sent people to attack us?—”

Jude grips my chin, slamming his other hand on the wall above my head. “You believe that?”

“That’s what Julian said.”

“And you believe whatever the fuck Julian says?”

No. But if it’s not Jude, who else would want to hurt me?

“Believe whatever you want, but, Violet…” He leans down, his breaths skimming my skin. “I better not see you parading yourself around the team, looking for a boyfriend like your sister.”