Page 201 of Sweet Venom

“Right.” He pulls me toward him by my waist. “I’m just not sure for how long before he defies all norms and actually gets himself killed.”

“What do you mean?”

“I learned something from Kane, and I’m worried about Preston’s future within Vencor.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Possibly. The organization doesn’t like rule breakers and Preston seems to be caught in what is considered a taboo within Vencor. But this time, I’ll do everything in my might to make sure no one touches him.”

“Me, too.” I stroke his cheek. “I’ll be with you every step of the way, Jude. Just like you’re there for me as I slowly find myself.”

“Always, sweetheart.”

And then he’s kissing me.

Under the blue umbrella.

For the rest of our lives.

EPILOGUE 2 — JUDE

SIX MONTHS LATER

Itighten my grip on Violet’s hands that are wrapped around my waist. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Her fingers are unsteady as I bring the bike to a halt, but she nods against my back. “I need to.”

She hesitantly releases me, her body seeming weightless when she hops off the bike. Her hands still tremble when she tries to remove the helmet, so I do it for her, then push a rebellious copper strand from her glittery, expectant eyes.

Violet has been glowing lately. Partly because she’s taking control of her life and learning self-love step by step, but also because Mario is showing signs of waking up after Julian decided to test the new variation of his drug on him.

Bydecided,I mean that he only agreed to help because it serves his goals. My brother is the most annoying person on earth, but I have to spend some dinners in his company because Violet has become close friends with Annalise for some reason.

Anyway, the most important thing is that Mario will get back to the world of the living soon, and Violet has been overthe moon about the news. She’s been preparing him gifts and doing research about how to help with comatose patients’ rehabilitation, and while I don’t like that—yes, I’m jealous of a comatose man, sue me—I love how radiant she looks.

I’d say that’s the reason I’m in a constant state of arousal around her, but the reality is that I’m always ravenous for this woman, no matter what.

She could be sick and ‘feel gross,’ as she tells me, but she’d still be the most beautiful woman on earth for me. With her little smiles, hearty laughter, and that goddamn pure soul that I’ll protect at any cost.

By protect, I mean kill for. You guessed it. I located the foster father who tried to rape her and stabbed him in the crotch, then cut his dick off and shoved it in his mouth. I’m on a mission to find every single person who wronged her and make them pay. Even if it was a random patron at HAVEN who thought it was an awesome idea to cop a feel.

But I won’t tell Violet so she doesn’t feel guilty since she can’t help being such an empathetic soul.

Even though she was jaded and had to suffer her entire life, she still feels for others.

And yes, she was lost, but she’s found her worth, and no one will hurt her now that I’ve come along.

Now that I’ve decided she’ll be mine for eternity.

And because she’s kind and doesn’t like conflict, Violet’s been slowly allowing her father’s side of the family in, but really, she only likes Preston and maybe Lawrence. She made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with their money—not that Winston would listen.

But she doesn’t need their fortune in the first place.

She’s working toward becoming a therapist or a social worker to help those like her and Dahlia, but she’s alsobeen thriving in her online shop. She had to hire a couple of people to keep up with demand and even gifted me some free embroidery.

She told me that I’ve paid her enough for a lifetime, but the joke’s on her.

I still create other accounts and buy all the shit I’ll be decorating our family home with.