Page 81 of Sweet Venom

He wraps an arm around Kane’s neck. “I’m hungry. Make me a mean meatball pasta with lots of carbs that has the potential to send me into a coma.”

“I’m not your chef.” Kane removes Preston’s bloody hand. “And don’t get that dirty blood on me.”

Preston slides his fingers all over Kane’s face, smirking. “There. Much better.”

“You little?—”

“Juude,” Preston whines, running toward me, then hiding behind me.

“Just leave him alone,” I tell Kane, resisting a smile at the view of the bloody marks on his face. “You look better like this anyway.”

“Right?” Preston jumps to my side. “Less put together and more like us. I keep creating masterpieces today. Bow down to me, peasants, muahaha.”

“Speaking of masterpieces,” Kane says, tilting his head. “Are we not going to address the fact that one name is still missing from your list of targets, Jude?”

I tense up, but my expression remains neutral. “I told you that’s none of your business.”

“But I want to play.” Preston punches his palm. “Hockey season is taking too long to start, and I’m bored.”

I shove him away with an index finger to his forehead. “Go and participate in the murders with Vencor members.Withoutdrawing attention.”

“But that’s boring! We can only torture for answers, andwe’re not allowed to get gory, because it’s too messy to clean up, and my family would be up in my business like bored housewives. My witch of a grandmother told my dad that I need to be admitted to the mental institution after my harmless fun last week. Apparently, I’m a liability to the Armstrong name. Did I mention I despise her? Anyway, I prefer this.” He headlocks both of us. “The three musketeers doing their own thing, with me as the reigning god, of course.”

I elbow his side and Kane punches his stomach at the same time. He wails dramatically as he releases us. “My talents are not appreciated in this toxic friendship. I need to find me a new gang and throw you all under a yacht.”

“It’s under a bus, Pres.” I sigh.

“I mean a yacht, so you’d be chopped up by the propellers. And you’re not changing the subject, Jude. What’s come of this mystery number seven?”

I flick his forehead. “None of your concern.”

“Suspicious.”

“So are your recent frequent trips outside of town, but you don’t see me commenting on that.”

“I’m fucking my stepmom’s friend!” He makes a motion of slapping the air. “Amazing ass. Gives great head and will give my stepmommy a stroke when she finds out.”

“That’s, like, the worst idea you’ve ever come up with,” Kane says. “And most of your ideas are shit.”

“Nah, this one will really get to her, I’m telling you.” He bursts out laughing, clutching his stomach. “Oh my, fuck, I’m getting high just imagining the shock on her face.” His excitement immediately dies down. “And the usual sighs from Dad. I think he doesn’t care what the fuck I do anymore. I could be found rotting somewhere, and he’d just sigh. Maybe in relief this time.”

“It’s better that way.” I slap his shoulder. “Regis is too involved in my business. Asshole locked me the fuck up in my room for a whole week, making me have dinner with him every night just because I ignored him for a while.”

“The for a while being since your mom died.” Kane sighs. “But yeah, Pres. Grant’s idea of attention is making me hang from the ceiling for a whole night while dousing me with ice showers.”

“I’d take the locking up and forced dinners over sighs.” Preston lifts a shoulder, his expression aimed downward, but then he perks up. “Just kidding. Hate the guy more than his wife. Anyway, let’s eat! Then how about some late-night training? That wasn’t a question. You’re coming. Let me get Hayes to clean up the mess.” He jogs ahead, calling in a singsong voice, “Haaayes, where are youuu? Show yourself, my miiiinion.”

I watch him for a while and then turn to Kane, who also has his full attention on Preston.

“Fucking prick,” I mutter. “Thought he was spiraling for a second.”

“He was for a bit there, I think.” Kane sighs again, dragging his gaze toward me. “Pretty sure he’s either not taking his medication or not taking them properly.”

“He is.” I run a hand through my hair. “I make sure of it every day. It’s just…”

Kane is facing me fully now, the frown appearing monstrous with the blood. “Just what?”

“It’s not working anymore, or it’s losing its effect. The psychiatrist doubled the dose, so we’ll see how that works.”