Page 36 of Venomous Kiss

“Cockpit? You fly planes often?” Earl asks me, and I shift my gaze from her hand to Earl.

“No, I went to Nashville last year, and it was a great experience. I enjoyed it tremendously.”

“Nashville,” Earl says, staring at Reon.

“I must really be going. Would you care to walk me out, Earl? I’d love to ask you a bit more if you’d oblige me.”

“If it’s about flying the plane, I’m sure I can assist,” Reon offers. “Earl, please see that Maya gets a drink. I’ll be right back.” He steps toward me before I have a chance to move away and offers me his elbow.

“I don’t want to take you away from your fiancée. I’m so sorry.” My hand lifts to my chest as I turn to Maya.

“It’s no problem.” She beams at my use of the word fiancée and doesn’t correct me. On the other hand, Reon looks like he’s about to crack his teeth from how hard his jaw is clenched.

“Thank you. It was lovely to meet you both.” As we walk out, I slide my hand into the crook of his waiting elbow. Reon says nothing, but I feel him staring at me as we get closer and closer to the door. As soon as we’re out of the room and the door shuts behind us, he turns and pushes me into the women’s bathroom, slamming the door and locking it from the inside.

“Reon.” I smile at him and step to the sink. Turning the faucet on, I wash my hands and then reach for a towel to dry them.

“Did you think I would let you run again?” He pushes off the door and stalks toward me.

I throw the towel in the trash and turn to face him. “I was hoping you would chase me this time.” I give him a wink, and it pauses his approach.

“Why?”

“Has your man had trouble finding me lately?”

His chin lifts, and he smirks. “Clever Little Caterpillar.” He tsks at me. “You did well at hiding this time.”

“My name is Lilith, Reon, you know this. Maybe you should give Maya a nickname.” The closeness of him affects me as chills run over the back of my neck. He doesn’t let on that he’s affected, too. But why else would we be here? He’s locked me in a bathroom and cornered me, for fuck’s sake. He may not express it in words and possibly has tried to kill me multiple times, but I’m sure I have the same effect on him.

He likes me.

He simply has a funny way of showing it.

“Maya doesn’t need to develop into anything, Caterpillar. She knows who she is. It’s you who is struggling.”

“That’s why I’m here,” I tell him, one of my hands gripping my hip as I look up at him. “No more following, and no more stalking.”

“Does this include you?”

“Yes, of course it does.” I smile. “I am a lady. I’m true to my word, Reon Holloway.” I give him a playful smirk. “Now, as a gentleman, I want you to be true to yours.”

“Who said I was a gentleman, Caterpillar? I’m the furthest thing from one, especially around you.”

Licking my lips, I nod and then hold out my hand. “Truce. As soon as we walk out of this bathroom?—”

“I don’t do truces with the woman I plan to fuck,” he says, cutting me off.

“We fucked, past tense. There’s no plan to,” I challenge.

Leaning in closer, he bends and touches his lips to my ear. “Oh, there is a plan, all right. I plan to have you in my bed, on the floor, on the fucking roof of my house. You don’t get to call this thing off, Little Caterpillar. You started it, and now I will finish it.”

I pull back from him. “You’re with another woman,” I point out.

“I’ll be ending it,” he declares, thinking he’s ending all discussion on the subject.

“You can’t,” I argue, shaking my head.

“I can do anything I goddamn wish.”