Page 48 of Venomous Kiss

“It always is,” Arlo says, standing. “Come, let’s walk.” I get up and follow him out. “What did you say to her?”

“I told her to suck my dick and that I will suck whoever’s dick I want. Can’t say it was my finest choice of words, but I was intoxicated.”

Arlo huffs out a laugh and shakes his head.

“I’m going back to see my father tomorrow.”

“Good.”

“Do you visit him?”

“No, it’s forbidden to see him. Members only leave in one way… death. Your father was the first to go to prison.”

“Did you like him? I mean, as a person. My father?”

He stops on the side of the street and turns to face me. “Yes, very much so. I remember you. He never really brought you around. If anyone saw you, he would say you were his sister’s daughter. No one questioned him.”

“Why was that?” He falls quiet, and I grab his arm. “Why was that?” I repeat with more force.

“Because your father was the Lord.” My pulse skyrockets as Arlo begins walking again.

I assumed my father had some pull in the Society, but Lord? I grew up believing he might have been just a serial killer. Maybe that was why he was finally caught. To be honest, I never really asked many questions. I rebelled and lived the life I thought I was meant to.

“Lord?” I say out loud.

Arlo stops and waits for me. People walk past us, and he doesn’t seem to care.

“I see so much of him in you. Tell me, Lilith. How are the dreams?”

I shake my head. “Lord?” I repeat, not wanting to talk about how I dream of that night with the knife or how I run the flat edge of that knife over my skin as I make myself come, thinking about that night over and over with the ways Reon touched me, how I sleep with the blade tucked under my pillow.

Arlo’s phone rings, and when he checks the screen, his gaze shoots to me. He shows me the phone, and I see Reon’s name flashing.

“Reon,” Arlo says as he puts the phone to his ear. “No, I’m in a meeting.” A car honks, and someone yells. Arlo sighs. “Yes, the meeting is outside. I’m having a coffee.”

“I’m going to go,” I whisper to him, pointing in the other direction.

He waves a hand. “Just wait.”

“Lilith, is that you?” I freeze at the sound of that voice coming from behind me. I heard it almost every day on the radio with my ex-husband. “I was going to avoid you, but it’s been a year, so?—”

I turn and see her, my pulse quickening at the mere sight of her. I don’t greet her because I have no words.

“This is Becca,” she says, hesitantly pointing to the baby who’s in the arms of another woman. “Did Deven tell you about her?” I look at the tiny girl and immediately recognize those eyes, that mouth. That piece of shit. Though, should I really expect any less from him, not that I think about him much at all now anyway. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” she says.

“I’m sure you are.” I feel Arlo step up next to me, his arm brushing mine as he looks at the woman who was fucking my husband. “Actually, I should thank you.” I can feel Arlo’s gaze on me. “You see, I’m in therapy, and it’s helping a lot.”

“That’s good to hear. Some of the things Deven said… Well, I’m glad you’re seeing someone.”

“Yes, it’s helping. It helped me realize that Deven was a low point of my life… a shitty fuck and a shitty husband. And most of all, a shitty man. So, thank you. And I hope the same for you.” Her mouth falls open, and Arlo grips my wrist, turns me around, and pulls me away.

“Reon will be here in five. I suggest you run.”

I smirk before I do just that.

NINETEEN

REON