Page 41 of Sweet Venom

"Okay, I just need to grab my heels and my phone out of my office, and we can leave."

Ellis follows behind me. "Seriously, you had to paint in that dress?"

The irony of his statement is not lost on me. Ellis is a very possessive man; I've personally removed three trackers from my bike. I know he is more than aware of my whereabouts at all times, but while he's willing to share me, he draws the line at other men looking.

"Yeah, I was hoping maybe I'd get it dirty, and then you wouldn't want to take me," I tease. I honestly don't mind going. It will be good to catch up with the girls from the club, but I do have a lot to wrap up here at Blush.

I've just barely flicked on the light to my office and Ellis is already at my side with my phone and shoes in hand. "Do you want me to grab your laptop, too?"

"Ellis, I'm more than capable of carrying those things."

Then, bending down, he places my heels at my feet before delicately dragging his fingers up my calf, only to stop at my thigh and place a kiss right where the hem of my dress meets my leg. "I know you can, but I wanted to."

I bite my lip at his antics. The man is insatiable, but I'm not one to talk; I'm always ready for him. But I know tonight is important, so I tease, "If you want to get me in the car, you better get off that floor."

He gently nips my thigh before slapping it and saying, "Let's go."

* * *

"Baby, what's bothering you? Is it the money? Is this why you have been running yourself into the ground, staying late, and doing the work of a laborer? I know you can do this on your own, but don't stress unnecessarily. Let me help you. You don't have to take my money outright. Consider it a loan and pay me back when you turn a profit."

Yes, I've been working like crazy, but isn't that what's expected of anyone starting out independently? They pour their blood, sweat, and tears into their business to see it thrive. It's their baby, a labor of love—but because it's Ellis, I know he can see I've been more than a little off the past two days. I assured him it had nothing to do with the information he extracted from Mason behind my back. I told him, 'You wanted my past, you wanted my story. Now you have it, but, like you, I don't care to relive my nightmares. I want to let them go.' And that was that. It's one of the things I love most about the man. He doesn't push. But right now, he's nudging me outside of my comfort zone, and he knows it. I told him why I withheld my finances from him. I didn't want him or anyone else to think I was with him for his wealth. Blush is mine. I want to do this on my own, but more than that, I need to do this on my own, and he knows that.

"Why do you always do that?" I say with a hint of annoyance.

"Do what?" he questions.

"Insist on things you know I don't want?"

The second the words leave my lips, I know they weren't the exact ones I sought. I could have delivered the same comment with more decorum, but I can't help it. I'm upset.

"Vivian, I didn't get where I am by not accepting help. I was a poor boy without a penny to my name when Nico lent me money. I paid him back with interest as soon as I could. It's okay to ask for help."

He's not wrong. I know I'm not truly upset with Ellis. He just happens to be here. I've been on edge and extremely sensitive the past few days. I don't know why. It's not like me to care so much or be so wholly invested in someone else, but that's part of the territory when you start letting people in. You allow yourself to be vulnerable. This past month has been a whirlwind of significant events in a small amount of time. A threesome with my boyfriend and his brother, my personal traumas and secrets revealed, Tate and all his layers, and the biggest one yet: my heart. I allowed myself to love for the first time. It's been a month of firsts, and I'm allowed to be anxious and maybe even irritable. That's a lot of shit to experience in a short time.

My silence has him asking me another question. "Or is this something else?" His eyes flash to me briefly, no doubt to get a read on my reaction to his question. We have yet to talk in-depth about Sebastian, what happened at the estate, or where his brother's been, and I haven't determined why that is. Does he think I need time to digest everything he's thrown at me? Or is this a him thing? Maybe he's working through all this as well. While I know he's clearly thought some of this through, I'm almost positive no conversations have been had with Sebastian, and you can't make someone want what he's suggesting. It's there, or it isn't.

Reaching across the center console, he takes my hand and laces our fingers together before saying, "Baby, I know he hurt you, but you were not the intended target. You were collateral damage, and for that, he will pay."

As I stare at our joined hands, guilt slowly settles in my stomach. I haven't discussed everything that Tate revealed at our lunch the other day, and it's not because I'm trying to hide it or be dishonest. It's simply not my story to tell. Tate technically paid good money to keep anyone from finding out about his past, not to mention I noticed how Monica still used his given name, Carter. He also hasn't talked about his sister much at all. All I know is that she exists, and I imagine all he's done has been to protect her. While I'm glad I know all this, I hate it at the same time because I can't do anything about it.

I don't want to lose him because he made a careless mistake in the name of revenge without fully thinking it through. I mean, he practically signed up for war with Ellis when he decided to pursue me. If Ellis was a different man—or the man Tate thinks him to be—he'd already be dead.

However, Ellis isn't wrong in his assumption that my thoughts are of Sebastian. He's also plagued them, but not for the reason you'd think. I'm worried that what we shared has done irrevocable damage to Ellis and Seb's relationship, and the last thing I want to do is come between those two. The problem is, I already have.

"What if I say I have a lot of thoughts, but it's nothing you need to worry about?" It's true my worries don't change anything about what I feel for Ellis. I told him I loved him, and I meant it. He is mine for as long as he'll have me, and maybe even after that, because when I said that I loved him, I meant that I'd love him forever.

He squeezes my hand before bringing it to his lips and placing a kiss atop the back of my knuckles and saying, "Then I guess I'll have to believe you."

"Has anyone ever told you there is such a thing as being too agreeable?"

Next thing I know, he's releasing my hand and exiting the car. Damn. I've been so fucking distracted with my thoughts that I didn't even realize we had arrived. Coming around to my side, he opens the door, and I climb out. I don't even get the chance to fully right myself before he pulls me in close, tipping my chin up so that my eyes are squarely on his when he says, "I think we both know there's only one person I bend for, and she's currently wrapped in my arms."

He's not wrong. There's a reason Tate said he is a bad man, and I believe that assessment is based solely on his connections and persona. Nico Serra might be a tech giant, but he's also rumored to have ties to the mob. However, being that I myself am Italian, I can verify that most people with our heritage are believed to have those ties. The Fioris were rumored to have them generations ago, but that's all it ever was: hearsay.

Ellis is a man who goes after what he wants, and he doesn't take no for an answer. He is smart as hell and ruthlessly groomed by his shit upbringing, so it's no surprise that those qualities carry over to his business persona. Unable to resist the sexy as fuck, stony enigma that is Ellis Lykos, I push up on my tippy toes in search of a kiss, and he more than greedily meets me halfway. Diving in, he takes what he wants, and I happily submit. I love that no one else gets this side of him but me. Reaching down, he grabs one cheek hard, pulling me firmly against his front, ensuring I feel every inch of his hardening cock. I love that I can get him worked up so easily, but before we get too carried away, he pulls back and says, "Come on. As much as I'd love to take you in the back seat of my car, you look fucking stunning tonight, and I don't want to mess that up." He kisses my lips one more time before adding, "Though, a just-fucked glow would pair nicely with that dress."

I swat his chest in jest. "Come on, if you play your cards right, I'll let you fuck me in the dress later."

---