Page 57 of Sweet Venom

"Let him talk, Ellis. This is my choice, not yours."

I have no idea what that even means. My mind can't focus because all I can think about is Vi's okay. Now I have to ensure the other girl who owns my heart is. Sitting up, I wipe the blood from my split lip on my thumb before giving her the answer I know she's not looking for, but I've already lost enough time here. "I'll give you everything, Vi. Every damn truth, but if there's a small part of that pretty heart that cares for the man you know I am, I need you to take me back to San Jose first."

"Fuck that. She owes you nothing, asshole," Mason spits.

I shake my head no, my eyes never leaving hers when I say, "It's not for me, Vi. It's for Chelsea. Please. You can hurt me all you want, but not her. I promise I'll tell you all of it, but please not her."

She heard my story. None of what I shared with her was a lie. I just didn't give her everything, but I believe the unfiltered parts I did give her brought us closer. I'm counting on that connection, on the emotions she felt for two kids that tragically lost their parents in an unfortunate accident. I'm depending on that pain, that desire to save them, to save me now. It's the lowest of lows, but my back is against the wall, and if I'm going to be burned alive at the stake for my sins, I'm not going down without a fight.

Her eyes hold mine, and I see it. She knows exactly what card I'm pulling, but before I get a chance to read into her expression any further, she turns to Ellis and asks, "Where's Sebastian?"

Mason answers for him, all too willing to connect the dots. "He left the second Tate confirmed that she was his sister, not his girlfriend." What looks like disappointment briefly flickers across her face, only to be replaced with the vengeance of a scorned woman.

Standing, she says, "Charlie, I'm going to need you to do me a solid and ask your dad to let me borrow his helicopter."

Ellis shakes his head, clearly pissed that she directed that statement to Charlie and not him, and just like that, with one sentence, she's made it clear that she trusts no man. Ellis ignores her direct snub and says, "Done. Now, let's go."

* * *

"I swear to god, Vivian, if you don't slow the fuck down." He grabs her around the waist and hoists her into his arms as we take the stairs.

"Ellis, put me down. I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own."

"The fuck you are. You insisted we take the stairs instead of the elevator, but you just passed out at dinner. Excuse me for not wanting to see that happen again. Push me on this, and I'll have the doctor here in ten minutes for a house call."

We take the stairs two at a time up to Ellis's penthouse, where we know he is because the cameras are down. They went down approximately fifteen minutes ago, which is about when he would have arrived back here. I’ve called Sayward at least a hundred times since we left the Serra Estate, and she hasn't answered. I'm really fucking hoping that means she left her phone in her locker at work, and not because Sebastian made some fucked up rash decision that's going to land my ass in jail sooner than anticipated.

"Let me down," Vi commands as she smacks Ellis's chest the second his foot hits the landing. When her feet hit the ground, she takes off running down the hall.

"Fuck," we both say in unison as we chase after her.

The door to the condo flies open with us hot on her heels, and we all but run smack dab into her when she stops dead in her tracks to watch Sebastian Lykos kneel in front of Sayward. Their heads snap toward the three of us, and Sebastian stands in time to receive a hard slap across the face from Vi.

"You fucking hypocrite. I'm the slut, huh? The little viper who isn't good enough for your brother; meanwhile, you're no better off, sleeping with the fucking enemy."

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not sleeping with her."

"You're lying. You're lying because you hate me that much. You can't stand that I make your brother happy. I recognize her perfume, Sebastian. You had her here the first night I came back to San Jose, and I saw you outside of Blush at Roasters. It's been her all along; it's why you wouldn't choose, and the second you found out she was single, you left—"

"Stop!" he yells as he grabs her by the shoulders. Ellis and I step forward, and he realizes the error he just made and releases her. "I'm not sleeping with her. This is Sayward Grace. She is the girl I showed you on the camera the night you shut down the club, the same one who's been stealing. You don't recognize her because she wears a wig to the club for anonymity."

Vi runs her hands through her hair. "I don't understand. If she's stealing from you, and you have your proof, why is she here and not in cuffs?"

"I didn't take her to the police because she's my sister!" he bellows before adding, "And she owes me a damn story."

That sets me off. Sayward doesn't owe him anything. "The fuck she does. You ruined her whole damn life."

Sebastian looks me square in the eyes and says, "How could I ruin her life when I've only just met her?"

I'm clenching my fists, angry as hell that he's still acting as if he isn't fully aware of her. "Don't play stupid with me. You've known about us for years. It's the only reason you know she's your sister now."

He puffs his chest out, clearly vexed and trying to rein in his fury so that his temper doesn't get the best of him before saying, "No, I know she's my sister because you told me at dinner, and I only know that because you're the fucker who lived my life." He pounds his hands to his chest before stepping back.

"Hold on," Vi extends her hands, ensuring Sebastian and I don't come to blows. "Ellis, you never told me you had a sister. What the hell is going on?"

When I look over at Ellis, his eyes are locked on me as if he's seeing me for the first time, and I mean really seeing me and taking notice of who I am. His jaw clenches, and he drags his eyes away to answer, "Because I don't. Sebastian does."

I shake my head, pissed to be right, but somewhat relieved to feel vindicated in my claims. "See, I told you. You guys fucking knew. It's your fault our parents are dead."

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