Page 173 of Making Choices

Venom.

As if on cue, the man who was once my best friend tries to save me. “Why don’t you take this to Slash’s room. It’s not really a conversation you wanna have in front of the entire club.”

“No. Fuck. Him.” Bebe offers me a vicious look. “Everyone needs to hear this.”

I blink slowly as the time-bomb ticks down.

Venom holds his hands up to placate the woman determined to ruin my life.

Blink.

Cherub grimaces at something Bebe says.

Blink.

The mob bitch hits me with a smirk as my VP visibly stumbles backward.

Blink.

Rounding on me, Venom pokes me in the chest. “You’re fuckin’ Lily?”

Blink.

“No.” My answer is as ambiguous as the pleading in my duchess’ eyes is clear.

Blink.

Venom sees the truth.

His temper explodes and he pounces on me.

For the first time in our life, I match his ferocity with my own. He shoves me. I punch him in the jaw, then I knee him in the stomach. When my best friend tries to rip my throat out, I attempt to catch him in a headlock. We punch on. Taking pot shots that make the other man curse while more than a decade of mistruth and resentment boils over. Every hit he lays is painful and I know my answering strikes hurt him.

Not one blow he lands hurts more than knowing I’ve lost it all.

The bar erupts as everyone tries to stop our fight, but it’s too late.

Venom’s out of control and I’m not backing down.

Not this time.

Not ever again.

I’ve spent my life trying to do the right thing.

I’ve put everyone else first.

Swallowed down my desires.

And it’s gotten me nowhere.

As I lose my footing and fall backward, only one thought reverberates around my head.

I gave it all.

For what?

A booted foot makes contact with my gut, and I curl into a ball.

---