Page 202 of Making Choices

Crystal insisted it was perfect.

When Nadia backed her up, I capitulated.

The dress fit me like a glove and it was available immediately. I wasn’t all that interested in my outfit beyond those two parameters, so the fight wasn’t worth it. Now, seeing Zeke’s reaction to it, I can’t help but feel like I’ve let him down. This isn’t the kind of dress a woman wears when she doesn’t want to marry someone.

It’s a statement dress.

And the statement it’s making to Zeke in this moment is that I’ve forgotten about him.

“Crystal picked it,” I venture in a timid tone. “With the time crunch and all—”

“Turn around.”

Knocked off balance by his choice of first words after so long apart, I do as he demands without question. He presses his palm between my shoulder blades and forces me against the wall next to the door. Before I can ask what he’s doing, the tiny buttons securing the bodice of my dress are wrenched apart and the corset splits all the way to the top of my backside. I fold an arm across my chest to stop the heavy dress from dropping to the floor, then I gasp as Zeke winds his fingers through the intricate braids the hair stylist created this morning and jerks my head back.

“Did he tell you how things are goin’ down?”

The disembodied quality to his voice warns me that I’m dealing with Venom, so I moderate my tone when I reply, “Yes. Slash told me that you’re pleading guilty.”

“Is that all?”

“Y-es.” Swallowing down the lump that’s invaded my throat, I try to reason with him. “I don’t want you to do that. I’d rather you fight… with Gabriel’s help, we’re certain to—”

“It’s done.”

“But…” I trail off when his grip in my hair tightens.

“There’s no but about it. You’re a married woman now. The Trinity will keep you safe. My freedom will only impede that protection.”

“What do you mean?”

Silence falls as Venom presses himself into my back. He’s hard. Grinding his length against my spine, he uses his free hand to coax my arm away from my breasts. Left bare-chested when he yanks the dress down, I freeze as he cups my left breast. His fingers bite into my flesh a second before he pulls my head to one side and sinks his teeth into my shoulder.

A harsh hiss bursts from my lips as he breaks the skin.

The pain is immediately soothed by his tongue.

“Venom, this isn’t what I came here for.”

“Why do you do that?” he asks in a voice that makes the hair on my neck stand up.

“Do what?”

“Try to isolate my actions as either Zeke or Venom.”

“Because… um, I don’t know.”

He pinches my nipple to the point of agony. “Try again, sweet thing. The truth, this time.”

“I, ah… I don’t—Jesus Christ. Stop that.” My temper snaps when he spanks my breast. “I’m scared of Venom… are you happy now? Does it make you feel good to know that you scare me sometimes so I try to focus my fear on Venom and keep Zeke as a safe harbour?’

“There she is.” He spins me around. The sight that greets me is heart-breaking. In my rush to enter the stark meeting room that Gabriel organised for us, I didn’t notice that Zeke’s got a black eye and a split lip. I reach out to touch his cheek, but he slaps my hand away. “Don’t offer me comfort, give me your bloody anger. I want it all. Your fury, your hate… fuckin’ need it if I’m gonna go through with this.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re not ’sposed to.”

“Zeke.” I jam my hands on my hips. “I’m not in the mood for riddles. Not after, Slash…” Realising that bringing up my brand-new husband is a recipe for disaster, I change the subject. “Why don’t we sit down? Talk? You can explain to me why you think pleadin’ guilty is the right move and I can do my best to talk you out of it.”

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