Page 34 of Spike

Running was something I was good at, after all. That was one of the perks of being a nomad.

When things became too tough, I could just run and move forward. Now, I simply felt trapped.

10

SPIKE

As I directed my motorcycle to the compound parking lot, the scent of alcohol wafting off me like a warning sign, I cursed myself for thinking that drowning my troubles in booze would somehow make them disappear.

If anything, it only made things worse. The road back had been a blurry haze, with the alcohol dulling my senses and threatening to send me tumbling off my bike more than once.

I must have looked like a sorry sight as I dismounted, my movements clumsy and unsteady. I now regretted stopping by the bar before returning to the clubhouse.

As I stumbled off my bike, the world swaying around me, my grizzly side growled its disapproval. But I ignored the warning, my mind clouded by the haze of alcohol. I headed inside the clubhouse.

"Hey, is the boss in his office?" I slurred my words, struggling to focus on the figures around me.

"He is, but if it's not urgent, I'd wait until tomorrow. Venom's in a foul mood.” I finally identified the speaker as Crash.

I scoffed, the alcohol lending me a false sense of bravado.

"Someone stepped on his paws lately?" I asked.

"Worse," Arrow chimed in. "Mayhem's got him sorting out the club's taxes."

Mayhem was notorious for his meticulous attention to detail, and if Venom was dealing with him on tax matters, things were definitely not looking good.

"Great," I muttered, ignoring Crash' comments as I made my unsteady way to Venom's office.

The alcohol fueled my anger, simmering just beneath the surface.

The thought of Venom questioning Gray, of meddling in our lives without my presence, ignited a fresh wave of frustration.

Who did he think he was? Gray wasn't just anyone; he was my... my boyfriend.

I knocked on the door, the sound echoing in the hallway. As Venom's voice called out, granting me entry, I braced myself for the confrontation ahead.

"You should look at this and this again," Mayhem said, standing by Venom's shoulder while Venom squinted at his laptop and growled.

When I entered, Venom's expression soured even further.

"Leave, I can't deal with you today," he snapped, cutting me off before I could speak.

"I have a bone to pick with you," I persisted, my voice steady despite the tension in the air.

"Spike, come see Venom tomorrow," Mayhem interjected.

"No, I want to know why you talked to Gray without telling me today," I began.

Venom slammed the lid of his laptop shut.

"We'll continue this tomorrow then," Mayhem said.

"Joy," Venom muttered darkly under his breath.

Once Mayhem left, it was just me and the boss. I grabbed a seat facing his desk. My inner bear warned me it wasn’t too late to turn back, but I shut him off.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Spike, but I will because you're about to make a rash decision you'll regret," Venom said.

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