Page 15 of The Bitterness of Venom

“Hi, sunshine,” Jasper greets, parking his huge frame next to me.

I scowl at him, looking around at the otherburley men taking up all the air and space. “Where is Elisha?” I look around hoping to spot his cocky ass.

“Sitting with his boyfriend somewhere.” I cough, my drink nearly spilling everywhere. Jasper grimaces, patting me on the back. “You good?”

I nod. “Yeah. Just surprised me a little, is all.”

He smiles. “I had the same reaction.”

“Why are you here?” I ask.

“Oh,” he says, sitting his pizza down. “I go to school here too.” I glare, making him laugh. “You looked lonely.” He shrugs.

I sigh. “Jasper, I like being alone. So, you and your hockey goons can go away.”

He frowns. “No one likes being alone.”

“I’m not sure how to stress this enough. I’m not nice. I like being alone.” My looming presence must at least give him a hint that I’m not lying. But I know people like Jasper. Always happy, nothing bad ever having happened to them. They can’t fathom wanting to be alone or even on the edge of depression.

Must be nice.

I glare down at my hamburger, contemplating what to do here. One, I could simply get up and walk away. But I’m hungry. I want my burger. I’m about to snatch my hamburger and move, when a dark shadow clouds over me and my body is lifted into the air before it’s placed back on thick thighs. A strong arm snags around my waist, keeping me in place on his lap. I know whose lap because no matter how much I don’t want to feel the connection, those stupid fucking sparks—or whatever they call it in my fairytale romance novels—well, Desmond and I have them. We always have.

Despite the way his free hand trails over the exposed skin of my thigh, or how his heat at my back is nice and cozy. He should be cold as ice.

His hot breath tickles my neck, lips teasing over my ear as he growls, “Eat.”

I purse my lips, not responding or eating.

I should have known not to test him, but if there is one thing about me, I’m only going to do what I want to do.

So, when he snatches my hamburger and pushes it to my lips and growls, “I said eat,” I do what every other woman should do in my position. I shake my head like a toddler.

The energy around us freezes, the tension growing so thick I could choke on it. I don’t see his hand before it comes to my face, fingers pinching my nose, cutting off my air supply. Jasper opens his mouth to say something but quickly shuts it. And when I try to make eye contact with anyone else at the table, they’re all looking down.

Fucking pussies.

My eyes begin to blacken around the edges, head feeling light. I’m blacking out, I realize. I open my mouth, taking in a greedy breath of air, but that too is cut short when Desmond crams the hamburger down my throat. I cough and sputter. He allows me to fall to the hard ground of the cafeteria. No one makes a sound, the cafeteria silent. My eyes sting in rage and as I look up to a smirking Desmond, I vow I’m going to kill him. Slowly.Veryslowly.

My boss kind of sucks.He’s slimy and… a man. Ew. Benny is a real piece of work. I’m ninety percent sure he’s in his office seeing if he can make his dick fall off by masturbating all day. I’m not here to judge, though. I’m here to do my job and deal with the two ornery men who have become my regulars. They’re currently shooting the shit about something. Football, maybe. I’m not paying attention. Not until the doors open and a huge commotion drags my eyes up from the bar and land straight onhim.

The anger I feel could outshine the sun. The shame and humiliation he has caused me not once, but twice now. And for what? What’s his fucking problem? I’ve done nothing to him. Not for him to treat me this way. If this is his form of entertainment, then I would rather not go to college than allow him to run all over me.

I look away when the hockey team takes a seat in a corner booth. I’m happy to be on bar duty. Waiting on people is not really my MO. Just in case anyone hasn’t noticed, but I don’t people very well. Lucy, my coworker, bumps her hip with mine. Her long black ponytail swaying as she smiles. She’s always doing that.Smiling.

“Your ten-minute break starts now.”

The two old geezers in front of me grumble out their annoyance at my future absence. “Don’t worry, troubles. I’ll be back.”

My phone buzzes as I toss my apron under the bar.

B.M.: Once upon a time, my doll met me out back.

Shoving my phone in my pocket, I head for the back door that leads to the alleyway. I lean against the brick wall, allowing the cool air of the night to nip at my hot skin. I don’t jump when he appears out of nowhere. I could sense him as he rounded the corner of the building. His callused finger tips my chin up, my eyes connecting with his. They’re so dark and haunted. So alluring to my soul, I want to get swept up in them. Lost in the blackness forever. But this is no love story. It’s something more sinister. I just haven’t figured out why yet.

His thumb sweeps over my bottom lip, gaze holding mine captive. “Get on your knees.”

My eyes widen. “Whatever for?”

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