Page 23 of The Bitterness of Venom

I walk up to her, my hand automatically going to her bruised cheek and instead of caressing it, I press my thumb into the discoloration. She flinches. "That. That right there is why I'm here. Making sure no one leaves marks on my toy."

She pushes on my chest, propelling herself backward and away from me. Once she's skating in the right direction, I watch her sexy thighs and the way her ass sways. If there is a God, he designed Blaise Sheffield to bring me to my knees.

FIFTEEN

My legs are sore,my pussy screaming from the assault of Desmond’s four fingers yesterday, and my mind? Well. That bitch is just confused. He's hot and cold and I'm stupid to want to have anything to do with him. This is exactly the kind of girl I yell at in my books.

Dump his ass.

You can do better.

Kick him in the balls, for fuck’s sake.

And yet, here I am.

I see his red flags andthink,Yay, a carnival.

Totally stole that off a meme, but hell if it isn't true.

I've already decided I'll transfer schools next semester. There's no way I'm letting that asshole keep me under his thumb for an entire year. Highest-ranked college or not, it's not worth it.

I stretch in my bed. Wishing my body’s clock didn't wake me so early every day, including the weekends. Destiny wants to do some girls’ day thing, but I told her I would rather go to a frat party. So that's what we are doing tonight.

Yawning, I make my way to the bathroom. Closing andlockingthe door, I start the shower and pull my special pink shampoo that keeps my pastel locks fresh. I do it once a week at least.

I go through my routine of showering and then brushing my teeth. Hurrying back to my room in a towel and throwing on some sweats and a sports bra. I brush my hair, blow-dry it, and then tie it up in a claw clip. Once I feel better, I step out into the hallway, making my way to the kitchen where Elisha meets me with a cup of coffee, exactly as I like it, and a bagel with lots of spices on top. "You're the best." I grin, taking a seat at the table and spreading cream cheese on it.

Jasper comes out next and I look away, my cheeks heating. There was something so erotic about watching him watch me as he stroked his dick. He must feel the same because he stops, clearing his throat before taking the seat as far away from me as possible.

But it makes me a little uncomfortable. We had somewhat of a friendship before all of this happened. And now, well, we'll have to see. We can't act like it didn't happen. He's one of those people who is going to need to talk about it. And I dread it. I'd rather stick nails in my eyelids than sit through that awkward conversation.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

Scratch that. I know it is.

But I'm already here, getting the normal college experience. And I should have known my shadow would be here. In fact, the entire hockey team is here, and they're looking me over. Trying to figure out who I am. I don't blame them. Not every day does a girl crawl across the floor at a party and then proceeds to take her shirt off. Or… maybe in the case with Desmond, that does happen. The way the two girls sit on his lap right now makes me think he enjoys fucking with everyone.

I tip my head back on the makeshift dance floor. My arms around some soccer player—at least that's what I think he said he is. His hands grip into my ass as I dance against him. He's an amazing dancer. Dipping and spinning me at all the right moments. Like now, he spins me so I'm facing the hockey team full-on. But I only care about one set of eyes. Desmond watches me with hunger and murder. All dangerous and brooding. I wonder if he even knows he's doing it.

My phone vibrates and I halt, my eyes narrowing on his as I pull it out.

Desmond: Once upon a time, my doll came and sat on my lap.

I internally scream. Can I have one day without his demands?

You secretly love it.

Intrusive thoughts will be the death of me.

I walk away from my dance partner with regret, but also, some sick part of me is excited. I walk over to the hockey team, taking a seat in Desmond's lap as if I belong there, thetwo girls from earlier discarded and forgotten. I sit sideways across his lap, my hands going around his neck and my feet resting on the couch.

He arches a brow, suspicion in his eyes. Good. He should be nervous. His hand flexes around an untouched expensive bottle of alcohol before he brings it to his lips. I watch as the bottle tips back, gold liquid entering his mouth. He pulls the bottle away, lips leaning into mine. I part my lips, allowing the cool liquid to fall from his tongue to mine. Our lips brush briefly. Almost teasingly. I have no idea what game we are playing tonight, but I don't want it to stop.

He pulls away from me, onyx eyes watching me closely. "Why are you letting other people play with what's mine?" he growls lowly.

I shrug. "If I'm nothing but a toy, you shouldn’t care."

His hand slips up my shirt, sinking into my ribs. His fingers are calloused, a delicious scrape against my skin. "We both know I don't share."

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