Page 52 of The Bitterness of Venom

“Pass.”

I go to walk past him, when he grabs my elbow. “I thought you said we can be friends.”

“I did, but friends don’t do this.”

“What if I told you you’re the only real friend I’ve ever allowed myself to have, so I haveno clue what I’m doing?”

I look up at him at his admission. His jaw is clenched and he won’t look at me. “You’re serious?”

He scoffs. “As if I would lie about something so pathetic.”

“It’s kind of sweet.”

His head tilts down to face me, and he smiles. “Sweet enough to get a kiss for?”

I place my hands on his chest, his pecs flexing under my grip, and push him away. “You wish.”

“I fucking envision it every night with my hands around my cock,” he whispers.

“Friends,” I remind him.

He sighs, walking to his own car and opening the door for me. “For now.”

THIRTY-FIVE

I throwthe car door open and begin stomping down the old gravel road outside of town.

A door slams behind me and I hear him laugh. “Come on, baby. Get back in the car, you’re doing great.”

“Then why do you keep yelling at me and pressing on an invisible brake?” I throw my hands up. We’ve been at this for three weeks now, and I just fucking suck at driving. Or maybe Desmond is a shitty teacher? I think it’s the latter, to be honest.

“Freckles.”He groans.

“Fuck off, Rickman.” I show him my middle finger right before I’m thrown over his shoulder.

“Calm down. You’ll get it. Someday. Until then, you’ll just have to rely on me.”

He sets me in the passenger seat, shutting my door and climbing in on his side. “Besides, I want to take you somewhere.”

“I don’t like surprises,” I sass.

“Never said you would like it.”

I frown, crossing my arms over my chest like a child, and glare out the window. We arrive at the hockey arena and my confusion only grows. Grabbing the handle, I push open the door and look around. “Why are we here?”

Desmond shrugs, rounding the car and tugging on my hand. “I want to play a game.”

I should get my head checked out because the thrill that shoots through me, the way my pussy clenches around nothing, it’s not normal. “What kind of game?”

He scans a card, and the door opens. It’s much different than on game night. It’s dark and quiet, almost creepy. Our steps echo off the walls and I jump a little when the light to the arena turns on.

It’s dimly lit. The ice is smooth and so pretty. “You see how beautiful the ice is?” Desmond asks, and I nod. “Makes me want to mess it all up. That’s how I feel about you. Ever since we were kids. You’ve always been so pretty, too beautiful for me to think straight. I couldn’t wait to fuck you up. Bring your flaws to the surface so I could lick them clean. Devour you whole and make you mine forever.”

I swallow, my heart pounding, and my hand squeezes his tighter. “And now?”

He looks down at me, head tilting slightly. “I still want to devour you, but not to fuck you up. I just want to keep you. Like I always have.”

This conversation is too deep, too much for me to thinkstraight, so instead, I pull my hand from his. “What’s the game?”

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