Page 10 of Rawest Venom

“We-we had a date.” Strauss’s people wouldn’t have done this. These two wouldn’t play pretend cops if he had anything to do with it. “I went home after that. He was fine when I left…”

“Well, he’s not fine now.” Narrowing his steel-colored eyes, he says, “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about Will’s feet, would you?”

My heart stops beating. “Um, hisfeet?”

“Yes. His feet are missing. Well…” He chuckles and briefly looks at his partner, who matches his laugh. “Histoesare missing.”

Stifling a scream, I jump as Cal’s large palm wrapsaround my shoulder, moving me behind him slightly. “Sir, does my employee require a lawyer? Are you arresting her? This was her boyfriend. I believe your questions are upsetting her.”

“We need to know,sir, if your employee was the one to take bolt cutters to Mr. Patte’s feet and carry his toes off somewhere.” Staring down at me, the officer says, “He died in a pool of his own blood. For some reason, he was unable to move.”

Rubbing my arms, I turn into Cal’s chest as his arm surrounds me. Ofcourse,the first time he touches me like this is when my foot fetish friend is murdered. I shake my head into his blue sweatshirt, the warmth from his hold a nice reprieve from the chill of interrogation. “No! I didn’t!” His firm pecs muffle my voice.

“What time did this supposedly occur?” Cal’s honeyed voice vibrates across my forehead as he speaks with the officer.

“Sometime early Wednesday morning between midnight and six a.m.”

Fingers lace through my hair and scrunch at my scalp as Cal pulls me back to peer into my face. “Is it okay if I tell them?”

My eyebrows fold together in confusion, but Cal doesn’t wait for my response.

“She was with me, Officer. We didn’t want Will to know. It’s new. We just started…” When his lips press gently against my temple, my clit pulses in response.

There’s no movement or words for a long minute. Finally, the officer says, “All right, Mr. Von Dovish. If you’re her alibi, we’ll look elsewhere.” And they have to.As King of West Side, they will leave it alone, or else have the entire senate to deal with.

“She’ll also have a Von Dovish lawyer available if you try to speak with her again.” Cal’s large palm slips around my waist as he tugs me farther into his hard chest. As I embrace him, turning my head to hear his heart steadily beating, my hands get a sense of how well built he is underneath his hoodies and distressed jeans. Does Cal work out?

“Of course, she will. Have a nice day.”

Sniffing dramatically, I hope he won’t let me go. The door chimes as the police leave and Cal peels me off of him, placing a hand on each of my arms.

“I’m so sorry, Jane. Are you okay?” Tilting my chin up to look at him, concern is painted across his forehead in wavy lines. I’m very aware of how close his lips are to mine. A tiny pucker would press us together. Maybe he genuinely cares about me. I guess hedoesdo comfort. The sad girl thing seems to be working.

“Yeah… It’s just so strange. I was there with him and now he’s gone. And his toes! I-I didn’t do this, Cal.” Giving as much of an appearance of a distressed girl, I let my bottom lip quiver slightly.

Tucking me back into him, he squeezes me tight. “Oh, I’m sure you didn’t. If you need anything… If they harass you, you tell me, okay?”

Nodding against his body, I feel his nose inhale against my hair. Did Cal just sniff me?

Breaking our touch, he slowly lowers his arms and steps back. His gaze is set far off, and the troubled frown he often displays returns. “I knew him, too. He was…an ex-employee. I don’t know if this has anything to do with it, but I need to do some investigations for West Side’s safety. I’m going to take off. Will you be okay here, or should we close early today?”

“No, Cal, I’ll be fine. Do what you need to do.” Snatching his hand before he can leave, I squeeze it, and he peers down at the hold as if the touch is a snake bite. As quickly as I touch him, I drop it, the pain of his sudden rejection confusing me. Was his intimacy earlier just an act? “Thank you. But…why did you give me an alibi?”

Lifting his eyes to mine, he smiles. “For West Side. Gotta look out for my people. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Hmm, Will is gone. That’s disappointing, but I’m much more worried about myself. Clearly, someone was watching us. Who? That’s the big question. The same person who moved my tissue box? Cal’s reaction seemed genuinely concerned. He watches everyone, but I know he usually has his big meeting with Alpha at the time I left Will’s place. Strauss wouldn’t send cops if his people had done such a thing…unless it was to pin it on me. Just someone nearby to take the fall? Or maybe to get rid of another of Cal’s employees?

If it wasn’t Strauss, that would leave Freidenberg’s new people or Donovan’s old ones. Could be good. Could be bad.

Wandering to the back of the store, I knock on the wall behind some computer shelves. They open with a loud creak to reveal a short and disgruntled Echoes, shoving her thick black-rimmed glasses up her nose. Spotting me, she walks away with her messy black buncoming unraveled with every sway of her curvy hip movements.

“I would say ‘come in,’ but you know you’re not allowed back here.”

“Meh, you’ve never kicked me out,” I say as I shut the wall behind me. Meandering around the room, I pick up dirty clothes and toss them into a filled hamper. Trash goes into the overflowing can. “Who do you think did it?”

“Donovan’s crew, no doubt. I bet anything that’s who Cal will find. Freidenberg’s guys are too green and haven’t figured out what the fuck they’re doing. It wouldn’t be Strauss. He wouldn’t send his rent-a-cops over here if so.”

I nod with an awed, innocent look on my face. “You’re so smart about this stuff. Why didn’t you or Cal see it?” Busying myself with straightening her dishes in the sink, I run the tap with hot water.

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