Page 22 of Rawest Venom

“Thanks for coming with me. And for showing an interest in West Side’s trade. It’s what keeps the people here less destitute than the East and South. I’m trying to help them survive and to wake up.”

She stares out the windshield as her face grows serious. “You do a good job.”

Not yet. As the Tesla slows near her place, she turns toface me before getting out of the car, her pink lips pale with the frigid temperatures. “Have a good night, Cal.”

Letting my eyes crawl up her cleavage, I meet her innocent face. Trying to remove the desperation I suddenly feel, I clench my teeth and say, “Have fun on your date, Jane.”

Seven

JANE

Rainier’s what one would call the strong, silent type. About six-foot-something extra and built like a tank. Bullied all the way through school, he decided to take his internalized hatred out on those smaller than him, which turned out to be everyone after he started hitting the gym. As a teenager, he had a crush on his best friend’s younger sister. Her name was… Well,fuck, I can’t remember. But no matter, because as soon as he had the courage to ask her to prom, she turned him down loudly in front of his group of loser friends.

Now he just hates women in general.

He has a constant wrinkled brow and a deep hairline of russet-colored strands, which does nothing to hide wide ears that sit too low on his head. The thickness of his neck and his protruding hard nipples give him the utmost ape-like appearance when I slide onto a red velvet stool at the Crimson Angel bar. Glancing around innocently, I take in the busy lounge area.

A pianist wearing sunglasses plays jazz with a tall saxophone accompanist on the stage, clouded from view by the billowing smoke bouncing off the low-beamed ceiling. The music is blurred by murmured conversations between couples wearing fancy dresses or suits. One trail of well-worn carpet leads a guest from the entry of the bar into the sitting area, and despite the newness of the barback, the wooden top and front of the counter is quite ancient appearing. The stone walls surrounding us give the place a cozy, yet tortured feeling. Like there’s no escape, but would one even want to?

The bartender asks for an order while Rainier scopes me out with hunger in his eyes.

“Um, just a water, please,” I say, making my voice as coquettish as possible.

Rainier scoffs from two seats down, then grabs his Crown and Coke and moves to the one next to me. “Aren’t you…”

“Oh? Rainier?”

Thin lips smirk like I’m dumb as he gives me a curt nod. “Jane. You’re a lot curvier than I thought you’d be.” His dark brown eyes delve deep into my cleavage, which only appears plumper due to the extremely uncomfortable boned leather corset adorning my upper half. A velvet mini skirt barely covers my ass. Holding back a sigh, I yearn for my fuzzy sweatpants.

“Is that a problem?” Sipping my water through a straw, I blink slowly, letting my lashes entice him. Just a ditzy girl…

“Not at all. I like it. But you do look like you’d put on a few after a baby or two.”

Well, now. It’s very difficult to surprise me, but I think he’s done it. He’s intrusive, insecure, rude, arrogant… Only one appropriate response to this situation will get what I need. “And are you going to be the one to put a few in me?” Some upswept tendrils of my hair fall out of my loose bun when I tilt my head.

Rainier becomes the speechless one. Narrowing his already beady eyes until they are almost invisible, his wide mouth forms a nefarious grin. “You’re a brat, aren’t you? Fuck, I love that. I’ll enjoy taming you.” I’m not, but he likes them, so tonight I’ll be snarky.

The bartender leaves us in peace after sliding Rainier a refill. “And how will you do that?”

“You said everything except crops and anal, right?”

Nodding, I recall the form he had me fill out online before our date. “Yes, that’s right.”

Leaning in closer to me, his overpowering cologne clouds my mouth before I can shut it. “Maybe I’ll start with a little spanking. Then, work my way up to the paddle if you still misbehave. Do you remember the safe word you picked?”

“Turgid.”

Just being near his bloated ego makes me regret not canceling to go out with Cal instead. But that would devalue myself. It’s notfemme noiras theBe a Bitch, Get the Boybook said. If I had left Rainier, Cal may have gotten turned off. Men like what they can’t have. It’s science.

Rainier downs his drink as if he’s ready to go. Before I can slow him down, he grabs my hand and stands. “You ready?”

“Um, okay.” Dawdling as we walk toward the backhall, I slide my hand up his carved arm. “Wha-what do you do for the clan again?”

“You shy now? Told you, I guard the fields. I’m one of the tanks. Yeah, yeah. I always carry, but obviously I can’t in here, or else I’d show you my gun.” Lies, lies. Another lie. My snooping has told me everything out of his mouth so far is just fluff. But if he wants to pretend, that’s fine by me.

“Do you see much action in the field? Like intruders and such?”

Pausing by room seven, he slides the vacant sign to occupied and opens the door for us. “What’s with all these questions?”

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