Page 38 of Rawest Venom

Dancing up on my toes, I shove my hands in my pockets. “Yep.”

Lashes flutter at me as she flirts. “Come on! I’ve already seen your dick. The plane is just overkill.”

I lean in and place my mouth over her ear, gathering her close to me. “If you play your cards right, maybe you’ll see my dickonthe plane.” Goosebumps erupt across her exposed collarbone when I breathe on her, then place my lips just beneath her earlobe. She shivers in my embrace. When I straighten up, I give her a curt smile, but her eyes appear unfocused, a dazed look clouding her expression.

Pulling her into one of the chairs next to me, I call for the server to help us with drinks. Once again, Jane doesn’t know what she wants, and I order for her.

After takeoff, the waiter returns with a tray of vegan hors d’oeuvres and our cocktails. Jane turns to me and asks, “This whole setup is lovely, but where are you taking me?” Her lipstick imprints on the rim of her barrel aged Negroni as she takes a sip, the orange twist contrasting with the blue of her dress.

“Varingo.”

Her mouth gapes open with surprise. “Oh, I’venever been. I’ve never been outside Gnarled Pine, really. Not far away to a huge city like that anyway.”

Part of me believes her. The stupid part of me. Is that what that Unnamed is? Hope? Yearning for something sincere.

“The ballet there is world renowned. Pierre, one of my favorite chefs, has his restaurant there, too. After the show, he’ll cook for us in a private dining room. Monet, my personal chef, trained with him, but it’s not the same. So, when I visit the city, I like to dine at his place.”

“How often do you visit?”

The amaretto soothes the burn of bourbon as I take a sip of the sour. “Not very. It seems some disaster always befalls West Side as soon as I leave Gnarled Pine.”

She takes a bite of bruschetta, then wipes her mouth. “Don’t you have anyone to help you? Don’t you get to have a vacation?”

“Nick Jordan helps, and I can monitor things from my systems, but it’s best if I’m close by.” Placing my hand over hers on the table, I stroke the skin gently with my thumb. “Would you like to take a vacation?”

“Is this my boss asking me if I want a vacation, or my—” She stops herself. The unspoken question lingers between us now. It can’t be taken back.

“Boyfriend?” I ask. She’s trying to make it seem like this is a normal date between us. And how much do I wish that were true? I’ll pretend as much as she is.

Some shift occurs on her face, as if she’s just had an epiphany. “Cal?”

“Yeah?”

She swallows and lowers her voice, the sound almost drowned out by the white noise of the plane engines. “We’re alone, right?”

Pausing for at least ten seconds, I contemplate why she would ask. “If you’re asking if there’re cameras in here, there are for my safety. My tank is sitting up front with the crew but, otherwise, we are thousands of feet in the air now. Alone.”

Nodding softly, she says, “I understand you need to be with someone who… A woman who can give you an heir. Someone from afamily, a clan. Someone with a last name attached to them. I’m an orphan. Or…from what I remember, I am.”

If there were such a thing as honesty, I’d swear she just used it on me, like a sharp weapon. It cuts deeper than any knife. Like a betrayal with the truth.

Leaning in, I place my lips close to hers. “So, then we play.” Not giving her the chance to respond, I gather up her siren’s song with my mouth, delving in with my tongue and mussing her hair with my hands running through the thick, rosy strands. Forcefully, she pulls back from me.

“Cal,” comes out as a whispered warning, or a moan. “What are you doing with me?” This time, she whispers.

“I’m spoiling you,” I pant out. “Let me spoil you tonight.”

“You want me to be your whore?” she asks with some trepidation.

With a snort, I smirk and answer, “Do you want to be?”

Glancing down, her eyes raise slowly back up to mine, holding some seriousness behind the green. “I don’t think you should choose me.” My jaw clenches shut as the venom of rage surges through my veins.

“And here I thoughtyouchoseme.” But, careful, puppet, because I hold your strings and you just haven’t figured that out yet. That part, I keep to myself.

“Sir, we’re landing in ten.” Over the loudspeaker, the pilot alerts me to our descent.

Both of us straighten in our seats, and I adjust myself in my trousers. Jane excuses herself to go to the restroom to freshen up, and when she returns, so does her plastic face.

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