Page 101 of A Love Like Venom

I watch his face transform as a sudden dawning realization washes over him. Frantically he searches his pockets for something before coming up with his phone. Glancing down at the time that reads eleven-fifteen in the morning he curses under his breath.

Raising a brow I ask him, “What’s wrong?” Because clearly something is.

“Church is at noon. I’m going to be late.” After telling me this he rises from his crouched position and heads to the insanely small kitchen.

Following him I watch as he grabs a mug from the cupboard and begins to make coffee.

Sometimes I do forget because of his previous relationship with Caitlin he knows where things are in here.

I wipe away the thoughts before it gets me in a somber mood. It’s silly, I know but for now I would like to forget that they ever were a thing.

After the coffee is brewed and he pours himself a cup I ask, “You go to church?” He’s never been a heavily religious man. Not once since I have known him have I seen him go to church. I would know our town is notorious for not keeping secrets. Everybody knows something. Scandals big or small catch like wildfire.

Everything caught except the murder of Chris Blackwell. With no evidence thanks to the burned body everyone thinks he skipped town.

Everyone except Caitlin.

That is a conversation for another day. We need to figure out how she found out. She has no evidence to prove it but her mouth if she decides to open it could raise suspicion.

We need to stop that fire before it has the chance to spread.

“No, I don’t go to church,” he laughs. The sound loud and robust. I realize how much I missed his laughter. How infectious it is. He then explains, “Church is what we call our meetings at Vipers MC.”

My brows furrow. “Then why not call it a meeting?”

Taking a large sip not deterred by the hot temperature he answers, “Because like church what happens there stays there. It’s sacred shit we are talking about that no one else knows.”

“Why does that sound almost dangerous?”

Sitting down his mug he crosses his arms over his shoulders. The mundane pose does wonders for his muscled arms. “Because half of the time it is. I’m not going to lie to you, angel,some of the shit we do is illegal. Not everything we do is with the law, but we always do what is right. We keep our community safe and the people closest to us safer. That includes you. All of them will protect you.”

“Without even knowing me they’ll protect me?” I am left baffled. Being rejected my whole life it’s almost hard to believe that people would come to my defense so easily.

“Yeah, that’s what family does. I may not show them who I really am, but I do consider them family. And I know they would do anything for me and that means they would do anything for you.”

Family.

It all seems like such a foreign concept. I have a family, but I wasn’t blessed with a loving one. Reed found that. He found people to call his own.

Maybe I’ve never had family, but I suppose I could count a rare few that could count as my own.

Gracie Mae for sure is the sister I wish I had. She’s loyal, caring and protective of me. More times than not she’s also my voice of reason.

In a way I can also include her little brother Connor. He’s shy but boy does he love like something fierce.

I can’t imagine my life without the two of them in it.

The same way I can’t imagine my life without Reed in it.

“Well, that’s extremely gracious of them I don’t even know what to say or how to ever thank them.”

His brow quirks up as he says with jest, “You would have to meet them first to do that.”

I narrow my eyes at him as I place my hands on my hips. “Yeah, this I know, jokester.”

Finishing his cup of coffee, he puts it in the sink before walking back towards me. I stay put where I am behind the kitchen table.

When he reaches me, he replaces my hands on my hips with his own and pulls me closer to him. “Then come with me,” he suggests.

---