Page 125 of A Love Like Venom

My mind is exploding with the information. My mind can’t seem to process that her own family, her own flesh and blood would do this to her.

And it can’t process the fact that I allowed myself to get so fucking close to the person who did it to her.

I have never wanted to lay a hand on a woman in my entire life but I really want to fucking kill Caitlin Hall right now. I want to kill her for what she’s done to my sweet angel.

“I wish you would’ve told me. I could have done something. I could have-” Rising up from her crouched position she drops the shirts in her hand and crosses the small distance to reach me.

Taking my face in her hands she tells me, “What could you have done? You were a kid just like me. And I didn’t tell you, Reed. I didn’t tell you how poisonous my sister was when I should have. I didn’t tell you anything about my home life because when I was with you it didn’t matter. It all faded away. Being with you was enough for me. Watching the stars with our pinkies intertwined gave me the strength to endure another day. You were saving me without even knowing it. They tried to poison me, tried to inject me with their venom but you were my antidote. You saved me everyday by just existing.”

Her words, all her heart felt meaningful words pull on my god damned heartstrings. It aches for the girl who I could have tried harder in saving. It aches for the only person who meantthe world to me that I betrayed by being with her bitch of a sister.

My heart aches for never taking the chance with her when I should have. Because maybe if I had taken the risk earlier, maybe if I had not believed in my own fucking insecurities I could have saved her from this nightmare she was living in.

“I could have saved you, Alice.” My voice is choked with emotion. There was so much I could have protected her from but I didn’t. I failed her.

“You did, Reed. Believe me, you did. With your magic eyes and that smile you gave me. You saved me, Reed Carter. More than you will ever know.” She brings my head down to where our foreheads touch. Then she gives me the lightest kiss on my lips. One of promise, one of forgiveness. One that tells me it wasn’t my fault.

I don’t care if it wasn’t my fault or not I am never going to let anyone hurt her again. That includes Razor, her pathetic excuse of a mother and her vile sister.

I will tear each of them down limb by limb and I will not be sorry.

The rest of my life she will never have to worry. I will always protect her. Always. And I don’t care what I have to do to ensure her safety.

“I love you and I swear on my life I’m never going to let anyone hurt you like that again. I promise you that. Never again.”

She kisses me again and this time I kiss her back. I give her a soft slow kiss that has my heart and soul in it.

And I am so wrapped up in her, lost in our kiss that everything around me seizes to exist.

That’s my fatal flaw when it comes to her.

Because I don’t even realize until I pull away from her that there is someone opening the door.

Putting Alice behind me out of instinct to protect her I then draw my gun from my waistband. I raise it in the air and wait for the intruder to make themselves known.

As the front door opens Alice’s fingers grip the back of my cut.

Then I see a familiar figure walk through the front door. A figure that I unfortunately know all too well.

Long bleach blonde hair is the first thing that I see followed by blue eyes that once reminded me of the ocean waters.

Now those eyes have a sinister glint in them. Her arms are crossed as a malicious smirk marks her face.

“Well, would you look at that. Reed and his sweet little innocent Alice.” Her voice is mocking and cruel.

Once upon a time I thought she was beautiful but now I see her for what she truly is. A disgusting vile human being who isn’t attractive at all.

And never in my life have I wanted to kill a woman.

But the one standing in front of me, the one who hurtmy angel,the one who has made her turn to stone behind me . . .

Yeah I would fucking kill her in a second.

And that is none other than Caitlin Hall.

Alice

It's her voice that I hear first that has my whole body locked with tension. Her mocking and condescending tone has me bracing myself for what's to come next out of her mouth.

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