Page 231 of A Love Like Venom

The stench of bodily fluids, the mixture of blood, piss and vomit permeates the air.

As you can imagine, not the most pleasant smell.

I’m used to it by now, coming by here every night to see what more destruction I can cause to his body. But the sharp inhale and cough from Alice reminds me of just how awful the smell actually is.

She recovers quickly.

Her fingers tighten in my hand. Glancing at her I notice her spine has straightened and her shoulders are pushed back. She stares down Razor with a look of horror, hatred and a glimpse of pure shock.

I already know what she sees.

The barbed chained wire that’s wrapped around his bare torso cuts deeply in his skin. Fresh blood along with dried mark his flesh. All ten of his fingers are missing. I took my time cutting each one off. He didn’t even hold back his screams. Nor did hetry to suppress his cries. For a man who claimed to break men he broke the easiest and fastest.

Slashes, much like my own cover his body. For each one he gave me I wanted to give him ten times more. If I didn’t want him to feel the fire burning his skin, I would’ve left him in crimson ribbons. But my love for watching things burn won out. And it also satisfies what my girl wants.

For him to suffer until the very end.

“His eye is missing,” she states but it almost sounds like a question.

I hum in agreement and then add nonchalantly, “So is his tongue.”

At that she stops taking in all the damage I have done to him and focuses those eyes on me. Wide eyes I might add. “You cut out his tongue?”

I nod my head.

Her brows then furrow. “Why his tongue?”

“Every cut has meaning, angel,” I begin and then explain to her my sadistic act, “You see that his fingers are chopped off, yes?” She nods. “He touched your body with those grimy fucking fingers without your consent. Now he can’t touch anyone ever again. His tongue I cut out because he tasted you when he had no right to. Because he said vile and horrid words to you. Now he can’t do that either. And his eye. Are you wondering why he is missing only one?” She nods her head again. “I want him to see you before he meets his end. I want him to see that you are not his like he wanted. I want him to see how fucking strong you are. I want him to see that you won his game, angel.”

She blinks up at me a couple of times. Her mouth opens and closes. “That’s . . .”

At her loss of words and unreadable expression I’m feeling like I am losing her. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought her here. Maybe I shouldn’t have let her see this side of me. Because whatI did to Chris Blackwell is nothing compared to what I have done to this man right here.

“I told you I have a darkness inside me, Alice,” I say gruffly. This is one of the reasons why Vipers MC has me doing the dirty work. I have no problem killing when it’s necessary. And I am not ashamed to say that all the men that I have killed I have lost no sleep over.

Her eyes go soft, and her hand comes to caress my face. I kiss her palm before I lean into her touch. “And how many times have I told you that I find your darkness beautiful?”

Relief washes over me. In the back of my head I knew she wouldn’t fear me or see me as monstrous but sometimes years and years of self doubt are hard to get rid of.

“An eclipse, Reed. You’re the darkness that my heart craves and I’m the light that yours needs. But tonight, tonight I’m joining you in the dark and we will both bask in the light when this is done.”

God, this right here is why I can never let her go. She doesn’t only understand me, she accepts me. She accepts me and chooses freely to love me. Because despite my flaws I’m her other half. I’m what makes her whole. And she is what makes me whole.

A dark glint returns in her eyes. “Now, can we finish what you started?”

I smirk devilishly. Taking her hand back in mine I lead her to him.

He watches her with an eye full of hatred. His deep blue eye is a storm of malice. When his eye flickers down and sees her hand intertwined with mine, they blaze.

We come to a stop right in front of him. My girl doesn’t wither under her gaze. No, she stands taller. Her stance is powerful. And that look in her eyes is showing him just how powerful she is.

This isn’t the girl he can back in a wall. Nor the one he can brand. Not the one he can threaten and instill fear upon.

This is the woman who is going to be his end.

And when his eyes meet mine, they show the fear that he can’t hide.

Crouching down she levels her gaze with his. His eyes keep bouncing over to mine, afraid of what I’m about to do. He’s fearing the wrong person this time. I’m not here to do anything more to him. This is all her.

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