Page 69 of A Love Like Venom

As my eyes scan the area they come up empty.

Fucking hell.

The only person I see behind the bar is the familiar blonde barmaid who is always attached to Alice's side.

And I know if anyone is to know where Alice is it will be her.

Seeing how she isn't busy now I take the opportunity to single her out. On the far-right end of the bar I see her wiping down the counter. I don't stop moving until I'm directly in front of her, the only thing separating us being the bar counter. I slam my hand down to get her attention

Her head snaps upwards as her eyes widen at the sight of me.

"Where is she?" I demand the woman who've I learned the name of from calls around the club. Gracie Mae, that's her name.

"I don't know who you are talking about." She has the audacity to act stupid. Even with her performance of being indifferent she knows exactly who I am referring to. How could she not? She's like a fifth limb when it comes to Alice. Constantly near her. Always talking to her. She even manages to get a smile out of the girl. But not like the ones I used to receive. No, those smiles were specially made and delivered just for me.

Thinking about them brings me back to my own person hell.

Her smiles used to mean everything to me. The stars held no comparison.

"Where is she, Gracie Mae? I don't like repeating myself." The mask I wear perfectly is beginning to slip. I can't even manage a fucking smile because I'm so annoyed. You see that's a problem. Once the mask slips the beast underneath becomes unleashed.

And now is not the fucking time.

Gracie Mae throws the bar rag on the counter and pins me with a look of disgust. "Like in fucking hell would I ever tell you. Alice doesn't need your shit right now."

My hand flexes by my side. "I could give a fuck less about what Alice wants," I throw back at her more harshly than I intended.

Pointing her finger at me angrily she spits out, "That's the fucking problem! She doesn't need any more men forcing her to do shit!"

It doesn't matter that Gracie Mae has balls bigger than some men. I don't even care how she's looking at me with such loathing. The fury that radiates off her in waves.

None of that fucking matters.

It's the one word she spat at me.

That one word that has my vision going red. A stroke from a match is all it takes. And that word. That fucking filthy dirty word is the match that lights fire coursing through my veins.

"Force?"I repeat the dirty word through clenched teeth. My jaw is set so hard that it ticks.

Grace scoffs before giving me a hollow laugh. "Don't act like you care, Snake. You're not any better."

"Excuse me?"

She laughs again, the sound grating my ears. "In fact, I don't know who is worse. Razor the man who can't accept the word no. The man who has to have his prize. Or you."

"Or me?" I question in disbelief.

"Yeah you," she bites. "You come in here specifically to treat her like shit. Not because you can but because you want to. You want her broken. You want her tears. Well, I'll let you know this, she cried. Broke down in my arms but it wasn't because of you. And there's a part of you that hates that, don't you. That you weren't the one to break her. So, forgive me if I can't tell the difference in who is worse."

Fucking burn it all to fucking hell!

I know what I've done. I know the damage I was causing her. In my mind it was just, it was fair. Now I'm beginning to realizethat it wasn't fair at all. Nothing I have done has been right. And I need to see Alice Hall and hear her side of the story.

These demons will not rest otherwise.

But Gracie Mae knows nothing of my recent conflict of emotions.

I don't expect her to understand either.

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