Page 40 of A Love Like Venom

I had thought I was safe with her. I truly had showed her everything, the light she had given me and the darkness I knew I had in me.

In the end she betrayed me.

And I'll never forgive her for that.

Seeing her like this, reminding me of the girl I once knew, doesn't change that.

I will never forgive her, but also because my brain is fucked, I don't like seeing someone else do this to her.

Because if there is anyone who is going to unleash hell upon Alice Hall it's going to be me. Not some fucker who just strolled along.

"So, is he here?" I curiously ask wanting to know myself.

She tucks her hair behind her ear, a habit she has always had when she's nervous. She never did it much around me, but I saw how she interacted with other people back when we were kids. The girl was a ball of nerves but around me that disappeared.

Waiting a bit too long for an answer I force her to look at me by pinching her chin. “Your fear belongs to me, Alice. Not him.Me.” Her beautiful lips part, tongue peaking out to apply moisture.

Fuck. If I could just have a taste.

I find myself drawing closer like a damn magnet. Snapping the pull I release her. “Is he here or not?”

Expelling a breath she replies, "Not tonight." And the relief over the fact is evident.

"Do you know when they'll be back?" Oak continues to question and just like that the fear returns. The fear of them overrides her fear of me. And that just doesn’t sit right with me.

Oak may not trust me alone with her, but if we are to get any answers around here I need him gone. Without looking away from her I order for Oak to leave. “Leave us.”

I hear the hesitancy in his voice followed by the rap of knuckles along the bar counter. “I’m not sure if that’s the best idea.”

Alice stands there shaken. Fear paralyzes her. And I can’t fucking stand to see it.

I cut Oak a glance. “Go or I’ll make you.”

He studies me. Tilting his head to the side as his eyes scrutinize. To some the blatant stare would be unnerving. But I grew up amongst a town of monsters. Nothing unnerves me. Unless it concerns Alice.

He must see something different in me. Something that allows him to believe that Alice will be safe without him here as a safety net.

And he’s right. To a point.

I’m all about making her hurt for what she did to me but not in the same way I know the men of this MC will hurt her.

I’ll protect her from every fucker there is. I just won’t be protecting her fromme.

He nods his head, walking down the bar to where the blonde barmaid is.

“What is it about him that has you this scared?”

Her gaze is haunted as her eyes meet mine. And fuck if that doesn’t do something to me.

I can hate Alice Hall all I want but I also will never be able to stop myself from wanting to protect her. The Reed she knew still lives and breathes inside me. And for the life of me I can’t kill the person I was with her.

She has been and always will be my kryptonite.

Her voice is so small and afraid as she says, “You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

I raise a brow at her. “Have you so easily forgotten what I’m capable of?”

She shakes her head. “He’s not likehim.” Him as in Chris Blackwell. The fucker I killed for raping her. The night that had changed everything. Because when I showed her who I really was she abandoned me. She saw the darkness in me and was terrified. And I was reminded of just how much of a monster I truly am.

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