Page 45 of A Love Like Venom

"I don't either but for your sake I'm going to try."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask confused. It just doesn't make sense. He's with Snake. He seems to be good friends with him. Why be nice to the so-called enemy?

"Because I don't think you deserve all the hate you're getting. If there is one thing I learned from a past experience it’s to hear both sides of the story."

"So, you heard his and want to hear mine?"

"No." He shakes his head expelling a sigh. "Snake hasn't told me shit regarding you. I just know that whatever happened between the two of you he's hurting because of it."

My brows shoot up as my eyes go wide with shock. "Hurt? He has a hell of a way of showing it."

"I don't know the man that you do. I don't think anyone knows him like you did. Snake handles shit differently. This is the first time I've seen him not doing what he usually does," he informs me.

I shouldn't care at all about him but somewhere deep inside it doesn't get the memo. It's desperate to hear new information. Desperate to know that there is still some light inside of him. And if there is then he can be saved.

That's dangerous territory. I hate that I'm automatically wanting to believe there's something good left inside him.

Come on, Alice. Get a hold of yourself. He's dead to you. Remember that.

Still, I find myself curiously asking, "What does he usually do?"

"Laugh shit off. Goes around with a constant smile. We only see one version of him and that's it."

That sounds nothing like the man I know, shit,knew. Reed Carter always told me what he was feeling. Closed off to the rest of the world he was an open book for me. He didn't hide behind laughs and smiles. He showed his darkness to people, dared them to question him. He always shared his fears with me.

Reed Carter had no secrets with me. He was vulnerable. The only other person I saw him like that with was his mom. God, did he love his mom and she loved him. I always envied him for that.

To hear him hiding behind some kind of mask doesn't sound like him at all.

Reed Carter hid from nothing least of all himself.

My mind is too busy thinking of the man he used to be compared to the one he is now to notice Gracie Mae has joined us.

With a manicured hand on her hip and a hard narrowed gaze at Oak she says abruptly, "Do we have a problem here?" Her eyes stay focused on Oak, not deterred by his size.

Oak’s eyes bounce between her and I before they land back on her. I can see the amusement light in his eyes before it quickly disappears.

"Everything is fine," I find myself telling her to diffuse the situation. "Oak here is a . . ."

"A friend," he supplies with a nod of his head.

"A friend?" Grace echoes doubtfully.

"Yeah, he's a friend. He doesn't mean no harm, I swear it," I assure her.

She tilts her head to the side as she scrutinizes him. Her fingers tap methodically against her hip. "Friends aren't rude to each other."

"Have I been rude to you, Alice?" He throws the question at me.

"No, you haven't," I answer truthfully.

Grace isn't having it. Standing tall and proud she stares down the man with the meanest glare I think she has ever given someone. "Friends don't let other people be rude to their friends."

Oak seems rather impressed by her as a ghost of a smile appears on his face. "And I apologized for that. Didn't I, Alice?"

"He did," I confirm.

She hums thoughtfully. "Fine, then you're off the hook. For now."

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