Page 90 of The Venom We Bleed

"Yeah, I'm sure it does." I snort. "I doubt I'll go."

"Even if someone were to invite you?"

I freeze at that question and the waitress appears in that moment, tray in hand. She passes both clubs onto the Formica tabletop and points out the toothpick marking which one has no mayo before ordering us to let her know when we're ready for the apple pie. Lex deftly slides the mayo-free club in my direction and I swipe the remains of the torn tissue flower to the side. My stomach grumbles again, but I'm already putting one corner of the perfectly cut club into my mouth and biting down.

Several moments of peace pass as I consume one half of the club and then the second before picking at the fries. Lex finishes his meal before me, seeming to devour the sandwich and fries in short bites.

"Well?" His prompting question has me dropping a fry to my plate smack dab in the middle of the mound of ketchup I'd squirted onto an open section.

"Well, what?" I reach for a fresh napkin, this time to wipe my mouth clean of any crumbs.

"Would you go to prom if someone asked you?"

I roll my eyes. "No one is going to ask the pariah of Silverwood to prom," I say. "So, it's a non-issue."

"I'masking you."

The napkin falls from my hand, landing right over that fry in the ketchup mountain. I raise my head and stare at him. His hair is still wet at the ends from a recent shower, the ends curving just below his ears. His face is lean and well-defined, with high cheekbones, and a few scars here and there—no doubt from fights or football injuries—but overall, he’s handsome. Had he been born on the north side of Silverwood, the prep girls in my old life would’ve been all over him.

But he wasn’t,I remind myself. He was born on the wrong side of the tracks and he’s mastered the art of manipulation. Only I don’t know why he’d be using it against me now.

I sit back in my seat. "No."

One dark slash of a brow arches. "No?" he repeats, a questioning tone in his voice, though he doesn’t sound particularly surprised or bothered by my answer.

"No," I affirm. "I'm not playing this game with the three of you. I'm not going to be used and passed around like some prize between you, Nolan, and Gio. So, whatever bullshit you're trying to pull, you can cut it out right now. When you drop me off at Nolan’s, I'll pack my shit and go back to my place. I'm not doing this."

"The complex hasn't fixed anything yet.” Lex leans forward, placing both of his elbows on the edge of the table. He doesn’t deny my assumption of the reasoning behind his sudden offer to take me to prom. “And what exactly am I trying to pull?”

I push my plate away. "You know exactly what you’re doing."

When Lex tilts his head, it’s with an odd sort of animal grace. As if he’s as connected to his body as a hunting lion, no sign of the awkward stilted movements of a boy. He’s all man.

“Enlighten me.” His words are a challenge and I rise to the bait.

“I don’t fucking need to,” I say. “We both know what game the three of you are playing—it’s the reason Nolan’s lettingeveryone at school assume I’m fucking you. It’s a power play. Let me ask you something; when are the threats going to make an appearance?” A snarl builds up in my throat.

Why did I let them help me? Was it just because I was vulnerable and needed someone and they were in the right place at the right time?Then again, they hadn’t really given me much choice,but then again, I didn’t really fight all that hard, did I?

“Threats?” His question is quiet.

“Yes,” I hiss. “Threats. Suck my dick or I’ll tell everyone your secret. Spread your legs or you’ll go to prison just like your daddy. Let me and my friends treat you like our little whore or?—”

“I amnotthreatening you to get you into my bed.” Lex leans forward, cutting me off as his gaze darkens. His shoulders seem to swell with each breath he takes, his nostrils flaring as he glares back at me.

An image of Nolan surfaces. His big body on top of mine. His tongue in my mouth. Mine in his. I shake my head, trying to rid myself of the memory.

Fuck this. I’m not waiting here a second longer.Standing up, I dig into my pocket and withdraw a twenty. Slapping it onto the table, I glare at him. "I'm not interested in any more lies," I tell him, "and I'm done talking about this. I called your fucking game. I’ll find my own way back to Silverwood.”

I leave the booth and stomp towards the exit and out into the parking lot. The moon hangs fat and heavy overhead. I glare up at it before taking a look around, wondering if there’s a bus stop nearby or if I’ll have to hitchhike my way back to Silverwood proper.

I don’t make it ten feet across the lot before Lex is storming out of the diner and making a beeline for me. With a growl, Ihold up a hand and flip him off. “Get lost, Lex,” I call out. “I’m not dealing with?—”

He doesn’t stop. Doesn’t even slow as he drives into me, grabbing my arm and swinging me around to back me into the side of his SUV. “If you think I’m going to leave you out here in the middle of bumfuck just because you’ve got an attitude, you don’t know shit.”

“An attitude?” I’ll show him a fucking attitude. Shoving him back, I slide out from beneath him and stomp over to one of the gas pumps. Right next to it, as if someone had dumped it out of the back of their truck when they pulled away, is none other than a thick red brick.

It calls to me like a beacon. Anger sits inside me and there’s no escape from it. My nightmares. My attacker. Megan. The school. The goddamn Scorpion Kings. Fucking everything is compounding and I’m out of control. I feel torn open and exposed, like my protective cover has been ripped free and everyone can see my wires. I just want them to look away. To leave me alone. To stop blaming me when I didn’t. Do. Anything. Wrong.

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