Page 68 of The Vipers' Vow

I again break the eye contact first and head over to the big chair in the far corner of the living space. I watch Saint in the kitchen as he prepares the food.

When we finally sit and have our talk, I need to discuss with Saint just why he felt it was remotely okay to come into my room at night and watch me sleeping. Touch me while I was sleeping, for God’s sake. That’s not normal. Even for how fucked up these guys are, that takes things to a whole other level. Once more, though, I get the same aching in my core I always experience when I think about what he did.

On the one hand, it’s depraved, but on the other, he’s so into me he broke into my room and watched me sleep. Any normal girl would be calling the police. Me? I’m thinking how romantic it is. I’m so effed up in the head.

It would help to have a girlfriend to talk it over with. It would never have been Angelica and her little gang, though. Even without the information Saint has dropped on me like a nuclear bomb, I’d never have felt able to discuss this stuff with them, because I know they’d judge me.

Angelica. Shit. I’ve barely even given her any thought. My near-death experience blocked that part of what had happened out of my mind. Is there any way Saint is mistaken about what he believes happened between Reagan and Angelica? Why would Angelica even tell Saint something like that? I’m not sure how I feel about it all. Confused, mostly, and hurt. I’d wanted to find out the truth about what happened to my sister, but now it lurks within reach, I find myself not wanting to think about it.

Saint finally calls us to come eat, and we file to the table. Saint fusses around us, pouring us wine and then plating up our food. I didn’t think I’d be able to manage much of it. I still feel sick from what happened on the lake. My lungs still hurt a little from holding my breath for so long, and my stomach is churned up. The food is delicious, however, and once I start eating, it’s as if my body realizes how in need of the sustenance it is, and I want more.

The wine is gorgeous too, and soon I’m sated, and more than a little tipsy as I take a second glass.

“I told Vani we’d go easy on her tonight,” Saint says suddenly. “But our special little whore said she doesn’t want that.” He turns his cool gaze on me. “Isn’t that right, Venom?”

I swallow the wine and hold the eye contact. “That’s right,” I say. “I don’t want to be treated any differently than usual.” Then I smirk. “And frankly, I don’t think some of you are capable of it. You’d just fuck it up and make things awkward.”

My words hit him like a slap. His jaw flexes and his lips tighten.You’re not the only one who can dish out shit, Saint.

Zane signs something.

Lex huffs out an annoyed breath. “Great, so you got to fuck her up the ass, while I was being beaten?”

Zane signs again, and Lex smirks. “He says he did it for us and now you’re nicely loosened up so I can plow your ass good and hard.”

I blush deeply, if my hot cheeks are any indicator.

“I’m going to use some of the new toys I bought,” Saint says.

“What toys?” I demand.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? I have so many that I’ve bought, just for you. New ropes.” Lex’s face lights up as he speaks.

“Vibrators.” Saint smiles darkly. “So many things, but tonight, I think we’ll be using something of my choosing, and you can just wait and see.” His gaze is almost angry as he looks at me. “You set the parameters for tonight,darling.” He says thedarlingsarcastically on a fake drawl. “I offered to be nice, but according to you, I’m not capable. So, we will be calling the shots. Our rules. Our way. You’re just the plaything. And toys don’t talk back.”

I swallow hard. Shit, he’s genuinely pissed, and I only have myself to blame.

25

LEX

We’ve eaten, and we’re on our third glass of wine, sitting on the floor in the living space. Vani is leaning against Zane, her back to his chest, his legs either side of her, and his back against the sofa.

His big hand moves around to the front of her throat and caresses her. She sighs, leaning her head back and resting it on his shoulder. His other hand moves to the top buttons of her slutty red dress, and I wait with bated breath for him to undo the buttons and give me a view of her tits.

I’m fucking bursting to come. My body still aches despite having a warm bath and the meds. I’m exhausted, and I need to sleep for a week, but first I need to come. A lot. I’ve been through hell, and one thing I wasn’t aware of until now is that adrenaline makes you fucking horny. No wonder there’s a baby boom during times of war.

I’ve been hard all through dinner. After being on that boat, surrounded by ugly men, having this beautiful, soft, oh-so-feminine creature in front of me is almost jarring.

She’s like some exotic being, and it feels surreal.

Zane’s hand lingers on her top button, but he doesn’t pop it, instead, he grabs her collar with both hands and rips her dress open. Buttons pop everywhere.

“Zane,” she exclaims, “I liked that dress.”

He leans down and takes the shell of her ear in between his teeth, biting hard enough to make her yelp.

He can’t say shut up, but he can telegraph it with the things he does, like pressing his fingers to her mouth. Vani understands the assignment and purses her lips closed.

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