Page 32 of Sweet Touch of Venom

His laugh becomes louder, and I roll my eyes, clicking the end call. I tap the phone in my hand, glancing around the little home once more. I haven’t felt comfortable enough to even stay at the motel.

The invasion of my privacy is unsettling, and maybe now I can get some kind of good sleep. I won’t have to keep one eye open, thinking I’m going to wake up with Ronan hovering over me like a creep.

I slant through the narrow section past the bathroom door and up the one step to get to the small area. It resides a king-size bed in its cubby and a set of white towels, extra white blankets, pillows and a thicker cover above the shelf of the bed.

I get undressed, cleaned up in the small tube of a shower—washing away whatever filth and grime I experienced from today’s catastrophe.

Once I’m all clean, I dress in my oversized shirt and flannel pants, grabbing my old clothes to fold into my bag.

A blue flashing light flicker in my jean jacket, with a tiny beeping noise like it’s signaling a device. My heart pulsing in my throat, as I grab for what Iknowit is.

Dammit, Ronan. I pull out the black metal circle card, and that only sends my stomach tingling with an unknown flap. Of course, he slipped it in again. I can laugh at his bravery while crushing this thing again. But there’s that inkling again, transferring into this pulse that swarms into my mind.

It’s not a tracker; press the button.

You know I’m right.

We should be working together.

If I work with Ronan, that goes against everything.Everything. I have worked toward what my father wanted. What I nearly vowed before he took his last breath.

“Anita.”

My heart jolts from the voice of my father calling me by real name. A name he hasn’t called me in years. And yet on his deathbed he does. I’m not sure whether to be happy, sad, or angry.

I gaze up at my withering father, whose face is sunken and gray from lack of energy.

“I should’ve been a better f?—”

“No,” I quiver out as I grip his cold, frail hand, placing it to his chest. My throat is tightening with pressure, my nose stinging to keep the emotion behind my eyes.

He sighs, closing his eyes, his breath weak like a whisper. “You know what to do then. Revenge will always prevail.”

My chest dents in with a hitched breath. “Yes, General. I will get them all.”

I’m not sure why I didn’t want to hear my father’s words. His apology. It would’ve created a larger hole in my chest. A void I could never fill. And with him dying, I would never have that chance.

I shake my head, blinking away what I know is easing up. The burn behind my eyes that I won’t spill.

I swallow the ache and stare back down at the metal card. Although it was never the plan to work with Ronan, of all people. He will only continue getting in my way, and he’s a stubborn man who won’t leave it alone and walk away. He’s more adamant than I realize, and I want to know what his play is in this. And why were they afterhimduring the kidnapping? Why was Carter killed? The men who do the hostage attempts take rich people. Carter was on the brink of it, but not at a rich level.

Unless he was bait. I need answers. And the only way to get that is through the source.

Plus, I’m holding on to my vow that those men will die, even if I have to work alongside the enemy to get that done. Everything I have done was for this moment.

Shit. I can’t believe I am doing this.

Press the button and you’ll see.

I let out a heavy sigh, pressing into the circle button in the middle. “Here we go.”

A blue holographic ‘G’ symbol rises from the device. And the AI voice recognition begins to speak.

“If this card is in your possession, then you now have access to GenCre. Congratulations, you are now in the first recruitment stage to join one of the most prestigious forces in the world. Follow the coordinates to find your way to your new home.”

The hologram switches to a map, spinning slowly and marking the line to an X with pinpoints and the destination. I squint, narrowing into the blue light.

New home?

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