Page 27 of Sweet Touch of Venom

Brass knuckles—check.

Gun—check.

His gaze is fierce and dark and mine, no less. He digs his gold eyes into my face, and it almost makes me want to look away, but I won’t.

However, I am missing one thing. I extend my hand. “My dagger.”

His lips curl up a bit. Not much, but the wickedness in his eyes speaks for themselves. He reaches behind his back pocket, retrieving my dagger.

My heart soars.I missed you, baby.I thrust my hand out to snatch it. He pulls back. My neck tightens. “What are you doing? Give me my knife.”

He sucks his teeth, eyeing the metal as if he hadn’t seen it before. “I think I’ll keep it.”

My lips part as blood drains from my face. I stay calm. “How’s your nose, by the way? Stinging still?”

That tiny lift to his lips falls, his eyes dulling. “Just fine, actually. But if you want your dagger, you know where to find it.”

Anger boils under my shirt. I’m ready to deck him again, but I’m sure if I do, then the two looney toons will hurt me.

I send a tight smile. “Have it, asshole.” I hope it pokes his hand, and he dies from the poison. An evil chuckle sounds off inmy head as I imagine him poking the tip like Aurora onSleeping Beauty. He won’t go into a self-induced coma, that’s for sure.

But I roll my eyes from the faded amusement glorifying his face. I fix up my holster around my waist. “And my hoodie. Do you want to keep that too?” What was the point of taking it off, anyway? If you want to see me naked, just ask.

“Over here, Cinderella.”

I swirl around the heel of my boot in time to see the lady with an annoying snarl throwing it toward me.Someone’s upset.

I catch the hoodie with one hand and pull it over my shoulders. “Have your parents ever taught you respect? You don’t throw things at people. It’s bad manners.” I add on, knowing she’s already not feeling me. Her olive skin reddens with rushed blood, and she lets out a growl, charging toward me. I stand there, crossing my arms with my eyebrow raised. Ronan and the big man in the corner come rushing toward her to prevent her from possibly clawing at my face.

Ronan’s head snaps to me with a grilling hard stare. “Leave. Now.”

I’m not afraid of her, and I don’t care if I hurt her little heart. I huff, walking past them as the man with the red hair cools the tiger off. Ronan just watches me as I exit out the door.

She calls me Cinderella, but I’m nothing like her. There’s no pumpkin awaiting me outside these walls, and there’s damn sure no Prince Charming sweeping me off my feet into a sweet abyss. It’s just demons and dark skies in the night, carrying me away as I ignore the sting from Ronan’s words as they fester.

I insertthe dangling number key for the room, swinging under my palm. I walk in as I’m met with a swoop of cold ass air from the humming AC vent and a dry smell that should come off like the room is fresh and clean, but I’m sure it’s nowhere near.

Motels aren’t my thing, but the thought of driving around the entire Hollow City searching for a luxury hotel already has me fatigued, and my mind is screaming ‘no.’

I’m tired. I toss my bag onto the thin, carpeted, dirty green floor and flop onto the bed, letting out a tired huff and lying flat on it. I stare up at the ceiling, thinking back on every single thing that had happened. Tonight was a gigantic lightning fuck.

After being blindfolded again and transported in a truck with his other team of losers, and practically thrown out in front of the bar, I dusted myself off like nothing happened. Although my insides were burning with the unknown and rage.

After Ronan spilled the hot beans on knowing my location, I immediately knew I wasn’t going back to the‘rundown’apartment. It wasn’t the Hamptons, but there was a humble candidness to it.

Either way, I’m uncomfortable with the thought of sleeping there. I might as perch myself up onto a flag with paint that says, ‘look at me, I’m Anita Velz.’

Not happening.

I would’ve slept on the floors of the library basement, but if he’s been following me, then I’m sure he knows that too. It’sexposing and violating. And I’m beating myself in the head for not catching on sooner.

I release another exasperated sigh.

I didn’t love the apartment, and I could’ve gotten better if I wanted to, but it felt nice to almost have something to settle down with for a few months. Not constantly on the move and never having your own sanctuary. A place to go back to after all the chaos.A home.

I can’t stay here forever, but I’ll find another place. It may be outside of Hollow City, but it’ll have to do while I finish my duty.

After a few conscious thoughts, I shower, scrubbing my arms and legs with an extra force to get the touch of that man off me.Asshole.

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