Page 40 of Beautiful Venom

“No.”

“Hear me out. You know that new drug his family is developing? He’d make the perfect testing subject.”

“No.”

“Fine. Then let’s kidnap him and ditch him on an island.”

“No.”

“Lock him up?”

“He’ll just smash the place and escape.”

“That’s true. Hmm. How about…” He abandons the thought and nudges me with an elbow.

I lift my head and pause, my left index finger twitching against my thigh.

Leaning against the wall by the entrance of the arena in tiny shorts and an oversized hoodie is the thorn in my fucking side.

The rock in my goddamn shoe.

“Well, hello again.” Preston slides to her side, his charming grin on display. “Dallas, was it?”

“Dahlia,” she answers, her attention remaining square on my face.

Dahlia Thorne is of average height with naturally tan skin and hazel eyes that look more brownish yellow than green in the dim light. Her brown hair is tied in a ponytail, highlighting her high cheekbones and round face.

The shorts stretch and cling to her skin, showcasing her curves.

Curves I haven’t been able to erase from my mind since the night I marked and claimed her three days ago.

Since then, she’s been showing up at my morning practices like a fucking parasite.

Always there.

Same time.

Same determined expression.

After the mental and physical torture, I thought she’d be broken a little, jaded a bit. Better yet, I believed she’d throw in the towel and run away. I would’ve even made an exception and allowed her to get away.

But no, she’s been wearing that expression like a badge.

And she’s been randomly texting me.

And now what?

Hello?

Don’t tell me you tested positive for an STD? I hate to say it, but I kinda told you so.

That was a joke. I didn’t give you anything.

Um, so you kinda need some lessons in communication.

OMG. Thanks for the box of chocolates after the brutal fucking. Oh wait, you didn’t send one. And they say romance is dead.

This whole thing is anticlimactic. What happens after getting in? Are there, like, any secret meetings I should be aware of?

---