Page 13 of Consequences

“Can’t tell you that.”

“You don’t have an opinion?” That’s not like Lex.

“Oh, I have many opinions, and I know what you’re going to end up doing. But I can’t tell you what to do. This has to be your decision and yours alone.”

“Cinder and Shep used to fuck,” he blurts out.

So much for keeping it under wraps.

“Say what now?”

Venom nods and recounts the conversation he had with Shep. How he warned Venom to be careful and how crazy the woman is. He doesn’t know if he’s sharing this to let her know how dangerous Cinder is since they don’t get along, or if he’s hoping she’ll tell him to drop her and run as far away as possible.

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“If being with Shep didn’t scare you away, you must care about Cinder.”

More like an entertaining distraction.“She’s a good time. Almost too much.”

“You can’t fall in love with her.”

Turning, Venom stares with wide eyes. “What?”

“Sex is never too much when you’re in love with someone orcanlove them. It’s actually never enough.”

Damn it, Lex.“It’s good, don’t get me wrong.”

“But it lacks connection. It’s only physical, which works as you try and heal your heart, but it’s always coming up short. You get off, but you’re not completely satisfied.”

“How the fuck do you do that?”

Laughing, she downs the rest of her wine. “Because I’ve been there.”

“So, you think I should give Marnie another chance?”

“Do you?”

“You think I should write her off.”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t say that.”

“What are you saying?”

“Nothing.”

Growling, he chugs his beer. “Frustrating woman.”

“Pretty sure that’d be my Native American name if I was ever given one,” Lex says with a laugh. “I know what you should do, and I know what you have to do right now. Telling you won’t make it your decision, and you have to be ready to make it.”

“I wish I knew what I wanted to do. As much as I want to follow my heart, I can’t unhear the things she said with her dad. How she made me feel when she didn’t want it to be real.”

Squeezing his hand, she rests her head on his shoulder. “Eventually, a decision will scream in your head so loudly that you can’t hear anything else. That’s when you’ll know you’re ready to make it.”

He rubs his hand over his face and leans forward, forcing her to release him. “I’m fucked.”

“Sounds like Cinder has that pretty well covered,” she jokes as Colt steps through the sliding door. “Hey, baby. You’re home early.”

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