Page 47 of Consequences

“How’s Lex?” Venom asks, changing subjects. “She okay?”

“Honestly, I think she’s more pissed than hurt. I mean, how many times can her father really break her heart before she becomes numb?”

He shakes his head. “Knowing her? A lot.”

“God, he’s just a shitty father,” Ky says. “How did we let him just do all this for so long without saying anything?”

“I don’t want to think about that” Colt says and turns back to Venom. It doesn’t feel right talking about Lex without her here. “So… How are things with the crazy girlfriend?”

He sighs as Ky leans forward like a giddy schoolgirl waiting to hear the latest gossip. “They’re… I mean… Hell, I’m getting laid. That about sums it up.”

“Are you scared to break up with her? Because I would be,” Ky says.

Laughing, he shakes his head. “The crazy doesn’t bother me. It’s a little fun, if you know what I mean. And I punish her when she acts up. I just hope it’ll teach her how to actright.”

“Punish?” Colt has to admit this has him intrigued.

“I get off, but she doesn’t. Kept her in line for a couple of days after she threatened Heidi, Shep, and Lex.”

“You’re shitting me!” Ky exclaims and lowers his voice when the others look at him. “Sorry.”

Venom shrugs. “It’s weird, but it’s the only thing I found that works for her. I’ve never been selfish in the bedroom, but I think it kind of tells me what I already suspected.”

“Which was…?”

“That Lex knew when she met Cinder.”

A knowing smirk appears on Colt’s face. His wife is almost always right, especially when it comes to other people. “Do tell.”

“Cinder’s a good-time-for-now type, not a forever type. If I left someone I truly cared about unsatisfied after I got off, I’d feel sick. I simply feel… nothing.”

The comment makes Colt nauseous. He’s done that. To Lex. He’d been so dark in his own mind that he hadn’t even noticed, and he certainly didn’t care.

“What’s the point of sticking with her?” Ky asks. “I mean, she’s a fucking nuisance.”

“Because he wants to get over someone else,” Colt answers. “Someone who just returned to make that even harder to achieve, maybe?”

Groaning, Venom leans back. “Yeah, pretty much.”

The doors shut, and the clock shows eight-ten. Everyone but Zane sits in their seats.Shocker.

“I guess everyone who plans to show up is here. Let’s get started,” Colt says and bangs his gavel on the table.

“I got something,” Ky says.

“Floor’s yours.”

“Zane’s patch. I want to vote on it. After the bullshit he’s pulled the past however many months, it’s clear he doesn’t respect theclub anymore. Besides, smacking Lucas around and damn-near killing Lex shows there’s no respect for his daughter, either.”

Venom slaps his hands on the table and stands, his chair flying back against the wall. “What did you just say? About Lucas and Lex.”

“Wait, that’s what happened to her?” Undertaker asks. “The ribs and the face… Motherfucker.”

Giving Ky a disapproving look, Colt nearly growls, “Lex didn’t want this at the table.”

“Why are we keeping it a secret? To protect him? I think VP’s done that enough for seven lifetimes,” Ky challenges.

Venom slaps the table again, his eyes darting between Colt and Ky and back again. “What the fuck happened? He tried tokillher?”

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