Page 90 of Craving Venom

No.

I shut it down.

I might have appreciated this. Might have even considered it a heartfelt gesture.

But Zane is a dangerous man.

And I’m not a lucky girl.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE MONSTER

The second I step out of the alley, the flashing lights are waiting for me.

I don’t stop walking.

I don’t need to.

Kyle’s already walking in my direction with that stiff, cop rhythm that annoys the hell out of me. I glance at him once, then crouch. My fingers find the tracker strapped to my ankle, and I rip it off.

Kyle’s hand drops to his holster.

“Relax,” I mutter, standing. “It’s not a gun.”

I toss the tracker up, high enough to make him flinch. He catches it anyway.

“I figured you’d wait a little longer,” I say casually. “Was hoping to get breakfast first.”

Kyle lets out a mocking laugh. “Funny, because I figured a man confessing to murder would have better plans than attending a Halloween party.”

“C’mon, Kyle,” I sigh, spreading my arms. “You know me. I’m sentimental.”

He steps in close and starts patting me down. His hands sweep over my sides, down my legs, and back up my waist.

“Yeah? And what was so fucking important about one night that you’d throw away your life for it?”

When he grabs my wrist, he doesn’t bother at the blood crusted across my palm, doesn’t flinch at the torn skin or the way it’s still weeping from where the glass dug in.

I smirk. “Do you care?”

Kyle barks out a laugh. “Fuck no.”

Of course not.

He doesn’t care why I did it, just that I did. Just that my confession puts him one step closer to his shiny new promotion.

Kyle straightens, slipping back into official cop mode. “Zane Valehart, you’re under arrest for the murder of—”

I roll my eyes as he yanks my wrists forward and snaps the cuffs on. “Are you at least going to buy me breakfast first?”

“Shut the fuck up.” He starts reciting the Miranda rights. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford one—”

“I can.”

Kyle grins but still finishes reading them before gripping my arm and shoving me toward the cruiser. He’s unnecessarily rough about it, but I let him have his moment. He throws the door open and practically tosses me inside.

The second it slams shut, I breathe through my nose, leaning my head back against the seat.

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