Page 115 of Sweet Venom
Why the hell is it so hot in freaking February?
“Please. I don’t even like you,” I say in my calmest tone.
“Didn’t stop you from shattering to pieces in front of me.”
“I was thinking of someone else,” I lie through my teeth.
Something curious happens then.
A flash.
A tightening of his jaw and a gradual darkening of his eyes. “Someone else?”
His voice sounds impossibly deep, like it’s ringing from the wildest corner of hell.
“Yeah,” I whisper.
“Who is thissomeone else?”
“No one you know.”
“I knoweveryonein your fucking life, Violet.”
“That’s not something you should be proud of.”
“Don’t change the subject. Who is it?”
“Don’t be desperate.” I pause, biting my lower lip. “Just leave me alone.”
“So you can keep picturingsomeone elsewhile you touch yourself at night?”
“What if I do?”
His lips lift in a snarl. “There will be no one but me, Violet. Your life is mine, and so is your fucking body. You hear me?”
“Yeah, well, you can have neither my heart nor my soul.”
He’s angry.
No, he has that enraged expression he wears when he’s about to beat someone up on the ice or snap a hockey stick in two.
Why the hell am I provoking him, really?
Because I’m embarrassed and he’s pissing me off, that’s why.
He leans down, his mouth so close to mine, I can feel his minty breath on my sensitive skin. “I will have your fucking everything, sweetheart.”
“I’m not your sweetheart. I’m not youranything.”
It’s a challenge to keep looking him in the eye, but I do, refusing to let him stomp all over me again.
Maybe because I already faced death, but Jude will no longer stop me from living my life.
“We’ll see about that.” He drags me behind him to where he parked his huge bike.
“What are you doing?” I try to shake off his grip, but fighting Jude’s strength is like going against a damn bull.
He offers me the helmet. “Hop on.”
