Page 48 of Ivy's Venom

"Hey." I open the door wider inviting him in.

"Sorry for just showing up here." He looks at his feet, then takes off his boots. "I just had nowhere else to go and I needed someone to talk to."

"What's going on?"

"Fuck, that sounded bad." He grabs my chin and pulls me in, his other hand snaking around my waist. "I can't stop thinking about you and I'm here because I wanted to talk to you."

I suck in a gasp from his confession and feel my face heat up. What do I say to that? How the fuck do I do this?

"Oh."

Oh?!

"I know I was a dick last night, I'm just used to hating you, and I don't know how to be any other way." I can see he's feeling guilty for what we did and I get why. I do, too.

"It's okay." I whisper, still feeling awkward and not knowing what the fuck to say.

"Can I kiss you?"

That's new, no one has ever asked my permission before. "Yes."

He tips my head back and then his lips are on mine, soft and warm. It quickly becomes aggressive and it's like with just a simple taste, we can't control ourselves. I end up pushed against the wall, lifted in his arms, and our teeth drawing blood.

Vicious in our attacks, we don't notice our surroundings until it's too late.

"Don't mind me." Saxon purrs as he walks by, causing Neil to nearly drop me. "Just getting a drink. Make sure you disinfect that wall and the kitchen table when you're done."

Oh fuck.

I can't help it, I look into Neil's stricken face, and burst out laughing.

"It's not funny." He hisses at me, "your brother saw us last night."

"I doubt he saw anything, more like heard it." I shrug, not bothered in the slightest.

Saxon walks back by us and heads up the stairs, "Neil, your hatred has manifested in weird ways. I like it." And then he disappears.

I burst out laughing again and then Neil is joining in.

"I needed that." He shakes his head.

"You said you needed someone to talk to?" I lead him to the family room and sit on a couch opposite from him. More space the better.

"We had an intervention for Dad earlier."

"Rodney?" I gasp. "What's wrong?"

"He's always enjoyed his booze but lately it's spiraled out of control. He's becoming an angry drunk and I worry about the girls in that house with him."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"He's leaving for a rehab facility tonight and I couldn't stay there to see him go. He's pretty pissed at me right now." He bows his head and I feel his pain. It's hard to disappoint your parents.

"You did the right thing." I whisper and I see him nod.

"I'll be staying here a while." His words light up my chest and give me anxiety at the same time. "I will defer this semester so I can help with Shay and Amelia. I need a job though, any chance your Dad is hiring?"

"You'd want to work with my family?" I look at him with my brow raised.

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