Page 40 of Venom and Velvet

I turned around, my hands on my hips. “To get ready for my fucking dinner with Covington and Ryzen, because you fucks can’t do your jobs right, and now I’m fucking stuck in this bullshit still, you fucking fuckheads.” I slammed the door behind me and stormed down the stairs.

Juliet raised her eyebrows when I walked in and scrunched up her nose. “Didn’t go well?” She rushed over and wrapped her arms around me, my whole body shaking with anger. “Oh, honey, it’s OK. Tell me what happened?” She squeezed me tight, and I let her hold me. There was something comforting about being around her when I was stressed. She always knew how to make me feel better.

I repeated the conversation that I’d had upstairs with Dumb and Dumber, and her mouth fell open. “Those idiots. Can’t they see that you’re doing everything they asked? They’re the ones messing up this whole thing. Did they say why testifying wouldn’t be good enough?”

“Not exactly, but I think the implication was that it wouldn’t be safe for me. Or for Cian. They want a solid foundation to build their case. Not just the word of some silly woman.” I rolled my eyes and plopped down into my chair.

“I hate that I can’t do anything to help you. I wish I could take some of the burden off your shoulders.” She scrunched up her nose, and sat on the edge of the desk. “What if I wore your wire, and met with Riddick? Pretended I wanted to rekindle the flame?” She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“Jules, I love you, but I would never put you in danger like that.” I squeezed her hand. “Riddick is… he’s just as fucked up as Ryzen. It’s better to stay away.”

Her shoulders dropped and she sighed. “OK, but if you change your mind, tell me. You know I’ll do anything for you.” She patted my hand. “Let’s not give up hope yet. It’s almost over.”

But I had a feeling that wasn’t true. For some reason, it felt like things were about to go from bad to worse.

Valik came and picked us up an hour later. After he dropped off Juliet, he moved the rearview mirror so he could see me better. “Bad day, Nova?”

I sighed and stared out the window, pausing for a moment before I answered so I wouldn’t freak out again. It wasn’t his fault. He seemed like a good guy—at least I hoped he was.

“Can I ask you something, Valik?” I faced forward, and he nodded. “Why are you working for Ryzen?”

His eyebrows rose and he puckered his lips. “Well, long story short, I was having a hard time, and he took me in and gave me a job. Mr. Goodacre’s a good man. You’re lucky you two have each other.” He smiled, and I died a little bit more in that moment.

He had no idea who he was working for. How many other people worked under Ryzen and thought he was a god, a helper, a provider for the community? Ugh, it was sickening. I offered a small smile and nodded.

“Want to stop at Stan’s? We could get some pastries?” Valik said in a sing-song voice.

I fought the smile that was threatening to break across my face. I had taken him to Stan’s last week, and he had become obsessed. And rightfully so. He was worse than me now when it came to those little tiny puffs of heaven.

“They have Nutella today. Butonlytoday, Nova.” He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, and I rolled my eyes, chuckling.

“OK, but quickly because I have to get ready for dinner.”

An hour later and we were pulling up to Goodacre Estates, both of us with chocolate smeared around our lips. I handed him a napkin and giggled at the face he made. “Clean up, you big moose.”

I texted Ryzen that I was going to shower and be up shortly. He had been planning this dinner for days. Covington, the man Ryzen was trying to purchase the hotels from, and his wife Lorraine were coming into town specifically to see us. Ryzen thought it would look better if we had dinner at his home, instead of a fancy restaurant. A more family feeling, he had said.

Heaviness set over me as I thought back on my conversation with Delove and Dobbs. This was one of the worst days out of all of them. To be so close to being done with this all, and then having it taken away from me—it was defeating, and my shoulders slumped forward. Tears threatened to spill over, but I balled my hands into fists, refusing to succumb to the desperate feeling of defeat. Not yet. No, I would make this work.

Ryzen had sent down a dress, a white bodycon dress that covered all my tattoos and clung to my curves. I put on the necklace and watch, not wanting to miss another opportunity to get some evidence if there was a chance. My hair cascaded around my shoulders, and I sprayed a splash of perfume on my neck before taking the elevator up to the penthouse floor.

My stomach was tied in knots, and I let out a deep breath when the elevator doors dinged open. Valik stood there talking with one of Ryzen’s other security guards, and he nodded in appreciation when I walked by.

Something was… different. The apartment smelled amazing, like someone had been cooking all day, but that wasn’t it. There were pictures scattered around the apartment. Pictures of me and Ryzen together, some of us kissing, a lot of me laughing and looking adoringly at him. Us out to dinner or holding hands on a bench. It was creepy and made my heart beat in a way I knew wasn’t healthy. Most of them were posed, of course. They had been taken months ago, even before the wedding. I wanted to throw up just thinking about it all.

“Hey, you,” Ryzen called from behind me.

It’s showtime.

I turned to face him, plastering a big smile on my face. “Hi, there.” I walked over and he pulled me tight against his chest.

“You look good enough to eat.” He grinned, showing off his dimples. Had this been months ago, I would have been drooling over how adorable he looked. But now, all I wanted to do was cover his face with a pillow and smother him.

“Thanks to you. The dress is lovely.” I chuckled and wiggled out of his arms, doing a spin in the dress.

“I have something for you.” He held up his hand and went into the other room. A moment later, he came back with a little blue box and held it out to me.

I did my best to act flustered as I pulled out a huge diamond ring, my mouth hanging open. “Ryzen, you didn’t have to do that.”

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