Page 143 of Making Choices

It engulfs her.

Covers the tattered remnants of her tights.

Hides the signs of Venom’s incursion on my turf.

“Are we leaving?”

Grimacing, I try to keep the full truth from her. Seraphina is part of Cherub’s Moscato and Monet club and has been a good friend to her since before Alex’s first attack. If Cherub learns that Angelina has overdosed whilst using her friend’s identity, she’ll want to provide support for Sera. That’s not something I can allow to happen since the Noguera-Tomás twins are part of the Trinity, and I’ve got the Maddison clan on my arse right now. Plausible deniability and a little separation are needed until we know what we’re dealing with.

“Yeah. Something’s going down with their new lead singer, so Apollo’s gotta go deal with her. Their manager is clearin’ out the penthouse now.”

She swallows my bullshit without question.

As we’re saying goodbye to Apollo, Isaiah re-joins us.

He’s got a cagey look that makes my blood boil.

Fucking Venom.

I shepherd my duchess out of the high-rise building as quickly as I can. Isaiah is dispatched to drive my Range Rover home and I urge Cherub into a black SUV driven by one of Apollo’s security team. My urgency has a reason. The quicker I can get her out of Venom’s reach, the better.

Buying my bullshit about our ride being an Uber, Cherub obviously feels safe enough to fall asleep on the drive home. Her ability to close her eyes and drift off as soon as she’s in a moving vehicle is something I’ve always envied. Tonight, though, it’s a blessing, as I spend the entire journey stewing.

I can smell him on her.

It drives me crazy.

Makes me want to cross boundaries that I know I shouldn’t.

As the SUV pulls into my driveway, I shake her awake. “Wake up, duchess.”

The sleeping woman ignores me.

I slide out of the vehicle and try again. “We’re home.”

“Go away.” She slaps my hand when I try to pinch her awake. Normally, I’d carry her, but the idea of putting my hands on her while she’s covered in Venom enrages me. “Let me sleep.”

Her plaintive yet hopeful tone breaks through my jealousy.

She wants me to carry her.

Chuckling, I lift her out of the vehicle, then cradle her against my heart like she’s my bride. Across the threshold we go, then up the stairs and into her bedroom. As I reach her room, she gives up all pretence of feigning sleeping.

“I bet you’re regretting the whole room change right about now.”

“Gonna start chargin’ you for all the heavy lifting,” I retort.

For someone who’s supposedly too sleepy to walk inside, my duchess sure is quick when she slides her fingers under my cut. The nipple cripple I find myself on the receiving end of is vicious.

I hiss.

“Take it back! I am not heavy.”

Another hiss leaves my lips as she increases the pressure. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

“How?” Cherub demands with a laugh. “Are you going to put salt in my coffee? It didn’t work last time… I barely noticed it.”

Her reminder of the time I tried to pay her back for adding blue food colouring to my can of beer and temporarily dyeing my teeth before I was due at the compound for church makes me laugh. I toss her onto her bed, and she squeals. Leg out straight, Cherub unzips her boot and throws it at me.

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