Page 142 of Sweet Venom

I’m lost in thought rearranging the paper on his gift—worrying if he’ll like it, if he’ll think it’s silly. But… What do you even get a man who had everything? A man who had all the money in the world… I had to get creative.

Besides, he’s given me the most thoughtful, heartfelt gifts— how could I not give him something that came straight from mine?

And no, I didn’t get him just one gift.

I got him nine.

One for every birthday he spent in a hell I couldn’t even imagine.

Nine years of feeling forgotten, unwanted, unloved.

I can’t erase what he went through… but damn it, I was going to do everything I couldn’t to make up for it. Whatever it took.

I glanced down at the nicely wrapped gifts laid out in front of me and smiled.

The first gift is a thin silver chain with a little letter P on it. Something simple that he can wear with the one he has that matches the one he gave me. This one is not much but it meant something.

I wanted him to wear it and remember that he’s not alone anymore. That I’m with him. Always. Even when I’m not in the same room as him.

Then there was the custom knife set.

Yeah. Knives.

I asked Uncle Vitali for help and he delivered— sleek, sharp, and in the same deep blue as Azariel’s favorite car, his rose garden, and yes, my hair. Cobalt blue.

I know what the knives mean to him.

He never said it out loud, but I saw it. I saw him.

The way he holds them. They way his hands move when he cleans or sharpens them. They ground him. Anchor him.

He’s done that since he was a kid.

Oddly, knives give him peace when all he’s known is war— and I’m more than okay with that.

I swear the man could kill half of humanity and I’m pretty sure I would still love him after. I would even defend him in a court of law.

Wrong? I know.

Do I think I need therapy for it? Maybe.

Oh, well.

The world wasn’t kind to him. I honestly don’t care if he burns it to hell.

The rest of the gifts?

Okay, they’re a little ridiculous. But they reminded me of him.

A stack of slasher movies I adore and that kind of remind me of him. We’ll binge watch them. I’ll bribe him with freaky sex if he refuses to.

A Halloween mask I bought entirely for my entertainment and kink. Let’s be real, he’s already terrifyingly hot. Add the masks? My pussy might combust.

Oh, and a brand new, high-tech, super fancy blue computer with three add on screens. For his nerdy hacker hobby.

And a few other things I couldn’t resist. I hope they make him smile.

Each gift might not look like much to anyone else— but to me, they say one thing loud and clear. I see you. All of you. Even the parts that he hid so well.

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