Page 87 of Sweet Venom

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat thickening like a stone. I didn’t know how to respond. Didn’t know how to hold that kind of love in my hands without breaking it. She was talking about a love that made the world feel lighter. A love worth every risk. A love worth burning for.

And God, I wanted that.

It terrified me—but fuck, I wanted it.

I looked down, my fingers flexing at my sides. “I’m afraid,” I admitted. It felt pathetic to say it out loud, but I couldn’t lie to her. Not her. Never her.

Mom didn’t speak at first. But when she did, her voice was low and steady—full of truth.

“I was afraid too,” she said. “Still am. I lie awake at night worrying I’ll lose the three loves of my life. But I wake up every morning and give you all everything I have. Because one day I’ll lose you, or you’ll lose me—but I’ll leave this world knowing I loved deeply. And I was loved just the same.”

Her breath hitched gently, then she added, “That’s the beauty of love, sun. Don’t chase it. Don’t run from it. Just... let it consume you.”

Let it consume you...

Something inside me shifted. I could feel it. A slow unraveling. A choice being made.

I might not deserve Poe.

But I was taking her anyway.

I was a selfish bastard, and she had turned my world black and blue the moment we met—and she hadn’t stopped since. Not even when time, distance, and fate pulled us apart. Even then, the color never faded.

A scratching sound broke through my thoughts.

I looked over.

Allen—the damn cat—sat in the corner, his glowing green eyes fixed on me with that same judgmental stare. He let out a low, disgruntled meow, like he couldn’t believe I was still this dense.

“What?” I muttered. “You think you know me better than I know myself?”

Allen blinked once.

Then just kept staring like I was the dumbest fuck alive.

“Fuck off to sleep,” I muttered under my breath.

Kadra’s soft laughter filled the quiet.

“You’re not as heartless as you think, Azariel,” she said gently. “You’re not a monster.”

“I am. Just because you love me doesn’t mean I’m not one.”

“Then what does that make me? Your father?”

“Mine.” I closed my eyes. She knew what I meant. They’ve done terrible things—still do. Just like me. And yet, I love them more than I’ll ever be able to explain.

“Exactly,” she said. “And you… you arehermonster to love.”

Her monster…

The words dug into me, soft and brutal. I swallowed hard.

“You should sleep.”

“I will,” she murmured. “Now that I know you’ve called.”

Her voice was tired, but warm. Grounding. Real.

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