Page 79 of Venomous Kiss
It’s probably stupid of me to trust him and close my eyes. But what choice do I have? My body won’t hold up any longer. I’m not even sure how I made it this far.
But I did.
And I plan to keep breathing.
TWENTY-NINE
REON
She’s sound asleep when I reach my apartment.
After pulling into the parking garage under the building, I park in my usual spot. Hiding the axe under the seat for now, I open the door, then close it quietly after I get out, before rounding the car to her side. I ease her door open, and take a moment to check her over. She’s a mess, but she’s safe with me for now. I slide an arm under her knees and the other behind her back, then lift her out of the car closing the door with my hip.
Cradling her against me, I make the short trip to the elevators. I have my own private elevator, so I don’t have to worry about anyone seeing us. As I step inside, she stirs quietly, still clutching the knife in her hand for dear life. A loud gasp rings out throughout the apartment when the elevator doors open directly into my place.
“Who is that, and why is she covered in dirt and blood?” My sister, Abigail, stands there, staring in wide-eyed shock at Lilith in my arms.
“Just because I gave you a key doesn’t mean you can use it whenever you please,” I tell her, as I carry Lilith into the apartment.
Lilith stirs but doesn’t open her eyes.
“Who is she?” Abigail demands.
“Lilith,” I reply, giving her nothing more.
Lilith’s eyes flutter open, and her grip tightens on the knife.
“Hannah mentioned her,” Abigail says.
“Of course she did. Now, if you don’t mind, leave.”
“No. She clearly needs my help.” My sister walks up and gently touches Lilith’s head, causing Lilith to jolt in my arms.
“It’s okay, it’s my sister,” I assure her. Lilith’s beautiful gaze finds Abigail.
“She’s dehydrated. She needs fluids,” Abigail says. “Put her in the shower. I’ll wash her.” I walk to the bathroom, and Abigail follows behind me.
Abigail went a completely different route than me. She was in medical school but switched to nursing instead. She’s loved it for as long as I can remember. While I don’t see her often, she messages me constantly. If I don’t reply, she gets infuriated and will sometimes show up like she did tonight—uninvited.
“Lilith, you need to get clean so we can check the wounds,” I say gently.
Before stepping into the shower with her, Abigail turns on the water, and I make sure it’s warm before I place her on her feet. She is covered in dirt and grime, and god only knows what else. Her dress is unsalvageable, so I carefully remove it after taking off my jacket. I’m sure at one point it was red, but now it’s covered in so much dirt it’s hard to tell the original color. There isn’t much left of it anyway, so it’s easily discarded in the corner of the bathroom. She still has panties and a bra on, so I carefully place her under the warm spray when I notice the necklace lying on her naked, pale skin with dried blood and dirt washing over the pendant. It infuriates me and also puts me at ease that she still has it on. I should have kept her safe. But I’m also glad she never took it off.
Her tired eyes meet mine, and she mumbles, “But I’m really tired, Reon.”
“I know, Caterpillar. I know.”
I push her hair back, and she lays her head on my chest as the water drenches us, with the dirt and grime from the night swirling down the drain.
“Sit her down and call the nurse who does IVs. I’ll look after her,” Abigail states. Moving slowly, I lift Lilith in my arms. I turn and direct her to sit on the built-in shower bench.
Abigail removes her heels and pulls her skirt and shirt off until she’s just in her underwear, then she steps in to care for Lilith.
“You got her?” I ask because I vow that no one will ever fucking hurt her like that again. They will pay for ever thinking they can touch her.
She nods and takes hold of Lilith.
“I do this often, Reon, but please take that with you.” She motions to the knife still clutched in Lilith’s hand. I crouch down so Lilith can see me and cover her hands with mine.
