Page 88 of Venomous Kiss
“Yes, Keenan, she’s home and safe.” She winks at me.
“She’s safe?” He sounds almost relieved. “You’ll keep a close eye on her for me?”
“Yes, I’m going back to see her soon. Just grabbing her some food.”
“Why doesn’t she have any food?” he asks in a panic.
Linda looks at me with wide eyes. “Oh, she does. She wanted some soup.”
“Does she not have soup at home?”
“Keenan, do you want me to give her a message, or would you like to interrogate me?” She huffs, and I manage a faint smile.
He sighs, and I can tell how much they love each other. He told her they’d stick together through thick and thin, and I’m not sure many other family members would do that. Even though my relationship with her is still rocky, I can clearly tell she loves me.
“Just tell her to visit me, please. I need to speak to her.”
“Will do,” she says before they say their goodbyes and hang up. “Let’s go. Do you need anything before I take you home?”
“I need something to break into my place… I don’t have my keys.”
“Do I want to know why?” I shake my head, averting my gaze. “Okay, well, I’m sure I can break in. I’ve done it once or twice before.” She winks.
“Excuse you?”
“What? Before I took you in, I was a bit of a rebel. It’s why I fell for Tuck so hard,” she says in a soft voice. “Anyway, let’s go and break into your place.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
My cell rings a few times on the car ride to my place, but I don’t have the energy to deal with anyone right now. I need to be holed up in my room for a long while and not leave. I’ll have to call into work and say I’m sick, which they may fire me for because I haven’t had the job for long, and it’s not like I can continue with my subscription service selling videos and photos right now since Reon got it taken down. But I’m willing to take my chances. It’s not like I need the money to pay for the apartment—it’s already paid off—but I do need money for everyday things.
“How is Reon? That’s his name, right?” Linda asks.
I turn my head toward her and shake it. I don’t want to talk about Reon right now because even though I never said anything before I left his apartment earlier, I remember him calling me his wife. I don’t recall marrying him. But that’s not to say he didn’t drug me somewhere along the way and force me to marry him that night after our dinner. I don’t even remember getting home. I don’t have a ring, and I don’t remember signing any legal documents. But for some reason, I feel not even that would stop him. Reon is used to getting his way, and I doubt something like my consent would even make him pause for more than half a second.
“I’m going to drop you off, then I’m going to do my grocery shopping. While I’m there, I will grab you some of your favorites. Is that fine?”
“I plan to sleep.”
“I can always break back in.” She grins mischievously.
“I’d like some cherry cola, please.”
We pull up to my building and get out of the car. She walks with me, and when we get to my door, she slides a credit card between the door and the jamb then jiggles it a few times before pulling out a small kit. I lean against the wall while she plays with the lock, and when she finally opens it, she whoops loudly.
“Okay, you go in and relax. I’ll be back later. It’s getting late. Are you sure you don’t want me to get you dinner?”
“No, I just want to shower, put clean underwear on, curl up into a ball, and sleep.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Linda softly touches my face before she walks out the door and shuts it carefully behind her.
“So, you do have other family.” I jump at the sound of a voice in what should be an empty apartment. Soren walks out of my bedroom with something in his hand. My heart starts beating frantically at the sight of him. I sidestep until I enter the kitchen and lunge toward the knife drawer.
He watches me and shakes his head. “I’d suggest not doing that,” he says.
“Do you think I’m afraid of hurting you?” I ask as I grab the sharpest knife I can see and point it at him. “I would gladly slice you open and sit down and have a cup of coffee while you bleed out. You fucking… sick… pig.”
“Is that any way to speak to your husband’s friend?” I then notice that he’s holding the invitation he gave me.
