Page 212 of Beautiful Venom
“Ugh, I love you, Vi. I also got you something. Guess what?”
“What?”
“The magical patches for back pain! I also learned this new massage technique from Mrs. Liu next door. She swears it will relieve the discomfort.”
Her sister pats her hair, and their voices mingle and end in an indistinguishable chatter as they go into the shack they call home.
I find myself leaning forward, trying to catch one last glimpse of her before she completely disappears.
Dahlia, not Violet.
We came here for Violet, but it’s Dahlia’s smile that’s imprinted in my mind.
In a second, multiple scenarios flash in my brain.
All of them ending with her under my claws.
I face Jude, who’s still watching the house, his eyes dead, his posture rigid. “Tell me your plan concerning Violet.”
He grabs my shoulder, then pushes me sideways. “Stay out of it.”
“Will do. On one condition.”
“What the fuck is that?”
“Don’t touch or implicate the sister.”
Jude’s eyebrows shoot up, but he has enough understanding not to antagonize me when I have control over his weakness.
All right, then.
Dahlia Thorne has just piqued my interest, and that might be the worst mistake of her life.
37
DAHLIA
Icried so much, my head hurts.
I cried until I thought I’d never stop crying.
I cried for so long, I don’t think I have any tears left.
And now, I’m just numb.
My eyes track the looming trees from the back seat of the car as it takes me to my sister.
Somewhere in Rhode Island.
I pull my knees to my chest and lay my head on the window, letting grief wash over me.
When Julian told me everything, a part of me chose not to believe him. That stupid in-love part that trembled at the tiniest hint of Kane’s affection put its foot down and told me not to judge him.
Julian is not the good guy here. He threatened me with Grant the other day. Why would he be telling me this now?
So I asked the driver for a bathroom break and used one of those old pay phones.
I didn’t care what Julian said. I mostly followed his orders just to see Vi.
