Page 78 of Beautiful Venom
“I didn’t even tell you it was her car I saw in the parking lot.” He raises a brow. “How did you figure it out?”
“It’s clear as day that she wasn’t happy about my recent involvement with Dahlia. Since she can’t touch me, she’d redirect her fury to the weaker party. A terrible miscalculation on her part.”
“What do you plan to do to her?”
“Get her kicked out of Vencor. With your and Preston’s votes, we can discharge a member. If she still insists on being a headache, I’ll have her buried six feet under.”
“Let’s say I go with the vote, why would Pres?”
“He will once I tell him Isabella had her goons use his name as the fall guy. You know he hates messy things if he’s not the cause.”
“I’ll consider it.” He stands taller, a flash of sadism sparkling in his eyes. “You owe me for today.”
“I do.”
“I expect an extra name in my inbox tonight.”
I nod.
Of course Jude would cash in immediately. He greatly lacks the skill of gathering intel and saving it for later. Though by having those names, he’s loosening himself further from my grip.
But it doesn’t matter. For now.
Jude still needs me to reach his goal, and, therefore, I can still control him.
Instead of stepping away, he glares at Dahlia, sparks nearly flying from his eyes.
I fix him with a stony look. “Is there a problem?”
“Why the fuck is it her? Ofallpeople?”
“She’s just a pawn.”
He bursts out laughing, the sound long and cruel. “The almighty Davenport lost his cool for apawn? Try to fool a lesser person.”
“Some pawns deserve extra care.”
“Well, in that case, better takeextra carethat she doesn’t mess with my fucking business.”
“Noted.” I motion at the door. “Will you move now?”
After one last ambiguous look at Dahlia, he steps aside and gathers the piece of fucking shit by his collar.
As I walk out, Jude’s voice carries from behind my back. “I mean it, Davenport. She puts her nose where it doesn’t belong and she’ll see her maker sooner rather than later. All bets will be off.”
I tilt my head in his direction and flash him a smile. “Won’t be happening. As long as you keep your fucking stalkerish tendencies in check, we’re all good.”
* * *
By the time I arrived at my penthouse downtown, Dahlia was burning up.
I placed her on the sofa in the living room earlier. Since then, I’ve been standing cross-armed by the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the town’s luminous skyline.
What the fuck am I supposed to do?
I’ve never taken care of someone else before. Except for Preston when he goes off the rails, and even then, I usually let Jude handle him while I manage the fallout.
If Dahlia’s fever doesn’t come down, I’ll take her to the ER.
