Venom's Secret (Iron Vex MC Book 4) by Elizabeth Knox (guided reading books .txt) 📕

I sit up a little straighter and look around the room, and my eyes land on Iris, who’s standing across from Ricochet, laughing like he’s said the funniest thing in the world. My breath gets caught in my throat at the way I didn’t expect this. Is he into her? If he is then why did he kiss me this morning? It doesn’t make sense, at least not right now.

I finish off the rest of my drink and stand up, but Reno quickly snakes a hand around my waist and we both walk into the stairwell. Fuck, Reno’s handsome, but he’s not the guy I want to be touching me. It’s not his hand I want skirting against the curve of my ass. It’s not his lips I want on my skin.

I know I shouldn’t take this any further with Ricochet, I know it could fuck things up . . . but seeing him with Iris. Even now I gnaw on my bottom lip and fight back the tears. Seeing him with her fuckin’ hurts.

Reno puts a hand on the side of my face and looks into my eyes. “I’ve never fucked you before, but I’ll make sure you won’t forget it.”

The stairwell door shuts and I had no idea someone even walked in here. Ricochet stands at the doorway staring daggers into Reno. “Brother, I’m saying this once, and only once. Venom isn’t yours to fuck.”

I find myself swallowing hard and Reno takes his hand from my face. Slowly, he walks over to Ricochet and sizes him up. Ricochet is about a foot shorter than Reno, and Reno’s got at least fifty pounds of solid muscle on him.

Reno smirks and releases a laugh. “Didn’t know you had the hots for her, brother, my bad.”

“I don’t appreciate anyone sniffing around what’s mine.”

“What’s yours? Says the guy who was just flirting with Iris,” I can’t help but point this out. I mean, he kisses me this morning at the gym and then he’s all laughs with Iris a few minutes ago? Like, no, it doesn’t add up.

Within what feels like a millisecond Ricochet has shoved me against a wall and wraps his hand around my throat. “I wasn’t fuckin’ flirting with Iris. I wouldn’t ever flirt with her, not when I have what I want in the palm of my damn hands. How long have you known me, Venom? Is that the type of shit you think I’d really do?” Ricochet gawks at me, seemingly pissed.

Reno takes it upon himself to leave the stairwell exiting the way we just came in and now I’m alone with Ricochet, his hand around my neck and his breathing growing more rapid.

I can feel what’s about to happen and I know it’s going to be intense.

Chapter Nine

Ricochet

I can do one of two things right now. I can tell her the truth, or I can fuckin’ lie. I don’t mind doin’ either, but the last thing I want to do is lie to this woman.

Boring down into her light green eyes I tell her the damn truth. “The only woman I want in this club is you.”

She blinks in what I believe is disbelief, but in all the years knowing her I’ve never seen her like this. Her mouth gawks open into a small ‘o’, and I dive in like a starved animal in the woods. I slam my lips against hers, needing to feel her body against mine once more.

She tenses at first before her body finally gives into mine, and in the second she gives in I pull my lips away from hers and stare deep into her eyes, while brushing my thumb down the center of her throat. “You’re not an insecure woman, Venom. You’re anything but. God, I fuckin’ hate you sometimes.”

“Then why kiss me?” The irritation in her voice is obvious, but I know she isn’t expecting what I’m about to say to her. I know her well enough to know this has never crossed her fuckin’ mind.

“‘Cause I’m in fuckin’ love with you.” If I thought she was shocked a couple minutes ago, now she’s shown me what she really looks like when she’s surprised. “You hear me? I’m in fuckin’ love with you, Venom. I have been for a long fuckin’ time.” Longer than I can remember. Shit wasn’t like this at first between us, but slowly it began to build up . . . but how can I be in love with a woman whose first name I still don’t even know, even after years of knowing her?

Her bottom lip begins to quiver before the unexpected happens. She brings her hands up against my cheeks and murmurs lowly, “Fuck it. I can’t keep . . . I can’t stop this.” Grazing her hand against my jawbone she snakes her hands around the back of my neck and pulls herself closer to me.

I take this as an invitation, the best damn indication if I ever needed one. I collide our lips once more, growing closer to her sinfully sculpted mouth. She meets my mouth and I inhale as she moans into my mouth, finally giving in to this. I don’t know how long it’s been since I realized there was more between us, but I didn’t want to fuck our friendship up. After the kiss earlier today I couldn’t keep fighting it, the urge becoming much more intense than before.

I take possession of her lips in a carnal yet passionate way, breathing her in like she’s my air. I’ve dreamed about this moment, had my hand wrapped around my cock while I pleasured myself to mental images of this, and now here we are.

Brushing my finger against the nape of her neck I grind my hips against hers and know I won’t be able to hold myself back for long. With her soft mews and indications she wants more, I need to go