Sweet Touch of Venom (Lethal Love #1)

16. Ronan

Chapter 16

Ronan

Lurk in the night play, play, play

B edford spins in his large seat, facing me, Anita, Mal, and Boone. “Looks like things just got a lot shittier.”

I huff, a dark shadow crossing over me, and my heart thumps against my chest. I hate the sound of that, like everything is on the verge of going haywire. The thought of destroying an army full of kidnappers and rapists brings a pulse to my polluted blood.

“They’ve caught word of murders from their men and called every member from their gang to eradicate the people or person.” He zooms his eyes to me. “And of course, once they found out Henley was MIA. They know.”

“How large,” Boone interrupts, making Anita’s eyes widen and brows raise.

“He talks.” I catch a glimmer in her eyes, which often happens with people who hear him speak; it’s rough with a Manchester accent.

“You should talk more.” I catch a tiny lift in her lips before her gaze falls on mine and the smile drops in rancid disgust, and she looks away. The girl really hates me.

Good.

No. Not good. I thought we were making some progress last night. Even if she practically told me to die. I liked that because she still spoke to me.

I don’t miss the sting of jealousy poking at the root of my stomach from the mere interaction between them. The almost genuine smile she gave him but can’t even bother to look at me graciously? Am I not the one allowing her to be here? It sears something hot into my chest. I stuff my childish boy banter in the back of my mind.

There are more important matters at hand.

Boone's’ expression doesn’t change at all. It’s the same hard and blank stare because nothing phases the man.

“And you should talk less.” Mal snarls, sitting on top of the desk behind us.

“Fuck,” I mutter. I want to grip my head in my hand and let out a roaring growl. This shit is getting old and tiring. We have bigger fish to fry. But instead, I place my hands on my hips and just let them duke the shit out, or maybe I should even put them in the ring and actually fight.

Anita’s head tilts to Mal, her manner so unbothered you would think someone just gave her a compliment. “Problem?”

She hops down from the desk and walks to Anita, getting closer to her. “My problem is you. I don’t trust you.”

A sneaky smile folds on Anita’s lips, making her look dark and innocent. “Get in line. It’s nothing new to me.”

Mal laughs something shrill. “Give me one reason. Just one.” Her finger flies up, shakingly. “I see something strange, or you attempt to deceive us. I’ll slit your throat and watch you bleed out.”

Instead of crumbling down into fear like any other normal person would do after getting threatened to death, she smirks, flicking her curly hair over her shoulders, not fazed by any of it. And that… That makes my heart squeeze to unbeatable lengths. My lips curl lightly. You either have the bones of steel to handle us, or you simply don’t.

“Great. I’ll sharpen the blade.”

Fuck.

Bedford’s head looks up at Anita with an admirable expression and his mouth nearly spreads open and Boone’s neck twitches in a way that seems like he wants to laugh, but he contains it.

That’s new.

The other workers in the room eyes lift, peeking to see the moment but refuse to stare fully.

And I resist the urge to grind my teeth underneath my bottom lip as I watch her own the moment and stand up to Mal. Not many do.

Before I get wrapped up in her tail, I clear my throat to move on now. “Bedford, please continue.”

“We know by now this group has grown through the years. The last two from the problems you all have been solving…leaves him.” Bedford points at the screen to a man who looks like he’s seen far too many prisons. “Fred Delgado.”

My teeth tap together, narrowing in on the man I remember vividly.

“And him. Victor Kareem. Also known as Victor the Vicious. I know stupid name” He cringes as he points at the next guy, and I could punch the screen from the red fury that plunges into me. I narrow my gaze at the clear photo of Victor, my heart gallops over the pricking of my nerves heating up. The motherfucker who killed Carter. The master behind it all. The one who caused these slices on-.

“That’s all I have for now.” Bedford spins around to us, cutting off my thoughts, but I’m nearly seething with carnage.

I release a breath to steady the anger. Soon. Soon. He’ll pay. I cross my arms, my eyes looking down at the floor and rubbing the pad of my thumb on my chin. “I’m going to need to scope this place out tonight to get a closer look. Chr?—”

“I’m going with you.” Anita walks forward, looking at me, her hands running through her hair. Oh, now you can fathom the sight of me.

I look at her for a second longer. “We leave at seven. So be ready.”

“Always.” She takes her eyes off me before strolling off, excusing herself from the group without another word.

Mal cocks her head to me. “You trust her enough to be alone out there with her?” She blinks, raising her brows.

“I actually happen to like her.’’ Bedford speaks with a sly smile, making Mal’s lips tighten. He ignores her. “Do you know she’s worked side by side with the three deadly serpents?” Bedford twists in his chair back to the screen, clicking his fingers, tapping on it and swiping. “Serpents Vixens, to be exact.”

Two women show up. A woman with porcelain skin, white, blonde hair that’s shaved on one side, and piercing blue eyes. The other has black and blue shorter hair with much pale skin framing over a face that seems miserable. I don’t recognize them, but from the logo on their combat gear of a star with a snake slinking over and around the symmetrical shape. It automatically tells me they are assassins trained by Popov, the man who created an underground organization of women to eradicate corrupt ministers, popes, politicians, government officials, you name it. They live up to their name, that’s for sure.

I also don’t give a shit who they are, that doesn’t change anything. Do they know who the fuck I am?

“Oh yes, it’s three of them.” Bedford flips through each photo quickly once more.

“Go back.” Boone’s voice snaps out so deep and deadly that it actually fucking shocks me. My brows perk, and I slowly turn my head to him. Mal is looking at me with wide eyes and the same stunned expression.

Boone’s eyes dagger into the screen so hard that it might actually catch fire.

Bedford’s eyes jump to Boone's and then to us. “Okaaay.” He drags out, swinging in that chair again. He flips the screen, and it lands on a beautiful woman with long braids and deep brown skin. It only shows her face from the waist and up. She may look like a Nubian queen, but similar to Anita, she’s reeking venom in the liquid that flows through her bones. Fucking deadly.

Turning my head back to Boone, he watches the screen with a tightness to his jaw so hard that I can see it protruding from his temples and his face is red, matching the color of his hair. His hands clench tight on the desk as he leans down on it.

What the fuck is going on?

“Boone, are you okay?” Mal speaks softly, creeping up to tread lightly. I can see she wants to put her hand on him, but she hesitates.

“Do you know her?” I speak.

He looks at me and then Mal, his blue eyes steaming crimson, before standing upright and stalking off.

Mal turns to me, including Bedford. She places her hands on her hips. “What was that?”

I look at the screen of the women. Some history is there, nobody reacts to someone if they don’t know them personally. “Hell if I know, I was standing here the same as you.”

Mal’s head shakes, pointing at the screen. “He knows her, and if he does, she’ll be coming here for Venom. These women are bad news, Ronan.”

I’ll protect my brother and everyone in this damn facility. I’m not scared of no one. But they can try if they'd like to. More fun for me.

Mal eyes me, worry trickling all over her face.

I breathe heavily. I need to reassure her. She’s too much like a little sister to me. She’s more like family than my own damn brother. But I don’t want her worrying about me; that’s my job to worry about her, not vice versa.

“I’ll be fine. Stop worrying.” I place my hand on her shoulder, giving her a little shake. I’m not good at consoling, but that will do. She seems to relax her shoulders only a bit. Nodding her head slightly, she lets out a sigh of relief.

“I’ll remember what you said.” Referring to the promise we made before Anita arrived here.

“Of course.”