Venomous King (Venom #2)

16. Kai

Chapter sixteen

Kai

“Love is not a feeling of happiness.Love is a willingness to sacrifice.”

Michael Novak

I watch as the fucking savage rips off his black long-sleeve shirt with frustration, and throws it at Isabella. He doesn’t wait to see if she complies with his demand to put on his clothing. If it were up to me, she would put back on her dress, the one she would have married me in, but right now, I don’t want to antagonize the beast further, especially if he’ll allow me to see Julia. My eyes trace over his exposed skin; various scars and wounds litter the surface, along with tattoos that paint his flesh in graphic details. I count at least three healed bullet wounds in his abdomen and back alone, not to mention Stella’s recent stab wound. If I wasn’t already convinced this psycho was dangerous, just looking at his body cements it. Fuck, how many times has someone tried to kill him?

Isabella struggles to get the shirt over her head quickly, becoming tangled in the oversized material and crying out in frustration. I move to assist her, even though my shoulder is a blazing fire of pain from the gunshot earlier. “Here, little rose , let me help.“ I grab the neckline and hold it so she can pop her head through. Once she does, her brown eyes meet mine, filled with apprehension. God, how I wish I could see the sapphire blue below their disguised depths. I’ve always hated that she had to hide her pretty eyes to prevent that monster from finding her, and it accomplished nothing. Regardless of our attempts to keep her safe, he found her in the end. “I’m so sorry, Kai. I... I don’t know what came over me...”

I reach below the shirt, and untie the belt from the hook the savage shoved into her ass, and with a blush, she reaches down and yanks it out, and it falls to the ground between her legs. My hands move on to the belt, pulling it through the buckle, releasing it from her neck, and throwing it behind me with aggravation, the red imprint of the leather left plainly on her neck, for everyone to see. “It’s okay, little rose. Don’t worry about any of that right now.”

“Move your fucking asses, or you’re staying locked in this room! Scratch that, the cunt is staying locked in this room, but you, Princesa , will be handcuffed to me so you can’t escape again.”

I want to throw my fists, and beat him bloody, for the callous way he’s speaking to Isabella. Who the fuck does he think she is? My fury pushes me forward until I’m chest-to-chest with him, and staring him down. Self-preservation be damned right now, fuck this piece of shit. We are evenly matched in height, and he might have more muscle mass than me, but that won’t stop me from giving it all I have, to protect my family. “You don’t fucking speak to her that way. Have some fucking respect, she’s Julia’s mother.”

“Are you planning to make me, pretty boy ?” Shove . “You want me to respect the woman who stole my child from me, and then let me believe she was fucking dead for almost five years?” Shove . His nostrils flare, and that dangerous, unhinged look returns to his face, and for a brief moment, real fear skates down my spine. The gun is back in its holster at his side, and the blade is resheathed. Could I get to one of them to cause him some damage before he kills me?

“STOP! Please stop. Your alpha gorilla routines will need to wait. We have to get to Julia, before she’s so worked up that we’ll need a hospital to calm her down.” Isabella pushes past both of us impatiently, and stands at the door, anxiety clearly evident on her pale face. Diego’s oversized shirt dwarfs her and hits her at mid-thigh. She looks so small and vulnerable, but also fierce, as if she will come over here and strangle both of us. The ‘momma bear’ has been activated in her. “Let’s go! I need to get to my daughter!”

I admire her tenacity and fearlessness as she demands to be set free from the room. With one last grunt, and immature chest bump, Diego pushes away and meets her at the door, knocking and speaking rapidly in Spanish, so it becomes unlocked from the outside. He stands back, giving Isabella space to move around him, and with a smirk, he wraps one of his thick, tattooed arms around her waist, pulling her snugly into his body. A furious growl escapes my lips as I move towards them, ready to rip his arm off.

“I wouldn’t do what you’re thinking, cunt. My men have been ordered to shoot you at the slightest provocation. You’ll be making Issy a widow before making her a bride.”

“I will end you, fucker. You won’t get away with any of this,” I snarl as I follow them from the room, and am immediately shadowed by two large, angry men with guns. Any further threats I would have uttered die in my throat, at the sheer presence of gun-carrying goons, awaiting their master’s commands. He has a whole fucking army here, ready to massacre us all if we don’t comply. Fuck .

We move as a unit down the stairs and a short corridor, the hostility in the air causing my skin to feel too tight, and beads of sweat to glide down my nape. As we round the corner, I can hear Julia’s sharp cries, and my heart thuds painfully in my chest at my little girl’s distress. My hands clench into tight fists at my sides, to restrain myself from slamming them into the fucker causing my daughter all this anguish. Isabella breaks from Diego’s hold and rushes towards the sealed door. She looks over her shoulder at Diego with a pleading, desperate look, and it breaks my heart to see her begging him for anything; the monster from all her nightmares, returned to cause her further harm.

“Please, Diego... she’s so scared.” Diego nods his head to the guard, and he unlocks the door, allowing Isabella to stride through. Before I can follow her inside, Diego’s large hand grabs onto my injured shoulder and squeezes tightly, and I have to bite down on the inside of my cheek to contain the scream that wants to vacate me. The taste of rich copper fills my mouth, and the desire to spit my blood in his face almost causes me to do something I know will immediately cost me my life.

“I’m only allowing you in there because I don’t want Julia to get worse. You will do what you need to, to calm her down, but don’t think for one second that she guarantees that you’ll keep breathing for very long. Your death is only momentarily postponed.”

I don’t bother responding, pushing away his touch and striding to the door. The minute I enter, I glimpse Julia cradled tightly in Isabella’s arms, with a teddy bear clutched to her chest, as my beautiful rose rocks her back and forth and speaks soothing, quiet words into our daughter’s dark hair. She looks so tiny, so frail, my little girl. All of this is too much for her. Who am I fucking kidding? I’m a grown man, and this is too much for me, never mind a little, ill girl like Julia.

“Da... ddy.” Her broken sob shatters what’s left of my control, when she spies me over her mother’s delicate shoulder. I move towards them cautiously, wondering if this is when Diego will murder me in front of my family. Will he shoot me in the back like the fucking villain he is?

When no one makes any attempt to stop me, I wrap both Isabella and Julia in my arms, despite the pain it causes me. “I’m here, Lovebug. Daddy’s here, and it will all be alright. You need to calm down, Julia. Please, for Daddy, be my big girl.”

I can hear how ragged her breathing is, and her little face is red and blotchy from crying. Her beautiful, long, dark hair is tangled and matted to her forehead and neck, and her bright green eyes, eyes she has inherited from her worthless sperm donor, are filled with fear.

I take her from Isabella’s arms, cradling her against my chest, pressing my lips against the side of her head, and allowing a moment of peace and reassurance to fill me. She’s alive, she’s breathing, and for now, she’s safe. She pulls back from my embrace, and her large eyes wander to the man behind me. Her breathing immediately hitches, as she uses her little hands to sign ‘bad man’ to me.

“What did she just say?” Diego questions as he moves closer to us, and Julia’s little arms tighten around me. Neither Isabella nor I respond to his question, and he releases a sigh of frustration. I don’t dare repeat what Julia has uttered, for fear of him retaliating against her. The fucker is unpredictable, and I am not convinced he wouldn’t hurt a four-year-old.

“Julia, you are safe here, and no one will hurt you. Are you able to understand me? I will never allow anyone to hurt you, and do you know why, little cherub?” Diego keeps moving closer, until he stops a mere foot away from where Julia and I are standing, and I can feel Isabella getting ready to put her body between us. His tone is soft, patient even, as if he genuinely doesn’t wish to startle her more. Julia shakes her little head, her thumb popping into her mouth as a way to self-soothe herself, something she hasn’t done in a very long time.

“Wh...yyy?” My courageous little girl meets the monster’s eyes and doesn’t flinch.

“Did you know that you have your grandmother’s name, Julia? She was beautiful and brave, just like you. She was small and fierce, too.”

“Gammy’s name is Stella! That’s my second name, and my other grandma’s name is Beatrice.” Julia looks at Diego with suspicion, her fear momentarily forgotten. Pride fills me, watching my girl come alive and release the terror that was riding her.

“Ah, yes, your Gammy is named Stella ,“ Diego tries to hide his disdain while mentioning Isabella’s grandmother, and I want to snort, because she’s not a favorite of mine either. It might be the only thing we have in common other than loving Isabella. “And Beatrice is a pretty name, too, but did you know Julia comes from your Abuela (grandmother) ? Her name was Julia Maria, and she was my momma. She was so beautiful and strong. A little queen, much like I’m guessing you are.”

“No! I’m... I’m a warrior princess, like Auntie Mia, and Gammy is the queen.” A look of stubborn indignation crosses my daughter’s face, and a chuckle escapes Diego, causing him to suddenly look less menacing.

“What about your momma? Is she not a warrior princess like your Auntie?” Diego’s eyes settle on Isabella, and in their depths, all I can see is want and need. He will never release her, he believes that she belongs to him.

Julia squirms in my hold, demanding to be put down, and I’m loath to release my hold on her, but I also don’t want to cause her further distress. Right now, Diego is not doing anything to harm her, and she’s forgotten her moment of fear, her breathing less labored with her annoyance at his words. “Momma is a beautiful fairy princess, silly. She’s not a warrior!” Julia’s little fists meet her hips as she bravely steps towards Diego, her small dark brows pulled together in concentration.

An amused chuckle sounds from the menace before us. “I’m not so sure you’re right about that, little cherub. I think your momma has some of your Gammy and Auntie’s strength in her.” Diego squats down until he’s at eye level with Julia, and I watch as her eyes peruse all his tattoos with wide eyes. “What’s a cherub, momma?” She turns her little head and looks at Isabella for clarification, curiosity plain on her little face, her fear temporarily forgotten.

“It’s a small angel. He thinks you look like a baby angel, Julia.” If we weren’t in one of the most terrifying situations I have ever lived through, I would laugh at the look of indignation Julia gives Diego, in response to her mother’s explanation for his term of endearment.

Diego releases a loud, booming laugh at her look. “I see you don’t like that, but to me, that’s what you are. A beautiful baby angel.”

“ Ab… uela. .. what’s that, Daddy? How can I have another grandmother? I’m not like Alexander and Caesar, I don’t have lots of daddies! I can’t have lots of grandmothers.”

Julia turns her suspicious look back on me, and I feel my tongue get heavy, my words of denial refusing to escape me. She’s mine , my daughter, but she’s also his . If I deny his words, it will only make the situation worse. Diego won’t stand by and not claim her, now that he knows about her and has her back in his life. Will I be doing more harm than good by telling her he is her father too? Can she even handle and process information like that, or is it likely to trigger her into one of her episodes?

As I’m busy making up my mind, the choice is taken from me. “I’m your father, Julia. Just like your cousins, you have more than one daddy. You’re a lucky girl. You have two, and you have such a beautiful momma.”

Fuck .