Page 29 of Venomous as a Snake

I heave the deepest of sighs and let my eyes fall shut. My roommates are more perceptive than I’d like for them to be… But maybe they have some advice. Over the last two years, Collin and Forrest have weaseled their way into being my friends and business partners.

“She won’t come over here,” I mutter. “Though if she does, don’t send her away.”

“Who is she?” Forrest gently inquires.

“My mate,” I confess.

Collin’s mouth pops open. “Since just now?”

“Since…” I swing my arms around like the kangaroo does when he’s flustered. “Forever.”

“You’ve known?” He’s still so stunned, but I have nothing good to say.

The rhino watches me closely. “Where has she been?”

“It’s a long story,” I warn.

“We have all night,” Collin quickly replies.

“When you hopped the fence,” Forrest begins, shaking his head. “She looked at you with equal parts frustration and devotion. I would expect nothing less than a long story.”

“I’m not telling you everything tonight,” I say, just to preface the conversation. “But I’ll tell you the gist.”

Collin gets up and puts popcorn in the microwave, because he’s an ass like that.

“We’ve known we were mates since we were… young,” I admit. “Young enough to understand the mating bonds, though we waited until we were eighteen to seal our bond.”

“Really?” Forrest narrows his eyes. “That shocks me.”

The kangaroo nods as the popping begins. “I was thinking he was one of those badass teenagers who lost his virginity at barely fifteen.”

“Anyway,” I cut in, rolling my eyes. “We grew up together. Our parents are part of Snake Eyes.”

“Get to the good part,” Collin jeers, making me grin.

“When we graduated, the leader of the gang forced Kody into an engagement with his youngest son. Clay was a friend of ours, but everything changed when he found out we were mates.”

Collin hugs a large bowl to his chest as he waits for his popcorn to finish. “Here comes the drama.”

“Kody and I refused to be apart, so we were sneaking around behind Clay’s back. She was doing the same with Drew, too.”

“Because they’re mates?” Forrest asks, though he already knows I share a mate with my brother.

“Yes. Ali is also her mate, but he came into the picture about nine months ago or so. Not the point.” I wave the thought away. “We snuck around behind Clay’s back for like four years, and we were getting desperate to get her away from him. Then he caught us—Kody and me—as we were getting dressed.”

“Oh shit,” Collin mumbles as the microwave chimes.

I scoff. “Yeah. Clay and his new friends nearly killed both of us.”

“Right then?” Forrest covers his mouth as he waits for my answer.

“No. They found me later that night,” I explain. “Drew showed up just in time. I spent two days in the hospital after being jumped. That’s when they got Kody… at the house she shared with Clay, though he was conveniently missing in action. Her dad stopped by to check on her after talking to Drew, and he found her on the floor.”

I roll my neck, trying to loosen the tense muscles, but it doesn’t help. The images of her with dried blood on her cheek and a swollen eye haunt me.

“Was she okay?” Forrest asks, fierceness in his tone.

“She had injuries, spent time in the hospital too. Martin went to Fangs, but Clay pleaded with his dad, said he wasn’t there. He didn’t know they were attacking her, so Fangs killed three of the guys. Kody wasn’t sure how many more there were. They blindsided her.”