Page 118 of Lovely Venom

She doesn’t sound like she believes that.

“Hello?”

We all turn to face the screeching pterodactyl of a woman behind us.

“Oh.” Isobel’s face sours when she notices Chantel. “Have you seen Marco? I can’t find him anywhere.”

“I think he said something about an evening dip,” Chantel tells her.

“What?” Isobel glances around in a panic. “I didn’t see a pool anywhere.”

When none of us reply, she toddles off in search of him, and I lean down to murmur in Chantel’s ear.

“You knew?”

“Like you said, he can swim.” She shrugs.

Her indifference to Marco’s fate pleases me far more than it should.

I know tomorrow, there will be hell to pay for what I told Bastien.

But tonight, I regret nothing.

22

CHANTEL

When we arrive at my house, Cristian methodically clears each room, pretending not to notice as I trail behind him. He seems to understand that it isn’t enough for him to tell me it’s safe. I have to see for myself. And even though I do feel safer now, this routine is ingrained in me.

Eventually, we return to the living room, which is exactly where I want him. When he sits on the sofa, I hitch up my dress and straddle his lap.

“Hi.” I smooth my fingers over his tie while he watches me with dark, hungry eyes.

He doesn’t move as I paw at him, grinding down onto his erection and kissing his jaw. I’m aching to finish what we started earlier, but he’s not participating…and it’s annoying me.

I undo his tie and start working on his shirt when he stops me.

“Not here.”

I pull back to meet his gaze as my chest tightens. “I don’t share my bed.”

He reaches up and strokes my face, and I lean into that touch, hating how much I want it.

“In that case, you should go to sleep,” he murmurs.

“Are you serious?” I stare at him, unblinking. “You won’t have sex with me?”

“Are you inviting me into your bed?”

“No,” I answer stubbornly.

“Then no.” He relaxes against the sofa, completely unbothered by this development.

I scramble off his lap and glare at him. “This has to be a joke.”

“Only good girls get fucked, gattina.”

“Unbelievable,” I mutter, storming down the hall to my bedroom.