Page 178 of Lovely Venom

“I had to tell Damian where you were,” he rushes the words out. “It was the only way.”

When he registers the genuine fear on my face, he takes a step closer, and I shake my head as I slowly retreat.

“It’s okay,” he assures me. “Damian and your father will go to war with Ares, and we’ll never have to worry about them again. We’ll be long gone, and they’ll be dead.”

“Oh.” I let out a shaky breath. “I understand.”

“Good.” He peers into the distance. “I knew you would. Now we can leave.”

“But what about the guards?” I stall. “Won’t they see us?”

“You don’t have to worry about them,” he answers vaguely. “I have a plan.”

“Alright, well—” I pause, trying to think of another way to delay him. “There’s just one thing I have to get from the house. I can’t leave without my mother’s music box.”

“You won’t need it.” The vein in his forehead pulses. “I’ll buy you a new one.”

“It won’t be the same,” I protest. “It’s the only thing I have left of her.”

“I’ll get you something better,” he grits out. “I’m all you need now.”

“Elias, I can’t leave without it,” I plead, clinging to the hope that he’ll believe me.

“You have to.” Anger seeps into his words. “Why are you acting like this isn’t what you’ve always wanted? You’ve seen the way I take care of you.”

“I know.” I nod stiffly. “Of course I do. It’s just, I⁠—”

I make a split-second decision to run, knowing there’s a very good chance I won’t be able to escape him, but I have to try. If I can just get close enough to the house for someone to hear me, I’ll be okay.

That’s what I tell myself, but as his footsteps close in behind me, terror grabs me by the throat.

“Don’t make me do this,” he bellows. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t,” I cry out.

It does me no good, because a second later, he seizes a fistful of my hair and yanks me back against him.

“You ungrateful little bitch,” he snarls, spinning me around to face him. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Silent tears track down my face as I try to think of some way out of this, and disturbingly, that actually seems to get through to him.

“I’m sorry.” His knuckles graze my cheek, and I suppress the urge to vomit. “You know I hate it when you make me do bad things, angel. I know this isn’t you. Once I get you away from here, you’ll see that everything else was a lie.”

“Let her go.”

The sharp words behind us are followed by the unmistakable sound of a slide being racked.

Before I can even attempt to flee, Elias puts me in a chokehold.

“You’re not taking her from me,” he roars. “Tell him you’re mine, Kat.”

“I’m not.” I try to pull away, but he tightens his grip.

“After everything I’ve done for you—” He rages. “You still don’t fucking get it.”

My plea is silenced as he increases the pressure on my neck, cutting off my air supply. Panic takes over as I claw at his arms, but it only lasts a matter of seconds before I hear a loud thwack, and Elias drops like a stone.

His dead weight nearly drags me down with him, but before I can fall, someone catches me and pulls me away.