Page 59 of Lovely Venom

“Be good while I’m gone, Mrs. Vitale.” The corner of his mouth lifts. “I’ll see you tonight.”

12

CHANTEL

I spend the rest of the morning doing yoga, skincare, and repainting my nails. Today is a show day, so I keep my activity light and conserve energy for this evening.

There’s a lot of prep that goes into a performance between clothing, hair, and makeup. When the program changes, we’ll also do rehearsals, meetings with the choreographer, and costume fittings.

Fortunately, there isn’t much to go over this week, so I don’t have to be there until late afternoon. After lunch, I head out a bit early so I can check in at Sanctum before I meet up with Bran this weekend.

My driver, Bruno, picks me up right on time. He’s an older gentleman with fuzzy gray eyebrows and a friendly smile. If I saw him on the street, I wouldn’t assume he’s Mafia, but during the drive, I discover he’s been working for the Vitale family for over thirty years. With that said, there are two things I can be certain of. He’s definitely carrying, and Cristian will know my location at all times.

He drives me to the downtown IVI complex and delivers me to the elevator before he leaves.

Once inside, I pass through security and make my way to Sanctum.

The Society-owned sex club sits adjacent to Black Velvet, and I have membership access through my job.

I’ve made a few friends with some of the women there, and after my visits with Bran, I feel comfortable with the environment.

Casually, a lot of members refer to it as the Cat House, but IVI has a tradition of incorporating Latin into pretty much everything they do.

In that context, it makes sense that Bran refers to me as dea, meaning goddess. It’s the counterpart of deus, which holds significance for Sovereign Sons in the Society.

They’re the highest-ranked and most respected members of IVI. In their world, that means they’re often greeted with the phrase ‘Dominus et Deus,’ which translates to Lord and God.

I don’t know Bran’s Society ranking, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he were a Sovereign Son. Though my ranking is nonexistent, I’ve only ever been treated with respect at Sanctum.

Once inside, I check in to the private clinic where they perform the mandatory health screenings. Since I haven’t been here in three years, I’ll need clearance to have my access credentials validated by Saturday. The process is quick and easy, and after a routine physical, an update to my consent form, and a blood draw, I’m on my way.

When I step out into the corridor and glance down the familiar hallway, a wave of nervous energy crashes over me. The thought of spending a night with Bran after so long is surreal. It’s also slightly terrifying, because I know it won’t be like any other experience I’ve ever had.

But for all my anticipation, part of me can’t help feeling torn. Every memory I have of him seems to be blurred by the past and present.

I’ve never seen beneath Bran’s mask, but my subconscious is all too happy to fill in the gaps—with the expressions, mannerisms, and dark eyes of the man who’s currently upending my life.

I have enough to worry about without adding the moral ambiguity of that problem to my life. The best I can hope for is that the issue will self-correct by Saturday.

By the time I get to Black Velvet and start prepping for the show, I manage to put it from my mind.

Hair and makeup are often an hours-long process, depending on the performance. Tonight I’ll be doing one ensemble act and two solos. That calls for my signature look—vintage waves and the classic combination of a matte face, winged liner, dramatic lashes, and a red lip.

When I arrive, the dressing room is already buzzing with activity and a racket of music, laughter, and hairspray. After stopping to chat with a few of my friends along the way, I take a seat at my vanity, casting Kenzie a sidelong glance. She’s at the space next to mine, and I only have to raise a brow for her to understand my unspoken question.

“It was amazing,” she answers dreamily. “I’m sorry I didn’t update you. But honestly, we kept at it all weekend.”

“In that case, I highly approve.” I laugh. “I always suspected he’d be an animal in bed. The quiet ones usually are.”

“You have no idea.” She smirks. “I’m definitely keeping him.”

“I’m so happy for you,” I tell her, and I genuinely mean it.

Kenzie deserves nothing but the best, and I can personally vouch for Andreas. He’s one of Ares’ guards, and he saved my life when he found my ex beating me.

My arranged marriage was due to take place the next day, and he took me to Ares and helped me escape. Ultimately, that’s how I ended up in Seattle.

When Kenzie had a problematic customer of her own, I asked Ares if Andreas could help her out. I’m pretty sure he’s been in love with her ever since.