Page 99 of Lovely Venom

He nods, and I gather the sheet around my chest. “Mind if I take this?”

“Feeling shy?” A hint of amusement touches his voice.

I know it’s a little ridiculous, considering I’ve been lying naked on top of him all night.

“Just…you know.” Super fucking awkward.

A smile teases his lips, and I take that as a yes, crawling away with the sheet to grab my bag.

I’m expecting a bunch of messages asking where I am and why I’m late. But when I unlock my phone, I find the missed calls were from an unknown number, and the other notifications are from a group chat with my friends. I scan them briefly to make sure there’s not a real emergency, then check the time.

Technically, I still have about forty-five minutes before I have to leave if I want to get to the island on time.

As I’m considering it, I glance over my shoulder and let my gaze roam Bran’s naked body. His eyes are on me, the rigid length of his cock lying heavy against his abdomen.

I don’t have to ask if he’s thinking about one last time too.

I send the girls a quick text with a few eggplant emojis, letting them know I can’t talk right now.

As I walk back to the bed, I’m already questioning my choices, because I’m sore as hell from the battering Bran gave me. But there’s no way I’m missing out on the last chance I’ll ever get with him.

“I have twenty-ish minutes,” I tell him. “Then I have to take a shower and go.”

“Let’s make it thirty.”

I stare at him in question.

“I’ll fuck you in the shower,” he rumbles. “And I’ll wash you while I do it.”

Thirty minutes ends up being forty, which is…whatever. I don’t like being late, but my friends won’t care if I’m a few minutes behind.

After our shower, Bran gives me some privacy to take off my mask and wash my face. It’s not really necessary, considering he already knows who I am, but it feels too vulnerable having it off.

When I’m finished cleaning up, I do what I can with the bite mark on my neck. I only brought the basics for makeup, and it isn’t doing much to cover it. Fortunately, the other imprints on my thighs and breasts aren’t visible beneath the dress I’m wearing.

Bran left his claim all over me, including the chain necklace that’s still locked around my neck.

As it occurs to me that he’ll probably need to take it off, a hollow ache settles in my chest.

It’s ridiculous.

One night. That’s all this was.

Emotions aren’t part of this arrangement. We’re just two strangers with insane chemistry, and this rush I experience every time I see him doesn’t mean anything.

It can’t.

Steeling myself with a breath, I open the bathroom door and step back into the suite.

Bran occupies the chair across the room, a man perfectly at ease in nothing but a pair of black briefs. I have to force myself to focus on his mask, because if I look at his body again, I’ll never make it to the island.

“I guess this is where we go our separate ways.” I try for a smile, but it falls flat.

“Come here,” he says, voice dipping low.

The logical part of my brain tells me that’s a bad idea, but the reckless part of me isn’t listening.

We deserve a goodbye, and going without one won’t make this any easier.