Page 11 of Venomous as a Snake

He may have a foot of height on me, and weigh twice as much, but we both know how this fight ends.

I think he gets off on it.

But I don’t ask.

That takes the fun out of fighting my prey-driven mate.

“He’s still going to send more,” he whispers, tightening his hold.

“I know.”

Ali kisses the top of my head before letting me go. “I’ll get them back to Clay. Promise you’ll call if you need anything else, Kody. We’re not far away, and you’re not doing this by yourself.”

I nod seriously, though my question is teasing. “Want to help me bathe the animals?”

“I love you, Blondie,” he parrots, a naughty smirk tilting the corner of his lush lips as his charcoal eyes sparkle. “But not enough to wash your pussy.”

My Komodo dragon salivates every time I’m in Kody’s presence. His animalistic feelings meld with my own, making it difficult to hold my tongue around the blonde beauty when she melts into my touch as if she belongs in my arms.

I don’t know why we haven’t talked about our relationship. We sealed our mate bond months ago, though we left it at that. We’re casual at best. And I understand her need for space after the disaster with the fucking bird. Part of me believes she thinks he’ll try to run me off like he did Walker… and eventually Drew.

He can’t.

She’s also focused on finding Walker. I understand that, too... But the longer we go without really acknowledging it, the more my dragon wants to rip through my skin and chase her down. He flexes his claws in my mind, the sharp points a physical jolt of pain that makes me want to drive back to her house.

I can’t keep leaving her like this. I can’t not say anything.

It’s killing me.

At first, I was okay with keeping the silence. I wanted to know more about the woman who was sent to kill me. The contract killer who couldn’t pull the trigger even though she held the gun to my head.

Now that I know her, though... I can’t continue to go days without seeing her.

So I won’t.

Not anymore.

Drew and I rented a house close to hers. However, those six minutes feel like hours are between us. We might be in the same neighborhood, but the maze of cross-streets is more like a labyrinth of distractions and problems when we need to get to her.

It’s driving Drew crazy, too. He’s just stubborn enough to avoid admitting it. I see it, though. The way he gets twitchy when she calls, like he’s ready to bolt out the door ‌during their conversations. The need to check on her, to keep her in his sights, is wearing him down.

The honey badger steps into the garage, rapping his knuckles on my window. I don’t pay him any attention as I remove my keys from the ignition, fighting the urge to speed back to my mate.

Drew raises a brow as he wrinkles his nose. “If you’re trying to kill yourself, this is the wrong way to do it.”

“Great,” I respond to his unasked question. “She’s fine. The guys in the back are not. Do we care?”

“Not really.”

I climb out of the driver’s seat and walk around to the tailgate. The rats are in bad shape, and that worries me.

Not about them in particular… but the repercussions of their deaths.

“So let them die?” I ask, not wanting to save them since they’ve been stalking Kody. “Or help them die quicker?”

Drew climbs into the truck bed, turning the men’s heads so he can see their faces. When he’s satisfied, he jumps down and strolls into the house with his hands in his pockets.

“We can help them,” he calls over his shoulder before pausing. “What’s your problem?”