Page 72 of Venomous as a Snake

And Pimp.

Even the dead can hear his obnoxious meowing.

My front door is unlocked, which doesn’t shock me. I locked it when we left, but Clay would want me to know someone was here when I came in by myself.

He’ll be shocked to see I’m not alone.

From the entryway, I can hear the soft clicking of Pimp trying to figure out the doorknob situation. He’ll get it open, though I don’t know if it will be in time for his and Hooker’s fighting skills to help us.

I move toward the door to help him out, but I only get close enough to unlock it.

“Do not open that door,” Clay snarls. “I hate that fucking dog almost as much as I hate that cat.”

“I’m sorry. When did you start paying the bills in this house?” I smart.

His chuckle sours the atmosphere in my home. This place was supposed to be my safe space, but nowhere will be safe until he’s out of the picture for good.

Clay sits in the armchair in my living room, though he’s turned it to face the rest of the open floor plan instead of the TV. His minion rifles through my fridge, pulling out sandwich stuff and veggies and beer.

“If you don’t get out of my fridge,” I warn softly. “I will shoot you.”

“Kody,” Clay cajoles. “He’s hungry. We’ve just flown from—”

I shove my right hand into my purse, whipping out my gun to point at his minion. “You live nearby. He’s not that tired from the uninvited flight.”

“You won’t shoot him in your pristine kitchen,” Clay teases.

This is where his delusions overlap our reality. I was someone else during all those years we lived together, hiding a second identity while playing the docile snake.

I never spoke a word of work to him. That’s a rule my mom has with my dad, and it’s one I used with Clay. He doesn’t know what I do for Fangs or for side work… Or that I get paid to do it.

Secrets will kill you. But they can also keep you safe.

I smile at him as I pull the trigger. Collin flinches, though it’s not from my actions. He’s standing on my right, closer to the gun.

“Don’t try to call my bluff,” I advise Clay, my voice cheerful. “I don’t have one.”

Forrest touches the small of my back, sliding a thin piece of metal beneath the waistband of my jeans. The tracker is cold against my skin.

“Why are you touching her?” Clay demands, standing quickly.

“Why are you here?” I counter.

He sneers at Forrest and Collin. “You’re fucking them too?”

“What about it?”

Collin snorts at my question.

“Is something funny?” Clay asks him.

“There’s just a lot of questions floating around with no actual answers,” Collin replies.

I nod in agreement. “He can touch me if he wants, Clay. Why are you here?”

“I’m here to remind you of our engagement to—”

“I’m not marrying you,” I say with a chuckle. “I told you this. We’ve argued about it and done all the breaking up bullshit proper couples do. Try again.”