Page 93 of Venomous as a Snake

“You might have a concussion,” he continues.

Laughter spills from my lips before I can stop it. “I just killed thirteen people. But the fucking ground gets the best of me? I should have watched the explosion instead of running from it.”

Ali rolls his eyes in exasperation.

“Can you stand?” Collin asks, his brows knitted together.

I wiggle my toes. “Yeah.”

“Then let’s go, Blondie,” Drew shouts.

“We hear sirens,” Collin explains, helping Ali pull me to my feet.

I glance around, doing a quick count. “Where’s Forrest?”

“He snagged your car keys and all the phones before he came outside,” Walker answers. “And ran ahead to get your car.”

“Your car?” Drew asks. “How are we all going to fit into that?”

“Does it matter?” I counter.

Headlights illuminate the end of the driveway, and we all stop breathing until my white tesla comes into view.

“That was fast,” I murmur.

“Yeah.” Walker scratches his neck. “He runs like his rhino, the same way your night vision works or holding my breath.”

Forrest whips my car around the circular driveway, and I consider fussing about the way he’s treating her…

But I hear the sirens now.

I’m last to jump in the back seat, stretching across Drew, Walker, and Collin. Ali closes the passenger door after tucking Carol into the trunk. Forrest speeds down the driveway, taking the turn too sharp, but I let it go.

He’s the getaway driver this morning.

I’m simply the woman who blew up her ex’s house after shooting him in the head and made two of these guys accomplices to murders they shouldn’t have been involved in.

But I’m not just any woman.

I’m armed, venomous, and free.

The Florida sun heats my skin as I lie on the woven lounge chair beside the pool. My honey badger grumbles in my mind, hating that we’re awake right now, but I shush him.

Three weeks have passed since Kody killed Clay. And now that we’re all healed, or nearly there, we’re celebrating the occasion.

Ali is on my left, his fingers flying across his phone screen as he does… I don’t actually care what he’s doing. Walker is fucking with his grill and a lighter. Collin is playing fetch with Hooker.

And Pimp.

Which is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen the satanic cat do.

Hooker gets the ball first, and Pimp mows him down. The Dogo wiggles until he can get off his back, then runs from the Maine Coon.

Yeah. I’d run from him, too. No judgment here.

“I trust you as a human,” Forrest states as he and Kody step onto the patio in her backyard. “But I don’t trust you as a snake.”

“I’m totally in control,” Kody cajoles, closing the door after Pimp chases Hooker inside.