Page 22 of Venomous Desires

“Ido. It’s a judgment I’ve honed over the years.”

My heart pounded in my chest. “That’s a dangerous way to live.”

He let go of my wrist and leaned back, still smiling. “Sometimes, we have to become the danger others fear.” I swallowed hard, dropping the topic, realising he was far more twisted than any emotion.

Only I know how I managed to feed him those last pieces of steak, cause the closer I was to him, the more dangerous he seemed.

Grabbing the empty plate, I put it under the cart. All the while his words echoed in my head.

As I rolled the cart to the corner, I stole a glance at him. His face was obscured as he pulled a cigarette from his robe and lit it up as if it were a learned act.

Whatever it was, I should keep my distance from him.

“Prepare the bath,” My hands stilled as he puffed out the smoke.

“Yes, sir,” Something strange had settled in my chest. I couldn’t grasp it, and I couldn’t shake it either. It’s deeper and darker than anything I’d felt ever.

We become the danger others fear.

I could almost scoff.

I found the bathroom. Just like the room, the bathroom was enormous. Larger than the dorm I share with Alina. It astonished me, the luxury that enveloped me. Black walls, tiles, and a gigantic bathtub in the middle, I could swim.

I walked to the tub and played with the faucet buttons before I found the one I was looking for.

I checked the temperature, making sure the water wasn’ttoo hot or too cold. Then, almost without thinking, a small idea slipped in—more curiosity than sense.I turned the tap further, letting the tub fill with hot water until steam began to rise and blur the edges of the room.

Satisfied with my work, I walked back into the room and beamed with excitement I had never felt before.

“The bath’s ready.”

We become the danger others fear.

He gave a slight nod and began to shrug off his robe.

My throat went dry. Not a single patch of bare skin was left untouched; ink swallowed his back whole. There was a large serpent tattoo that slithered down his back and extended to his neck.

The fabric slid from his shoulder fully and fell to the floor.

My cheeks burned as I quickly averted my eyes, a rush of heat flooding my face. Despite my best efforts to give him space, he seemed utterly shameless, standing tall and unbothered by his exposed state.

With confidence he might have borrowed from Satan himself, he beckoned me over with his fingers, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

“Lead me,Ptichka,” he muttered.

I swallowed hard, the dryness in my mouth making it difficult to speak or even breathe properly. My feet moved almost of their own, drawing me closer to him despite the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me.

He extended his hand and hovered over me for a few moments and then he found me. His hand gripped my arm tightly, and he moved it up to my shoulder before draping his huge arm around my shoulder, and I realised how tall he was. I could barely reach his collar bone and this man thought it was convenient to use me as a crutch.

His fingers brushed against the thin fabric of my sweater,and I could feel his touch seeping through the cloth and settling into my bones.

“Sir,” I began, my voice trembling slightly.

He tilted his head, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made it hard to look away.

“Don’t be afraid,” he murmured, his tone softening ever so slightly. The tattoos on his body shifted and danced.

I grabbed his bicep with both of my hands and frowned when it still didn’t fit.