Page 288 of Darling Venom
So much sense.
My father closes his eyes, but he soldiers through. And for that, for the first time—maybe for the only time—I am proud of him.
“I didn’t write The Imperfections. Not most of it, anyway. I stole from my own boy. From my flesh and blood. He was brilliant, and special, and talented, and I was a fraud. He did incredible things with his mind, and I pretended they were mine. This is why you never got a second book. This is why I went under the radar. This is the naked, ugly, maddening truth. That I stole The Imperfections. Plagiarized, if you will. I don’t deserve this. This love. This support. This adoration. Kellan does. His second book, Darling Venom, is out there. Go read it. Borrow it. Libby it. Tell your friends. Tell them to tell their friends. Give him the respect I didn’t. God knows he deserves it.”
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sp; He takes a step back from the microphone.
My eyes shut.
I can feel Kellan here.
Around us.
Maybe even inside this room.
His spirit.
I think, wherever he is, he’s okay now.
“I won’t be taking questions. Thank you.”
Charlie grabs my hand. I don’t know when she got here, but it’s classic Charlie to be dependable in every situation.
I catch up with her pace.
“Tate. Get the car real quick.” She shoves me in the chest.
I make a break for it, turning once to make sure she’s safe. She rushes toward Terry, who is trying to sneak out of the back door.
Charlie clutches his hand and tugs. I want to urge her to slow down. She is pregnant. With my baby.
But there’s no stopping her.
I dart to the valet, watching as my wife pushes my father beneath a tree to hide.
The mob is after him.
It’s less scary than it looks.
Just a bunch of old farts in suits and satin dresses, wanting to know what it means for the signed hardcover they purchased with their meal for this occasion, shelling out a cool four thousand bucks for the pleasure.
I slide into my Lexus and round the building to fetch Terry and Charlie. A laugh escapes me.
I feel like a kid misbehaving.
All this running around.
Making a mess.
I pull to a stop when I see Charlie and Terry racing toward my car from the rearview mirror. Charlie is laughing. Her eyes glitter under the night sky.
And I know Kellan loved me, too.
He did, because he gave me the most wonderful gift before he died.
He gave me Venom.
