Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

and turned left, my footsteps going silent as they fell on the ivory-and-blue
rugs covering the hardwood floors.
Opening my mother’s door slowly, I crept in, seeing the room in near
darkness except for the bathroom light she always left on. Walking over to
her bed, I craned my neck, trying to see her face, which was turned toward
the windows.
Her blonde hair lay across her pillow, and I reached out my hand,
smoothing it away from her face.
The rise and fall of her body told me she was asleep, and I glanced to her
nightstand, seeing the half-dozen pill bottles and wondering what she’d taken
and how much.
I looked back down at her and frowned.
Doctors, in-home rehab, therapy… Over the years since my father’s
death, nothing had worked. My mother just wanted to self-destruct with
sorrow and depression.
Thankfully the Crists helped a lot, which was why I had my own room at
their house. Not only was Mr. Crist the trustee for my father’s estate,
handling everything until I graduated from college, but Mrs. Crist stepped in
to be a second-mother.
I was immensely grateful for all their help and care over the years, but
now… I was ready to take over. I was ready to stop having people take care
of me.
Turning around, I left her room and quietly closed the door, heading for
my own room two doors down.
Stepping in, I immediately spotted the candle burning by the window.
With my heart skipping a beat, I quickly glanced around the room,
thankfully seeing no one else.
Had my mother lit it? She must have. Our housekeeper was off duty
today, so no one else had been here.
Narrowing my eyes, I inched toward the window, and then my gaze fell,
seeing a thin wooden crate sitting on the small round table next to the candle.
Unease set in. Had Trevor left me a present?
But it could’ve been my mother or Mrs. Crist, too, I guessed.
I removed the lid and set it aside, peeling away the straw and catching the
sight of slate gray metal with ornate carvings.
My eyes rounded, and I immediately dived for the top of the crate,
knowing what I was going to find. I curled my fingers around the handle and