Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

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on them somewhere.Her eyes hold mine, maybe waiting for a response or daring me for one,but the light coming in from the stained-glass windows catches the copperyglint of the strands in her dark hair, a lock hanging over her eye as the restspills around her shoulders. A dozen or so little braids decorate her hair, noneof the ends secured with rubber bands. She looks like a warrior girl in one ofthose futuristic dystopian movies.And all of a sudden, nothing is hot anymore. It’s just incredibly warm.I squeeze my fingers tighter, the lines inked on the inside of my fingermaking the four quarters of an inch on a ruler, very few ever notice the lines,and those who do probably just assume I’ve leaked pen on myself.Within that inch we are free. One inch.“Clay?” she says, her tone different.I don’t realize I’m staring off until I bring my eyes back into focus andsee the black of her Polo shirt. I lift my gaze, seeing a worried expression onhers.Her eyes shift to my hand on the pew in front of us, and I notice that it’sshaking.“You okay?” she asks.I inhale hard, angry at myself. Why would I not be okay?She grabs my backpack. “You need one of your little blue pills?”But I snatch the pack out of her hands and glare at her. “If you let hertouch you,” I bite out, changing the subject. “She will live to regret it. I don’teven have to leave this seat to ruin her life.”Liv looks back at me, and I want to get closer—get in her face—because Iwant a reaction.“She won’t be able to take it,” I growl in a low voice. “I will keep goinguntil she can’t take it.”I can ruin anyone’s life from my phone. It would be fun. And easy.“You’re not embarrassing our team,” I finally tell her.Megan was flirting yesterday. There’s no way in hell that’s happening.She holds my gaze and then draws in a breath, another fucking air ofdelight written all over her stupid, fucking face. “I don’t like women whochase me anyway,” she says. “When I want them, they know.”A tingle spreads up my spine, and when I expect to feel anger at herboldness, something else comes over me instead.When I want them, they know. How do they know? What does she do?
But she rises from her seat without elaborating. “Excuse me,” she says,and takes her bag, trying to leave.But I stomp down the kneeler, grab her wrist, and yank her to her knees.She sucks in a breath as she catches herself on the pew in front of her, and Ipick up my backpack and rise.“Sit your ass down,” I grit out.I don’t stay to see her reaction. I spin around, ignoring the spying eyesfrom those around us, and leave the chapel just as Mass begins.When I want them…I blink long and hard. Jesus.
Page 3 and 4: Penelope DouglasCopyright © 2021 P
Page 5 and 6: Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapt
Page 7 and 8: Stream here“All The Things She Sa
Page 9 and 10: To Abigail
Page 11 and 12: “Yeah!” they cry out.“Then I
Page 13 and 14: “We love you, Clay!” some of my
Page 15 and 16: My mother rushes up to me as the ol
Page 17 and 18: happy when she’s out to hurt my f
Page 19 and 20: Kind of amused, but mostly a warnin
Page 21 and 22: The simple hoop skirt wraps around
Page 23 and 24: I rub my thumb over the small tatto
Page 25 and 26: I CLIMB OFF the back of the bike an
Page 27 and 28: the school. She’s only being nice
Page 29 and 30: into the trash can as I move ahead,
Page 31 and 32: smiles down at me, a clipboard in o
Page 33 and 34: A water bottle falls into the tin g
Page 35 and 36: I’m yelling at a teacher, but I
Page 37 and 38: changing audience. Firefights, car
Page 39 and 40: “If I consider your offer,” I a
Page 41 and 42: I RUN MY hands down my thighs, the
Page 43 and 44: can. Being that different from ever
Page 45 and 46: “I’ll be leaving again tomorrow
Page 47: her, my gaze catching the dimple on
Page 51 and 52: that years ago when I first met her
Page 53 and 54: He bats his eyelashes, and I let ou
Page 55 and 56: He thinks theater is stupid. He thi
Page 57 and 58: “The hardest choices were never c
Page 59 and 60: promising more shitty weather to co
Page 61 and 62: She can protect her precious little
Page 63 and 64: my enjoyment as I lower my voice to
Page 65 and 66: overstock here for rehearsals when
Page 67 and 68: She stares at me, unblinking, and e
Page 69 and 70: I look at her through the water in
Page 71 and 72: “MISS CLAY?” BERNIE calls out.
Page 73 and 74: on my hand, I fist the underwear ag
Page 75 and 76: won’t fit like it’s supposed to
Page 77 and 78: don’t recognize coming into view.
Page 79 and 80: off you as soon as possible.”I lo
Page 81 and 82: stomach as I watch her watch me rub
Page 83 and 84: “What?” she taunts. “I just l
Page 85 and 86: sit back, shaking my head.But my sm
Page 87 and 88: My father, I only saw at the end of
Page 89 and 90: me to Marymount, I didn’t want to
Page 91 and 92: I thread her hair through my finger
Page 93 and 94: “Olivia?” I hear the leather se
Page 95 and 96: “Scared?” she whispers.I almost
Page 97 and 98: before everything is gone.Clay hesi
Page 99 and 100:
I’m a little scared, but I’m a
Page 101 and 102:
watched Gates stitch a gash from a
Page 103 and 104:
I clutch the arms of the chair for
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dropping it to the floor.I mean, if
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“You wanted it up, so it’s back
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I know, all right? I know. I wasn
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She won’t meet my eyes.“Are you
Page 113 and 114:
are necessary to the success of the
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heard of Biscayne Bay.Bay… Not Sa
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I look back to Iron.“Don’t you
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mumbles, more like she’s arguing
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to the right and assume that’s wh
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I stare at her, the world spinning
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“MACON!” SANTOS CALLS out as if
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move you.”Clay glances to me. A s
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down next to her, pushing her fucki
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“Fine,” I grit out, pushing awa
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himself. Army drives off, Liv next
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air boat, and one with Iron holding
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I slip into the kitchen, Amy lurks
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“What the hell?” someone bellow
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time. Ask me.But she just shakes he
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I SCROLL THOUGH Liv’s Twitter and
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I walk away, looking back at the bo
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So, she left. She let me win.She ju
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But still, I don’t let her go, gr
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needing to run to get rid of the ur
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“DID YOU THINK I wasn’t going t
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video of the assistant coach and me
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happened?I’ll admit, the prospect
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on.”Coomer always takes us out to
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But Clay just sits, her elbows on h
Page 163 and 164:
I YANK MY rubber band out, letting
Page 165 and 166:
I almost smile. In her rush to leav
Page 167 and 168:
“I didn’t let you win,” she t
Page 169 and 170:
I CHEW THE pizza, glancing up at he
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My mom had mental problems her whol
Page 173 and 174:
But the door falls shut, and Amy an
Page 175 and 176:
why hide anything else as if that w
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panties, shivering when I feel the
Page 179 and 180:
between them. Our warmth seeps thro
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she gasps, her hands immediately di
Page 183 and 184:
WE JERK OUR heads, seeing someone
Page 185 and 186:
And without a moment to lose, Liv d
Page 187 and 188:
freefalling.I collapse on top of he
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orders.A shiver runs through me, an
Page 191 and 192:
looks over his shoulder. “Amy! Ca
Page 193 and 194:
SHE DOESN’T GET over it.I called.
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amicably.I grab my test and pencil
Page 197 and 198:
Like it’s inevitable, because he
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as long I shut up about it.Maybe th
Page 201 and 202:
The lighthouse rises above us, a co
Page 203 and 204:
spilling over the rim of her cup. I
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Except for Archie.Old places have a
Page 207 and 208:
“A friend.”“Someone you’ve
Page 209 and 210:
few short nibbles. “I liked it wh
Page 211 and 212:
venom, and sometimes you need poiso
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direction as they bump into each ot
Page 215 and 216:
Clubhouse…“Fox Hill!” I shout
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But no one listens to me.The boys o
Page 219 and 220:
of yours and your friends. This is
Page 221 and 222:
the streetlights off, as well. The
Page 223 and 224:
I can’t take my eyes off her, pai
Page 225 and 226:
I push my finger a little more, her
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breathing hard as she loses her min
Page 229 and 230:
in love. Jesus.”Clay stays silent
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“She was better than I’d dreame
Page 233 and 234:
God, please.”I step back into the
Page 235 and 236:
you weren’t happy. To support peo
Page 237 and 238:
“Right.” I put my practice clot
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and from everyone except her who ti
Page 241 and 242:
She leaves, and I bite my bottom li
Page 243 and 244:
I don’t know if I’m relieved th
Page 245 and 246:
We walk toward the dining room, dow
Page 247 and 248:
bus here, but I’m filled with a s
Page 249 and 250:
“I notice men.” I wave the air,
Page 251 and 252:
minimum to get what she wants but n
Page 253 and 254:
seems to close again, and she sits
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CAN’T WE JUST go park somewhere?
Page 257 and 258:
Turning, she rounds the table and h
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can have problems.”I never though
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never getting away from me, Jaeger,
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I whimper, startled as she pushes u
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“Oh, God,” I moan.She grinds in
Page 267 and 268:
“Don’t apologize, baby.” I ho
Page 269 and 270:
“GOD, I NEED a shower,” Liv whi
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me understands why. And the other p
Page 273 and 274:
appointments for mani-pedis next Fr
Page 275 and 276:
Liv walks to the stationary bike, a
Page 277 and 278:
the bleachers.The drumline beat fil
Page 279 and 280:
gazing at her and seeing myself in
Page 281 and 282:
call, jogging out of the workroom a
Page 283 and 284:
not replying. She’s not even typi
Page 285 and 286:
She gets me going, and while I may
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caressing me through my underwear.I
Page 289 and 290:
I stop. Excuse me? I turn, glaring
Page 291 and 292:
I check my face in my side mirror,
Page 293 and 294:
tell her as I season two oysters.
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sociological, political, and theist
Page 297 and 298:
eyeing my brothers. “Know anythin
Page 299 and 300:
I whip the spoon, the glob slamming
Page 301 and 302:
she peels off my tank top and helps
Page 303 and 304:
God, she’s beautiful.Leaning down
Page 305 and 306:
Wait…“You never did that with a
Page 307 and 308:
“I’m…uh,” Clay stammers, br
Page 309 and 310:
Amy adjusts her bra straps inside h
Page 311 and 312:
Clay, I still wouldn’t have been
Page 313 and 314:
and I lose sight of her, but my bod
Page 315 and 316:
I smile. She must be eating dinner.
Page 317 and 318:
Letters were how old people communi
Page 319 and 320:
“SO, I WAS kind of thinking,” I
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heart.She stands there, her chin tr
Page 323 and 324:
“Have you ever kissed a man?” h
Page 325 and 326:
She hasn’t called. She didn’t a
Page 327 and 328:
“You’re going to leave,” he g
Page 329 and 330:
Oh, shut up.I walk away without say
Page 331 and 332:
“Listen to me,” he says.But I d
Page 333 and 334:
Like Henry.“His brother was makin
Page 335 and 336:
NEW YORK. WHY does the idea of bein
Page 337 and 338:
Does my mom know that’s how I see
Page 339 and 340:
that I’m…”“Well, honey, we
Page 341 and 342:
“YOU’RE NOT ACTUALLY dating Tra
Page 343 and 344:
I hate it. I hate acting like this.
Page 345 and 346:
But then I remember, I blocked her
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on.And then the door at the back op
Page 349 and 350:
“YOU GIRLS LOOK beautiful,” my
Page 351 and 352:
God, shut up. I squeeze my fists, s
Page 353 and 354:
But my dad pulls her back around an
Page 355 and 356:
face falls.“In or out, kid,” Ar
Page 357 and 358:
What do you mean, what? I know what
Page 359 and 360:
that.I’m still not apologizing, t
Page 361 and 362:
value won’t always look like them
Page 363 and 364:
My father steps up behind us and Kr
Page 365 and 366:
starts.“Undo me,” Liv pants, gi
Page 367 and 368:
I BREATHE HARD, sucking my hair int
Page 369 and 370:
can track me, and there are four of
Page 371 and 372:
you.”Milo pulls me back around, s
Page 373 and 374:
“Come on, Milo!” someone shouts
Page 375 and 376:
I glance after Dallas for less than
Page 377 and 378:
“Not here,” I whisper to my bro
Page 379 and 380:
I just laugh, climbing into the cab
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Dammit. I grab it off the floor, kn
Page 383 and 384:
lot of trouble, but of course, he w
Page 385 and 386:
One Month LaterCLAY RUNS PAST me, a
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Her mother’s help to protect the
Page 389 and 390:
confection off the tray and let Cla
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Four Years LaterI’M GONNA BE sick
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He laughs, glancing to Army and the
Page 395 and 396:
“Oh, I need a board, right? I don
Page 397 and 398:
“What are we doing?” I ask.She
Page 399 and 400:
Thank you so much for reading Tryst
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ErikaHE WON’T BE HERE.There’d b
Page 403 and 404:
Trees rose above and all around me
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It was my fault I didn’t love him
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I tucked my hair behind my ear, not
Page 409 and 410:
Other than that one night, he’d i
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smiled, pulling out a heavy steel D
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To the readers—Again, I want to t
Page 415:
Penelope Douglas is a New York Time
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Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

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