Venom's Alliance: Loyalty's Fracture

Chapter 02

Easton POV

"I can't believe you followed her, and she still managed to slip away, Easton. The undefeated racer, the one with the fastest car among all of us. This is going down in history," Jake mused. I leaned back in my chair, propping my feet up on the desk, while my so-called business partner and best friend, Jake, erupted into laughter. He was casually lounging on my unique black couch as if he owned the place. What started as a business discussion took an unexpected turn, with Jake now eager to extract all the details from last night.

I had seen her a before in a nightclub. Back then, I had done my best to approach her, but the relentless crowd of women around me made it nearly impossible. By the time I finally managed to break free from their grasp, she had already left. I couldn't forget her, though. She stood out so distinctly, dressed modestly in office attire in the middle of the night. Everyone in the club had turned to look at her, including me. She was just like I remembered.

I had tried to convince myself that she was simply my imagination, a beautiful dream born from the alcohol I had that night. And it worked when I reviewed the CCTV footage later, there was a woman that looked like her. I had been unable to find her identity due to the blurry footage, but the moment I spotted her at the restaurant, there was no doubt it was her. She possessed a unique beauty that I couldn't forget, and I was determined to make her mine this time would it be forever.

*Flashback Friday night

"Just go and talk to her, Easton. Why are you hesitating? Don't forget who you are – Easton Volkov, The Wolf..." Jake's voice was laced with a mix of encouragement and exasperation.

I knew exactly who I was, but Jake's words echoed in my mind. He was right in a way. Every Friday, I found myself drawn to her, dropping everything else just to be near her. It was irrational, unlike me.

"I know exactly who I am, Jake, but I don't want to scare her off. I want to take things slowly," I replied, my voice steadier than I felt. She sat there, engrossed in her book, unaware of the internal struggle playing out before her. They didn't understand the madness churning inside me. She was right here, back into my reach.

"I don't understand," Jay interjected, his gaze wandering elsewhere.

"What Jay's trying to say," Jake clarified, his brow furrowing with skepticism, "Is that you've been unusually fixated on her lately. Every Friday, you drop everything just to be here. It's not like you, Easton. You've never been this obsessed. What's so special about her?"

"She's different," I replied sharply, frustration simmering beneath the surface as I avoided exposing the real reason behind my interest, my eyes darting briefly toward my angel.

"Calm down, Easton. All I'm saying is, you have options," Jake continued, his tone softening. "You've got everything – money, charm, looks. Just be yourself, tell her who you are, and she'll be impressed. Trust me, I know women."

Jay arched an eyebrow. "Since when are you an expert on women?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to help," Jake retorted, a playful grin playing on his lips as he leaned in closer. "Boosting his confidence to get the girl."

"You're getting on my nerves," I muttered, brushing off their banter as I gathered my will and made my way towards Kalia. Despite the light-hearted exchange, there was a flicker of nervousness in my movements, a vulnerability only she seemed to evoke.

As I approached her, she remained absorbed in her book, her indifference challenging yet enticing. With each step, I felt the weight of my own uncertainty, but I pushed forward, drawn to her in ways I couldn't quite say out loud.