Venom's Alliance: Loyalty's Fracture

Chapter 20

Jay's POV

"She looked beautiful," Xander mused. His words about Kalia hit me hard, stirring up a mix of jealousy and need I couldn't ignore.

Trying to stay calm, I responded through gritted teeth, "She always looks beautiful." Kalia's beauty was a constant in my chaotic world, a reminder of everything I wanted but couldn't have.

Truth is, she had this pull on me, deeper than I liked to admit. It was like she held the key to a part of me I kept locked away, and it both thrilled and terrified me. Around her, I felt exposed, vulnerable in a way that clashed with the image of control I tried to maintain.

But that was the thing about her – she blurred the lines between desire and obsession, leaving me teetering on the edge of something I couldn't quite define.

Xander's mention of something new grabbed my attention. I looked at him, feeling a mix of anticipation and impatience. He met my gaze with a sly grin, sensing the weight of his revelation.

"What is it?" I demanded, my urgency clear.

With a self-satisfied smile, Xander finally revealed, "I heard that Venom has claimed Volkov's wife under his protection. In fact, I heard that if anyone touches her, they're dead, because Kalia belongs to Venom." His words hit me like a hammer, even though I'd made it clear ever since her life was in danger with Monti that I wanted everyone to know that Kalia was under my protection. I didn't want anyone to think she was mine—she was and always would be—but for now, I wanted everyone to know she was under Venom's protection.

The tension in the room was thick. I swiveled back and forth in my office chair, my fingers tapping restlessly on the mahogany desk. Xander paced, his thoughtful facade barely hiding the cunning in his eyes.

My voice carried a note of frustration as I replied, "People are always talking."

Xander locked his gaze onto me, his chin resting thoughtfully on his hand. "What's on your mind now?" I questioned, maintaining a deliberate calm in my tone.

He leaned against the polished wooden bookshelves, his piercing, one blue and one green eye focused on me. "I'm just thinking," he began, his words loaded with a knowing undertone, "Which side are you on now? You initially seemed eager to expose Kalia for her lie and betrayal."

My fingers stilled their tapping, and I leaned forward in my chair, scrutinizing Xander as he spoke. "I never said that," I declared. I never said that I wanted to expose her. I just wanted to know because I wanted her true self, no lies. I didn't care about her betrayal anymore; all I cared about was why she lied and why she was with Easton when it was clear that we were made for each other. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her, but why she was denying it, I wasn't sure, and I wanted to know.

His response was an eye roll, and he continued with his analysis, his words slicing through the room. "So, you're not going to use your usual approach with people who betrayed you?" He laughed, staring me down. "Of course, you're not. What I don't get is why you're sitting here backing down and distancing yourself from her, acting like you don't care when your eyes tell me a different story."

I let out a long breath, trying to ease the tension inside me. "I don't need to explain myself to anyone," I shot back, my voice firm but stubborn. The situation was more complicated than it seemed. Kalia was slowly letting her guard down with me, showing a contagious laugh, a sweet smile, and a playful side that drew me in like a moth to a flame.

Easton's possessive behavior only made my jealousy worse. He wasn't just protecting his wife; he was keeping her from me. And as much as I hated to admit it, he had a point.