Chapter 2Venom & Vows

Being sent to the Thorne estate felt like walking into a slaughterhouse.

Dad said the Thornes had three sons. If one of them took a liking to me, great. If not, he’d ship me off to the next creditor.

By that point, my standards were on the floor. I figured I’d rather deal with the Thornes than be passed around like a bad check. As long as they weren't 5'3" and pushing sixty, I was game.

But the Thorne patriarch was old-school. He looked at my dad with disgust. "We run a legitimate business. We don't accept human trafficking as payment."

We were kicked out. Dad was already scrolling through his contacts, mumbling about the next family on the list, when a sharp whistle cut through the air.

A man stepped out of the shadows.

Sharp jawline, high brows, messy hair falling over his forehead. He was wearing black joggers, and his legs looked like they went on for days.

Our eyes met, and I had one thought: This is my reward for looking at ugly men all year.

Then I looked closer, and my blood ran cold.

There was a silver snake coiled around his arm.

Not a toy. A real, live snake.

It was as thick as a baby's arm, its beady black eyes locked on me, tongue flicking in and out.

I’ve been terrified of cold-blooded creatures since I was a kid. My scalp went numb.

I tried to step back, but my dad bowed low, his voice trembling with hope.

"Third Young Master."

I knew of Julian Thorne. He was the black sheep of the prestigious family. Wild, dangerous, and obsessed with snakes. No women, just reptiles. Yet, for some reason, he was the heir apparent.

Julian ignored my dad. He lifted his chin at me, his voice lazy and deep.

"Scared of snakes?"

Terrified. Petrified.

But I forced my feet to stay planted. Compared to the troll my dad wanted me to marry, this guy was a Greek god.

I squeezed out a harmless smile. "No."

He smirked, clearly not buying it. He extended his arm, thrusting the snake right into my face.

"Touch it then."