She’s never seen so many snakes before. There are goosebumps on her arms. She instantly regrets not giving Andrew something more potent or incapacitating than the taro, banana mixture. At university, she has learned all sorts of homeopathic recipes. For example, taking bananas and sweet potatoes can cause shock, honey-dew melon and bananas can cause kidney failure, oranges and lemons can cause stomach pains, tomatoes and shrimp can cause nausea and so on. If she’d known how things would turn out, she would have done everything in her power to make Andrew eat it all.
It’s the first time Leilani has seen this many snakes in one place. She feels chills creeping up her spine. As she examines the box more closely, she realizes that all of the snakes are highly venomous. There are Cobras, coral snakes, blue snakes with flat tails, long-nosed pit vipers, and banded krait. Each and every sort is lethal. Andrew flashes her an evil smile, certain of his victory.
“Do you see the silver and black one with a red band around its neck?” Andrew asks, “That’s a coral snake. If you grab it with your bare hands, then I’ll personally take you both home.”
Leilani takes a look at the box. The coral snake is lying coiled in a corner of the box. Of course, it’s surrounded by other venomous snakes. She knows that the coral snake is often referred to as the king of poison. It takes between one and four hours for its venom to spread through the entire body. The mortality rate is as high as 80 percent, and it only takes one milligram of the venom to kill.
Leilani takes a deep breath. She can’t imagine that Andrew really wants her to risk her life in this way, but here he is sending her straight toward death.
“What? Scared?” Andrew asks, lifting his chin up provocatively.
He hopes that the woman who fought a lion is still just as bold—he doesn’t want to think that her courage was just a pretense. Leilani realizes she doesn’t have another choice, and she decides to call him on his bluff. Trying to fight the terror in her chest, she slowly walks toward the glass box.
“Leilani, don’t!” Gabrielle screams fearfully, “They’re venomous. Please don’t!” Gabrielle holds her breath, terrified that Leilani will be bitten and killed. Leilani ignores her sister’s shouted warning. She’s made up her mind, and it will take more than her sister’s warning to change it. She inhales deeply and turns to Andrew.
“If I’m bitten and killed, please send Gabby home,” she says, “No matter what happens to me, I expect you to honor our bet.”
“What affectionate sisterly love!” Andrew says flirtatiously, “I’ll show you how to do it first. Watch and learn.”
Leilani hopes Andrew will honor their terms. She thinks of the new poison in her body. She doesn’t know if she’ll ever be properly cured, and if she doesn’t see Charles soon she may die anyway. An evilly handsome face suddenly appears in Leilani’s mind.
“Would he be upset if I were dead?” she wonders, “Maybe he would forget me quickly and move on with Diana.”
Andrew knows how to catch a snake expertly—he’s been doing it for years. He strides over to the glass box with confidence. He lowers his hand into the box and wiggles a finger in front of one of the snakes to catch its attention. While keeping his finger at a safe distance, he reaches his other hand into the box to grab the distracted snake’s head.
Gabrielle covers her eyes with her hands. The snake coils its tail around Andrew’s arm and squeezes as tightly as it can. The audience applauds loudly.
“Wow, Andrew, cool!” the guests shout.
Leilani feels annoyed by Andrew’s c.o.c.ky display. She knows she won’t be able to imitate him, and she feels like she’s walking right into death’s trap. She begins to question her motives for agreeing to his absurd bet.
“If you can’t be sure, grab the snake by its tail and then swirl or shake it,” Andrew advises, “Just don’t give it a chance to turn around toward you. Do as I do.”
Andrew demonstrates by grabbing the snake’s tail with one hand and releasing its head with the other. He moves his arm in a circular motion, making it impossible for the snake to lift its head and bite him. Leilani bites her lip and closes her eyes in resignation. She tries to take a deep breath but something seems to be blocking her throat.
Andrew throws the snake back into the box. Then he takes a few steps back until he’s standing behind her. He provocatively wraps an arm around her waist. Andrew’s sudden move aggravates Leilani’s nervousness, and her body stiffens.
Andrew holds Leilani’s waist with one hand and takes her hand in his.
“Don’t be nervous,” he whispers, “I’ll help you.”
Leilani cringes away from his touch. She’d rather die than feel his hands on her body.
“Let go of me,” she hisses warningly, “I don’t need your help.”
Andrew smiles to himself and his hot breath brushes Leilani’s ear.
“Acting tough isn’t going to do you any good,” he whispers, “You don’t have any experience.”
“I’d rather die,” Leilani replies.
She lifts her head as defiantly as a queen. His chest is pressed firmly against her back and he can feel the heat from her body through their thin clothes. His entire body feels like it’s on fire, and he half wonders how the heat hasn’t burnt their clothing to ash.
“Do you know why this heart is beating so madly?” he asks.
Leilani suddenly stops struggling against him. His words inspire a strong sense of déjà vu. Waylen once asked her why her heart was beating so fast, and she repeated the question back to him. Waylen flirtatiously explained that s.e.x.u.a.l attraction excites the nerves and increases the heartbeat. Leilani shakes her head to clear her thoughts.
“What’s wrong with me? Why am I thinking of Waylen?” she wonders, “Why do I care if he knows what’s happening to me? Why am I thinking of him in my last moments instead of Gabrielle? Gabrielle is my closest family, but what is Waylen to me? Is he the husband that I’m leaving soon? Is he a man I once loved? What am I to him? Am I just a woman he was forced to marry? Am I tool he’s using to get Diana back? Or am I something more?”
Leilani forces a bitter smile and replies to Andrew.
“It’s probably the strain of your guilty conscience on your heart,” she says, “Your heart is warning you to reform your ways before you end up dead.”
Andrew laughs out loud. Leilani can feel the laughter rumbling in his chest, and the sensation agitates her.
“I think the truth might interest you,” Andrew finally says.
“Really?” Leilani snaps, “I hope you never tell me.”
“You’ve successfully drawn my attention,” Andrew whispers.
“You make me sick,” she replies.
“I’m envious of Waylen,” Andrew says, his voice suddenly thick with desire, “Leave him and come to me. I promise I’ll give you whatever you want as long as it’s in my power to do so.”
“Really?” Leilani suddenly stops wiggling and feigns docility, but she gives Andrew a suspicious look before asking, “You can give me whatever I want?”
“Sure!” Andrew says.
He rests his chin on her head and smiles to himself. The smell of her hair calms him.
“Okay, I promise to leave Waylen,” Leilani says, “The only condition is I want you to drop dead.”
“What a naughty girl!” Andrew exclaims.
He pokes Leilani’s head with his jaw. The intimate gesture drives Leilani over the edge, and she stomps as hard as she can on Andrew’s shoe. She wishes she was wearing high heels; she imagines the sharp spike piercing the fine leather of his shoe and impaling his foot. Andrew lets go of her, and Leilani starts to lower her hand into the glass box.
Gabrielle is crying in terror. The thought that something dangerous might happen to Leilani makes her want to rush over and take her sister’s place, but Andrew has ordered a bodyguard to bind her hands and legs. She falls to the ground and squirms like a worm in a desperate attempt to save her sister. She doesn’t care what people think of her, she just wants to save her sister. Leilani turns around and gives her a soft look.
“Gabby, please don’t get any closer,” she pleads.
“Leilani, please don’t reach your hand into the box,” Gabrielle sobs, “Please!”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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