Page 41 of Pretty Threats

“Raine. We’ve gotta go or you’ll be late.”

My head turns, and my gaze takes him in. The beautiful menace.

Drawing in a slow breath, I walk back to the Corvette.

When we’re both back inside, he says, “You know, I can be a better person. If you help me.”

My eyes widen, and I tilt my head so I can look him in the eyes. “Do you really believe that?”

“When you and I are together, I don’t get random urges to fight. During the time I was with you in secret, it was easier to stay out of trouble. The compulsion to find a way to feel something dampens around you. Probably because, in bed with you, there’s already an intense rush.”

I close my eyes with my heart pounding in my ears. “You hurt me. You cut me when you didn’t need to.” Physically and emotionally. I don’t add the last. I’m not sure he’d understand it.

His finger pushes my hair back and traces a path along my jaw. “I didn’t do that to hurt you. It wasn’t revenge.”

My lids rise, and I stare in his eyes. “It was.”

“No. You’ve seen it in the mirror. You know what I did.”

I shudder. I do know. It wasn’t until much later, when the three small lines formed a tiny white scar that I realized the mark was an off-kilter K.

“I’m afraid of you, Killian. That’s not a good basis for any kind of relationship.”

“I’ll never do that again. I already have what I wanted.” He drags the sleeve of his knit shirt higher to display the small white scar on his right bicep. “You put your mark on me. And I did the same. The one on me is just a line, though. If you want to turn it into an R, you can. I’ve thought about doing it myself, but cutting left-handed, I’d fuck it up.”

My short bark of laughter startles us both. He is such a lunatic.

“I’m not going to carve my initial into your flesh. That’s awful.”

“What’s awful about it? People get other people’s names tattooed on themselves all the time. A couple of quick nicks with a sharp blade would be over in a second. I barely felt that first cut.” His lips brush against my hair, causing a ripple of shivers to run down my spine. “Come on. I know you like the idea of my wearing your initial. Your pupils dilated when I suggested it.”

“I do not want that.” Even as I speak the words though, my heart pounds with excitement. It’s as if his disturbing urges are infectious, and I’ve already spent too much time around him.

“Yeah, well, I do.” His tone is matter of fact as he grabs the necklace and lifts it to my throat. In an instant, it’s clasped and his hands drop away. “Take the necklace,” he says, studying the way it looks on me. “Call it hazard pay for staying close to me even though you knew it was dangerous.”

I swallow, but before I can reach back for the clasp, my phone beeps.

Glancing down, I see a push notification of an email from my seminar professor that I don’t need to come to class because Owen Malenus wants to meet me at the Lambda Delta Kappa fraternity house.

“Is that Owen Malenus the film guy?” Killian asks, reading the notification over my shoulder.

Licking my lips, I nod. “He did a lecture for us last week and also helped grade our short films. Since, I’m only a freshman, I didn’t have to submit one, but he’s one of my favorite directors, so I did. There’s a rumor he’s on campus because of a new project he’s doing and that he might let some students work on it.” My heart’s pounding for a different reason now. “We need to go, Killian. I don’t want to keep him waiting.”

“Congratulations,” he says, putting the car in gear and pulling out onto the street. “If he’s meeting with you, it’s because he liked your film.”

A smile pulls at my lips. “Think so?”

“Of course.” The certainty in his voice draws my smile wider. “The guy’s been nominated for an Oscar. He’s not going to waste his time with someone whose work is mediocre.”

“I would be so happy if he liked it,” I say with a small smile. “Let me find the frat house’s address.” As I’m bringing a campus map up on my phone, Killian shakes his head.

“I know where it is.”

“Have you driven by?” I didn’t think Killian and his housemates spent much time around campus. They seem to have other… pursuits.

“Yeah.”

In the past, Lambda Delta Kappa was the most difficult frat to get into because of the power and prestige of its alumni. Among its former members is self-made billionaire Drew Ralston who started his company while at GU.

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