Page 94 of Pretty Threats

Killian’s brows rise, and he shakes his head slowly. “Then… I’ll never lie to you again.”

And there it is. The thing I desperately needed to hear.

“Thank you, and you can trust me to always keep your secrets. I promise.” I lick my lips and exhale the breath I was holding. “So, moving forward, things will be better. And you won’t hold me against my will again, either, right?”

He blinks and cocks a brow. “I can’t swear to that. Things happen.”

His grave tone causes me to laugh. Albeit mirthlessly.

“I care about you. So much,” I whisper. “Even though, at times, I don’t want to. I can’t help myself.”

The corner of his mouth curves slightly. “Welcome to my world, since the second I laid eyes on you.”

That causes me to chuckle again before turning serious. “I love you.”

37

Three Weeks Later

RAINE

Istep inside our new rented house and turn on the light before hanging my raincoat on a hook. “Killian?”

“Yeah.” He joins me in the foyer, which is a lot cleaner than when I left in the morning for production meetings.

“What’s going on?” I gesture to the floor. “What happened to the boxes?”

“Broke them down.”

My brows rise. “You put everything away?”

“Yeah.”

He flicks off the light, dropping us into darkness. The light in the living room is off, too, and the blinds are closed.

My heartbeat quickens. “What are you doing?”

“Come in.” Taking my hand, he guides me into the living room and stops in the middle. “Wait here.” He walks across the room and flips a switch, causing hundreds of tiny white lights to appear. Strands of lights cascade in a canopy from the center fixture out to the walls.

My breath catches. The effect is completely magical.

Moving to the coffee table, he winds a new snow globe to life. As the snowflakes fall, a golden light on a bronze movie projector flickers in time to tinkling music. When I lean closer, I realize the glittering flakes aren’t snow; they’re tiny pieces of celluloid film.

“Oh, my God. That’s so cool.” I lift the globe and shake it, then peer inside, watching the film float through the solution.

After a moment, I clutch the snow globe to my chest and look around. My gaze travels along the lit strands, admiring the way he’s used clear hooks that disappear, so the lights look like they’re floating.

I turn my smile to him. “I love all of this.”

I only mentioned fairy lights once when discussing decorating an area to use for indoor vlog videos. I’d been referring to a corner of our home office. This is far more elaborate. And at the center of the house. It implies something important. Killian may pay the rent, but he wants every inch of the house to be my home, too.

Keeping my eyes locked on his, I walk toward him, beckoning for him to lean down. He does and the kiss I give him quickly turns heated.

Killian sets the movie projector globe on the coffee table.

“Where did you find it?”

“Didn’t. Got it made by a husband and wife team on Etsy who create custom pieces.”

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