Page 119 of Pretty Little Threats

Of course, Joseph Miller is the thing that catches his attention. My dad was always the end goal. I was dumb enough to think that, perhaps, for the first time in my life, someone wanted me for who I am. “My dad was right about you, you know? You don’t have a heart.”

Dare glares at me and gestures in my direction. “And what about you, Rose? You’re his little fucking lap dog, desperate for even the slightest attention.”

“Screw you,” I snarl, feeling half feral, but I take a breath to calm myself and focus on what matters. An innocent person is missing because of him. “Where’s Irene?” I demand.

Dare pushes away from the wall and prowls toward me. “You want to know what I did with her?” His voice is low, cold and hard.

No. It can’t be true.

Hope ripping to shreds inside my chest, I whisper, “Yes.”

He advances, and I stumble back into the foyer table, the one with so many memories tainted by one last fucked-up moment. “Irene is happily working for Vista Holdings. She works from home, so she can help take care of her granddaughter.”

I pinch my eyebrows together and shake my head. “You’re lying. I saw?—”

“You saw what your dad wanted you to see,” Dare snaps. “And that stupid conversation,” he snarls. “I said what I said to protect you. If you would use that beautiful fucking brain and think for yourself for once, maybe you could see that I had to make your dad believe I didn’t care about you.” He shakes his head. “You fell into his trap. Again. How many times does he have to hurt you before you stop falling for the same tricks?” he shouts.

“You don’t know me.”

Did Dad lie? It wouldn’t be the first time, but I don’t know who to trust. Is Dare telling the truth? I desperately want everything he said to my dad to be a lie. I want to believe that he isn’t using me. That I’m not a means to an end, but my head is so fucked, I have no idea who’s right and who’s wrong.

Dare slams his palms down on either side of me. I recoil and lean away, practically crawling onto the table, but he closes in, placing his face mere inches from mine. “I know you better than you think, and you’ve got everything wrong.” His eyes rove over my face. “I expected more from you. You’re smarter than this, Rose.”

The part of me that’s always sought approval wilts at his words.No. He’s trying to twist things and manipulate me. “I heard what you said. I read the messages, Dare,” I snarl. “How do you explain those?”

“Those messages,” he growls, “were from my sister.”

My fluttering pulse skips. “Your sister?”

He nods.

“You expect me to believe that?” I laugh, the sound bitter and cold. “I’m not that stupid.”

Dare starts to respond, but his phone rings, and he stiffens, glancing at me before stepping away to take the call.

Is he serious right now?

“What?” he shouts. I hear the moment he stops breathing. The way his knees nearly buckle and he almost falls. “When?” he croaks. I’ve never heard his voice so broken.

Despite myself and our fight, I move toward him. “What is it?”

Dare looks at me, hate shimmering in his gaze. He puts the call on speaker. “They’re okay, though, Dare. Your sisters are at the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. They’re heavily guarded by my own people, and I neutralized the threat already. I’ll send the head back to Joseph Miller.”

My eyes widening, I sway, ice sluicing through my veins.His sisters are in the hospital? There’s a head being sent to my dad? What is happening?

Dare holds my gaze, and it’s like a screamed accusation. “How do you know he worked for Miller?”

“I tortured it out of him before I killed him. Had the girls been inside, the explosion would have killed them. We need to consider our next move. If history is any indication, this won’t be the last mercenary Joseph sends our way.”

Chest tight, I swim through the confusion clouding my mind, but the current is so strong, it threatens to drown me.My dad sent someone to kill his sisters? Why? How?

Dare grimaces. “Give me one second.” He mutes the phone and approaches me. His eyes travel over every inch of my body, disgust curling his lip. Dare stops before me. “Believe me now,wife?” The way he spits the word cuts through me. “I need you to leave.”

“I. I don’t understand,” I tell him, shaking my head.

“It’s really simple, Rose. Your father just tried to kill my sisters, and you’re the reason he was able to find them.”

No. That’s not true. “I didn’t give him the number.” A chill sinks into my bones.

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