Page 26 of Pretty Little Threats

Breathe in, hold, breathe out.

Everything will be fine.

Dare will come home and I’ll threaten him into marriage.

He won’t kill me. I won’t have to marry Eric, and I?—

“I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you.” Dare’s voice rumbles through the room.

My heart skips. Terror is a shock of ice in my veins as a shriek tumbles out of me. Soft light floods the room, revealing Dare sitting in an oversized chair next to the bed, wearing all black, holding a gun with a silencer pointed in my direction. The tap of the cord against the bedside lamp as it sways back and forth is the only sound in the room asthe two of us take one another’s measure. Dare’s lips are pressed into a cruel line while he leans forward to study me, his grip tightening on the gun. The soft glow of light casts shadows over his features, highlighting his perfect cheekbones and square jaw.

Monster isn’t the word that comes to mind.

“Princess,” he purrs. “Why are you inmyhouse?”

My every muscle is rigid, pinned in place by those viciously beautiful eyes as they cut through me.We’re Millers, Rosalynn. People are afraid of us, not the other way around.You’ve been scared of the shadows long enough.

Dad’s words drag me out of the depths of my terror. He’s always given me the strength I need to push through my fears, and now is no exception. I straighten and roll my shoulders. “I want to talk.”

He arches the scarred eyebrow. “So, you broke into my house?”

“Naturally,” I say, tipping my head. “How did you know someone was coming?”

“The security system sends alerts when someone overrides the controls for motion and noise detectors.”

Of course, they do. Cassia won’t be happy to learn she’s not as savvy as she thinks when it comes to Rex Technologies software.

“Well, now that we’re both here.” I push off the wall and make it all of two steps before he leans back in the chair, resting one arm on the couch and pointing the gun at me with the other. My hands shoot up. “Relax, Dare, I’m not here to kill you.”

His gaze narrows. “Yet.”

“I already told you,Ihave morals.”

“Abiding by the law doesn’t seem to be on the list.”

“Are you still on about the breaking and entering?” Iask, cocking my hip to the side and dropping my hand onto it.

His gaze follows my movement and darkens. “Talk before I decide to paint my walls with your blood.”

A full body shudder runs through me. “You’re an animal.”

The wicked chuckle tumbling from his lips makes my stomach flip. “And, yet, here you are.” He pauses, searching my face, then says, “Five.”

“Are you really going to count down?”

“Four,” he continues.

“This is ridiculous. I’m not a child.”

He shifts in his seat, finger poised on the trigger. “Three.”

Stop fucking around, Rose.

“Fine,” I snap before he can get to two. “I’m here to offer you a deal.”

The gun doesn’t waver, but he trails his gaze down my body and back up. Heat swoops through my veins, despite the dire circumstances. “If you wanted to suck my cock, all you had to do was ask.”

“Fuck you,” I snarl.

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