Page 57 of Pretty Little Threats

“Two in one week? Here I thought I was a ruthless killer, but it looks like I have some competition.”

The quip has me curling my upper lip. “You’re not cute.”

He smirks. “Liar.”

“Fuck you.”

“I thought you said you didn’t want to?”

That’s not what I said, I almost snap back, but I stop myself before I give him more ammunition. More of my truth. More of these volatile reactions I can’t seem to control around him. “Are you going to keep picking a fight with me, or can we go eat? I’m hungry.”

He tips his head but lets the deflection slip by without calling me out. “I can make breakfast.”The doubt must show on my face, because Dare narrows his eyes in challenge.

It’s the same look he gave me in the limo before I crawled into his lap.

My throat goes dry, and a flush crawls up my neck, but Dare is already heading out of the bedroom, leaving me to face my traitorous thoughts alone.

Dare is busy making breakfast while I’m busy pretending he doesn’t exist. Watching him chop the potatoes and onions without a shirt on is enough to make my mouth water. I have to stop letting him get inside my head, so I’ve turned away from him as I scroll through my phone.

My heart stutters when I see the missed calls from Dad. I’ve been avoiding him for the better part of a week, but that’s all coming to an end on Monday. Dare made sure Eric’s body was taken care of, so, for all my dad knows, Eric is ignoring him too.

There’s nothing Joseph Miller hates more than being ignored.

Stomach churning, I tap into the voice messages notifications, but there aren’t any new ones from Dad. If he’d left a message, scolding me, that would make me feel better, in a way. At least then I’d know what to expect.

Not knowing how pissed he is or what he’s thinking makes my hands shake. And his current anger will only grow once I tell him about my little arrangement. Will Dad think I’m betraying him? I’m not. I still have every intention of taking Dare down. I am frustrated with my dad, but my loyalty to him and JD Miller & Co is intact.

One night of glorious sex won’t change that.

Focusing on anything but the forthcoming confrontation, I check my other notifications. Twenty missed texts from Cassia. Fuck. Last she knew, I was sneaking into Dare’s house. The messages start out curious and grow more worried, with the last being a threat to call the cops. Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I tap out a quick reply, arranging to meet her later today, when I can find a way to get away from Dare.

So far, my dear husband hasn’t tried to trap me inside the house, but he knows the fear of him turning me in for Eric’s murder is enough to keep me in line.

Bastard.

I scowl at him over my shoulder, stiffening when I find his gaze on me as he leans on the counter next to the stove, sipping his coffee as the potatoes cook. His biceps bulge as he takes his drink, and my eyes slip over his muscled torso, devouring every inch of his naked skin as a fresh wave of lust crashes through me.

Stop. He’s figured out how to manipulate you, Rose. Be smart.

“Thirsty?” Dare asks.

My cheeks burn. “You don’t have to be such a smug asshole.”

“I was asking about the coffee.”

I give him a pointed look. Maybe, but he was also teasing me, and the way his mouth tips into a smirk is enough to tell me I’m right. “Two creams, one sugar.”

“Say please.”

“If your food didn’t smell so good, I’d knee you in the nuts.”

Dare reaches for a mug with a laugh. The sound smooths over my skin and settles in my chest. “Close enough.”

I watch him fix my coffee, freezing in place when he walks around the island. There’s no need for him to come over here. He could have handed it to me. He could have slid it across the counter. But Dare stalks toward me with a determined gleam in his eye. Shifting, so he’s not at my back, I scowl at him as he steps close enough to press between my legs.

He places the mug at my lips. The ceramic is warm against my lips, and I press my mouth into a thin line in protest. The delicious and fragrant aroma of coffee wraps around me. God, that smells good.

“Drink.”

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