Page 12 of Pretty Poison

“You could call it a test. I know you have what it takes to stay calm in tough situations. You put yourself in them, but still I know you’d make a good addition.”

“A good addition to what? Your trophy case?” she scoffs. “I’m not a possession, though you might think I am. I’m a woman who got dealt a bad hand in life, per my father’s actions and hunger for money. I’m not a puppet or marionette here to perform while you pull my strings.”

“I’m not pulling your strings or forcing you into anything… If you want to live to see another day, you will do this. It’s not a threat; it’s a promise that if you don’t, you won’t survive.”

“I can hold my own, Dario. I may not know when I’m in danger; that’s been fucking proven by you and your bastard of a bodyguard, but I don’t need a gun to protect myself, unlike you.”

Within an instant, Red raises his gun again and fires, the bullet flying past me a few inches from my face as it buries itself in the bookshelf behind me.

Spinning around on her heels, a frightened look plastered on her face, she turns to face Red. “Are you fucking crazy? You could’ve shot either one of us.”

“I’m an excellent shot, Liana. I don’t miss. Ever.”

“Prick,” she breathes before turning back to face me.

“You think you can fight a full-grown man who has most likely spent their entire life being trained by their father or uncle, or whoever, to be the best they can be, with just your fists? Liana, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re barely pushing five-foot-two and you can’t be more than, what, nine stone? What on earth kind of pain could you ever inflict to someone twice your height, size and weight?”

“I could do this,” she says, exuding calm. I watch as she spins around in a swift motion and kicks Red right between his legs, and he keels over, his knees clashing to the floor. “Like I said, not everything has to be resolved with the amount of violence you use on a daily basis.”

God, I know you can’t feel other people’s pain, but I felt that through every ounce of my body.

“You bitch,” Red seethes, breathing through the pain.

“That was unnecessary, Liana,” I say, repositioning myself to rid my mind of the unimaginable pain Red is experiencing.

“What was unnecessary was this entire conversation. I won’t be a toy for you to play with or use at your disposal.” With that, she steps over Red and leaves, slamming the door behind her for effect while Red reaches behind him to flip her off.

I sigh. “Are you good, Red?”

“What the fuck did I do? Damn.” His breathing is heavy and jagged.

Maybe I was wrong. The spitfire attitude has always been there, only hidden beneath a tough, yet rather easy to break, exterior. She’ll make a fine addition to the team. My very own little warrior.

Six

DARIO

“You’ll live, Red. It’s a kick to the balls, not a bullet to them,” Silas says, rolling his eyes as he passes us in the living room. Red sprawls across the couch, an ice block wrapped in a towel resting on his crotch and a pillow covering his face to hide his pain. He looks like an absolute twat.

Yanking the cushion from his face, he death-stares Silas as he walks away. Throwing it, he hits Silas’ legs, stopping him in his tracks. “You try being booted in the balls by her. She’s fucking lethal, man, I’m telling you.” Turning his head to me, he adds, “You’ve got your work cut out for you. God only knows what she’s like in bed.”

“Redello!” my mother screeches from the kitchen doorway before inching towards us. “Don’t speak about women like that.”

“I’m not the one sleeping with her,” he says, his tone defensive. “And after that, I’m glad. She’s got some serious strength in her legs.”

Walking quicker, my mother reaches us in seconds, swatting him on his forehead. “Watch your mouth, Red.”

“What, the back of my head isn’t accessible, so you whack my forehead?” he asks, rubbing his head.

“That’s exactly what it is,” she retorts, pushing his legs off the couch as she settles beside him. “Whether you like it or not, Liana is here to stay, Red, and it’s obvious, she has a rather deep hatred for you. Start wearing a cup if you want to protect your jewels.”

“I shouldn’t have to protect my manhood,” he says, a look of disbelief on his face. “She should keep her extremities to herself.”

My mother rolls her eyes. “You know I love you like a son, Red, but you’re an asshole sometimes. You wonder why you’re single and moments like these prove why.”

“Did you need something, Elaina, or did you come in here to hit a man when he’s down?”

“It looks as though Liana’s hit you enough for all women,” she replies with a matter-of-fact attitude. “But yes, I came here for a reason… the annual ball,” she continues, turning to face me and I slide down into my spot on the lounge chair. “It’s just around the corner and no one has organised anything. Do you plan on doing it anytime soon?”

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