Page 37 of Dangerous Secret

Grayson groaned. “Not the dad jokes. I beg you.”

“Nacho cheese,” Liam said.

Cooper poked his arm. “Hey, stop horning in on my punch lines. Just for that, I get to tell another one.”

Her gaze slid to Grayson, who rolled his eyes, but she caught the twitch of his lips as he tried to hide his amusement.

“What do you call two ducks and a cow? Quackers and milk,” Cooper said without giving anyone time to answer.

She laughed.

Grayson reached across the counter and tapped her hand. “Don’t encourage him.”

“Sorry. Couldn’t help it.”

Cooper winked at her. “At least someone around here appreciates me.”

While they joked around, Grayson stacked the dishwasher and cleaned the counters. “Time to talk,” he said as he leaned back against the sink. His eyes met hers. “I need to ask you some things about Pressley.”

Must they? She sighed. “Okay.”

“Can you give me a list of the people who work for him, what their jobs are, who the ones closest to him are, what his typical day is like and the layout of his house? The most important information is who comes and goes in his house and when.”

“That’s a lot, and it might take me a day or two. Also, I don’t know what’s changed since I left.”

“No problem. Just be as thorough as you can. You said you know the combination to his safe?”

“Yes, unless he’s changed it.”

“Let’s hope not. Include that and any other information you think would be helpful.”

“What’s your plan to get in the safe? If it’s going to be dangerous for you, I… I don’t want you to do it. I’ll think of some other way to get Tyler back.” She didn’t know how, but she couldn’t live with something happening to him—to any of them—on her conscience.

“You let us worry about that, okay?”

Liam leaned toward her, bumping his arm against hers. “We’re like ninjas. Sneaky, invisible and badass. No need to be worrying about us.”

But she would.

* * *

Why today?Harlow groaned. As much as she wished otherwise, that was Anthony’s car in her space when she arrived home. She’d had a wonderful morning with Grayson, and she resented that her ex was going to ruin the rest of her day. What she wanted to do was sit out on her balcony and think about kissing Grayson, how her lips felt against his, how every nerve in her body had hummed in pleasure.

He’d told her to think about what she wanted before they went any further. She didn’t need to think about it, she wanted more, but that he needed her to be sure only proved how honorable he was.

Unlike the man leaning against his car as she approached. Anthony couldn’t care less about her feelings. The man she had at one time thought handsome until she’d seen the ugliness inside him watched her like a predator stalking its prey. And that was what she’d always been to him. Prey to be devoured until she forgot who she was.

But she was remembering.

“You’ve been gone all morning,” he said as if she’d committed a crime. His gaze traveled over her, pausing on her bare legs, and his lips thinned.

She stopped on the sidewalk, keeping her distance from him. “What’s it to you?”

“I was going to let you spend time with Tyler, but that window has closed.”

Liar!There was no way he was going to let her see her boy. “I’m so tired of your games, Anthony.” She took a step closer and let him see her hate for him in her eyes. “I’m done playing them.”

A smirk played over his lips. “I don’t think so.” He moved until there were only a few inches between them, then he gripped her chin, his fingers squeezing so hard that tears stung her eyes. “I own you, Harlow. Don’t ever forget that. I can do with you as I please.”

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