Page 20 of Double Dare

“And you stopped them?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” she whispers.

“Because you’re mine whether you like it or not,” I admit, solidifying my earlier statement.

Finally, I see what I’ve been longing for this entire time. She fucking cracks. It’s subtle, but I see it. She’s finally giving in to me.

Nodding softly, she stands on shaky legs and steps out of the shower before pushing past me. “Thank you.”

I don’t offer her a reply. Instead, I grab the towel hanging on the hook by the shower and wrap it around her. “Go to bed.”

She gives me another nod before pushing onto her toes and planting a soft kiss on the corner of my lips. With that, she leaves the bathroom.

This entire time, I’ve looked at her as a game. See how far I can push her before she breaks, then I would kill her and call Dario’s debt good. But now I’m not so sure if that’s what I want. Taunting her—teasing her—it’s all too much fun, and I can’t help but think it would be even better when she submits.

As she exits my room, a thought I’ve never had enters my mind.

What if I keep her?

CHAPTER TEN

DANICA

He saved me.

In his own, fucked-up way, he saved me.

It’s all I’ve been able to think about since he sent me to bed. I can’t sleep and can’t seem to occupy my mind with anything else. The only thought that keeps fluttering around ishe.Saved.Me.

The night obviously didn’t go how I planned—not that I really had a plan to begin with—but I’m taking this all as a good sign. Minus the blood, the pain, and the other very scary, very murderous mafia family who knows my name. Because in the midst of everything, Adrian is slipping.

I saw it the moment he came out the door at the club. He may not love me, but he’s infatuated, and that’s the next best thing. He wants to own me in every way, and I don’t know why it wasn’t more obvious to begin with. He’s told me, just let go, and I’ve ignored him. If I would have just listened, I could have been out of here days ago.

But I can’t dwell on the past. All I can do is try and fix it now.

Acting out comes with punishment.

His words echo inside my mind, and before the courage I have leaves me, I stand from my bed and walk to my door. Normally, I hear it lock in place the moment it closes behind me, but not tonight. When I turn the handle and it opens, it only solidifies my earlier thought. He may not be going soft—our little shower scene proves that—but something is happening. I can even feel it happening to me too, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to face that reality.

I felt it when we got to the club. I’m not sure if it was the lack of physical touch or communication for a week, or maybe Stockholm syndrome is sinking in, but I did feel powerful next to him. I felt everything I shouldn’t, until Adam. But when Adrian came to my rescue, it all came back. I knew with him there, nothing was going to happen to me. He could have set the entire club on fire with everyone in it if it meant I got to walk away alive.

Selfish? Yes, but maybe that’s Adrian rubbing off on me.

I find myself not caring about shit like I used to and looking forward to his banter. I haven’t even been thinking about Dario as much, but I did catch Adrian’s comment to Adam.

“She’s payment for a debt.”

It hasn’t crossed my mind since, and now it has my curiosity piqued all over again, but it’s not something to worry about now. If I can get Adrian to completely trust me by giving him what he wants, in turn, I’m sure he’ll give me what I want—answers and freedom.

Stepping into the hall, I make my way to the door I know as Adrian’s. Of course, he didn’t escort me back to my room, and I haven’t got a chance to explore the house alone, so I had to find my way back by myself. But that let me know where he’ll be.

When I make it to his door, I stop in front of it. Either what I’m thinking is right, or I’m completely wrong and I’ll end up paying for it more than I’m willing at this moment. I inhale deeply through my nose and push my doubts away. I’ve got nothing to lose at this point, so fuck it.

Twisting the knob, I open the door. Adrian is lying on his back, shirtless, in comfortable flannel pants. It’s the most normal I’ve seen him. He looks like any other man until he pulls a gun from under his pillow and points it at me.

Once his eyes catch mine, a sigh of relief leaves him. “I told you to go to bed, Danica. Sneaking up on a man like me is dangerous.”

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