Page 25 of All's Fair In Love & War

And he knew it.

Our families had finally found peace, though it was a fragile balance that took too much blood and sacrifice to secure. I wouldn’t be the one to shatter it. If the war ignited again, it wouldn’t be because of me.

Naeem and Khalil already saw me as selfish, reckless, and irresponsible. They didn’t need another reason to solidify that belief. I’d spent enough time proving them right because I keptsecrets from them. And whether I admitted it or not, a part of me was tired of being the disappointment in the family.

“Are you fucking serious right now?” I spat, trying to shake off the intoxicating pull of his presence.

“Very,” he said, his voice dropping lower.

I scoffed. “You’re awfully confident for a man with a loaded gun aimed at him.”

“That’s because I know something your family doesn’t.” His voice dropped, his eyes locking with mine.

“And what is that?”

“I know the real you—the person you keep hidden from others. You allow your family to think you’re reckless and childish, but you’re far from it. Isn’t that right, Sophia?”

My breath caught, but my expression remained cold. “You don’t know a damn thing about me.”

“I know you’re a hired killer,” he said, his tone matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen the aftermath of your work. Clean kills. Precision. You’re an artist with a gun. “Don’t bother pretending otherwise. I’ve done my homework.”

My stomach twisted, but I didn’t let it show. “You don’t know a damn thing about me.”

“Oh, but I do,” he said, his tone softening but no less dangerous. “You’re good at hiding it, but you didn’t fool me. I started putting the pieces together after Naeem had to beg you not to murder me in cold blood.”

My mind suddenly flashed back to me standing over him, my Glock aimed at his head, ready to pull the trigger. If it hadn’t been for Tatum and my brother’s interference, he wouldn’t be standing here now.

“I remember how you looked at me,” Dallas continued, his voice dropping an octave. “Like you were deciding whether to end my life or let me go. That wasn’t the look of a reckless little sister. That was the look of someone who’s done it beforeand who wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. That was the look of a killer.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you then,” I replied, my voice like steel. “So why are you still here, pushing your luck?”

“Because I’m curious,” he admitted, his smirk returning. “I wanted to know if you’re as ruthless as they say and as good as the whispers make you out to be.”

“So you’re risking your life over curiosity?” I scoffed. “That’s a stupid ass reason to die, but hey, curiosity does kill the cat.”

“Maybe. Or it could be that I have a thing for dangerous women.” He tilted his head, the playful gleam in his eye making me grind my teeth. “The way you move and the way you think fascinates me. You don’t just have skill. You have instinct, and I’ve seen enough killers in my line of work to know when I’m standing in front of a real one—a trained one.”

I didn’t lower my gun, but his words sent a ripple of unease through me. “And what are you planning to do with this so-called knowledge of yours?”

“Nothing,” he said, shrugging slightly. “I will never blow your cover. I just wanted to see if the infamous Sophia Bulgari really lived up to her reputation.”

“And now that you have?”

He took another step closer, closing the distance between us. His height and presence felt overwhelming, but I refused to back down. “Now,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, “I’m even more impressed than I thought I’d be.”

“You’re playing a dangerous game,” I warned, my finger still on the trigger.

Dallas leaned in, his voice dripping with confidence. “So are you, Sophia, but I think we both know you’re not going to pull that trigger—not tonight.”

“Keep talking, and I’ll show you the killer you want to see.”

Dallas bristled, but his grin didn’t falter. “You already had your chance, but you didn’t shoot. Tell me why.”

“You’re alive because of Tatum, and Tatum only. You should be thanking her.”

“I don’t think that’s the reason. I believe you hesitated because you knew killing me wasn’t the right move. You’re smarter than your brothers give you credit for.”

I hadn’t killed him while our families were still at war, and that said everything. If there was ever a time to do it, it had been then—when the bloodshed between us was justified, when revenge was expected, when I could’ve walked away without a second glance.

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