CHAPTER 40

Slowly.

He never once glanced away from any of them.

"You never said anything about this," KYOLINE DIEGO said.

Serial edged closer to her. "Didn't I?" he drawled.

Killer examined her like a freaking piece of meat.

"You know you didn't…"

He shrugged. "What can I say?"

"She had three words for him, Valentino. Lying. By. Omission."

"He got the idea that she wouldn't have shown up here if she'd known about them."

"She thought? " KY was usually fond of animals, and she adored Winifred's dogs in her shop, but these animals were something else. Serial's tongue was hanging out as he gazed at her and hoped she'd end up being a good addition to his dinner plate. Killer seemed to be ready to pounce at the moment if she did something bad. "He never said anything about having dogs.". And nothing whatsoever regarding having dogs named Serial and Killer who seem to wish to consume her whole body.

And why on earth was he staying with a couple of killers?

"

"Doesn't think she was being a bit dramatic, KYOLINE? It's only their names. They won't hurt her.unless…"

"{Unless, what?"

"Unless she did something stupid."

"Stupid?" Like running off again." He crossed his arms and glared at her. "They're his guard dogs, and they're going to keep her under their eye while she's here." She'd never been violent, but something about VINCENT DANZA was making her eyes turn red. Because as if his crazy fake fiancée scenario wasn't bad enough, now he was going to use his dogs on her to keep her in line as well. He was a total control freak, and she had no clue what the heck she got herself into with this guy.

Okay, maybe she was exaggerating a little about the dogs, but the fact that they just kept looking at her and especially those names were scaring her a little.

"Why couldn't he simply give them normal names?"

"They were their names when he took them in from the shelter, and he never did change them to other ones."

He drove them out of the bedroom. And no sooner was the door shut on them, than she collapsed again on the bed and let out a sigh of relief. She wouldn't be able to sleep a wink if they were in the room.

He sat on the bed's edge staring at her. The scorching trail of his gaze sweeping across her body sent shivers down her spine. "Want to play a game of chess?"

"He wanted to play now?" she asked.

"Yeah, he did. He figured they'd be playing every single night from now on."

"Oh, he did, did he?" She pushed herself up on her forearms. "And why's that?"

"If he remembered right, chess had gotten her all hot and bothered."

She shook her head. "No, it's winning that does that."

"Pretty sure the same applies to him…"

KYOLIN The next morning, her legs stuck out behind her as she lay across the rug in ISAAC'S spacious lounge. The board game lay between her and the children. DAMON was leaning over the board as if he was planning a hostile takeover whereas L'OREAL was tidily rearranging her cards in that very way that she had. DEBORAH lay across the couch on her phone like the quintessential teenager she was. Her heart constricted at witnessing them all. So relaxed. So easy going. Thank God that they were not aware of the complete extent of the risk lurking. It was only marvelous to be spending time with them, and as it was the weekend, she had two full days to spend time with all of them.

Serial and Killer were in the library with the door to the rest of the house closed.

The French doors that opened there had been left open, though, and they had free access to come and go as they pleased from the large backyard.

Having them so near was agitating her.

The children, though, had already spotted the dogs as the upper panel of the library door consisted of transparent glass. "KY, can we play with the puppies?" DAMON asked for the twentieth time.

"She told him, DAMON, they're not puppies. And they're not play dogs. They're ISAAC'S guard dogs."

In the afternoon, ISAAC phoned her briefly. "Listen, KYOLINE, he was sorry for this, but he had to leave for a couple of days. Work. But he'd doubled the security, and she was perfectly safe at his mansion with his men looking after her and the kids."

Her jaw dropped. "What about the dogs?" she exclaimed, not knowing what else to say—because no way was she going to admit that she was possibly the tiniest bit disappointed that he wouldn't be here with her.

"He'd have one of his guys take them out and feed them. They loved just to hang around with his guys so they'll be fine.".

But it was not the dogs being lonely that she cared about.

She sat folded her arms on the couch after the phone call.

"KY, can we play with the puppies now?" L'OREAL inquired.

"Sorry, honey, like she told us, they're guard dogs."

"That doesn't mean we cannot play with them too," L'OREAL stated with a scowl. "They look fluffy and cute."

Fluffy and cute? Um, she did not think so.

"What are they?" queried DAMON.

"They're called, uh…"

How could she break the news to the children that their names were Serial and Killer? Their names would freak the children out totally like they freaked her out. "She did not know their names," she answered half-heartedly, holding her fingers behind her back.

"They don't have names yet," L'OREAL announced. "Which means that we can name them ourselves!"

"Oh, she wasn't certain?—"

But before she could get another word in edgewise, DAMON shouted with excitement and spoke over top of her. "Let's go and look at the puppies again, and then we can decide on what names would be nice for them!" And DAMON set to dragging L'OREAL and her down the hallway by the hand to look at the dogs through the door glass.

Pulling up outside the library, they waited in the hall as the children were standing on tiptoes with their little noses against the glass panel. She had taken a step or two back, still wary of the animals though there was a shard of glass between. The dogs' blue eyes were sharp against black and white coats, and for guesswork, she would have guessed they were Huskies.

"She was getting one puppy and he could have the other one," DAMON informed his sister. "And he was calling his Pumpkin."

"And hers was Poochie," L'OREAL concluded, making up her mind.

"Pumpkin and Poochie," she whispered weakly. But at least those names sound a whole lot less terrifying than Serial and Killer.

A couple of days later, ISAAC returned from his killing trip or whatever it was that he had to go and do. Walking into the house, L'OREAL was smiling when she welcomed him home. Supper time, so they all sat at the kitchen counter to have the spaghetti and meatballs that she prepared.

After supper, ISAAC headed in the direction of the library.

"Taking the puppies out for a walk?" DAMON asked.

ISAAC smiled when his giant guard dogs were referred to as puppies. "Sure was. Did they guys want to come?"

DAMON and L'OREAL nodded their heads excitedly and trailed behind him, so did KYOLINE.

He went into the library but since the dogs weren't there, he knew they most likely already were in the backyard. He stood by the open French doors and hollered. "Serial, Killer!"

No response. "Serial? Killer?"

Not a peep of bark or woof did they return with.

"Serial, Killer! Where are they?" He rubbed his hand through his hair. "That's odd," he muttered. "They're well-trained and always answer the call."

L'OREAL chuckled. "He was calling wrong. That's why they're not answering."

A brow furrowed frown. "What did she mean?"

L'OREAL and DAMON were by his side and screamed out to the dogs. "Pumpkin! Poochie! Snuggle wuggle time!"

They caught the pounding of paws, and in a moment, they tore in through the backyard, tongues lolling and blue eyes shining with enthusiasm. The kids giggled as the animals nearly bowled them over with their rush, wagging tails whipping at a crazy pace and woofing audibly with excitement at getting to cuddle time. "Pumpkin? Poochie? Snuggle wuggles? What the hell, KYOLINE?" ISAAC gritted out. "A such liar, Valentino," she said. "Guard dogs? No way. These two were merely two huge furbabies, and they would not harm a fly. Wasn't that right, her fluffy boys?" she asked as she came down to their level and used that special cooing tone she reserved just for them. Their fur was cold from the outside air and nudged against her, pushing their heads into her palms.