Silent Lies (Perfectly Imperfect #8)

“Where is the gun I gave you?”

I slowly lift my tired lids and watch Drago as he buttons his shirt and reaches for the holster on the recliner. He looks mouthwatering in an all-black outfit.

“In the nightstand drawer,” I say when his gaze switches to me. “In my room.”

“There is no ‘your room,’ Sienna.”

“Oh? Well, I might be sleeping here, but all my stuff is there. You exiled me, in case you forgot.”

Drago grinds his teeth and scoops me into his arms. “I exiled your three tons of clothes,” he says in a gruff voice.

“Yeah, right.” I laugh and bury my hand in his hair. “Say you’re sorry, and we’re even.”

His hold on me tightens, but he stays silent, glaring at me.

“Okay, I’ll help you. Repeat after me. Sienna, I’m sorry for throwing you out. And your pretty clothes.”

“I’m not sorry for banishing your clothes,” he mumbles.

“And me?”

Squinty eyes sear through me, and he crushes his mouth to mine. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles into my lips.

“There. It wasn’t that hard.”

“And your clothes are back here.”

“What?” I wriggle until he lowers me to the floor and rush toward the closet. When I open it, I see all of my things returned to neat order on shelves and hangers. Drago’s stuff is all tucked away, relegated to a measly two cubbies and a handful of spots on the rod.

“I had Jelena and a couple of other girls bring them here while you were still sleeping. It took me an hour to put it all inside,” he says and wraps his arm around my waist. “I envy your kind.”

I tilt my head so he can see me speak and raise an eyebrow. “My kind?”

“The kind that could sleep through an earthquake and nuclear disaster combined. An alien invasion, too, probably.”

“Hopefully, there won’t be one of those. If the house is attacked when I’m asleep”—I laugh—“I’ll end up dead before I realize what is happening.”

Drago turns me around to face him, his green eyes staring me down. “If there’s an attack on the house, you can keep on sleeping,mila moya,” he bites out, “because I’ll make sure the bastards are dead well before they even think about getting close to you.”

I bite my lower lip while keeping his gaze. He really means it. “Okay.”

“But I still want you to carry the gun when you leave the house. We have some shit going down tomorrow night, and I need to know that you’re safe.”

“If it makes you feel better, I will, but it won’t do any good.”

“Why not? From what I saw, you’re an excellent shot.”

I smile. “When aiming at jugs and range targets, sure. But I could never shoot a person, Drago.”

“You would if your life depends on it.”

I take his chin between my fingers and tilt his head to the side. His cheek is still swollen and bruised, but it looks a little less raw today.

“I’ve never even killed a spider. I just let them be.” Rising onto my toes, I place a kiss on his chin. “You won’t ever see me point a gun and fire at a man.”

Drago’s hold on my waist tightens, and my feet lift off the ground. He slowly raises me until our faces align.

“If it comes down to you or him, Sienna, you’re going to shoot him,” he says through gritted teeth. “In the head or in his heart. And as many times as needed. Nod.”