Free Dare To Love Series: Icy Dare (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Aliyah Burke Page B

about it, Louis.”
    Deep, heavy breathing met her greeting. She paused in opening the box.
    “Hello?”
    “You’ll get what’s coming to you, bitch.” The words rolled over the line, full of menace and hatred.
    She ended the call and sank, shaking, to the floor. Her head swam, and her breathing raced out of control. Light headed, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to make herself as small as possible. The phone rang again, but she refused to move, just sat there, in a small ball, and prayed.
    αβ
    Sakharre was only slightly less on edge at the cookout the following afternoon.
    She smiled and mingled as she nibbled on the spread. These men could eat, and there was no shortage of food. The atmosphere, thankfully, was laid back with wives and girlfriends, as well as children, in attendance.
    On a swing, she nursed her tea and watched Louis throw a pass.
    “That right there is why you’re not the QB. He sure as hell ain’t got to watch out for you to take his job.”
    Louis flipped the defensive player off and ambled to where she sat. He lowered himself to the ground beside her with a grunt.
    “Giving up your QBing career already?” she teased as he snatched her yellow plastic cup from her hand and took a drink.
    “Not you, too,” he griped. “You, I’ll throw in the pool.”
    She clucked her tongue. “Sorry. I just ate. I can’t go in the water for at least another hour.”
    “Like hell, you barely ate.”
    She scrunched her toes in the soft grass and popped a bite of her hot dog bun in her mouth. “Luckily, it doesn’t state how much has to have been eaten.”
    He harrumphed. “Are you having fun?”
    “Of course,” she replied instantly. It was the truth. The longer she stayed, the more fun she had. He glanced up at her, worry in his gaze. She touched his face. “I am. Promise. Go on, play.”
    He rose, and she halted him with a simple touch. “Let someone else be the QB if you’d like to win.”
    He propped ham-sized fists on his waist. “Really?” The gruff rumble making her smile.
    “I think Rayvon over there will be good,” she said, pointing at the young boy eating cake.
    “That’s it,” he said. “You’re going in the pool.”
    She screeched and bolted, her plate left on the swing. Her brother may be big, but damn, he was fast, catching her in two strides. She struggled as he tucked her under his arm and strode determinedly toward the pool.
    “Don’t you dare,” she threatened.
    Her threat was pointless. He launched her out into the middle of the large pool. As water closed over her head, she sank to the bottom and sat there, arms at her sides. She opened her eyes and stared up and out to those along the pool. Two children splashed in, and she slowly pushed toward the surface.
    Breaking free of the water, she wiped the liquid from her face. The kids in the pool with her splashed in her direction. Returning the favor, she stroked lazily to the edge.
    Louis was there, arms crossed, and embroiled in a deep belly laugh. Behind him came three of his fellow defensemen. She pointed at him, scowling. “Not nice.”
    “Wasn’t supposed to be. It was to be funny.”
    “It wasn’t.”
    “Depends on where you’re standing. See, from here, it is.”
    She ducked as his teammates shoved him in. When he surfaced, her laughter still rolled. “You’re right, Louis, it is funny depending on where you’re at.”
    Others jumped in, and chaos erupted. Her mood lightened, she was still high on the endorphins from the party as she drove home later that night. Spinning her keys in hand, she strode down the hallway to her door. She fought a yawn and let herself in, making sure to lock the door behind her and engage the door chain.
    Once her keys were in the dish, she walked to her bathroom to remove the damp clothing she wore. Twenty minutes later, warm from the shower and yawning, she went to her bedroom and crawled between the cool sheets.
    Her scream came too late when the hand settled over her