Ruin (The Rhodes 1)
She should be afraid. Underestimating me is one of the stupidest things to do.
“I—”
Mae’s interrupted as a beep comes from the security’s system.
Tristan’s pissed off voice fills the space. “Open up!”
Bloody hell.
I should have attended the damn meeting today.
Chapter Fourteen
Mae
Something similar to disturbance cloaks Aaron’s features, but he soon masks it.
“Aaron!” The deep masculine voice calls again.
“Who’s that?” I face Aaron to be sucked into the frightening grim of his eyes.
Both his hands clutch my shoulders in a bruising grip. “Listen well, Mae. If the person outside sees or finds out about you, you are well and truly dead. Do you understand?”
His voice flows in its most stern tone, assuring me that he’ll carry out with his threat if not obeyed. Or the other person will. Either way, I don’t want to find out.
I nod slowly.
He gives a curt nod and stalks out of the room. The door shuts behind him with a loud click.
I sigh. The exasperated sound is interrupted when my gaze falls on the black beast, sitting at the middle of the room.
Oh. Hell. Aaron left it behind.
My gut clenches. I crawl further into the sofa, hoping to become a chameleon and blend with it. I can’t look away from the animal’s onyx eyes. What if it jumps and rips me apart?
Only a devil like Aaron would keep such an apex predator as a pet.
As if aware of my thoughts about his master, the jaguar stands. I gasp, and my shaky hands fly to stifle it.
Didn’t Aaron say it won’t move unless he commands it?
Thankfully, the animal doesn’t pay me attention. His large body saunters to the door with natural grace. His paw scratches at the wood, in a clear intent to pry it open.
My feet give way and run to the bathroom. I stumble a few times before locking myself inside. “Safe.”
This survival game will one day give me a heart attack.
A strange rustle comes from the other side of the door. Quiet and loud at the same time.
Don’t look, Mae. You’re falling for the horror film cliche.
Now I understand why they look. Curiosity is a vile, stupid thing.
With the tip of my fingers, I crack the door open, enough to have a good view of the room.
Aaron’s pet is where I left him. Only now he’s sitting, his tail whipping left and right as if in anticipation.
The door clicks open and Aaron strolls inside, searching the room. I open my mouth to scold him about leaving his animal behind, when another man brushes past him, barging inside.