Page 68 of Point Blank

“We can leash it with this.”

Milo scoffed. “How are we going to keep it quiet?”

She slipped the tail of the silk tie beneath the animal’s collar and motioned Milo to lead it into the closet. Milo’s scowl deepened, but he obliged, following her with the animal balancing awkwardly in his arms. She knotted another tie to the one around the dog’s collar so that it would have a bit of slack, and then secured it to the rack holding Titus’s pants.

“That’s a good idea, but I’m not sure it will help much once it barks and alerts the house.”

She crouched and rubbed her temple. Milo’s muscles bunched a little less over the now docile dog, which looked as if it just wanted some affection. She reached out and scratched its ears. Its growl deepened, and the animal snapped its head toward her hand. She jerked back.

Milo shook his head. “Nice try, but I don’t think its that kind of dog. We need to get the hell out of here.”

“Maybe no one will hear it. We’re so far away from the servants’ quarters that by the time they find it, we could be off the property.”

Milo nodded. “We’ll close the door. That should stifle some noise.” He inched away from the dog, keeping his hands around its muzzle. “Get ready to run.”

She backed through the door, and Milo tore away from the dog and closed the closet door. The dog let out a deep bark.

“Let’s go.” His hand circled her elbow and towed her through the bathroom.

Click, click, click, click

The hurried sound came from the hallway. They froze on the bedroom’s threshold.

Serena whipped her head to Milo. “What’s that?”

A silhouette appeared in the doorway, and the blood drained from her head.

The animal barked loudly three times, bared its teeth, and charged.

“Fuck!” Milo widened his stance and moved his upper body to shield her. The animal lunged at them, and Serena plowed her fist against her mouth to stifle the scream that ripped from her throat. Milo let out a hiss of pain as the dog clamped its teeth around his forearm and shook as if it had a chew toy.

Blood heated Serena’s veins, but Milo’s struggle with the animal keened through the sound. The other dog’s barks shrieked through the bathroom. Each wail echoed off the last. Her breath wheezed out in sharp pants. She had to do something before the dog ripped Milo’s arm off.

“We need backup! Milo’s being attacked by a dog. It won’t be long before the guards find us.”

“On my way,” Brock said.

“Can you get the dog off? Wedge something in its mouth?” Peyton’s frantic questions hammered at her.

Serena twisted against Milo’s ironclad hold around her waist. A tall, thin soap dispenser sat next to the sink. It was far too wide to wedge in the dog’s mouth, but maybe he wouldn’t like the taste of soap. She grabbed the glass cannister, reached around Milo, and pumped half a dozen squirts into the animal’s mouth.

It snorted and coughed then pulled away from Milo to gag on the floor. She hooked her arm under Milo’s and towed him to the bedroom. His arm hovered in the air and he winced as he shook his hand.

“Thank god for leather. Fuck, that could have been bad.”

She pulled open the balcony door, not in the least relieved by his statement. She wouldn’t be at ease about the bite until she saw it for herself. They stepped onto the concrete slab.

“You go down first. If you’re hurt?—”

“Freeze!”

Serena’s muscles turned to stone and she squeezed her nails into Milo’s bicep. Milo’s hand moved next to her side and she sucked in her breath, willing him not to grab the gun at his back and get them both shot in the head.

“Don’t fucking move!” The man barked. “Both of you, back inside. You robbed the wrong motherfucker’s house.”

She took in Milo’s profile with her peripherals. The jagged edge of his jaw flinched. “Do what he says,” Milo said, loudly enough for the man to hear.

The bag of diamonds burned a hole in the pocket of her jacket. She inched her fingers up her thigh toward it. If she could reach it without being noticed, she could throw the bag over the rail and hopefully Brock would find it.