Page 13 of Locked In Ice

Lane didn’t want anyone druggingher.He didn’t want Ophelia in danger at all.Not in any way.“Ophelia—”

“Move it, sexy.Time is ticking.”

***

“I am so glad I met you.”Ophelia trailed her index finger down her target’s arm.Royce Nicholson.And she was glad.Very glad.The odds had been against her finding him on the first night of her hunt, but fate had shined on her.

Royce preened.It had been so easy to sidle up next to him at the bar.To mutter about her “asshole ex showing up,” as she jerked her thumb over her shoulder to indicate a glowering Lane.Royce had been all about jumping in to heal her wounded heart.

Royce was big, with muscles that strained his leather jacket.And that dark tattoo on his neck just screamed badass.Or, at least, she thought that was what he wanted it to scream.

“Let me buy you a drink,” Royce offered with a wide smile.“Then how about we dance the night away?”

“Sounds wonderful.”She stared into his eyes.Dark eyes that glinted with charm.He even had a dimple in his left cheek that winked with his smile.She was sure he worked that dimple at every opportunity.“But I can’t have too much alcohol.I am such a lightweight.”

He motioned to the bartender.Gave a quick order, then leaned in close to tell Ophelia, “You don’t have to worry.I’m one of the good guys.You get too drunk, and I’ll take care of you.”

The way you took care of Sylvia?But she just nodded.His fingers were on her thigh.His touch sent chills coursing over her.It took all of her self-control not to grab his hand and break a finger.Say, his pinky finger.It was the easiest to break, after all.One quick snap, and she bet Royce would be howling in pain.

But she wouldn’t have any proof.She’d have his pain, yes, but Ophelia needed more.

“Why don’t you go find us a booth?”Royce asked.“I’ll bring the drinks to the table for us.That way, you don’t have to stay here at the too-crowded bar.”

Tricky bastard.Acting so kind and considerate.But, really, she knew Royce wanted her away from the drinks.The better for him to add a little something special to hers.

But she just smiled and bobbed her head.She made her way to a booth, far too conscious of Lane’s glower.The man seriously needed to dial things back.Granted, this was their first case together and shehadsprung it on him suddenly, but you didn’t learn to swim by staying on the beach.You had to get in the water.

So come get in the water, Lane.Dip those toes in.

She sat at the booth.Rocked in tune with the blasting beat of music.

Royce joined her.He had a whiskey for himself and some bright green drink for her.“Something sweet and sexy.”He winked as he sat across from her.“Just like you.”

Oh, but the man could not have been more wrong.Sweet was not a word that had ever been used to describe her.

“Cheers,” he said as he lifted his whiskey.

She toasted him and brought her drink to her mouth as—

“Ophelia, what the fuck are you doing with him?”Lane snarled.

Ah, so he’d decided to interrupt at the perfect time.She could have clapped.Definite points for him.Instead, as Royce’s head whipped toward a seemingly furious Lane, she lowered her drink beneath the table and poured a healthy portion of it onto the floor.She kept the other half.They’d need that as evidence.

“She’s having a drink, asshole,” Royce snapped back.“What does it look like?”

She clutched her glass.“Lane, we’re over.”Flat.

“Yeah, Lane.”Royce jumped out of his seat.“Over.”He made a shooing motion with his hand.“So why don’t you get your ass lost?”

Lane didn’t get his ass lost.Instead, he stepped closer to Royce.“You don’t want to fuck with me.”

“No, I want to fuck with her.”Royce smiled at him.

What a dick.

“So run along,” Royce advised him.“Before someone gets hurt.”

Lane stared at him…and laughed.

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