Page 4 of Locked In Ice

“Thank goodness you’re here!”Ophelia cried out.“That man…he attacked me and my friend!”

One of the cops squinted as he stared down at Thomas.“Principal Bass?”

Thomas clutched his right wrist.Blood poured from his busted lips.“They broke into my house!”Blood and spittle sprayed with each word.“Attacked me!”

Oh, the hell he was gonna play the victim.

“Check the bedroom,” Ophelia retorted flatly.“Look at the box on top of his bed.Left it there for you, all helpful-like.This man is a killer—”

“Victim!”Thomas bellowed.More blood flew.

“Victims don’t have souvenirs of multiple murders in their bedrooms,” she threw right back even as she somehow managed to appear both vulnerable and tragically brave as she faced the cops.“And they also don’t tie up people in their guest rooms.”Her shoulder bumped into Lane.“My friend needs medical attention.He was knocked out by this monster.”

Lane stiffened.He’d taken a blast from the taser and gotten slammed in the head with the butt of a gun.It wasn’t like it had beeneasyto knock him out.And he didn’t need medical attention.He was fine.Furious, but fine.

“He…attacked me!”Thomas spat out what appeared to be a tooth.He rolled and tried to get to his feet.

Lane tensed.This sonofabitch wasn’t going to talk his way out of this mess.

“The box is here!”Someone yelled from down the hallway.“Jewelry…pictures of dead girls—fuck!”

And even though cops were in the guest room, Thomas suddenly tried to make a run for it.He lunged for the little window on the right.Like he could fit through that thing.

Lane casually extended his foot.

Thomas tripped over it and barreled into the wall even as the cops swarmed him.When he tried to swing at them, the cops took him down.

Hard.

Ophelia exhaled.Her hands finally lowered.So did Lane’s.She stared at him.Waited.The cops were locking cuffs on Thomas.He was raging and screaming and making all kinds of threats.

Ophelia kept her gaze on Lane.“Well?”

His head ached like a bitch.He flexed his hands.“Well, what?”

A long-suffering sigh escaped her.“You clearly have no sense of gratitude.”

His eyes narrowed.

“That should be Ice Breaker lesson number two.Always thank the people who save your ass.”

Lane leaned toward her and ignored the chaos around them.“He had you on the floor,” he said softly.“I savedyou.Where’s my thank you?”

She blinked her gorgeous eyes at him.Then her hand rose and patted his cheek.“That is precious.I had him right where I wanted him.”

“The hell you did—” He stopped.Looked down.A gun pressed to his side.

His stare whipped back up to hers.

She winked.But then said, “Shhh.Let’s not say the g-word and send all the cops into a panic, shall we?They’re rather busy, and I’m sure they’ll search us both soon enough.”She tucked the gun back under her shirt before turning and strolling for the door.“Great job, officers,” she called.“Protecting and defending.Love it.Five stars.”

Lane curled his hand around her shoulder and spun her to face him.“Why didn’t you use that weapon if you had it the whole time?”

She rose onto her tiptoes.Her hands curled around his shoulders as she tugged him close, then Ophelia whispered into his ear, “Because I was trying to keep him alive.Dead men can’t give families closure.Ice Breaker, lesson number three.You should seriously be writing down the info I am giving you.It is gold.I get that you were given some guidance by Memphis Camden, and the guyisgood, but I’m better.”

“You—you—”

“Are better.Right.”Her breath teased the shell of his ear.“That’s what I said.Actually, for the record, I’m the best.”She eased back down so her heels touched the floor.Stared up at him.

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