Page 8 of Locked In Ice

Maybe things could have been different.

But no one got a do-over in this world.A lesson she’d learned long ago.

Lane stared back at her with green eyes that glittered.Lots of anger.A furious intensity.But the intensity only showed in his eyes.Everything else about him seemed ice cold.His expression was carefully blank.His body hard and tense.

Control.

She knew he had it wrapped tightly around him.But the thing about people who heldso tightlyto control…

Those are the people most likely to explode.

“You’re staring,” Lane finally told her.

“Sorry.Got swept away by your insane good looks.”

No crack in his rock-hard expression.

Ophelia winced.“I can see that you are going to be a delight as a training partner.Nonstop laughs, am I right?”

“I’m not looking for laughs.”He took a step closer to the table.His gaze swept over her.Damn if it wasn’tdismissive.

Her spine stiffened.No one dismissed her.He would regret that mistake.She’d make sure of it.

His attention shifted to Memphis.“She’s not the right person.I asked for someone with expertise on killers.I wanted to study with the best.This isn’t some game for me—”

“No?”she cut in to ask.“You’re not some bored rich boy looking to play vigilante and take down some bad guys?”

His head whipped back toward her.

He was very easy to play.And she rather enjoyed riling him up.It sent a thrill chasing through her veins.She waved at him.“Hi.”

His stare hardened.Glittered so brightly.

“You shouldn’t make judgments about people.You’re way too early to the game in order to make any kind of good profile.Take me, for example.”

He growled.A deep, oddly sexy sound.

She flashed her bright smile at him.“You have me pegged all wrong.Because I can assure you, Iamthe right person for the job.Probably the only one who can do it properly.”Her head turned toward Memphis.“I’ll do it.Consider me his trainer for the next month.”And she extended her hand across the table to Memphis.

Memphis closed his hand around hers, being very careful with his strength.He was one of those guys, after all.The kind who always used care with someone he thought was weaker.

I am not weak.

“Great.”Memphis let her go.“I’ve got places to be—places far from here—and a wife I need to see.So, I’ll just leave you two, shall I?Let you get to know each other better while I get the hell out of town.”He slid from the booth.Stood beside Lane.

Both men were tall, powerful.And a darkness clung to them.But Memphis appeared far more relaxed than Lane.She didn’t have the feeling he was about to explode at any moment.

Memphis commanded his darkness.The darkness did not own him.As for Lane…

It’s my job to find out just how dark he truly is.Because she knew Memphis had just hired her fortwojobs.Training Lane?Sure, absolutely.That was the surface job, and she could certainly teach him all about the motivations of killers.

But the second job?The one that Memphis wasn’t sharing and the whole reason she suspected he’d offered the gig to her in the first place?

Because I can see the monsters.I can see evil.And Memphis wanted to know if his new Ice Breaker recruit might one day go over the edge.

“That’s it?”Lane glared at him.“You’re dumping me on her and cutting town?Way to be part of a team, buddy.”

“That’s not quite it.”Memphis slapped Lane on the shoulder.The gold wedding ring gleamed on Memphis’s hand.“Good job getting Thomas Bass locked away and saving the cheerleader.”The slap turned into a hard grip.“But next time, don’t go in without backup.Would hate for you to become a victim when you’re so dead set on being a hero.”His stare lasered over at Ophelia.“Keep him alive.”

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