Page 98 of Locked In Ice

“I swore I would never make the same mistake again.I wouldn’t hold back.I tell peoplenotto hold back.”She puffed out her cheeks and exhaled.“This is a shit time to tell you.”

Ophelia loved him?“Why?”

“It’s a shit time because we’re going after a killer.Because I have to get on the road.Because the next twenty-four hours could be dangerous as hell.And because you are looking at me like I have gone absolutely mad.”

That wasn’t how he meant to look at her.

She sent him a smile.Sweet and sad at the same time.“I’m not asking anything of you, Lane.”Gentle.“I just want you to know how I feel.”

He shook his head.

Ophelia crept toward him.

“No,” he said.

“Yes.”She touched his arm, and he flinched.“Lane.”

He’d been staring just over her head, but at the tender whisper, his gaze flew to hers.

“You are worth loving.”

He had to swallow.His stupid throat had gotten clogged.

She rose onto her toes.Pulled him toward her.And feathered a kiss over his cheek.

You are worth loving.

“Now how about we go catch us a killer, hmm?”Ophelia murmured.

Chapter Nineteen

She’d scared the hell out of him.

Made the man practically catatonic.Sure, he’d replied when she’d spoken to him during the drive.Mostly one-word responses.His eyes burned with too much intensity.His body was held far too stiffly.And Lane looked at her…

As if she’d wrecked his world.

Could she have picked a better time for the big reveal?Absolutely.She’d probably picked the worst time in the world.But the truth had just slammed into her.He’d made that infuriating vow to die for her—not happening, by the way—and the truth had just been there.

But maybe it had been lurking beneath the surface for a while.A realization she’d been afraid to see because love could hurt you.It could rip you into a thousand pieces and leave you scattered on the ground.

Or crying in an alley as you lose everything that matters.

So, no, she didn’t regret telling Lane the truth.

And she truly wasn’t expecting anything in return.

She wanted to hit Thomas’s place at night.In her experience, a good B&E was always easier under the cover of darkness.So when they got to town, she had a bit of time to kill.

Ophelia headed for the medical examiner’s office.Hopefully, Benny would be in a cooperating mood, and he wouldn’t toss her ass out.

They parked in the lot.She glanced over at Lane.Found his brooding stare already on her.

Ophelia winked at him.

His brow furrowed.“You were…joking.”

Oh, that was three words.Not just one.Progress.“Nope.”Whoops.She’d gone to one word.Lane was rubbing off on her.

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