Page 53 of Ice Me Baby

I stop in front of the door where I hear the music coming from. Wiggling the handle, I find it locked. So without hesitation, I take a few steps back before throwing the weight of my body into the door.

The moment it slams open, I’m bombarded by the scent of citrus. It’s overpowering, but I try to ignore it. There’s a shivering body in the corner, and I rush in but freeze once I’mcloser. Her stalker blindfolded her and covered her ears with headphones. Her hands are tied behind her, and there’s a gag in her mouth. The blindfold is soaked with her tears.

I tentatively reach out and pull the gag out of her mouth first. She begins to scream, and I wince as I quickly pull off the headphones and blindfold.

She looks around wildly, and I try to soothe her by holding up my hands in surrender. I don’t mean to sound like I’m talking to a wild animal as I say softly, “We're here now. We’ve got you, Ice Princess.”

Her eyes shoot up to mine, and I have to stifle a gasp. She looks like a ghost of her former self. Her skin is pale and clammy, and her body shakes with uncontrollable tremors. Her eyes are wide as she stutters, “D-dean?”

I bite my lip as emotions overwhelm me. What do I do? How can I help? I lower myself to the floor, so I’m more at her level. “Yeah… yeah it’s me.” I slowly reach out and untie her hands.

When she shoots up from her crouched position, I jerk and almost fall backward by the force of her jumping at me. I barely catch her as she wraps herself around me. Her hold is almost too tight as she chants in a hushed tone. “You’re real. You’re real.”

I glance at the headphones and wonder what she was forced to listen to while we searched for her. My grip on her tightens as I say softly, “I’m real, Ice Princess.”

Mac follows my gaze to the headphones and slowly makes his way over. He bends to pick them up before holding them next to his ear. His eyes widen before darkening with rage. When his eyes meet mine again, I almost shrink back from the hatre I see there. I’ve never seen my fun-loving friend look like he wants to kill someone before.

Her fingers tangle in my hair as she tries to snuggle closer. “Don’t let go, Dean. Don’t let go.”

I manage to stand, and her legs wrap around me like a boa constrictor. Coiling around me as tightly as she can. I’m not entirely sure the best way to hold her so she doesn’t drop. I slide my hands to the edge of her butt, and when she doesn’t shy away, I get a better grip on her.

Whatever Mac heard on the headphones makes him throw them against the wall before turning to me. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.” He points to Liz. “She’s coming home with us.”

I nod, no point in arguing. I had already planned to bring her home with us or stay at her place. There’s no chance of us letting her out of our sight again.

As we head for the door, we find a note stuck to it. Without even needing to read it, my stomach angrily churns.

Chapter Twenty-One

Afew weeks have passed since the incident at the rink, and the guys haven’t left me alone once. I’m either at the common house or my apartment with guards posted outside. Though, I don’t mind having Dean and Mac all to myself, which is probably a bad thing, considering we shouldn’t be flirting with the idea of a relationship.

I haven’t seen a note from my stalker since, which probably means they are no longer being sent or the guys find them before I do. Either way, I’m glad. The stress of what happened still hasn’t left my body, and it has me lashing out.

I throw my hands in the air as desperation, stress, and the general feeling of being overwhelmed consume me, and I yell, “I can’t take this!”

Mac and Dean jump up from their seats on the couch in my living room with worry in their eyes. Mac holds his hands up in a placating gesture as he says softly, “What’s wrong?”

My eyes burn as tears build, and I gesture around me wildly. “I feel confined and claustrophobic!”

Dean looks to Mac before walking around the couch to me. “What can we do to help?”

“I don’t know!” I scream.

He instantly wraps me in his arms, locking me in tight. I go to fight, but a sense of calm washes over my body as I’m wrapped in his warm scent. I melt in his arms as I continue to cry. “I’m sorry.”

He holds me close as he whispers, “Nothing to be sorry about, Ice Princess.”

I feel another warm body behind me, enveloping me in the smells of Mac and Dean. Like a campfire on a snowy night.

“Breath with me, Chérie. In. Out,” Mac says from behind me.

I do as he says, inhaling fire and ice. It’s a few minutes before my tears dry, and Dean loosens his hold on me, so I can wrap my arms around him. My grip tightens in his hoodie as I continue to take in deep breaths.

“Bien?” Mac whispers.

“Yes,” I whisper back, refusing to let go of Dean.

Dean’s chest rumbles as he asks, “Why don’t we go out for a bit?”

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