Page 30 of Stone Cold Touch

“Holy crap,” I whispered, jumping as the library door slammed off the wall and Wardens poured out in the hall.

Abbot was first. “What the Hell happened out here?”

“I don’t know.” I straightened and turned. Three large panes of windows had been obliterated. “Wow.”

“Are you okay?” Dez asked, coming to my side. Not too close, but enough that I could see that his pupils had dilated.

I glanced down. In my bare feet, walking would prove tricky. Glass covered the floor, twinkling like little diamonds in the foyer light. “Yeah. Not even a scratch.”

Nicolai and Geoff approached the blown-out windows. Being our resident security expert, Geoff looked disturbed as he leaned out the window and with good reason. “These windows are reinforced glass. It would take damn near a rocket to break them and nothing or no one is down there. None of the motion detectors have gone off or any of the charms.”

“Or in here.” Nicolai turned around, frowning. “There’s no bricks or anything.”

Abbot turned to me and the taut line his jaw formed told me he was not happy. My gaze dipped to his hands. In one he held a small vial of milky-white liquid. “What happened in here, Layla?” he asked before I could question what he held.

“I don’t know. I was walking down the hall and the windows—they just cracked and then exploded.” I shook my head and pieces of glass wiggled free from my hair, clinking off the hardwood floors. Great. It would take forever to get all the glass out. I carefully stepped to the side.

Abbot arched a brow. “So you did nothing?”

My head jerked up. “Of course not! I didn’t do anything.”

“Then how did the windows get broken if there’s nothing here that could have done it?”

I forgot about the glass as I stared up at Abbot. Cold air rushed in through the windows, but that wasn’t the cause of the sudden chill skidding down my spine. “I don’t know, but I’m telling the truth. I didn’t do anything.”

Geoff faced us, crossing his arms. The dimple in his chin was all but gone. “Layla, there’s nothing in here that would’ve broken the windows.”

“It wasn’t me, though.” My gaze darted among the men. None of them, not even Dez or Nicolai, wore expressions that said they believed me. “Why would I break out the windows?”

Abbot raised his chin. “Why were you in the hallway?”

“I don’t know.” Irritation pricked at my skin. “Maybe I was walking to the kitchen or the living room. Or one of the many rooms down here?”

His eyes narrowed. “Do not take that tone with me, Layla.”

“I’m not taking a tone!” My voice rose a notch. “You’re blaming me for something I didn’t do!”

“The windows didn’t break themselves.” The hue of his eyes burned a brilliant blue. “If it was an accident, I’d rather you tell me the truth. No more lies.”

“No more lies? That’s real nice coming from you,” I shot back. The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, and well, it was like having one foot in the grave already. “Especially when you’re telling them to keep an eye on me.”

His chest rose in a deep breath as he stepped forward, towering over me. “So you were out here eavesdropping when the windows were broken?”

“No!” Not really. At least that’s not why I was originally down here, but that wasn’t the point. “I was just walking by and heard my name. The door was cracked open. It wasn’t like you all were trying to be quiet about it.”

Dez stepped toward us. “Layla—”

Holding up a hand, Abbot silenced the younger Warden. “What did you hear?”

I folded my arms, silent. Unexpected stubbornness filled me. I didn’t say anything even though I’d only heard the one part.

He lowered his head and the act seemed to symbolize how unafraid of me he was, and for some reason, that relieved me. When he spoke, his voice was low and frighteningly calm. “What did you hear, Layla?”

Summoning courage, I kept my mouth shut and forced myself to meet his stare. “Why? What do you think I heard?”

His nostrils flared with a heavy exhale. “Girl, I raised you as one of my own. You will speak to me with respect and you will answer my question.”

A quiver of fear shot through my muscles. There was a huge part of me that wanted to tell him that I hadn’t heard much, wanted to make him happy, because he was the closest thing I had to a father. His approval was something I constantly sought, but this—thiswasn’t fair and I wasn’t going to be a doormat for him.

---