Page 114 of Brutal Ice

“My, um, great-uncle used to own a lot of property.” He raked a hand through his hair. “A lot has been sold off.” Mentioning that he went out there every now and then to tend to some grapevines didn’t seem like a good idea. Was it a fucking crime that he’d always enjoyed making some wine? Probably, in the eyes of the cops. “His ex-wife manages things. She sells stuff to help provide for his medical care. Guy lost his mind. Doesn’t know what’s happening around him.”

Teresa’s heels tapped across the floor. “Violet Murphy was abducted and taken to that winery, and you saw no need to mention your great-uncle owned the place?”

His lips clamped together.

“Thought it might make you look guilty, huh?” Curran asked.

Yeah, actually, he had thought that.

“Not. A. Word.” From the lawyer.

Was that all the over-priced prick could say?

“We have an expert who has been searching the winery.” Teresa peered down at Micah. “The cop just came in to inform me that our expert has made a startling discovery. At least two bodies are buried at the winery.”

Oh, fuck. He shook his head.

Teresa had returned to her side of the table. But she didn’t sit. She stared straight at him. “Guess that spot was special for you, huh? Those your first kills?”

“I haven’t killed anyone!”

“First kills are usually sloppy,” she told him. “So I’m looking forward to finding the evidence you left behind.” She slapped her hands on the table and leaned toward him. “And then I will nail your ass to the wall.”

He leapt to his feet. “It wasn’t me! It’s a setup! Can’t you see that?” He lunged for her.

And the uniformed cop who was still in the room grabbed him and slammed Micah face-first into the table. He thrashed against the cop’s hold. “Look, dammit! Fine, fine—I made the light fall on stage! I did that shit. I just—I wanted the publicity! If Violet got a few scratches, I knew it would be one hell of a story. But I’m not a killer! I’m not!”

His lawyer was yelling, but Micah didn’t care. He fought the young cop. Twisted so he could at least see—Curran. The detective was frowning at him. “It’s a setup!” Spittle flew from Micah’s mouth. “Someone lured me out to that godforsaken gas station! When Simone called me, she told me that she knew what I’d done. That I had to come or she’d go to the cops.” A snarl broke from him. “Don’t you see? Someone wanted me to be at that place! Someone wants me to pay for all these crimes. But I didn’t do it! I swear, I didn’t kill anyone!”

The last time she’d been in Punishment, it had been filled with dancers. Music. Laughter. The lights had rolled over the crowd. Concealing. Revealing.

She’d danced on the floor with Royal. They’d started their pretend relationship on the dance floor so that others would see them and believe they’d fallen hard for each other.

Simone was here. She was worried and didn’t want to leave me on my own.

“I’ll stay out front,” Kai announced. “If you need me, just shout.”

His voice pulled Violet out of the memory. Her head turned in time to catch Kai giving a little salute as he stepped back outside.

The club wouldn’t open for hours. It was just her and Royal inside. And he was heading for the spiral staircase. Or, he had been. He’d stopped and extended his hand toward her.

Royal said he loved me.

Then they’d arrived at Punishment, and she hadn’t been given the chance to say anything else to him. They’d kissed in the limo. She could still taste him. Could feel the heat of his mouth seeming to linger against her own.

She hurried toward him and took his offered hand. The stairs squeaked a little beneath their steps, and then, a few moments later, they were on the second floor. He unlocked his door. Ushered her inside and turned on the lights.

Her gaze darted to his desk.

He went down on me right here.

Why did that seem so long ago?

“What is causing that blush, sweetheart?” Royal murmured. “Reliving the past? Or thinking about the future?”

A little bit of both.

He hurried around the desk. Then to the wall. An abstract piece of artwork hung on that wall. Reds and blacks on the white canvas. He lifted it up to reveal a wall safe. She watched in silence as he turned the dial and then entered a code. He even scanned his retina.

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