Page 42 of Brutal Ice

Light. A flash of light from Micah’s phone shone onto her face.

“Power failure. Can you believe this crap? I have to get the dancers off the stage before someone breaks a leg, and I’m screwed.” The light stayed on her. “You are safe here, Violet. Andy built the coffin, and he’s coming. The lock just jammed.”

Why was there a lock? Why had a lock been included at all?

“You’re safe,” Micah said again. “I have to get everyone else off my stage. But I’ll be back. You just breathe and don’t break the glass!”

She’d panicked and started pounding the glass. Her hands froze.

“We don’t want to have to build another one. It’s just a technical glitch. You know this sort of thing happens all the time.” The light lingered on her. “I’ll be right back.”

He was leaving her? They were all leaving her?

The light pulled away as Micah’s steps pounded to the right.

Darkness engulfed her. Panic built. This was not happening. They couldn’t leave her there. She wasn’t just going to stay in the trunk, helpless, until that bastard came back and finished her off. She couldn’t die now. She wouldn’t die. She’d get out of the damn trunk even if?—

Not a trunk. You’re not in a trunk. You’re in a coffin.

And wasn’t that even worse? Her right hand fisted, and she drove it at the glass above her.

Light.

Light hit her face. She squinted and expected to see?—

“It’s me, Violet.” Royal’s voice. And she could hear his fury. “I’m getting you the hell out of there, sweetheart. Roll to the side. Get as far to the left as you can.”

She immediately rolled and hunched her body.

Thuds sounded behind her. The crack of glass and then…then a faint squeak as the coffin lid lifted. She rolled back.

“Easy.” Royal’s arms caught her. He hauled her up and into his arms. “Broke some glass when I shattered that damn lock.” He pulled her tighter against him.

She was shaking.

“I’ve got you,” he growled against her ear.

How was he there? Oh, screw it. Forget how. She was just grateful he was there.

“What the hell are you doing?” Micah’s horrified voice. “The coffin! What did you do to the coffin?”

Held tightly in Royal’s arms, Violet turned her head in the direction of Micah’s voice. In that moment, the stage lights turned on again. Startlingly bright and too powerful. She blinked quickly. Over and over as her eyes tried to adjust to the sudden, almost blinding brightness.

“What the hell were you doing?” Royal snarled back. “You left her trapped in there.” And, with his hold on Violet tightening, he took an aggressive step toward Micah.

She felt something whistle in the air. Or at least, it seemed like a whistle.

Some thing hurtled down right behind her and Royal and glass shattered. Not one little crack. Shatter.

With her in his arms, Royal bounded forward. Loud screams echoed throughout the theater and then…

“OhmyGod!” Simone’s shocked voice. “If Violet had still been in the coffin, that light could have killed her!”

She strained and peeked over Royal’s shoulder. One of the lights had fallen from overhead. Big, black, round. The light had hurtled into the side of the coffin. Broken glass littered the stage.

Everyone seemed to have frozen. Violet’s horrified gaze was on the coffin. On all that glass. “Again,” she breathed. She looked at Royal.

And found him staring down at her.

---