Page 121 of Brutal Ice

“What did he mean,” Teresa advanced with her head cocked and her expression suspicious, “when he said you were hunting him?”

“Hunting?” He let his brows rise. “Oh, didn’t I mention it? I’ve started working with the Ice Breakers. I’m helping them solve some cold cases.” He would be helping them so it was just a twist on the truth, not a full lie. “I’m gonna be working up close and personal with the doctor of the dead.” He’d finally take the leap and do something that Beau had been pushing him to do. Change up his hobby…work with a team…but still bring down the bad guys.

Since he was planning for a future—with Violet and kids and the whole wild family dream that he’d almost been too afraid to have—Royal was willing to change.

For Violet, he’d do anything.

His head tilted back, and he looked up at the second floor of Punishment. The body hadn’t been brought out yet. But it would be. Sooner or later. Bagged and tagged and then buried in a pit in the ground.

No one would mourn Leo Barnes.

But some would be celebrating his death. I’m gonna celebrate.

Reporters were sneaking closer. He knew they would have picked up the story on the police scanner. More headlines. More people crawling out of the woodwork, pretending to know him and be his long-lost family.

Except…

His head turned to the right. He’d felt the stare on him the whole time. Ever since he’d followed Violet to the ambulance.

The stranger stood with his back against the nearby brick wall. Sure enough, his eyes were locked on Royal.

“Who the hell is he?” Curran asked softly.

Excellent question. “That is something I intend to discover.”

The stranger tipped his head to Royal.

Curran pointed out, “He’s got your face.”

“Not exactly.” But damn close enough. Close enough that if Royal hadn’t just sent a man to hell, he might be freaking the shit out. However, he preferred to focus on one crisis at a time.

The stranger turned and walked away. He headed in the opposite direction of the approaching reporters.

“Want me to stop him?” Curran took a step after the guy.

“Yeah.” He actually did.

“Material witness. He’s not going anywhere.” Curran took off after the stranger. “Hey, buddy! Buddy, stop!”

It paid to have cops who were your friends. Sometimes, those do-gooders would stop you from making a fatal mistake.

And sometimes, they’d be the perfect alibi you needed when you sent a man to hell. Heard every word, didn’t you, Curran? You and everyone near you at the station.

The minute Leo had put the knife to Violet’s throat, he’d been a dead man. But having a whole team of cops hear his confession and the chaos that had played over the phone…Don’t worry, Violet. There’s no way I’ll be seeing the inside of a cell.

Instead, he’d be spending his days and nights with her. For the rest of his life.

Provided, of course, that she wanted forever with him.

Another day, another interrogation room.

Only this time, Royal was the one going in with the questions.

“Are you sure about this?” Violet asked. She stood at Royal’s side. Night had fallen. The hours had swirled by in a blur. As soon as the cops and Feds had cleared him, he’d rushed to the hospital to be with her.

A white bandage still covered her throat. Her eyes were huge. Her skin too pale. And she looked like absolute perfection to him. She always would, no matter what.

“You don’t have to walk into that room,” Violet added. “You don’t have to look back.”

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