Page 27 of Brutal Ice

“You trusted him then. You’d just met him.” Beau watched her carefully. “Can you keep trusting him now? He isn’t the bad guy.”

Oh, but he was. And Beau knew that. Beau knew him better than anyone else in the world.

Beau wasn’t his blood family. But what did blood matter? Their connection was deeper than blood. When Beau had escaped hell, he’d pulled Royal out of the fire with him. And over the years, Beau had tried to fight the darkness that they both knew lived and breathed inside of Royal.

But there was just no fighting some things.

“Can you trust him?” Beau wanted to know. “Or when you walk out of that door, are you heading straight for the police?”

Violet didn’t respond. She also didn’t look back at Royal again. Dammit.

Avalon inched closer to her. “My name is Avalon Trahan. I’m a true crime writer. Look me up when you leave. Or call the police station and ask to speak to the chief. The chief will vouch for me. The chief will say that I’m not just some random woman with crazy theories.” A slow exhale. “I’m telling you that Royal isn’t the man who took you. I’m also telling you that, if you go to the cops, he will be locked up.”

“Why lock him up if he stopped predators?” Such a soft question.

“Because the stopping wasn’t some easy takedown. Because the legal system isn’t designed for what I did.” And Royal had known that all along. He just hadn’t let the “rules” get in his way. In fact, he’d made his own rules.

“I have to get out of here.” Violet shook her head.

He wanted to grab her. Keep her. “You’re in danger.”

Her eyes snapped over to meet his.

“He’s still out there,” Royal reminded her. “He’s not walking away from you.” Neither am I.

Her hand flew out. Pointed to the desk. “Why the hell did you do that?”

That. Him going down on her like a starving man. Not really something he wanted to discuss with an audience, but, then again, he hadn’t wanted to discuss any of the other shit with Avalon and Beau right there, either. “There are some things you just can’t control.” The way he felt about her was one of those things. “I want you.”

She didn’t say another word. She pivoted on her elegant heel. Wrenched open the door and left with a swirl of her red silk dress.

And every single part of him wanted to rush after her.

“Royal,” Beau began.

Royal lifted his hand even as he turned away from his brother. “Not yet.” He exhaled. I still taste her. And she’d just run away from him. Looked at him as if he were a monster and then fled. He inhaled. Exhaled. The bloody pictures were on the desk. Spread out. It won’t be her. He pulled out his phone. Sent out a quick text to his buddy Kai.

V is on the move. Keep eyes on her at all times.

Three dots appeared as he waited for the response to show then…

On her.

He heard the door click shut softly. Beau must have closed the door. His shoulders stiffened, but he didn’t look over his shoulder. Instead, Royal reached for the scattered photos. He tucked them all back into the folders.

“Royal…” Beau’s seething voice. “If she goes to the cops, you are fucked.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know.”

“You’re just going to let her walk away?” Beau pushed. “She could be heading straight for the nearest uniform right now!”

She could be. She could be moments away from destroying his entire world.

“Aren’t you going to stop her?” Beau seemed stunned.

He peered down at the desk. “No, I’m not.” If she wanted to burn his world to the ground, he supposed he’d just get ready to enjoy the fire. Maybe he should even pick up some marshmallows.

Then a hard hand grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. Beau glared at him. “You lied to me. You said that you’d stopped.”

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