Page 44 of Brutal Ice

Fear.

“You…you aren’t serious,” Micah gasped out.

Royal glared at the idiot. “Do I look like I’m standing here making jokes, dumbass?”

Murmurs swept through the crowd. It was one thing to have a mishap with a piece of equipment. It was another to have just witnessed an attempted murder.

Suddenly, Micah was grabbing Royal’s arm. “You think…” A swift glance toward Violet. “You think the man who took Violet just tried to kill her? In my theater?”

He didn’t think this was the prick’s MO. But he also didn’t buy that two weeks after being taken, Violet suddenly had someone randomly throwing big ass rocks at her house and having a light fall and nearly kill her while she was trapped in a freaking coffin.

A few things needed to be made clear. Right the hell now. “The set will never be closed to me.” Micah needed to understand that vital fact. “Where Violet goes, I go. Consider me her personal bodyguard.”

Micah’s hand dropped. His lips twisted as some of his cockiness returned. “A billionaire bodyguard? Is that even a thing?”

Royal stared back at him. Just stared.

And Micah lost his twisted smile. He backed up a step. More glass crunched.

“It’s a thing right now,” Royal assured him. “If I’m not with Violet, one of my team members will be. Obviously, you can’t see to her safety. So I will.” Her fingers still pressed to his shoulder. Was she trying to calm him down? Not going to happen. He was close to exploding. She’d been fucking trapped in a coffin. A coffin. The big light had hurtled right for her. No way that was a coincidence. “You will be providing me all-access to the theater and to Violet from here on out.”

Micah bobbed his head in agreement. “I’m sure we can make arrangements for you.”

“Good. And the next thing you’ll be doing…” He looked at the crowd. “I want the name of every person here.”

“Uh, you’re not the cops…” Micah began as his shoulders stiffened.

“No, I’m something a whole lot scarier.” He needed everyone to understand this. “Violet isn’t going to be hurt. Anyone going after her will have to fucking claw through me first.”

“They’re my friends.”

Royal and Violet were in her dressing room. The cops had come. They were currently still talking to the crew and performers. A crime scene team was collecting evidence. Hours had passed.

And Royal still hadn’t calmed down.

He and Violet had recently gotten the all clear to leave, and he’d followed Violet back to her dressing room. No way was he letting her out of his sight.

She sat in front of a vanity mirror. Soft light spilled from the round bulbs that circled the mirror. He stalked up behind her as she stared into the mirror. Her gaze darted to his reflection. “My friends wouldn’t hurt me,” she said.

Was she trying to convince herself? Or him?

“They wouldn’t,” Violet insisted.

“Everyone out there isn’t a friend, sweetheart.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “You need to be careful who you trust.”

A soft, almost broken laugh escaped her. “Those people out there didn’t kidnap me. They didn’t put me in his trunk. They didn’t?—”

“You were taken from the theater. You were just nearly killed in the theater.” And there was something else that burned in him. Something that he needed to tell her. Something he’d held back, but they were supposed to be partners now and—dammit. This was going to hurt her. “I have the theater’s security footage from the night of your abduction.”

Her eyes were still on his in the mirror. “I want to see it.”

Yeah, he’d figured she would.

Violet wet her lips. “And do I want to know how you got the footage?”

“I have my ways.”

“Of course, you do.” A shake of her head. “So, you’re my bodyguard now, huh?”

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