Page 45 of Brutal Ice

“I’ve played the role before. I can do it again.” Actually… “I’m pretty damn good at it.”

“You saved me today.”

He’d gone to the theater after talking with Beau because he’d had an overwhelming urge to see her. Was he developing his own obsession? Maybe.

She caught his hand. Brought it to her lips and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “Thank you.”

Okay, shit. Probably. Or even…definitely. He was definitely developing an obsession. He knew he had to tread carefully. He also had to tell her the truth. For some reason, the truth mattered with her. “I think someone else was in the video.”

“What?” Her grip tightened on him.

He inhaled. Exhaled. “After you’re taken…when the sedan drives off…” Because he’d kept watching. Hell, he’d watched and watched the video endlessly in the last two weeks, and each time he’d seen her attack, rage had filled him.

That same, dark rage filled him now.

“If you look closely in the footage,” Royal told her grimly, “you will see the flash of lights.”

In the mirror, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t understand. What does that mean?”

“It’s the flash of lights as in…someone is turning on a car.”

Her lips parted.

“Someone could have been out back.” Someone had been out back. “Parked in the theater’s rear lot, just like you were, and that person could have seen you getting taken.”

She shook her head. “No. No one reported that. No one said anything about seeing the abduction. You’re wrong.”

He’d like to be wrong. But Royal didn’t think that he was. And, deep down, he wondered if she believed what she was saying. Or if she was afraid to face the truth.

“You are wrong,” she argued. “Because if someone…if someone had seen him take me…” She leapt to her feet and spun toward him. “They would have helped me.”

He stared at her. Such a lovely face. Silken skin.

Someone cutting her face? Micah being okay with her having a few fucking slashes? Oh, hell, no. He’d be paying a visit to Micah again soon. They needed to have a little one-on-one chat. Because when it came to suspects, Micah was at the top of Royal’s list.

“If they didn’t help…then…they’d be okay with me dying.”

He stared at her. “You aren’t dying.” His hand lifted. The back of his fingers slid over her cheek. Never going to get cut. “You have me now.”

“You’re…dangerous.”

“Yes.” Why deny the truth? “But not to you. I’m not ever going to hurt you.” The chair was between their bodies. In his way. With his free hand, he shoved the chair to the side. She inched toward him. Her body brushed against his. “Are you scared of me?” Royal asked her.

Seemed important to know.

“I think I am.”

Fair enough. His hand dropped.

“But I want you far more than I fear you.” Now she was the one to touch his face. Her fingers curled under his jaw. “Kiss me, Royal?”

His eyes were on her mouth. “Probably not a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not in complete control right now.”

“That doesn’t sound like a problem.”

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