Page 94 of Born of Ice

He’s beautiful. So strong and powerful and yes, angry but also controlled.

“Exton! That was amazing!” I praise him and he looks up to me with two shining eyes, looking as excited as Emett does whenever Exton shows him something and he does it right.

“Told you it was easy.”

“Andddd he’s cocky again.” But I let it slide, sensing he needs it. Sensing that it’s more than attitude, it’s his hiding place.

I’m about to move onto the next trick when he’s next to me, the ice sloshing over the blanket I have around my legs and Exton’s hand cups my face, his lips are on mine as he breathes out. “Thank you.”

I lick my lips, gathering the taste of him and give him a small nod, knowing exactly what he’s thanking me for.

Exton gives my chin a tiny pinch and moves back on the ice demanding to learn more and so we do.

I teach him to slide on one leg as the other one is in the air set perpendicular to the other and he only falls about a hundred times before he gets it, but there’s no more anger, only laughing.

We are both laughing like two silly kids playing in the snow. Exton throws snowballs at me when I taunt him and an hourinto it, my stomach is cramping with all the exertion I’m putting it through.

“Show me the spinny thingy you do,” he exclaims. “Oh, and a jump! I want to spinny and jump.”

I shake my head with a soft smile on my face. “Spinny?”

“It’s a word, deal with it.”

“Thespinnyis bit too complicated.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “Are you telling me I wouldn’t be able to do it? You should know better by now.” He plants his hands on his waist like a little brat, and I break out in giggles. “Fine! I’m doing one on my own,” he proclaims and starts spinning on the ice with the grace of a bear, falling a million times and bouncing back like a rubber ball that’s been dropped one too many times and barely has any juice left in it.

So what I mean is he’s basically rolling on that ice to get up.

“S-stop, stop.” I’m wheezing wiping the tears off my eyes. “I can’t take it anymore. I’ve never laughed so much in my life.”

“Wait till I add the jump to the spinny!”

Exton skates farther away for some speed, I’m guessing and then the whole two-hundred-something pounds of muscle jump up…

The next ten seconds take an ion to pass…but also happen in a blink.

Maybe if I wasn’t laughing so hard, I’d hear it.

The crack.

Maybe if I wasn’t so lost in feeling happy, I’d sense it.

The change.

Maybe if I didn’t let him thaw the ice around my heart,it wouldn’t break all over again.

Splintering into a million sharp, life-threatening pinpricks as each one stabs through the blood-pumping muscle.

Maybe if I’d remember the power of the ice,I’d keep him from it.

Because the ice is unforgiving. It’s cold, ruthless and doesn’t take well to feelings.

It’s an iceberg that kills.

And all I can do is sit and watch it swallow the love of my life. Pull it under. Drag him into its cold lair. Away from me. Forever.

“EXTON!”

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