Page 85 of Cruel Ice

The murder of a man who’d spent his life terrorizing others. The man who’d given her nightmares for years. Who’d nearly killed her.

Sebastian Glass.

And he was…dead.

She heard Declan’s steps behind her, but didn’t turn around. There was no need to turn around. Everywhere she looked, she saw Declan.We had sex right here. And he carried me up the stairs and he…

With a burst of speed, she entered the den. The lights were on. To the right, heavy, dark curtains blocked the French doors that opened onto a stone terrace that led to a garden—a garden she’d strolled in during the week when Declan had sidelined her. She’d expected the garden to be perfectly maintained. Filled with the most perfect of things but…

It had been overgrown. Unkept.

Cold and sad as if…was this your mother’s garden, Declan? Did it die without her? Like I fear a part of you died?

She hadn’t gotten the chance to question him about the garden. There had been far too many other questions to ask.

The coldness lingered inside. And then she realized that maybe it wasn’t the house that was cold. Maybe it was her. Chill bumps covered her arms.The cold is inside of me.

“You’re afraid of me.” The first words he’d spoken.

She whirled around in a fury. “You killed him.” Not a question. A statement.

His hands were shoved into the pockets of his expensive suit coat. Declan looked like he was posing for some business or tech magazine. The perfect executive. Handsome. Controlled.

And you killed Sebastian Glass.

“I believe another inmate is responsible for stabbing Sebastian Glass. From what I can gather, Glass was swarmed by people who weren’t—well, who weren’t fans, shall we say?”

“Declan.”

His chin lifted. “Marley.”

“You did this.”

He stared at her. She waited for a denial. She waited for something that would tell her?—

A shrug. “He was dead the minute I learned about what he’d done to you.”

Marley shook her head.

But he nodded. “He terrorized you. Stole your joy and replaced it with fear. You were still afraid when you said his name. I could hear the fear in your voice. You were afraid of him. Even though he was behind bars, you feared he’d come for you again.”

How many nights had she woken up, choking on a scream, because she feared that Sebastian had gotten to her? How many times had Eb or Jake run to her and promised her that she was safe?

Only she’d never really felt safe because Sebastian Glass was still out there. Still alive and…

And there were whispers that deals were going to be made with him. A new attorney general who wanted to find the missing victims. A man sentenced to death, but talk of changing his sentence—something that should have been impossible, and there were rumors of letting him?—

“He raped and murdered his victims. He attacked you, Marley. As far as I’m concerned, his death was too easy.”

Her breath shuddered in and out. “How did you do it?”

“This will never be traced back to me. It can’t be. It was a prison riot. How could I possibly be responsible for such an event?”

“Declan.” She stormed toward him. Stood toe to toe with him as she tipped back her head and stared at his dark, dangerous features. “How did you do it?”

Everyone else had been sent from the house for a reason. She knew it. So that Declan could tell her his secrets.

“Sometimes, you just have to arrange a situation. Predict the behavior of others. Glass was hated by the other inmates. Everyone doing max time wanted the bragging rights to say they’d offedBroken Glass,as you called him. It was about creating the right moment. A technical glitch indicated that Glass should be out in the yard at a certain time. The guards simply followed the orders on their screens.”

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