Page 12 of Prey

It shouldn't surprise me his thoughts would immediately be sexual. He was a guy, after all.

My insides might have been trembling, but I managed to raise my chin and stare him down.

"We're not going to hurt you," he said as though he saw right through the brave façade. "No matter what happens, that's the last thing any of us wants."

I held his gaze as long as I could, but I was the first to blink and look away.

Ice placed his knuckle under my chin and turned my face back towards him.

"Hey, Beautiful," he said softly. "It's okay, I promise."

I swallowed, but managed to look him right in his face. I didn't know how, but I got the feeling he knew exactly why I ran. If he did, how could he promise not to hurt me?

"I don't know what the fuck is going on," Mannix started. "But we're going home. Now." He gestured for Charlie to give him the key to the handcuffs. "We're going to watch our parents get married and then we'll sort this out." His tone left no room for argument.

Charlie walked over to the kitchen and took the key out of the drawer. He handed it to Mannix who tossed it to Ice. Ice caught it with one hand and crouched down to unlock the handcuff from the couch.

I started to jerk my wrist away and stand, but before I could, Ice snapped the cuff around his own wrist.

I dropped back down with a plop.

Fuck.

"I've always wanted to know how it felt to be handcuffed to someone." Ice smiled like he was playing some kind of fun game and not a terrifying one of cat and mouse. I was a tiny mouse and they were the three, hungry lions.

He slipped the key into his pocket and stood, pulling me to my feet in the process.

"This could be fun, don't you think?" He grinned.

"Not as much fun as it would be if you took this off." I raised my hand and looked pointedly at the handcuff.

His mouth curled up further. He leaned in and said, "I'll happily take everything off you but that."

"I can't go to my mother's wedding handcuffed to you, or anyone else," I pointed out.

He looked thoughtful. "It is more of a bachelor party thing, but we'll make it work. Don't worry. It'll be fun."

"Let's go," Mannix said. He nodded at Ares to step out the door first and moved around so he was behind us.

I felt like I was being marched to my execution.

I gave Charlie a dirty look before I reluctantly walked outside. It did nothing to make me feel better. He was still fired. Unless the guys let him manage the place after they did away with me. In spite of Ice's assurances, I couldn't see how this would end any other way. I was a witness to a crime they committed, how could they possibly let me live, even if they gave a shit about me like they claimed to?

Ice opened the back door to the SUV and gave a sweeping gesture for me to climb in first. He followed close behind, his arm outstretched so the chain of the handcuffs was never taut.

"Can you get your seatbelt on?" He genuinely looked concerned for my safety. Maybe he didn't want me ruining his fun later.

"I can manage," I said quickly. I grabbed it and clicked it into place.

Ice did the same with his and said, "Are you comfortable, Beautiful? You look as though you think I'm about to eat you whole."

"Aren't you?" I asked.

He placed a hand on my knee. "If you want me to. I've never gone down on someone in the back of a car while handcuffed to them. I'm guessing you haven't either."

I snorted softly and moved over, away from him. As far as I could get with the fucking handcuff on anyway.

"I'll take that as a no." But his smile faded. The look he gave me all but confirmed I was right. He knew what I saw that night. The congenial, friendly Ice was one of the masks he showed the world. Underneath that was a stone cold killer. A man who took pleasure at sticking a knife in another man's eye, then joking about it.

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