Page 114 of The Ice Sisters

Ellie wrapped her scarf around her neck and padded across the cemetery grounds to her Jeep. She blew out a breath as she climbed in, started the engine and set off.

Bryce’s words echoed in her head, taunting her.Talk to McClain.

She wanted to do that. But if he’d wanted her to know the truth, if he had feelings for her, he would have told her himself.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY

RIVER’S EDGE

Cord was nursing a second beer as he loaded more wood into the fire. The flames were flickering a hot orange and red, the scent of burning firewood soothing as it crackled and popped in the silence.

A loud knock came to the door, interrupting his fantasy of him and Ellie curled onto the rug in front of the glowing fire, her naked beneath him, her lips meeting his. The lights were off, his scars hidden, the look in her eyes loving instead of repulsed because she couldn’t really see him in the dark.

The knock came again, this time louder and with more force.

Dammit. He had no idea who’d be showing up this time of day. His team was on a search and rescue mission and Ellie was attending the funeral service for Claire Woodston and her daughters. He didn’t do funerals, all that crying and carrying on. Besides, she’d probably be going home to take care of Derrick. The poor guy would need time to recover from his injury and Ellie would no doubt smother him with tender loving care.

Holy hell, he was pathetic. He was actually envious of a man with a broken back. He was seriously fucked in the head.

The pounding grew louder. “Cord, it’s Ellie. I know you’re home so let me in.”

His heart practically jumped out of his body. Was Ellie okay? In danger again?

Had something else happened in the case? Was there a new murderer in town?

Sweating now, he jogged to the door. He hated that he smelled of beer but if Ellie was in danger, nothing else mattered except helping her.

He threw open the door, his heart racing like a man on crack. Only his crack was fear.

“El, you all right?” The words spewed out in a guttural panic as he saw her standing on the stoop, tugging her coat around her in the cold. She looked mad as hell.

Still, she was so damn beautiful it almost brought him to his knees.

“No, I’m not all right,” she said as she elbowed her way inside.

He stumbled slightly, confused, as she slammed the door and paced across his living room. Her feet pounded the floor, her body bathed in firelight, her angry face as bright as the red flames in the fire.

“What’s wrong?”

She paced some more, arms folded, eyes boring into his. Then she dropped her coat on a bar stool, turned and faced them, a rage simmering beneath her demeanor. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Cord felt like his head had been stomped on. “Tell you what?”

She paced again, then parked her hands on her hip. “Don’t act dumb. And why did I have to hear this from Bryce?” Her voice rose an octave. “Bryce, of all people.”

The venom in her voice cut through him like a knife. But he forced himself not to react. He’d never seen Ellie this furious. At least not at him.

He gently stopped her pacing by rubbing her arms. “What are you talking about?”

She cursed. “That you aren’t getting married. That you’re not the father of Lola’s baby.”

His body went totally still. A tense heartbeat passed. “Because I didn’t think it mattered to you.”

She searched his face then threw her hands into the air. “Why wouldn’t you think it mattered?”

“Because you’re with Fox,” he said flatly.

“I’m not with Derrick,” Ellie said, her eyebrow arched.

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