Page 172 of Ice Princess

The sharp tone of her phone going off fills the night air.

Our lips rip apart with a pop.

“Yourphone?” Rebel pants, her eyes a bit glazed.

If the truth wasn’t looming over our heads like an ancient guillotine, seeing that dazed expression would fill me with a great deal of satisfaction.

But as I lose the warmth of her lips, cold reality quickly chases away the fire of her touch.

“It’s mine,” Rebel says, touching her pocket.

She plants her hands on either side of my body and tries to push herself up, but I grip her wrist to keep her lying on top of me. She flashes me a confused look, shakes her head and then an indulgent smile teases over her face.

“Answer it later,” I demand.

I’m not ready to let her go yet.

My fingers stroke the curve of her cheek and the shape of her ear. I push aside her hair, tucking it behind her ear, and the strands that spilled against my shirt like golden fabric shift away.

Briiiing!

With a groan, Rebel sits up. “Let me check just in case.”

I allow her to sit up and I sit up too.

“It’s mom.” Her hooded eyes suddenly fling open. “Oh my gosh. I told her I was going to the store and I’d be right back.”

Rebel clears her throat a few times and then picks up the call. In a forced, casual voice, she coos, “Hey, mom.”

“Where are you? What on earth happened? I was this close to calling the police, Rebel!”Mrs. Hart’s voice is so loud that I can hear her through the phone’s tiny speakers.

Rebel winces and looks over at me helplessly.

I shrug and shake my head.

She scrunches her nose, waits a beat for her mother to calm down and then says, “Sorry, mom. I, uh, got lost in the grocery store.”

“Lost!”Mrs. Hart rails.“For two hours, Rebel?”

“Sorry, mom. We’ll have movie night another time. I promise I’ll make it up to you. Bye, love you!” Without giving her mother room to cut in, Rebel ends the call. “Whew.” She sighs. “I completely forgot about movie night.”

“If you were with your mom, why did you come looking for me?” I ask. My hand moves to the side of her neck, stroking along her jawline.

“Because I heard your Uncle Clarence was in town.”

My thumb freezes on her.

Rebel looks up beneath a fringe of thick lashes. “I have a confession to make. I, uh, already know what you’re so nervous to tell me. I already know what he did.”

My hand falls away from her.

No, she doesn’t.

She has no idea.

“It’s okay, Gunner.” She takes my hand in hers. “I’m not saying we should write off what happened. Your uncles are shady. That’s undeniable, but honestly, I feel relieved that it wasn’t anything worse.”

I blink slowly.

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