Page 31 of Carved in Ice (Made of Steel 3)

I hated when he called me that. And I hated that he dismissed my thoughts so quickly. “I don’t think it, I know it. Before they kidnapped me, Joan said there had been a change of plans. She said Don wanted you dead. They were hoping I could lead them to you. Yes, Don wants to kill me. But he wants V dead more.”

V’s smile vanished. “And you didn’t think that was important to tell us? What the hell, Sadie?”

“Despite what you all think, I’ve been protecting you guys too. So don’t sit there and tell me to look pretty when I’m putting my life on the line for him.” I pointed to V. “Maybe we should be serving him up on a silver platter instead. Maybe Don would like it if you wore mascara and a pushup bra.” I pushed my plate away and stood up. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Eat your breakfast,” V said. “You need your energy for tonight.”

Was he joking? I was decidedly not hungry after that conversation, or lack thereof. “I lost my appetite.” I walked away to the sound of their whispers.

Chapter 14

Thursday

“Everyone in place?” Liza’s voice sounded shaky in my earpiece, even though she was the farthest away from any action that would be happening tonight. She was sitting safely on the roof of the building scanning the premises through her computer.

“Yes,” I whispered my reply into my watch. I listened to the other yeses come through and exhaled slowly. Everything was set.

Despite what I had said earlier, I was wearing a bit of makeup. And a pushup bra. I knew Liza was partially right. No, Don didn’t love me. But he did love hurting me. Or using me. Or something. He had always looked at me like I was a piece of meat. Like I belonged to him. If things went south, I wouldn’t want anyone else to get hurt. Maybe I would be able to distract him while the others got away.

“Thanks, Summer,” Liza said. “For listening to me. About the makeup and stuff.”

I assumed she was talking to only me. But I didn’t know how to respond to only her. So I didn’t respond at all.

“And it’s just in case,” she said. Her voice sounded far away. “Good luck.”

Thanks, Liza. I heard the sound of footsteps and my heart started beating in rhythm to the echoes. I peered around the column I was standing behind and looked down at the abandoned theater. Don just had to choose the creepiest meeting place ever. It didn’t look like the theater had been used in a decade. The red fabric on the seats was torn and stained. There was a slash through the screen up front. It was depressing, like dreams came here to die. Maybe that’s why Don liked it.

A chill ran down my spine. I could feel Don’s presence, but I couldn’t see him. Something wasn’t right. Where is everyone? I could hear the footsteps, but there were no bodies or voices to accompany them. The meeting should have started by now.

I stepped out from behind the column and approached the railing, keeping low. I could just make out V on the other side of the balcony from me. Eli was nowhere in sight.

“Stand your ground,” Liza’s voice flooded my ear.

“I need a better view,” I whispered into my watch.

I crouched down in front of the railing and looked down at the theater. Still nothing. But the echoing of distant footsteps continued. It was disorienting, like the sound was all around me.

And then all the lights turned off.

Fear crept into my bones. I was frozen. I couldn’t see anything. My heart pounded against my chest. I was hyperventilating.

“No one move,” Liza said. “Something's interfering with my feed.”

I gulped. None of this was right. Don was here, I could feel him. I looked behind me, but couldn’t see a thing. The echoing of footsteps grew louder.

There was a burst of light and Don appeared larger than life on the theater’s ripped screen.

“Hello, Summer.” His lips curled into a smile. Don’s voice was all around me, booming from speakers.

r /> I swallowed hard.

“You failed the game,” he said.

The air in the theater was suddenly stale. I took a huge gulp of air, but it felt like my lungs didn’t expand.

“Liza, where is he?” V’s voice sounded in my earpiece.

“Shit,” Liza said. “He scrambled my surveillance. I don’t know…”

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