Page 76 of Carved in Ice (Made of Steel 3)

His cologne filled my lungs. I let my body fold in half, limp in his arms. I was broken. My heart shattered into a million tiny pieces on the sidewalk with Miles’ body. What was the point in fighting when I had nothing left to fight for?

The haunting scream tried to escape my throat again but it came out as only a whisper.

Chapter 33

Tuesday

My eyes flew open and I took a huge gulp of air. I took a deep breath to slow my rapid heart rate. It was just a bad dream. I blinked, trying to get the dark room to come into focus. It was just a bad dream.

But the room was all wrong as my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. It was empty and emotionless. The air was stale. I pushed the covers off of me and stared down at the white plush robe I was wrapped in. Was I in a hotel?

God, it wasn’t a dream. It felt like I was choking as I scrambled out of bed. I ran my fingers around on the nightstand until I found a light switch. As soon as the light came on I found the room’s phone and lifted it to my ear. But there was no dial tone. I looked down at the cord. It was dangling beside me, unattached to the phone’s base. Damn it!

I looked around for my clothes. My cell phone had to be here somewhere. I turned around in a circle. But the room was empty besides for me. I ran into the bathroom and switched on the light.

When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I backed up and almost tripped into the tub. I put my hand over my mouth as I stared at myself. My hair was red again.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This isn’t happening. But when I opened my eyes, my hair was still red. That sick bastard dyed my hair? I barely recognized myself. Maybe I really wasn’t Summer anymore. Just like V said. Miles. I turned away from the mirror.

I had to get fucking out of here. I ran out of the bathroom and over to the window. It was sealed shut. I lifted up the broken phone and slammed it against the glass. Nothing. I hit it again.

“We’re on the 20th floor, doll,” Don said from behind me.

My hand froze and the phone fell to the ground.

“What, do you think you can fly? You’re not a superhero like your boyfriend.” He chuckled. “Like he was I mean.”

Like he was. His words echoed around me. I turned around to face the devil himself.

He was smiling at me. That smug look on his face that I loathed so much.

“You look better now,” he said.

I felt like throwing up.

He stepped toward me

I’m going to kill you. I knew it wasn’t the right time to threaten him. Not when I was caged in here like an animal. So I bit my tongue. But it had been a long time since I was this close to him. I could easily picture blood gushing from his throat. Dripping from his mouth. Seeping into his chest. I smiled.

“There’s my girl,” he said and touched the bottom of my chin.

The smile vanished from my face. “I don’t belong to you or anyone else.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. You’ve always been min

e.”

I stepped back so that his fingers fell from my face. “Don, you need to let me go. The cops are looking for me. You made me a wanted criminal. They’ll find me and they’ll see that we’re connected. You’ll go down for everything you did. You…”

“I’m not scared of the cops,” he said and laughed. “Every time we moved, the first thing I always did was get the cops in my pocket. Haven’t you been paying attention to anything around you? I fucking own everything in this city. Every single thing.” His eyes raked over my body.

I used to think I’d never get away from him. That I’d be trapped in his clutches for my whole life. But now that I’d gotten a taste of freedom? I couldn’t go back. And I knew I never would. He couldn’t possibly control all of me. “You can do whatever you want to me. But you’ll never have my heart.”

He shook his head and walked over to the mini bar. “Are you thirsty, Summer?”

I didn’t answer him.

He twisted off the cap to one of the bottles. “I tried to keep you away from that little shit. All those letters.” He shook his head.

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