Page 39 of Ice Cold Christmas

Sebastian blinked. Several times. His head tilted to the side as he studied her. Then a slow smile curved his lips. “Melody.”

A shiver slid over her.

“You look so much like your mother,” he told her. Then nodded. “I’m so sorry I killed her.”

She jerked her hand from his grip. Wrenched back. She would have fallen, but Victor caught her and steadied her.

Her father smiled at her. “And I’m sorry, but I think I killed you, too.”

She had to get the hell out of that place.

Her father hummed. Turned his head. Stared into the flickering flames that twisted inside of the fireplace. She could not speak. Terror had stolen her voice. Every part of her wanted to run out of that room.

But she wanted answers. Deserved them. Melody cleared her throat. “Father.”

His head swiveled back to her. “Melody!” A delighted smile. His hand extended toward her. “I’ve missed you.”

Chapter Ten

She didn’t trust him.

The blades of the helicopter swirled as it lowered to land. Snow kicked up, flying in the air around Victor as he stood near the landing pad with Melody at his side. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder and rage festering in his heart.

Someone tried to kill Melody.

Someone would pay.

He’d cleared the landing space for the helicopter a bit earlier, with help from Hatterson. Hatterson had grumbled the whole time, as if Victor gave a shit about his grumbles.

The estate’s grounds had been searched. No trace of the shooter. Or the gun that had been used in the attack. Roads were being cleared nearby, and the sheriff had sworn he’d come out to the estate as soon as possible in order to do his own investigation…

But Victor still intended to get Melody the hell out of that place.

After her chat with her father, Melody seemed even more skittish. Who the hell could blame her? Her father’s memory came and went, and when he got confused…

The man tended to confess to murder.

The helicopter touched down flawlessly.

Melody’s shoulder bumped into Victor’s arm. She’d been waiting beside him, watching the chopper lower, and the snow still swirled around them both.

His head turned toward her. He found her eyes on him.

There was fear in her gaze.

He wanted to take her hand. Or put his arm around her shoulder and pull her close. Don’t be scared, baby. I’m going to protect you. I swear it. But he didn’t touch her, and he didn’t say those words because she didn’t remember him. And his touch was more likely to scare her than reassure her.

She doesn’t know me at all. Something that gutted him. Because he’d been lucky as hell to have her fall for him the first time. Despite all the odds against him. How in the ever-loving-fuck was he ever supposed to get Melody to love him again?

He wasn’t freaking lovable. He knew that shit. He was cold. Domineering. Arrogant. Twisted. Vengeful.

And, when it came to Melody…

Possessive. Obsessive.

Hardly a prince charming type. And even now, all he wanted to do—all he was doing—was spiriting her away from everyone else. So he could protect her? Yeah, sure, absolutely. But also because…

I need her. I have to get her alone. If we are away from the others, I might have a chance…