Page 42 of Ice Cold Christmas

“You’ve heard of them,” Victor noted.

Once more, her gaze darted his way. “I…considered contacting them when I read about some of their cases in the news. Thought they could help me.”

Hunter took a slow, gliding step toward her. “We can help you. Step one in that helping process is to get you on the chopper.” He shoved the handcuffs back into his pocket. “Willingly, ma’am.”

Aw, Hunter was being cute.

Willingly or not, her sweet ass is getting on the chopper. He was actually about to lift her up and carry?—

“And what about John Henry?” Melody asked.

John Henry hadn’t spoken the whole time. Mostly because the big, blond guy basically never spoke. Chatter wasn’t his friend.

“Is he going to rush inside and tell everyone that I can’t remember a thing?” Melody wanted to know.

Hunter snorted out a laugh at her question.

She glowered at him. “I wasn’t making a joke.”

“I know,” Hunter assured her. “That’s what makes it funny. For future reference, John Henry never rushes to tell anyone anything.”

John Henry shook his head.

“John Henry doesn’t share secrets,” Victor informed her. They had wasted enough time out there. She was cold and scared, and he was getting her away from that place. Done. “But the truth is gonna come out, and it’s gonna come out fast. You can’t keep acting like you remember people when you don’t. You’ll slip up. You probably already slipped up with Olivia, the same way you did with me.”

She gasped. Looked insulted. “How did I slip up with you? What gave me away?”

Enough. Time to get airborne. He surged toward her. He lowered his head near hers, because these words were for her alone. “You forgot that I fucked you until you screamed,” he rasped against her ear. “You forgot I was your lover. That you belonged to me.” And instead, she’d treated him like a stranger.

Her hands rose and pressed to his chest.

He eased back, just a little. Just enough so that he was staring down at her. For those watching—Hunter and John Henry who were right there and for the people spying from the house—it would look as if they were about to kiss.

He would love to kiss her.

Her lips pressed together, then she whispered, “Olivia said we weren’t engaged.”

“Olivia didn’t know about the engagement.”

Her gaze searched his. “You aren’t lying to me?”

His back teeth ground together. “No. And I’m not lying when I say…either get in the chopper willingly, or I will carry your ass onto the bird. One way or another, I’m getting you to safety.”

Pink stained her cheeks, and he didn’t think the pink came from the sting of cold in the air. “You’re a bossy bastard, aren’t you?”

Hunter snorted. “Maybe she’s starting to remember you!”

Such an ass.

“Victor…” Melody began, voice husky.

Every part of him tightened. Yearned. He’d missed hearing her say his name. He’d missed everything about her.

“You could try asking nicely,” she advised.

Sure. He could go that route. Why the hell not? “Melody, will you please get your gorgeous ass in the helicopter?”

She hesitated.