Page 49 of Ice Cold Christmas

She stood there, frozen.

Someone was at the front door. They had to leave the den and yet… “I didn’t remember.”

“I think we’ve established that.” He kept walking.

“No, I mean…” She surged after him. Caught herself before she grabbed him. “Sleeping Beauty didn’t wake up with a kiss. I told you, it wouldn’t happen.” But hadn’t she still stupidly hoped for something? Some wild flash of them kissing in the past? Of them…having sex?

Or even just talking. Laughing. Being a couple. Being normal.

Just a memory of them.

Victor glanced over his shoulder. “Maybe you need more than a kiss.”

Longing swept through her because his gaze was full of such dark, dark desire.

“You ever think of that?” His deep voice demanded. “Maybe what you need…”

The doorbell rang again.

Her shoulders stiffened. “I don’t think you can fuck my memories back into place for me. But thanks for the generous offer.”

“Maybe not.” Then the man actually winked at her. Hard-faced, intense, scary, dangerous Victor winked. “But don’t you believe it would be fun to try?”

Her jaw dropped right before he walked away.

And, damn him…yes, yes, she did think it would be fun to try. She thought it would be outstanding to try. Toe-curling. Body-melting.

She hurried after him, rushing across the foyer just as he was opening the front door. Hunter waited on the other side of the door. He gripped a black duffel bag in his hand.

Raising the bag, he asked, “Who’s ready to get fingerprinted?”

Chapter Twelve

“I thought I’d be going to the police station to be fingerprinted.” Melody frowned as she peered down at the small black box on Victor’s kitchen countertop.

The fingers of her left hand were currently pressed to the surface of that box, a green screen.

“Aw, you figured you’d do the old ink and stamping routine, huh?” Hunter carefully guided her fingers. He’d already taken scans of her other hand. “Got to move with the times. Digital scans are one hell of a lot faster. The device is transportable, and I happened to know an agency in town that had one readily available.” He released her hand. “I’ve been trained on the scanner before. My, uh, boss Declan Flynn actually helped to create the tech. And when I say the results are fast, I mean it.”

Victor hadn’t said a word during the screening. He’d mostly been trying to get his ass back under control. When he’d had Melody pinned between him and the wall, he’d nearly gone feral. To have her back—back in his arms, her mouth beneath his, her body rubbing against him as she moaned in desire—talk about a dream come true.

Hell, yes, he’d gone over the edge. He’d wanted to strip her. Take her right there.

Had he thought that kissing her might stir her memories? Honestly, no. Things just would not be that easy. He got that. Nothing in his life had ever been easy.

As for fucking her…

Yes. Absolutely. I want to fuck her until neither of us can move.

But did he think fucking her would stir her memories?

No. It would feel helluva good, though, and he could one hundred percent make her understand that he could give her more pleasure than anyone else ever would. He knew exactly what she liked. What drove her wild. What made her shudder and quake and beg for more.

She dated some asshole this past year? While he’d been ripping the world apart, she’d been?—

“You gonna give me her old fingerprint cards? And I am assuming those are the old ink and paper version?” Hunter thrust back his shoulders. “I’ll take them to my contact. Get the old material scanned and get your comparison points ASAP with this new scan.”

Without a word, Victor reached for the backpack he’d slung onto the barstool earlier. He pulled out the manila file. Carefully leafed through the report and only handed Hunter the fingerprints. He would be reading that full report later. Something about the report bothered him. Why the hell did you hold onto it for so long, Sebastian?