Page 75 of Ice Cold Christmas

“I’m sure your wife loved you, too.”

He shook his head. “Lying bitch.”

A swift inhale from the nurse.

“She’s dead. I did it.” He eased into the bed. Left the cane close by. He sighed.

She brought the covers up to his chest. “You killed your wife?” Mild, vaguely curious.

“She was cheating on me.” Had been, for so long.

“So you killed her?”

His eyes had closed. Now, though, he opened them. The lamp by his bed had already been turned off. He stared into the darkness. He couldn’t see the nurse’s face clearly. “I need to get everyone to the house this weekend,” he said, determined. “The will has to be settled.”

She tucked the covers in around him. “Everyone was here. You just forgot. Sometimes, you forget things. We all do.”

Yes, yes, he did forget things. Especially late at night. But some things…some things he remembered. “I killed her.”

Another careful tuck of the covers near his hip. “Your wife?”

No. “My daughter.” A tear leaked down his cheek.

Sebastian had fallen asleep. She opened his door. Crept outside?—

“What in the hell are you doing?”

Olivia Hatcher jumped. Her right hand flew over her racing heart even as her left still gripped the doorknob. The doorknob that led to Sebastian’s room.

“Why were you in Sebastian’s room?” Tracy demanded. The light from the hallway fell on her glaring features.

“Jeez.” Olivia heaved out a breath. “Talk about nearly scaring someone to death.”

Tracy took a hard step toward her. “Why were you in Sebastian’s room?”

“Uh, because he was calling out for help? Because he’s an old, confused, and sick man? And his nurse was nowhere nearby so when I heard him, I went in to assist, like the amazing person I am?” Olivia sniffed. “I don’t need this third-degree bullshit from you when I was just trying to help out. Sue me for doing a good deed why don’t you?”

Behind Tracy, she caught the hulking presence of a guard. The bodyguard that Victor had sent to keep watch on Sebastian. Only that guy hadn’t been in the hallway earlier. When Olivia had come creeping toward Sebastian Mage’s room, the area had been deserted. Thankfully.

She’d figured everyone had to take a bathroom break, sooner or later.

“He was supposed to be sleeping,” Tracy snapped.

“Yes, well, he wasn’t.” Or, he had been. Until he’d woken up and found her poking through the drawers of his dresser. “He called out, and I helped him like the Good Samaritan I am. End of story.” Nope. It was not. Not even close. “Now, if you don’t mind, I am going to bed. Dario and I are leaving first thing in the morning. We had our not-so-fun, grilling time with the sheriff.” He’d treated them like suspects. As if she’d been running around in the cold, shooting at people. “The sheriff said no one had to stay any longer. The roads are clear out of this countryside retreat from hell, and I’ll be getting back home come first light.” Olivia strode forward, intending to return to the bedroom that she shared with Dario.

But Tracy moved into her path. Her eyes were narrowed. “Sebastian gets more confused at night. Particularly if he wakes from a bad dream. He will say things—things that aren’t true.”

“I’m aware of his condition.” Now that she and Dario were an item, she’d was fully ensconced in the Mage inner circle.

“The confusion has gotten significantly worse. If he spoke out and said anything, ah, odd to you—” Tracy wet her lips. “He doesn’t mean what he says.”

“You sure about that?” Because the man had seemed pretty certain to her.

Tracy’s pretty features hardened. “Stay out of his room. I am his nurse. If he needs help, it’s my job to take care of him.”

Olivia leaned toward the other woman, as if imparting a secret, and whispered, “Then you should do a better job.” With that parting shot, she skirted around Tracy. She headed for the end of the hallway. Her gaze darted over the guard. Big, tall. Silent. Kinda lickable. If you went for that type. The dangerously intent and sexy type.

“Hello, John Henry.” He’d been introduced to her earlier.