Free Steel Rush (In the Shadows#5) by P.T. Michelle

winked.
    Her lighthearted comment made my heart ache. I folded my hand around hers, in awe of her sunny outlook. “How do you do it, Sophie? How do you sit there smiling instead of screaming at the universe for what’s happening to you?”
    “What good would it do to waste all that energy resenting?” she said, shrugging. “Why spend my time on anger and fury when instead I can be living my life in the most positive way that I can…even if that means all I can do right now is grin at you while lying in a hospital bed?”
    When I shook my head and offered an amazed smile, she waved her free hand toward the monitors and the IV in her arm. “All this stuff is just noise I choose not to listen to.” Turning her hand under mine, she clasped my fingers with surprising tightness. “No one can live your life better than you can, Cass. Never forget that even at your weakest you are still in control.”
    Exhaling, I slowly lower the scissors to the counter, then kiss the raven on my wrist, tears trickling down my cheeks. “I miss you so much, Sophie.”
    Once I take several deep breaths, the need to cut passes, but I still feel dirty. Shrugging out of my clothes, I step into the shower, hoping a good scrub under hot water will help me clear my head.
    The bathroom is full of steam by the time I shut off the water. I cough at the fog curling in the air and grab the towel off the fogged glass door, my skin suddenly chilled without the hot water raining down on me. Wrapping the towel around my body, I slide the glass back and suck in a breath. Phillip is leaning casually against the doorjamb.

 
    “G et out of my room!” I hiss in a low tone and step out of the shower onto the oversized plush rug. Pressing the towel tighter against my breasts, I glare at him as if I’m wearing armor and not a thin layer of cloth.
    Phillip nods toward my room door. “You didn’t answer when I knocked and this couldn’t wait. You’ve already wasted precious time by disappearing for several hours. What is the unlock code for Celeste’s phone?”
    Finally, a chance to save the text conversations between Celeste and me. But Phillip standing here impatiently while I’m nearly naked has me so rattled I can’t think of a way to get him to give me the phone. “I’ll come find you downstairs . Now leave!”
    He straightens and unfolds his arms, his hazel eyes darkening in anger. “I don’t think you heard me. Give me the unlock code now .”
    Real worry flushes my skin. Despite my bravado, I’m completely vulnerable alone in this room with him. Keeping my arms down to make sure the towel stays tucked, my voice quivers with my answer. “I need to hold the phone. I remember passwords tactilely.”
    Phillip walks right up to me and crowds me against the counter, his tone cold and menacing. “This isn’t a game. Give me that goddamn code, right now .”
    His violation of my personal space completely strips away my ability to negotiate. I blindly reach for the scissors behind me as I babble the answer. “It—it’s Cass, C.A.S.S.”
    “Thank you, Cassandra. See that wasn’t so hard.” Even though his tone loses its edge, the fearful knot in my stomach doesn’t loosen. I find the scissors and curl my fingers around them. “With the exception of a combative attitude and a couple of tattoos, I can see how you passed as her.” Phillip bends closer and scans my features with a critical eye, his tone shifting to one of intrigued observation. “But up close, it’s the little things…like the tilt of your eyes and angle of your nose that give you away.”
    The hint of awareness in his tone tightens my fingers around the scissors. I can handle disdain and distrust from him, but this man’s up-close and personal inspection of my face is scaring the shit out of me. “You got what you came for. You need to leave.”
    He turns to walk away, but pivots back, his expression all business once more. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing