Free Touching Ice by Laurann Dohner Page B

showed in his
    tense body and the way his hands fisted at his sides.
    “He has his orders and you have yours from the Council. He’s waiting in the cargo
    bay with the bots not in use. He’s ordered all of them returned there immediately.” The
    cyborg paused. “All of them.”
    “I understand.” Ice stepped back. “I’m on my way.” The doors slid shut.
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    Laurann Dohner
    Questions filled her mind about Blackie. She really wanted to ask but she didn’t as
    Ice softly cursed and moved to the side of the room with the built-in drawers and
    shelves. He yanked open a lower drawer, shoved stuff around, and then straightened,
    fisting a few articles of clothing. He turned to meet her curious gaze.
    “Get dressed now.” He threw the clothes at the bottom of the bed. “I have to return
    you to the cargo hold and talk to someone.”
    Unease gripped Megan while she stared uncomprehending at Ice. He jerked his
    gaze from hers and returned to the open drawer, grabbed out a shirt, and kept his back
    to her while he put it on.
    “Hurry up, Megan. We need to get there now. That’s an order.”
    She moved slowly, dressing, and kept darting glances at Ice. He kept his back to her
    as he bent to put on his boots, not bothering to even put on socks first. His movements
    were jerky and she could tell he was upset for some reason as he straightened and ran
    his fingers through his silky hair. His chin lowered. He turned to face her and then he
    stared at her with an icy gaze.
    “Let’s go. Do exactly what I say, Megan. Am I clear?”
    “Yes.” She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.
    He turned, spinning away, and slapped the scanner hard with his palm, opening
    the doors. He paused. “Let’s go. Keep up with me.”
    The urge to confess to Ice about her lies became so overpowering that Megan
    actually opened her mouth as they marched quickly down a corridor. She didn’t know
    what was going on or why the council, whatever they were, had sent some man named
    Blackie. It worried her that Ice had taken her from his room. She took a deep breath to
    fill her lungs for the words that she knew she had to utter. Would Ice be furious? Would
    he hurt her? She wasn’t sure.
    A door opened in front of them and whatever she’d been about to say was lost to
    the shock of seeing a black-haired cyborg with dark-gray skin step into the corridor. He
    wore all black from his throat to his glove encased hands, all the way down to his
    chunky, military-style, black boots. The look of pure coldness on his harsh features
    stunned her enough to keep her mute. He had the coldest blue eyes she’d ever seen,
    even icier than Ice’s with his dark coloring amplifying the blue, before his intense gaze
    shifted to Ice.
    Ice stopped, his hold on her arm making her halt as well. “You aren’t needed here,
    Blackie.”
    “The council disagrees.” The man had a deep, harsh voice. “Bring it into the cargo
    hold.”
    Ice hesitated but then nodded. “Of course.”
    The “ it”the new cyborg referred to was her and she knew it. Ice took a step, tugged
    on her arm, and the other cyborg stepped aside to let them pass. Megan did a quick
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    Touching Ice
    head count and realized all twelve bots had been returned to the room. Ice stopped just
    inside the door and released her. She missed his touch.
    Ice turned to face Blackie as the cyborg followed them through the doors that closed
    firmly behind him. Ice spoke first.
    “What does the council want?”
    “The truth, regardless of what it takes.”
    “I have this under control.”
    The dark-skinned cyborg arched a black eyebrow. “They disagree. Step aside and
    stay out of this. That’s a direct order from Councilman Zorus. He put me in charge of
    this situation and if you’d bothered to read your orders they sent you, you would be
    aware of that.”
    The rage on Ice’s features clearly showed but he still moved to the bulkhead next to
    the door and leaned against it. Movement out of