Winter Ice (Storm for All Seasons 3)

He frowned. "Huh?"

"The red wire. You said that I had known to cut the red wire."

"Right. So?"

"I didn't tell anyone about the wire, or the color. So how could you know?"

He smiled. "Honey, you must have told us. Otherwise, how could I have known?"

"I don't know." She was being silly. What the hell would Josh know about any of this?

"Trust me, Sophie. I didn't know a damn thing. You must have told us."

"I guess so." She rubbed her forehead, a giant-sized headache forming. "I'm sorry, Josh. I'm just wigged out by all of this, I guess."

"Delayed shock, probably. Go get some rest. I'll hang out here and we can talk when you've had some sleep."

127

Jaci Burton

She nodded, grateful to have him here watching over her. Climbing into the bed, she pulled her favorite blanket over her and stared out at the bright sunlight pouring through the window.

Figured. She couldn't sleep. She slipped out of bed and peered through the beaded drape. Josh had settled in on the couch, turned on the television and was sound asleep.

Something she should be doing.

But for some reason she couldn't shake the fact that she knew she hadn't mentioned the red wire. Why was she obsessing over this, anyway? She'd known Josh since they were kids, trusted him and Sam above everyone.

It had to be shock.

Still, the niggle of doubt wouldn't go away. Giving up, she picked up the phone in her bedroom and dialed the shop. Sam answered.

"Hey, quick question. What details did I give you about the bomb I found?"

"Details? None, other than you disabled it. And I'm dying to know. Why? Are you ready to tell me about it?"

Her hands began to shake as the realization hit.

No. Oh, God, no.

"Soph? What's wrong?"

She wasn't going to tell Sam about this. Not yet. Not until she'd had a chance to talk to Josh. "Nothing. I'm just tired. I'm gonna get some rest, Sam. Talk to you later."

Before Sam could ask any more questions, she hung up, curled into a ball on the bed and closed her eyes, wishing she could shut out the knowledge that pounded at her.

Josh knew. There was only one way Josh could know.

"Why couldn't you have just left it alone, Sophie?"

She shrieked at the sound of Josh's voice. Quickly sitting up, she saw him leaning in the doorway to her bedroom.

128

Winter Ice

He'd heard her on the phone with Sam!

"Josh, I--"

"Save it," he said, stepping into the room and stopping at the foot of the bed. "You don't understand."

"Don't understand what?"

Jamming his fingers into his long hair, he moved to the side of the bed. "What it's been like to stand by all these years and wonder when you're going to open your eyes and see what's right in front of you."

He crouched on the floor and took her hands in his. His felt heated, hers were like ice.

"I don't understand. Please tell me what's going on."

A madness glimmered in his eyes. Madness, and a dark magic she'd never seen within him before. How could she have missed it all these years?

"What's going on? Sophie, I love you. I've loved you since we were kids. I'm the right man for you, but you keep making stupid mistakes with men who don't deserve you. Then I have to help you pick up the pieces when pricks like Logan Storm stomp all over your heart."

This wasn't the first time Josh had opened his heart to her. "Josh, we've been through this before."

He squeezed her fingers, pain shooting in them as he tightened his grip. She winced, but he didn't notice, his gaze never wavering from her face. "You don't listen, Sophie. I had to do something to save you."

"Save me?"

"Yeah. Logan was all wrong for you. And his family, too. You don't need them. You only need me."

She closed her eyes for a second, summoning the courage to ask the question she was afraid to get the answer to. "Josh, did you plant that bomb?"

129

Jaci Burton

He smiled. "Of course I did."

Every drop of blood in her body drained away, leaving a cold emptiness inside.

"Oh Josh, how could you? Do you realize what could have happened if that bomb had gone off? Everyone in that hotel could have died!"

He smirked. "I know. That was my intent. That was the vision you've been thinking about." He tried to pull her closer, but she recoiled, scooting away. His hands clenched into fists. "Soph, you have to know that I didn't plan on you being there. You know I'd never hurt you, honey!"

Nausea rolled her stomach and she wrapped her arms across it, hoping she wouldn't throw up. Tears pooled and splashed onto her cheeks. "I don't understand, Josh. This isn't like you. God, what were you thinking?"

Suddenly the Josh she'd known all these years vanished. He stood, straightening, seemingly growing taller before her. Light shone in his eyes. Evil light that seemed to travel slowly from him to her, reaching out in ways that made her fear him for the first time in her life.

"You really have never taken a look inside me, Sophie. All these years, and you never bothered to figure out who and what I am. It's about damn time you opened your eyes, don't you think?"

No. She didn't want to see, didn't want to know this Josh. She wanted the old Josh back, the one who had been her friend for life. Hell, he'd been her family. How could she have been so wrong about him?

How could she not have seen what he was? Where had her magic failed her?

He curled his finger under her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. "Don't beat yourself up about me, love. You didn't know because I didn't let you know. My magic is much stronger than yours."

That she refused to believe.

130

Winter Ice

"Oh, believe it," he answered as if he'd dipped into her thoughts. "I thought I was exactly what you needed. So I waited. Waited, for you to come to me, to love me.

Instead, you told me you didn't feel 'that way' about me. Do you know how hard it was for me not to take you right then and there? To force the issue and make you mine whether you liked it or not? Do you know how goddamned long I've been waiting for you to realize you're meant to be with me?"

His grip on her chin tightened. She closed her eyes and summoned her magic, needing to put a wall between them, to get away from him.

Nothing happened. She tried again, forcing herself to concentrate.

"Give it up, Sophie. Your powers aren't shit compared to mine."

Her eyes whipped open and she glared at him. "You're sick, Josh. You need help."

He laughed and dragged her up against him. "I don't need help, Sophie. I love what I am, what I've always been. And I've given you years to come to me. I'm not waiting one fucking minute longer."

Wrapping his arms around her, he crushed her to him, his mouth descending on hers.

He grabbed her buttocks, grinding his hard cock against her sex. Revulsion filled her.

She gagged at the invasion of his long tongue, feeling his evil entering her. She fought, putting up a wall of resistance, using every aspect of her powers to fight him off.

He growled low in his throat, rocking against her, mimicking the sex act.

Sex weakened a man, no matter whether he was mortal or something else. She couldn't quite put a finger on his evil, but she knew if he pushed her like this, if he tried to rape her, he'd have to give up some of his power.

131

Jaci Burton

And she'd continue to fight him. This wasn't the Josh she had known. Whoever he was now, he represented a danger. Not just to her, but to Logan, to the entire Storm family.

To everyone.

Josh had to be stopped, starting with her. And no matter what she had to give up, she would stop him.

He might take her physically, but he'd never get what he really wanted.

Her soul.

132

Winter Ice

Chapter Fifteen

Logan fought internal demons as he stood outside Sophie's shop. Passersby bumped him in their hurry to move down the street, but he didn't budge. Just stood there and looked at the store window, wondering for the hundredth time in the past fifteen minutes what the hell he was doing there.

He should just let it go, but he couldn't. There was something about what happened that didn't sit right with him, and he needed answers.

Answers from Sophie.

The bell over the door jingled as it opened. His gaze flitted to the doorway, expecting to see Sophie's face.

But it was her partner, Samantha.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, frowning.

He didn't know. What was he doing there?

"You gonna stand there and stare at the window all day or what?

Maybe.

Okay, maybe not. He walked toward her, feeling her heated anger the closer her drew toward the door. "I need to talk to Sophie."

"Tough shit. She doesn't need to talk to you."

"I didn't ask you." He stepped as close as he could without actually touching her.

"Get out of my way. I need to talk to Sophie."

"She's not here."

While he admired Samantha's protective nature, she was in his way. "Bullshit. Now move, please, or I'll move you myself."

133

Jaci Burton

Heaving a disgusted sigh, Samantha turned and headed back into the shop. Logan stepped in and looked around.

No sign of Sophie. She wasn't there. Obviously she didn't want to talk to him.