Page 64 of Crack the Ice

Her breath hitches, chest rising and falling faster as her eyes hold mine. “You can’t say stuff like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll make me fall in love with you again.”

I lean in, brushing my nose along her cheek until my lips are pressed to the shell of her ear. “That’s the goal, baby.”

She shivers, and I step away, knowing we’re entering dangerous territory, and there’s an excited little girl who I’m shocked hasn’t grabbed Cecilia’s hand and pulled her down the hall yet. “As fun as it is watching you explore, we still have a surprise for you.”

“Ah,” she says, clearing her throat. “I’m sorry.” She turns toward Lily and takes her heels off before bending to her level. “Show me?”

Lily doesn’t miss a beat, squealing as she runs down the hall, leaving the rest of us in the dust.

Cade steps in line with Cecilia, looking a bit unsure the closer we get to her room. “Please don’t hate it,” he whispers.

She doesn’t stop, but she wraps her arm around his shoulder. “You guys could bring me a stick covered with ants, and I’d love it.”

His nose wrinkles over the bridge, but I don’t miss the waver of his lips as he fights a smile.

“Did you know, if you follow them to their origin and put food down, they don’t have to work so hard to feed themselves?” Cecilia says it like this is an everyday thought. It’s one I’ve heard before, one that rivals her question of “Do you think it has a family waiting for it?” Every time I’d kill a cockroach for her.

That makes him pause, head tilting to the side as he looks at her. I wonder if his mind is going to the same place mine did when she told me that the first time. She’s genuine, caring, and fucking weird as hell.

I wait for him to start laughing, but it never comes.

“I never thought about that. They must get hungry.”

Well, okay then.

Lily’s bouncing on the balls of her feet outside the door. It’s the room right next to mine. We share a wall. I wasn’t willing to be any further away. Lily had the time of her life putting all the “Cecilia touches” on it last night.

“Ready?”

Cecilia nods once, and Lily pushes the door open. The room opens into muted pinks and various textures.

The world seems to fall away as her eyes widen. The rise and fall of her chest picks up slightly as she looks around the room, but still hasn’t stepped inside. Warm light from the pendant lights behind the bed casts the most beautiful glow on her face, illuminating the flush traveling up her neck.

She takes a step inside, then another, running her hand across the pink sherpa comforter that’s been tucked in with expert precision. Pale pink throw pillows, which I’ve never seen the appeal of, lie against crisp white pillows that vary in firmness.

Spinning in a slow circle, her glassy eyes meet the kids. “This is—wow. Beautiful.”

“Yeah,” I whisper. “It is.”

Her eyes slide to mine, pupils dilating when she realizes I’m not talking about the room.

She rushes toward me, her chest slamming into my own with a force that sends me stumbling backward. My arms band around her waist, lifting her off the floor for a quick second, loving the way she feels pressed against me.

“You didn’t have to do this, but I love it,” she whispers, pulling back to look at me.

“You deserve all the good in the world, and I told you I was going to give it to you.”

She bites down on her lip as a tear slides down her cheek. “You’re going to break me, Mav.”

I immediately reach up and push a strand of hair behind her ear before swiping the stray tear away. “No, never again.”

Her head meets my shoulder, and I cradle the back of her head, smiling at the kids as they look on. It’s us against the world now, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. None of us will ever fight alone again.

“You really like it?” Lily asks, uncharacteristically nervous as she stands in the corner with her hands laced together.