I took another breath. “Jonathan,” I said, hearing it around my ringing ears. I pulled my head up, watching as he didn’t move to look. “Never mind,” I said, letting my head fall back onto the ice. The snow was warm, and I pressed into it. “This is nice,” I mumbled, but I don’t think it made it past my thoughts into real words.

It felt as if the world was spinning, and I could hear the slosh of water. Snuggling into the ice, I smiled. I hadn’t slept well for days. I exhaled, drifting off into nothing, enjoying the warmth of the sun that was suddenly shining on the ice. Someone curled their arms around me, and I felt my head thump into a soggy chest as I was lifted.

“Denon?” I heard myself murmur. “Come here, Denon. I owe you a big…kiss…”

“Denon?” someone echoed.

“I’ll carry her, Sa’han.”

I tried to open my eyes, swirling back into nothing when I felt myself move. I drowsed, not awake but not quite not asleep. Then I was still, and I tried to smile and go to sleep. But a faint pinch and throb kept intruding on my cheek, and my legs hurt.

Irritated, I pushed at the ice, finding it was gone. I was sitting up, and someone was slapping me. “That’s enough,” I heard Trent say. “You’re going to leave a mark.”

The pinch vanished to leave just the throbbing. Jonathan was slapping me? “Hey, you freakin’ bastard,” I breathed. “You hit me again and I’ll take care of your family planning.”

I could smell leather. My face screwed up as feeling started to come back into my legs and arms. Oh God, it hurt. I opened my eyes to find Trent and Jonathan peering down at me. Blood seeped from Trent’s hairline and water dripped from his nose. Above their heads was the interior of the limo. I was alive? How did I get to the car?

“ ’Bout time you found us,” I breathed, my eyes closing.

I heard Trent sigh. “She’s okay.”

I suppose. Maybe. Compared to being dead, I guess I was okay.

“Pity,” Jonathan said, and I heard him shift away from me. “It would have simplified things if she wasn’t. Not too late to slip her in the water with the rest.”

“Jon!” Trent barked.

His voice was as hot as my skin felt. I was freaking burning up.

“She saved my life,” Trent said softly. “I don’t care if you like her or not, but she has earned your respect.”

“Trenton—” Jonathan started.

“No.” It was cold. “She has earned your respect.”

There was a hesitation, and I would have drifted off to nothing if the pain in my legs would let me. And my fingers were on fire. “Yes, Sa’han,” Jonathan said, and I jerked awake.