Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 1266

Lucas's stomach plummeted, a flash of regret hitting him. Had he just sworn to take the fall for a murder? Was she actually going to hold him to that?

He studied Bella's face. In the split second he hesitated, a vicious, predatory glint returned to her eyes.

"You wouldn't just be feeding me pretty lies to save your own skin, would you, Lucas?"

He snapped to attention. "Never. I'd rip my own heart out for you. I would never lie to you."

He gestured nervously toward the living room. "She's squealing like a dying pig. Is it bad? The soundproofing in here is decent, but if she keeps wailing like that, someone's going to call the cops. We need to go in there and shut her up."

His suggestion perfectly aligned with Bella's thoughts. She had completely regained her icy composure. Shoving past Lucas, she marched back toward the living room.

Seeing Lucas lingering by the door, she snapped, "What are you standing there for? Get your ass in here and help me!"

Lucas scrambled after her. As he rounded the corner, his eyes scanned the room and locked onto the horrific scene.

Debbie Harris was curled in a fetal position on the rug, sobbing and convulsing. There was blood splattered across the glass coffee table, a bloody fruit knife on the floor, and... two severed fingers resting ominously on the carpet.

He watched as Bella grabbed a hand towel from the wet bar and stalked toward the bleeding woman. It took him a second to connect the dots.

Seeing Lucas arrive with the medical supplies, Bella let out an annoyed huff. She tossed the blood-soaked towel aside, leaving Lucas to handle the bleeding.

Snatching a fresh hand towel from his pile, Bella balled it up, grabbed Debbie by the jaw, and violently shoved the fabric deep into the woman's screaming mouth.

Instantly, the deafening shrieks were muffled into pathetic, gurgling whimpers.

The room fell into a heavy, eerie silence. Bella collapsed back onto the carpet, utterly exhausted, watching coldly as Lucas went to work on Debbie's mutilated hand.