Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
I step back, and the tension disentangles as Leo and I lower into our chairs.
“You, too.” She narrows those huge green eyes at Kody.
With a grunt, he lumbers around the table and takes the seat across from her.
“Are you ready to talk like adults?” She crosses her arms, standing behind the remaining chair.
I feel Leo’s glare. Neither of us speaks.
Her presence has me in a chokehold.
She’s here, inches away, safe and home. I’m no longer searching for her. No longer haunted by thoughts of never seeing her again.
I may not have her back in my arms, but having her here, despite the circumstances, is enough to keep my head in the game and my eyes on the prize.
“I started it.” I force my gaze to Leo. “I was out of line.”
His nostrils pulse as if sniffing for trickery. “Does that mean you didn’t have my breakfast poisoned?”
“It’s safe to eat.”
“Thank you.” He wastes no time, forking eggs down his gullet and speaking with his mouth full. “Thank you for the food, the clothes, the place to stay…everything.” He gestures around until he awkwardly lands on Frankie.
The shithead better not be thanking me for her.
A muscle bounces in his cheek as he stares at me.
“It’s no problem.” A vein throbs at my temple. “Just my sanity at stake here. It’s the least I can do.” I harden my voice. “Seriously, the least.”
The sound of laughter, soft and musical, snaps my attention to Frankie. A hand comes up to cover her mouth, unable to contain her amusement.
Fucking breathtaking.
“Sorry. It’s just…” Her eyes twinkle. “That was the most uncomfortable exchange I’ve ever heard, and I enjoyed it immensely.”
“Happy to entertain you, love.” Leo pulls out her chair and slides his plate toward her. “Eat.”
How easily he offers his meal to her. A meal he clearly savors.
It’s a painful reminder of how they survived the winter—rationing, scavenging, sharing the scraps between them, and building a bond I have no hope of breaking.
“I’m not eating your breakfast.” She pushes it back and glances at the door. “I’ll get…”
As if on cue, Oliver steps outside, and his gaze goes directly to her.
Just like that, all the coldness he reserves for me is gone. Nothing but tenderness in his eyes for Frankie.
“Oliver.” She melts when she sees him, her smile sad and full of affection.
He doesn’t move as she walks to him and wraps her arms around him. My wife is a hugger. Oliver is not. But he tolerates it, maybe even secretly loves it. The old fuck has a soft spot for her.
What I wouldn’t give to feel her arms around me again.
“Frankie, you look well.” He steps out of her embrace, polite and professional. “Though it seems you could use a good meal. What would you like?”
She glances at the table, at our half-eaten plates. “Kody and I would love your Eggs Benedict. I’ve been dreaming about it for months.”
“Yes, of course.” With a crooked smile, he turns to Kody. “You are Rurik’s youngest son.”
“That’s what I hear.” Kody frowns.
“It’s a pleasure, Kodiak. I’m Oliver, at your service.” He bows deeply, either to piss me off or to hide whatever emotion sneaks onto his face.
Probably both.
When he takes his leave, Frankie sits at the table between Leo and me.
“What did you break?” Her gaze goes to my busted hand.
“A wall.”
“A wall is better than a face.” She purses her lips. “What did we miss?”
I catch them up on the relevant parts of the conversation. Then Leo picks up where we left off, asking me about the narrative I’m feeding the press.
“I’ll show you.” I remove Frankie’s phone from my pocket and launch one of the major media websites.
Pressing play on the headline story, I slide the phone to them.
They hover over the screen as a well-known news anchor informs the nation that the wife of billionaire mogul Monty Novak was abducted by his estranged brother last year. The brother, Denver Strakh, held her in a cabin in the Arctic for nine months, where he also kept his son and younger brother, whom he kidnapped and raised in isolation. Over the winter, the food ran out, and Denver didn’t survive. Half-starved, the survivors found a way to escape on a plane and crashed near Fairbanks. They were released from the hospital this morning.
Frankie’s eyes close briefly. Kody remains unreadable, taking in the information.
“You told them Denver died of starvation?” Leo’s gaze grabs mine.
“I led them to that conclusion without outright stating it. The details surrounding his death haven’t been disclosed. But because abduction was involved, the detectives want to meet with each of you.”
“They want to interrogate us.” Frankie sits back.
“They’ll ask questions, yes. I held them off as long as I could and pulled strings so we could deal with it here in Sitka. But they’re growing impatient. I expect them to show up here today or tomorrow. We need to corroborate a story before that happens.”