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 hit send and receive an instant response.
Message Not Delivered. The phone number you are trying to reach has been disconnected or is no longer in service.
It takes me a second to process.
They cut communication. There’s no way to contact them. Probably an untraceable number.
Would Leo have noticed Monty using a different phone?
Is someone still watching?
I feel eyes on me, making my skin crawl. My shoulders inch up around my ears, my mind in a state of hyperfocus. Glancing around as discreetly as possible, I try to spot anything or anyone unusual, but I see nothing.
Horror grips tighter, constricting my chest. I’m afraid to say anything to Rhett, terrified of what might happen to him. I can’t risk his life.
Drawing a quiet gulp of air into my lungs, I force myself to stay calm and put my phone away. “Did everything go smoothly?”
“Yep. Everyone knew exactly what to do. It’s moments like those when you really appreciate having such a skilled team around you.”
Leo and Kody are my team, and I need them. But I won’t call them back here and put them in the cross-hairs of this…this…I know exactly what it is.
Not all wounds bleed. Not all scars show. Some live beneath bones, cold and alone. In the chambers of frost, pain is my art.
Denver’s riddle isn’t an empty threat.
“Assembling the right people is one of your strengths.” I force a smile onto my face. “Tell me more about this new cardiac program you’re implementing.”
“It’s incredible.” His eyes light up. “We have some of the best minds working on it. The goal is to reduce recovery times and improve overall patient outcomes. It’s going to revolutionize how we handle cardiac care.”
As he talks, I nod and maintain my smile, but my mind is elsewhere. Every fiber of my being crawls with dread, every shadow and sound taking on a sinister edge.
I keep glancing around, looking for any sign of the person who sent those texts. The security guards stand closer now, their eyes scanning the area.
Rhett doesn’t notice my distraction, too caught up in his passionate explanation. I’m grateful for that. The last thing I want is to put him in danger.
I listen to his words, but they barely register. My thoughts race, trying to figure out who could be behind this.
“Frankie, are you sure you’re okay?” He breaks through my spiraling thoughts.
“Yeah.” I blink, realizing I’ve been staring blankly at him. “Yep. Sorry. Just a little tired.” I hope my smile looks convincing.
“It’s okay. I understand.” He reaches over and gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. “You’ve been through so much.”
He has no idea.
His touch is comforting, though. Different from Doyle’s. I don’t know why. Maybe because I’ve known Rhett longer.
Or maybe because I know he would put the moves on Monty before he would ever cross the line with me.
I squeeze his hand back, grateful he’s here, but I know I have to be careful.
We continue talking, or rather, he continues talking while I do my best to stay engaged.
My phone remains silent, but the threat remains.
I’m being watched.
Someone is out there, waiting for me to make a mistake.
“I should get going.” Rhett checks his watch and sighs. “Duty calls.”
Going? And leave me here alone with two guards I don’t know?
I can’t bear it.
“Don’t go yet.” I lurch forward, clutching my throat, barely stopping a cry from shrieking free. “I mean…if you can stay, please stay.”
24
Kodiak
—
The wheel vibrates beneath my fingertips as the Bentley slices through the Alaskan wilderness, the tires gripping the road like claws. The sheer intensity of cornering at high speeds, rapid braking, and counteracting these forces makes my dick hard, matching the hungry rhythm of my heart.
Learning to drive checks off a box, a skill we need in this world.
But driving this sexy car? It’s goddamn thrilling.
“Bet you couldn’t take that turn as smoothly as I did.” I meet Leo’s eyes in the rearview.
“Pull over, rimjob,” he shouts over the roar of the wind. “Watch and learn.”
Beside me, Monty assesses every move we make, providing instruction, but only when we need it. His presence no longer chafes. Not right now. All I can think about is the road ahead and the rush of adrenaline as we switch drivers again.
Leo slides into the driver’s seat with practiced ease, his gold and blue eyes glinting with challenge.
The rivalry between us lights a fire in me. But it’s less about besting Leo and more about sharing this experience with him.
We all need something to ground us, something to remind us of who we are and what we’ve accomplished.
For Monty, it’s his car collection, expensive suits, and fine liquors—the proof of his success.
For Leo and me, it’s been survival, scraping by on guts and adrenaline.
But this…this is another level.
By the time we head back to the garage, my entire body buzzes with vitality. I replay the powerful thrusts of speed, the g-forces exerted on my muscles, the scent of burning rubber and exhaust, every twist and turn of the road—all of it etches into my memory.