12 - Monty
12
Monty
—
My nostrils flare with the fire of each labored breath. I stand from the table, seething with images of last night’s fuckfest.
Leo launches to his feet, meeting me head-on.
“I can smell her on you.” My voice vibrates with fury.
“If you had Kody’s nose, I’d believe you. But you don’t. I doubt you can smell anything past the reek of your hangover.”
“I will destroy you. You hear me? I will tear you apart for touching what’s mine!”
“She’s not yours .” He jabs a finger at me, carving it through the air and slicing invisible wounds. “But go ahead. Come at me. See what happens.”
If I hurt him, I would never win her back. Killing him or Kody would break her irreparably, and that’s the last thing I want.
But I’ll make damn sure he feels my wrath.
It’s a molten river inside me, threatening to overflow. My chest tightens, and every muscle coils, ready to snap. Heat rises up my neck, and my vision narrows to a tunnel focused solely on his face.
“You think you can fuck her, and I’ll just sit back and watch?” I step into his space, so close I glimpse the spark of uncertainty in his strange blue and gold eyes. “She’s everything to me! Everything!”
“And now you have nothing.” He stands with feet firmly planted, a solid foundation of aggression.
If he swings first, all bets are off.
“Hit me, motherfucker. Do it.” My body trembles with the effort to restrain myself as I delete the final few inches between us, putting us nose to nose. “What are you waiting for? Take that fucking punch, you little bitch.”
He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t blink. He just stands there as if nothing happened, as if he didn’t spend the entire night balls-deep inside my wife.
“Nah.” He holds his position, neither swinging nor backing down. “I won’t hit you, old man. She’s not a possession to fight over. She’s a person who deserves better than your twisted control.”
“You think you’re more deserving than me?” I roar, my voice echoing across the patio. “That you’re worthy of her? If you touch her again, I swear, I’ll make you fucking regret it.”
He smiles, throwing kerosene on my swarming rage. I shove him hard, sending him stumbling back, but I stop short of actually hitting him.
“You don’t scare me.” He straightens, rolling his neck. “If you loved her, you’d be fighting for her happiness, not trying to own her.”
“Stay away from her.” I shove him again, harder this time. “Or I’ll make sure you wish you had.”
“She deserves to be with people who love her, not someone who’s obsessed with controlling her.”
My fury peaks, and I grab his collar, wrenching him close. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I love her more than you ever could. But if you keep pushing, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
“Good thing I’m an expert at surviving hell.” He lets out a laugh, heated and unhinged. “How ironic that, not so long ago, I stood where you’re standing now. I was possessive, angry, and willing to kill anyone who touched her. You read her journal, so you know how that worked out.” His lips curl back from his gnashing teeth. “I was wrong to try to own her. She deserves better, and I’ll be damned if I let you ruin her life any more than you already have. So back the fuck off.”
The air between us writhes with violence, both of us breathing hard, our faces inches apart. The urge to eradicate him rides me hard. My fingers clench in his shirt as my other hand rears back to strike.
A shadow blurs in my periphery, like a predator, silent and undetectable. I have no time to register the movement before someone materializes behind me and snarls in my ear. “You heard him. Stand down.”
I freeze, shocked that Leo’s brother sneaked up on me so easily.
No, not Leo’s brother.
My brother.
If he’s here, so is she.
Fuck.
Forcing myself to let go, I shove Leo away one last time.
In the next breath, Kody’s in my face, engaging me with an open stance, poised to pounce.
“Can’t be left alone for ten minutes.” Her sultry lilt caresses my skin, calming me instantly and pulling my entire being into her orbit.
She’s all I see as she strides toward us, delicate like porcelain, impossibly petite, and glowing with a passion that matches all that red hair.
“Sit. Both of you.” Stepping between us, she pushes all of us apart with a strength that doesn’t fit her small hands.
“This isn’t over,” I bark at Leo. “Not by a long shot.”
“No, it’s not.” His eyes bore into mine. “But remember. This isn’t about you or me. It’s about her.”
The truth of his words stings, but I refuse to show it.
She needs to know she’s safe with me. To earn back her trust, I must proceed carefully, gently, and take my time to reconnect her heart with mine. I need to present the most protective and tender aspects of my masculinity rather than the dark, volatile corners.
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.”
“Melanie has my journal.” She rubs her temple. “The whole story is in there. Denver’s murder, Wolf’s suicide, the abuse that we all endured…”
“No crimes have been reported outside of the kidnappings. If you want it to remain that way, keep the story as is. If you want Denver’s crimes exposed, be prepared for a long, messy, and very public investigation.”
“No.” Kody stiffens. “Denver is dead, appropriately punished, and will never hurt anyone else again. The abuse he inflicted…that stays among us. No one needs to know about our history.”
“Except your psychiatrist.” She cocks a red eyebrow.
He scowls.
“Psychiatrists are mandatory reporters.” I tap my fingers on my knee, thinking. “But in your case, the crime isn’t active, and your kidnapper allegedly died of starvation. Your psychiatrist won’t need to report the information to law enforcement. That said…” I take a steady breath. “The press is speculating that there’s more to the story. Kidnapping implies assault and abuse. Since they don’t have evidence, they’re digging for it. We don’t want them digging.”
“So you promised them an exclusive.” Her shoulders bunch up.
I can almost hear the echoes of Denver’s abuse ringing in her ears, and I fucking hate it.
“I’m sorry.” The impulse to reach for her twitches through my hand. “We must deliver exclusive interviews within the next few days. This bought us a little reprieve, but not much.”
“How does it work?” Leo sips his coffee. “We corroborate the narrative you crafted by providing details that satisfy their curiosity without exposing too much?”
“Yes.”
“We have to be careful with what we reveal and how we frame it.” She nibbles on her lip. “The focus should be on our survival and the loss of Denver, painting him as a tragic figure rather than a villain.”
“Fuck that.” Leo glances at her, concern evident in his eyes. “What if they dig deeper? What about our mothers?”
“You were too young to remember them, right? And no one reported them missing.” I shrug. “Let the world believe a different outcome for them. Maybe your mothers gave up on finding their missing sons and now live across the country with their new families.”
“Won’t someone investigate that?” Kody asks.
“That’s a risk we would have to manage. But they won’t find anything. You were abducted over twenty-five years ago. The crime is old. The perpetrator is dead. They’ll keep the case open, but I don’t see them putting much effort into locating the cabin or hunting down your mothers. Especially if you don’t push them to do it.” I take a breath. “How do you want this to play out?”
“I want it to go away so we can fucking move on.” Kody pushes back his shoulders with the strength of his conviction.
“Then we stick to the story I gave them and prepare for any questions they might throw our way.”
“What about Wolf?” Leo looks at me.
“If we don’t mention him, no one will know of his existence except us.”
“And Sirena. She knows.” Frankie’s expression darkens, her voice sharp and demanding. “Why haven’t you fired her?”
“Why would I?” A surge of satisfaction courses through me. Her jealousy makes me unreasonably happy in a twisted way, but I keep my face neutral. “She’s the reason I discovered Alvis Duncan, which led me to learn about Denver. She’s too good at her job to let go.”
“So her skills are worth more to you than how I feel?” Her eyes flash with sudden, vicious anger.
“If you want me to fire her, admit you’re jealous. Say those words, and she’s gone.”
“Jealous?” Her face contorts with fury. “This isn’t about jealousy, Monty. It’s about trust. She’s dangerous, and I don’t trust her.”
“She’s dangerous because she makes you jealous.”
And seeing Frankie jealous makes me hard as fuck.
She pulls herself up, bristling all over. “You arrogant, controlling, narcissistic, arrogant—”
“You already said arrogant.”
“I know I already said it, you dick.”
“Sirena has done nothing but help us.”
“And try to fuck a married man.”
“Tried and failed . If anyone can find Wolf, it’s her. But if you truly want her gone, say it. Your trust means more to me than anything.”
“Frankie.” Leo grips the back of her chair, leaning over her. “Let it go.”
“Why? So you can stare at her tits again?” She pushes him away, her anger boiling over.
“Keep it up.” He pushes right back, crowding in and growling low, “I’ll bend you over my knee right here at the table.”
My lungs slowly empty, but the exhale does little to calm my own raging jealousy.
For a moment, I worry she might explode and take me right along with her. Instead, she sucks in a deep breath, her eyes still blazing.
“Fine.” She grits her teeth, glaring at me. “Keep her. But don’t expect me to trust her. Or you, for that matter.”
“Do you trust her?” Leo asks me.
“I don’t trust anyone.”
“Right.” Leo huffs.
Frankie doesn’t respond, just turns away.
Emotions are wrung out, and tempers are tight. We sit in strained silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
Eventually, Kody rests an arm on the table and brings us back around. “If we don’t mention Wolf, no one will know of his existence except us and the investigator. What happens if we mention him?”
“If you mention him, he’ll be known only as a victim of abuse and suicide.” The thought makes my stomach turn, but this isn’t my decision. I lost that right when I dropped off his mother at the abortion clinic. I clear my throat. “Which would he prefer?”
“He had a flair for dramatics.” Leo traces the edge of a butter knife. “He would choose negative media attention over nothing at all.”
“Wolf is ours to protect.” She grips Leo’s hand on the table. “Then and now. So that’s what we’ll do. We’ll protect him from this, even if that means keeping him a secret.”
Everyone mumbles their agreement.
I can’t look away from her hand where it entwines so casually with Leo’s. She’s pissed that I employ a woman I haven’t touched. Yet she’s fucking my nephew and my brother under my roof.
She’s not just fucking them. She loves them.
They share so many things that exclude me, including my son.
It’s fucking crushing.
The worst part is I only have myself to blame. My mistakes put me in this position.
Frankie gives me a sad smile, and for a span of several heartbeats, a flicker of understanding passes between us.
But a dark shadow remains, hovering over our fragile peace.
Leo and Kody exchange uneasy glances, knowing the battle between my wife and me is far from over.