Page 107 of Heart of Frost and Scars

Next to it is a Koenigsegg Jesko, one of the rarest cars in the world. The carbon fiber body resembles something out of a sci-fi movie, all sharp angles and aerodynamic curves. The red paint is too bright for my tastes, but the craftsmanship, the power…this machine is built for one thing. Speed.

“We’re taking this one out for driving lessons, right?” I thrust my thumb at it.

“Sure.” Monty lifts a shoulder. “Any one you want.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I was.”

“Which one is the easiest to handle?” Kody crosses his arms, glancing around. “And holds more than two passengers?”

“The Bentley.” Monty nods toward the rear of the garage.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to say boring. But no one would call a Bentley boring.

“This is wild.” I shake my head. “When you find something you like, you don’t fuck around.”

“You could say that.” Monty’s voice drops, his expression darkening.

He’s no longer thinking about his damn car collection.

Kody stiffens beside me.

“Enough gawking.” Monty takes off toward the Bentley. “Let’s get to work.”

“Let it go.” I clap Kody on the shoulder. “Focus on learning.”

We follow Monty deeper into the garage. As much as his obsession with Frankie eats me up, I get it. He wants the best of the best, and she’s worth more than his yacht, jet, private island, and car collection combined.

And she’s the one thing he can’t have.

We pile into the Bentley, Monty in the driver’s seat. I sit beside him in the front with Kody in the back. The engine roars to life, and he takes us out of the garage.

As we drive through the town, people turn their heads to watch us pass. Either the Bentley is an unusual sight in this remote town or they recognize the man driving it. Probably both.

We cross over a bridge, and I roll down the window, savoring the scent of saltwater and pine in the air.

“How did Frankie meet Rhett?” I ask. “Did he hire her?”

“They met in Anchorage during her residency. When he accepted the Chief of Surgery position and moved to Sitka, he brought her with him. She grew up here, so it was an easy decision for her. Especially since her mom had just been diagnosed with cancer.”

Once we’re out of the town, Monty hits the gas, and the car surges forward, taking us onto the rural Alaskan mountain roads. The scenery changes rapidly, giving way to vast stretches of untamed wilderness.

Towering pine trees flank the road, their dark green needles brushing against the cerulean sky. Snow-capped mountains tower around us, the jagged peaks piercing the horizon.

The road twists and turns, carving a path through the rugged terrain. Every now and then, we catch glimpses of wildlife. A deer darting across the pavement. An eagle soaring high above. The beauty of this place is raw and untouched. It feels more like home.

“You met her in the hospital?” I glance at his stony profile. “You were her patient?”

“Yeah. I was playing basketball with some of my colleagues and dislocated my kneecap. She was the trauma nurse who put me back together.” He swallows. “I’ve replayed that day a million times in my head. It was a chance meeting. I don’t know how Denver could’ve orchestrated it.”

“He couldn’t have known you would get injured,” Kody says from the back seat. “But if he was connected with someone in that hospital…”

“They could’ve assigned her to me for some nefarious reason.” Monty nods. “That’s a lot of could’ves and what ifs with no supporting evidence. All we have is the ramblings of a psychopath.”

“A psychopath who knew you met her in the hospital.” I grit my teeth. “How did Denver know that?”

“She never told him?”

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