Page 134 of Heart of Frost and Scars

The house feels empty without her. The echo of voices, the warmth of Frankie’s nearness, all missing. I find myself in the kitchen, staring at the untouched dinner that Oliver prepared for her. She should be here, not gallivanting around Sitka with Leo and Kody.

My phone buzzes, a call from Sirena.

“Yes?” I answer.

“Frankie and Kody are leaving the distillery, returning to the flight school to get Leo.”

“Reporters?”

“None.”

Our interviews aired last week, causing a commotion, but it has since died down. The vultures have moved on to more scandalizing stories.

“Dr. Whitaker is headed back to Sitka.” I stare out the kitchen window. “Keep an eye on him.”

“On it.”

“Any update on locating the cabin?”

“No.” Her soft sigh drifts through the connection. “My team has swept nearly twenty percent of those hills. There’s a lot of ground to cover. This would go faster if Leo or Kody joined them.”

I agree. They might recognize landmarks or something familiar. But they won’t leave Frankie, especially not to return to that cabin. I can’t blame them, but every day, our chances of recovering Wolfson’s body diminish.

“Keep searching.” I disconnect the call, my thoughts returning to Frankie.

The stalker remains unidentified. No messages or threats since the first one. I’m keeping Sirena out of that investigation. The only thing she knows beyond what we told the press is that I had a son in those hills. Everything else is on a need-to-know basis, and she doesn’t need to know about the depravity in my family.

Doyle’s words echo in my mind.

Our efforts to protect can become suffocating.

He doesn’t understand. No one does. Frankie is my world. I need to find a way to keep her safe without losing her.

And for that, I need to confront the darkness inside me.

28

Frankie

—

Leo and Kody sit with me at a corner table in a cozy restaurant with a clear view of the bustling dining area.

Kody’s fingers curl around mine on the table, his scarred hand rough but gentle like his eyes. Leo’s palm rests on my thigh, his thumb stroking, always restless. His rugged features soften as he looks at me, and Kody’s brooding intensity gives way to a tenderness that swells my chest.

We’re a tangle of broken souls, stitched together by shared pain and longing. Longing for one another. Longing for a future full of affection.

We already know what hell looks like. No more punishments are necessary.

Give us more of this—soft evenings, good food, and stolen kisses, sweet as dark cherries.

Leo and Kody are happy here. In Sitka. In this new life. Happier than I’ve ever seen them.

Despite the unsolved threat that’s been haunting us for two months.

Our security guards—Carl and Jasper—stand outside, watching us through the front windows while scrutinizing the locals and tourists inside and on the street. While I appreciate their constant vigilance, they make me anxious. We have no real privacy, no peace from the fear that seems to follow us everywhere.

Soft amber lighting casts a glow over the wooden tables, the atmosphere heavy with the mouthwatering aroma of grilled seafood and hearty stews. Vintage photographs of Sitka’s history, fishing boats, and native Alaskan art adorn the walls, giving the place a timeless charm.

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