Page 160 of Heart of Frost and Scars

He remains silent, his gaze fixed on the photo. I see the tension in his shoulders, the unspoken distrust. It’s not just about Frankie. It’s everything—our fractured family, the years of captivity, the scars both seen and unseen.

“I never knew how to be a brother.” I slide my hands in my pockets and stare out at the waves. “Denver and I…it was always a battle. He thrived on hurting people, and I ran away instead of facing it. We were never really brothers. But with you…I want it to be different.”

“Why?” Kody finally turns his head, his black eyes locking onto mine.

“Because we’ve been through some shit, and maybe together, we can find a way out. We’re both stubborn bastards. We both have walls. Maybe it’s time to start tearing them down. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m willing to try if you are.”

“You think a few words can earn my trust?” He grunts, a harsh sound.

“No. Words alone can’t. But actions can.” I pick up a smooth rock and send it skipping across the surface of the water. “We want the same thing. Let’s hunt down the piece of shit who’s terrorizing her.”

He looks at me, really looks at me, for the first time. There’s a glimmer in his gaze, a crack in the armor he’s built around himself. “You hired an investigator.”

“Yes. I hired one when Frankie went missing, too. Didn’t stop me from doing my own hunting.”

“And when we find this stalker?”

“No cops. No laws.” I edge closer, pushing against the intensity of his surly expression. “We’ll kill them.”

We stand in silence again, the photograph a fragile bridge between us. Kody’s eyes soften, just a fraction, but it’s enough. It’s a beginning.

A sharp ring breaks the moment. I pull my phone from my pocket, the name on the screen sending a chill down my spine.

I answer on speaker. “Carl?”

“Mr. Novak,” the security guard says. “We have a situation at the house. A package was delivered with the groceries. You need to see this.”

Kody and I exchange a glance as a jolt of adrenaline hits me. We lurch into motion, the dread between us growing as our footsteps pound against the gravel path.

In the kitchen, Carl stands next to a plain, brown box on the stainless-steel counter, the top already opened.

“I didn’t order that.” Oliver stands off to the side, his hand clutched to his throat and eyes wide with shock. “I found it with the delivery.”

Panic surges.

“Where’s Frankie?” I spin, searching for her.

“Here.” She steps in behind me with Leo at her back. Her forehead knits as she takes in the scene. “What’s wrong?”

“Sir.” Carl steps forward, concern etched on his face. “This is…delicate.” He glances at Frankie.

Too delicate for Frankie? That’s almost laughable. The horror she experienced in the past year would bring Carl to his knees. If anyone can handle it, she can.

“What’s in it?” My insides knot as I reach for the box.

“Don’t touch it without gloves.” Carl offers me a pair. “Fingerprints.”

Alarm bells ring in my head as I slide on the latex and glance at Kody. His gaze narrows, studying the package. It’s unmarked, with no labels or identifiers. Just an ordinary box.

“All right.” My heart thunders in my ears. “Let’s see what we’re dealing with.”

I open the box carefully, peeling back the flaps. Inside, packed in dry ice, is a plastic bag. I wave my hand, the cold vapor swirling around my fingers as I reach in and lift the bag covered in frost.

“What is it?” Leo asks, his voice tense.

I squint, trying to make sense of the shape within the bag. It’s not immediately clear, just an ominous, unidentifiable object. Cold seeps through the plastic, chilling my fingertips, coming from something.

Something that turns my stomach.

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