Page 229 of Heart of Frost and Scars

The Ghost. He knows not to say that name out loud.

“No updates. We’re at a standstill. But Frankie’s security is tight. No one can get to her at the hospital.”

He pauses, glancing down at me.

His face is bruised, beard grown out, stitches crisscrossing his forehead. He’s been in more bar fights than Frankie knows about, and it shows.

“What is that?” He nods at the wrapped frame in my hand.

“Something I wanted you to have.” I set it against the wall and straighten the cuffs of my sleeves. “Look, I…”

I want to back away slowly and rethink this whole thing. I don’t know what to say to him. I only know that I need to say something, do something, or I’m going to lose him.

I’m the patriarch of this family. It’s my job to fix this. That’s why I’m here. I’m going to fucking fix it.

But to do that, I must open myself up. Might as well take a knife to my chest and split the skin and bone. It would be less painful.

“Kody wants us to reconcile.” I inwardly cringe, wishing I hadn’t started with that.

“Reconcile?” He snorts, a bitter sound. “What does that look like? Will you invite me over for Christmas dinner? Will I be a third wheel on your date nights? When your kids are born, will I be Uncle Leo? Or Cousin Leo? Will you ask me to watch your house while you and Frankie travel the world together?”

“If you’re going to be a dick, come down from there and be a dick to my face.”

“I’m not trying to be a dick.” He gathers his tools and descends the ladder. “I’m being realistic. You want her to be your wife, and you want Kody and I to be your family.”

“You are my family.”

“I know you talked to Kody. What’s his stance on this?”

“He’ll do anything to get Frankie back. I met with a therapist this morning. Kody starts his sessions tomorrow. We’re trying to sort through our issues.”

I pull Dr. Thurber’s business card from my pocket and hand it to him.

He looks at it and tosses it on a nearby workbench. “I can’t talk about my past, Monty. It’s over. Done.”

“What about your future? Will you talk about that? With me?”

“My future is with her.” His blue and gold eyes bore into mine. “If we’re not talking about that, we have nothing to discuss.”

My pulse thrashes in my ears.

He wants to fuck my wife and expects me to go along with it.

How can I do that? It goes against every possessive, selfish fiber of my being.

Even if we could all agree to a polyamorous relationship—which I can’t envision happening—how would it work?

I’m controlling, dominant, especially in the bedroom. An alpha doesn’t share his bed with another alpha, let alone two.

I watched them fuck. They aren’t bottoms.

And the bond she shares with them? It’s stronger than her feelings for me. I know she loves me, but not the way she loves them.

I should walk away. Let them have her. That would be the selfless thing to do.

But I can’t. I’ll fight for her until my last breath.

Leo sees his future with her, and for me, that means a future of fighting and anguish.

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