Page 234 of Heart of Frost and Scars

“Such as?”

“Did you two get your shit worked out yet?” Kody strides into the room, his black hair soaked by the rain.

“No.” I arch a brow at Monty. “Which points did I brush over?”

“If we share her, we’ll face a slew of new challenges. Social stigma, time management, insecurity, jealousy, boundaries, legal and financial complications, pecking order…”

Kody grunts.

“What?” Monty squints at him. “I know you’ve had your share of complications with this already, but polygamy in the middle of fucking nowhere isn’t the same as polygamy in modern society, where the world scrutinizes, judges, and interferes.”

“You care what people think?” I ask.

“Not at all.”

“You can make all the other shit go away with your money and influence.” Kody snaps his fingers. “Like that.”

“I can’t make our internal obstacles go away. Strakh men are controlling, domineering, and stubborn as fuck. Put three of us in a bed together and what do you think will happen? I don’t want to fight with you for the rest of my life.”

“You’re overthinking this.” I lace my hands behind my head. “Kody and I already sleep in the same bed. When we disagree, we work it out. We would do the same with you.”

“We know a thing or two about overcoming obstacles.” Kody leans against the dresser.

“Understatement,” I mutter.

Monty taps his fingers together, studying me. “Why did it take you two days to come here?”

“Nerves.” I brace a hand on my hip and chew my thumbnail. “Considering I turn every uncomfortable conversation into a brawl, I didn’t want to fuck this up. Dr. Thurber taught me some breathing techniques, which I haven’t used since I got here. I prepared a speech, which I forgot about until now. But I’m here. I came crawling back to you, willing to fucking beg, because I love her and refuse to spend one more night without her.”

“Thank you for your honesty.” His voice scratches, eyebrows furrowing.

“Why did I find you in bed, staring at the TV like you gave up on life?”

“Classic romantic movies are my comfort. I’m not giving up. Not even close.” He lifts a shoulder. “I wanted to open myself up, let you see a part of me no one else does. This…” He stands, gesturing at his unkempt appearance, the bed, and the TV. “This is me when no one else is around.”

“If you expect me to judge you for that, you got the wrong guy.”

He nods and scratches his shirtless abs.

Then he squares his shoulders, and a transformation settles over him. The passive, chill, bed-rotting, classic-movie-watching guy vanishes, and the Monty I know stares back at me, his blue eyes sharp and icy.

His expression conveys a depth of intellect and unyielding will, but it’s his dominating presence that makes me stand a little taller.

“If I’m in, I’m all in.” He stalks into the bathroom. “That means equal parts in this relationship and our family. I’m your brother and her lover.”

Kody and I exchange a look and follow him.

In one smooth motion, he strips his sweatpants and continues into the walk-in shower, fully naked.

“You said lover.” I lean against the wall just outside the stall. “Not husband.”

“If we do this, she’s married to all of us, even if the law doesn’t recognize it.” He turns, facing us, with a hand on the faucet. “If we do this, we’re giving her our last name.”

A shudder runs through me, starting at the base of my spine and spreading like wildfire. It’s not just a shiver. A cascade of electric excitement lights up every corner of my body. I feel it in my fingertips, tingling and alive. It courses through my legs, making my knees weak. My breath catches in my throat. My heart hammers in my chest.

This is her dream.

But not just hers.

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