Page 151 of Heart of Frost and Scars

My hands flex on the wheel as I agonize over her abduction and the months of horrors she endured. She’s been through enough.

“I have nightmares.” Her fragile whisper shatters through my thoughts. “About killing Denver. No matter what he did to us, to Leo, Wolf, Kody, and all the others, I can’t wash that blood off my hands.”

Her confession pierces me. My brother was a monster. His death was inevitable, yet the burden of it falls on her.

She shouldn’t have been the one to end his life. That bane should’ve been mine.

“I wish it had been me.” My voice roughens with regret. “I should have killed him when we were young. It should’ve been my hands that removed him from this world, not yours.”

“I did what I had to do.” Her eyes meet mine. “But it doesn’t make it easier.”

“I’m sorry, Frankie. So fucking sorry.”

“I know.”

We dock at the island, the familiar silhouette of the estate rising against the night sky. I guide her off the yacht, our steps silent on the pier’s wooden planks. This place is a fortress, guarded by a highly-skilled security team, their figures visible in every direction.

But even here, shadows lurk.

Inside the house, I lead her to the living room with the new couch I bought two months ago.

But she stops me with a hand on my arm. “There’s something I need to show you.”

Curiosity piqued, I follow her upstairs, through my bedroom, and into the bathroom.

None of her belongings remain in this space. It took me a few weeks, but I did what she asked. I removed her presence from my private rooms.

That seemed to satisfy her, but it’s done nothing to soothe my heartache.

“Look.” She points to a wall sconce next to the bathroom door, her expression tense.

I lean closer, examining the hardware. There, hidden in the ornate design, is a tiny camera.

“What the fuck?” Rage and violation surge through me. Someone has been watching us. Watching her. “How long has this been here?”

“Two months.” She pulls out her phone and opens an app. “We set a trap.”

My anger thaws into relief. No one trespassed on the island. They did this. Her, Leo, and Kody. They spied on me. I can live with that.

I did the same thing to them.

I turn, following the angle of the camera. It points directly at the shower.

The recordings on her screen confirm it.

“We put cameras throughout the estate.” Her voice wavers. “You have every right to be mad. We thought…”

“If the stalker contacted you again, you could catch me in action.” I sigh. “Smart.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t blame you.” I hold out my hand for the phone. “May I?” When she offers it, I ask, “You checked the cameras after you received the threatening call?”

“Yes.” She points to one of the recent recordings. “You were in the shower.”

I press play, watching a video of me jerking off. Unmuting it, I let my groans vibrate from the speaker. The sounds of me moaning her name, over and over, fill the air around us.

She crosses her arms over her chest, a barrier between herself and my obvious feelings for her.

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