Page 208 of Heart of Frost and Scars

“No.” Her head continues to shake. “He has nothing to do with this.”

“Frankie!” The door handle rattles, followed by more pounding. “Open the door!”

She flings it open before I can stop her and bolts past Monty.

“Sirena, wait!” I crash into his chest, caught in the snare of his arms.

He’s not alone. Leo and Kody crowd into the doorway, all bearing down on me as I try to track Sirena’s escape.

“Stop her.” Pushing against them, I glimpse a blur of her dark hair.

Then she’s gone, melting into the throng of people near the front door.

“What did she do?” Leo’s eyes blaze as he shoves into the bathroom.

“Nothing. She talked to me. But she knows things about the stalker. I think she’s in danger. You need to stop her.”

Monty quickly directs some guards to follow her before turning back to me. “What happened?”

“She confessed that someone hired her to fuck you.” I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “All three of you. She doesn’t know who. It was a year ago. She was supposed to help you find me, Monty. And get you into bed in the process.”

“Why would someone hire her for that?” Kody grips the doorframe. “Doesn’t make sense.”

“I think it’s the stalker,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

“We’ll figure it out.” Monty pulls me into a protective embrace.

“We need to find her.” I untangle from him and shoulder my way out of the restroom.

They stay with me, of course, forming a circle around me as we rejoin the crowd in the lounge.

Then we wait for the guards to return.

Minutes crawl by at a glacial speed. The streets around the distillery teem with so many people that she could disappear into the night, either by her own doing or the stalker.

Monty and Leo have been calling and texting her with no luck. Kody returns to the bar to entertain the crowds.

The security team discreetly sweeps the bathrooms for recording devices. Then they turn their attention to the distillery, looking for anything that might’ve been planted throughout the night.

They’ve also been instructed to watch the patrons, something they’ve been doing all night, but now on a closer, more suspicious level.

Everything is handled in the background, the guests oblivious to my confrontation with Sirena.

Finally, Carl returns, shaking his head in frustration. “There are too many people outside. She was able to slip away in the mob.”

“And her apartment?” Monty’s jaw tightens.

“She hasn’t gone home, but I have a team stationed there and more combing the vicinity.”

“Continue the hunt until she’s located.”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s time to go home.” Monty meets Leo’s eyes, who nods and starts to stand.

“No. Not without Kody.” I remain seated at the far end of the bar, watching him interact with his guests. “This is his night, and we’re not bailing on him.”

So we stay.

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