Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
He lifts her against the wall, his dick hard and ready. Then he makes love to her, gently, slowly, reminding her that she’s loved, that she’s safe, and that she’s everything to us.
They’re beautiful together, their bodies rocking beneath the cascade of water. The faint sounds of their breaths, the soft murmur of Monty’s voice as he whispers to her, it’s intimate, private, but not exclusive.
As they start to come, their eyes turn to me, inviting and wanting. I lean in and capture her mouth, kissing her as they climax together.
We find clean clothes we left behind in Denver’s old room. By the time we emerge, I can breathe again, my heart slowing, my mind starting to clear.
I’m ready to go home and put the hills behind us.
An hour later, we board the bush plane.
The engines hum with a steady vibration as I check the instruments one last time.
The sky is calm and dark with the onset of polar night. No snow. No wind. Monty assures me it’s safe for flying.
He sits beside me in the co-pilot’s seat, his hands steady as they move over the controls.
Behind us, the cabin is quiet, save for the soft sound of breathing and the occasional creak of the plane’s frame.
I glance back, checking on Frankie.
She grips the armrests tightly, but she’s managing. Her chest rises and falls in measured breaths as she uses her techniques to keep the panic at bay.
Kody checks her seat belt for the hundredth time, his fingers moving over the buckle with teasing flicks.
“Dude.” Wolf sighs. “The belt is latched.”
“He’s trying to get into my pants.” Frankie smirks despite the tension in her shoulders.
“He needs to work on his technique.”
Kody buckles himself in, his eyes never leaving her.
She’s strong, and she’s holding on. We all are.
Wolf returns his gaze to the window, his gaze distant, lost in thoughts I can’t imagine.
I know Rhett transported him in planes, but Wolf was never conscious for it.
This is different.
He’s here. He’s awake, and it’s all hitting him at once. The freedom, the reunion with his family, the introduction to his father, and the fact that he’s truly escaping.
I remember that feeling.
I turn back to the controls.
This is it. We’re finally leaving this place behind.
The engines roar to life, and the plane vibrates beneath us, eager to take off, to soar.
“Hey, Wolf.” I twist in the seat and find his blue eyes staring back. “Have you heard the fairy tale about the lion, the bear, and the drag queen?”
“Uh…Maybe?” His lips twist.
“Well, it turns out that lions can fly. Bears make mighty fine vodka, and the Magic Kingdom will no longer be without its queen.”
Wolf huffs out a laugh, and I turn back to the controls.
The plane lurches. The wheels bump over the terrain. Then we’re off, lifting into the air, leaving the ground behind, leaving Hoss behind.
The sky opens up before us, vast and endless.
We’re moving forward, together, as a family.
69
Frankie
—
Four months later.
“Can’t stop looking at you.” Leo shifts us deeper into the velvet couch and tucks me tightly against his side. “You’re fucking stunning, love.”
I adore the way he looks at me.
It goes beyond mere attraction. He sees the anxiety, the scars, the bouts of madness and darkness, and instead of turning away, he embraces me with a stare so loving and deep it makes me feel cherished.
And claimed.
I belong to three men.
My gaze drifts across the lounge to Monty and Kody behind the bar, where they put on a show for the packed crowd in the distillery.
Kody’s venue has become the destination spot in Alaska. Patrons book months in advance just to get in the door.
The owner’s sexy, irresistible allure has a lot to do with that. The energy in the room thrums with excitement and desire.
Kody, with his dark, untamed aura, and Monty, the embodiment of billionaire porn, are the main event.
Bottles fly through the air, glasses slide across the bar, and the crowd cheers.
They compete with each other, tossing drinks back and forth, trying to outdo the other. It isn’t just fun brotherly rivalry. It’s proof that laughter can follow tragedy.
Life twisted them into violent, scarred warriors, but what they did in the hills doesn’t define them. It made them stronger, closer.
The connection between the four Strakh men fills my soul.
Kody grunts as Monty flings a bottle toward him, catching it easily and spinning it behind his back before pouring the contents into a glass.
A smile tugs at the corner of Monty’s lips as he slams a drink down in front of a customer with a flourish.
The crowd roars.
Leo shifts, feathering his fingers along my thighs beneath the hem of my dress, sending an electric thrill through me. The table hides our laps, providing some privacy in the packed room. But anyone looking can see the heat in his bedroom eyes.