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)
“Melanie has my journal.” She rubs her temple. “The whole story is in there. Denver’s murder, Wolf’s suicide, the abuse that we all endured…”
“No crimes have been reported outside of the kidnappings. If you want it to remain that way, keep the story as is. If you want Denver’s crimes exposed, be prepared for a long, messy, and very public investigation.”
“No.” Kody stiffens. “Denver is dead, appropriately punished, and will never hurt anyone else again. The abuse he inflicted…that stays among us. No one needs to know about our history.”
“Except your psychiatrist.” She cocks a red eyebrow.
He scowls.
“Psychiatrists are mandatory reporters.” I tap my fingers on my knee, thinking. “But in your case, the crime isn’t active, and your kidnapper allegedly died of starvation. Your psychiatrist won’t need to report the information to law enforcement. That said…” I take a steady breath. “The press is speculating that there’s more to the story. Kidnapping implies assault and abuse. Since they don’t have evidence, they’re digging for it. We don’t want them digging.”
“So you promised them an exclusive.” Her shoulders bunch up.
I can almost hear the echoes of Denver’s abuse ringing in her ears, and I fucking hate it.
“I’m sorry.” The impulse to reach for her twitches through my hand. “We must deliver exclusive interviews within the next few days. This bought us a little reprieve, but not much.”
“How does it work?” Leo sips his coffee. “We corroborate the narrative you crafted by providing details that satisfy their curiosity without exposing too much?”
“Yes.”
“We have to be careful with what we reveal and how we frame it.” She nibbles on her lip. “The focus should be on our survival and the loss of Denver, painting him as a tragic figure rather than a villain.”
“Fuck that.” Leo glances at her, concern evident in his eyes. “What if they dig deeper? What about our mothers?”
“You were too young to remember them, right? And no one reported them missing.” I shrug. “Let the world believe a different outcome for them. Maybe your mothers gave up on finding their missing sons and now live across the country with their new families.”
“Won’t someone investigate that?” Kody asks.
“That’s a risk we would have to manage. But they won’t find anything. You were abducted over twenty-five years ago. The crime is old. The perpetrator is dead. They’ll keep the case open, but I don’t see them putting much effort into locating the cabin or hunting down your mothers. Especially if you don’t push them to do it.” I take a breath. “How do you want this to play out?”
“I want it to go away so we can fucking move on.” Kody pushes back his shoulders with the strength of his conviction.
“Then we stick to the story I gave them and prepare for any questions they might throw our way.”
“What about Wolf?” Leo looks at me.
“If we don’t mention him, no one will know of his existence except us.”
“And Sirena. She knows.” Frankie’s expression darkens, her voice sharp and demanding. “Why haven’t you fired her?”
“Why would I?” A surge of satisfaction courses through me. Her jealousy makes me unreasonably happy in a twisted way, but I keep my face neutral. “She’s the reason I discovered Alvis Duncan, which led me to learn about Denver. She’s too good at her job to let go.”
“So her skills are worth more to you than how I feel?” Her eyes flash with sudden, vicious anger.
“If you want me to fire her, admit you’re jealous. Say those words, and she’s gone.”
“Jealous?” Her face contorts with fury. “This isn’t about jealousy, Monty. It’s about trust. She’s dangerous, and I don’t trust her.”
“She’s dangerous because she makes you jealous.”
And seeing Frankie jealous makes me hard as fuck.
She pulls herself up, bristling all over. “You arrogant, controlling, narcissistic, arrogant—”
“You already said arrogant.”
“I know I already said it, you dick.”
“Sirena has done nothing but help us.”
“And try to fuck a married man.”
“Tried and failed. If anyone can find Wolf, it’s her. But if you truly want her gone, say it. Your trust means more to me than anything.”
“Frankie.” Leo grips the back of her chair, leaning over her. “Let it go.”
“Why? So you can stare at her tits again?” She pushes him away, her anger boiling over.
“Keep it up.” He pushes right back, crowding in and growling low, “I’ll bend you over my knee right here at the table.”
My lungs slowly empty, but the exhale does little to calm my own raging jealousy.
For a moment, I worry she might explode and take me right along with her. Instead, she sucks in a deep breath, her eyes still blazing.
“Fine.” She grits her teeth, glaring at me. “Keep her. But don’t expect me to trust her. Or you, for that matter.”
“Do you trust her?” Leo asks me.
“I don’t trust anyone.”
“Right.” Leo huffs.
Frankie doesn’t respond, just turns away.