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)
It’s too fancy for my primitive, snow-cabin ass.
“Over here.” Monty strolls to the main bar in the aft of the living room.
It isn’t just a bar. It’s a whole experience.
I run my hand along the smooth, curved teak wood. The shiny metal accents remind me of old-school ships. Plenty of comfy seats. Killer views of the ocean. And the bar top? Man, it’s just one big slab of fancy marble with all these cool veins running through it.
Bottles of every shape and color line the shelves. I can practically taste the aged whiskey and fine champagne.
He pours himself a drink, the amber liquid catching the light, and offers us one, too. Kody declines, more interested in observing the setup.
“I’ll have what you’re having.” I nod at his glass.
He hands it over and makes himself another. “Not your usual dive bar, huh?”
“We wouldn’t know.” Kody lowers onto the stool beside me.
“I worked hard for this.” Monty takes a sip. “Every bit of it.”
I respect that. He didn’t inherit this life. He built it, piece by piece.
“It’s not just about the money, you know.” Monty tosses back another drink, his gaze distant. “It’s about freedom. The ability to do what I want, when I want. To provide for those I care about. That’s what drives me.” Another gulp of whiskey. “It means fuck all if I have no one to share it with.”
I understand that more than he knows. Freedom is something we’ve all fought for in our own ways. While our battles have been different, the end goal is the same.
None of it matters without Frankie.
“With hard work and compromise, you can have this, too.” Monty looks at Kody, then me. “With freedom like this, you can have anything you want. You’re the only one standing in your way.”
“What are you saying?” My brows pull together. “What compromise?”
“Let me help you. If you want a pilot school, a distillery, whatever your dreams are, work with me. I can guide you through the logistics, be a silent partner, and help you make it successful. It’s what I do.”
“What do you get out of it?”
“A new challenge.” His eyes glimmer. “And a percentage of the profits, of course.”
A businessman, through and through.
I glance around, taking in the extravagance and comfort of it all. He has every material possession a man could want, but part of me remains unimpressed by the trappings of wealth.
The pod of whales stirred something in me that no amount of luxury could replicate. Their wild, unassuming nature calls to a deeper part of me, one that yearns for something more primal and authentic.
This yacht, this life, it’s a world away from everything we’ve known.
But we’re not in the hills anymore. We must adapt, evolve, and transcend from the feral, snarling animals raised in the wild into smarter, more refined, successful men.
Men who can properly care for Frankie in this strange, manufactured world.
A world where we can finally find the freedom and peace we’ve been searching for. A life we never imagined.
Kody sits beside me, silent as usual, but there’s a light in his eyes I haven’t seen before. He’s curious, maybe even a little excited, though likely more by the sheer novelty of it all.
I give him a look, letting him take the lead.
“Put together a plan.” He rolls his lips. “Give us an offer, and we’ll consider it.”
Monty smiles, a genuine, warm smile that transforms his stern features.
“Here’s to freedom.” He raises his glass.
For the second time today, I clink my tumbler with his and finish my whiskey.
He makes a third drink, this one with Kentucky bourbon, a splash of Amarena cherry juice, and two black cherries.
For Frankie.
My stomach hardens.
“Let’s eat lunch then start on those driving lessons.” Monty pushes off the bar, carrying her drink.
Kody and I rise, taking a second to find our footing against the gentle rocking of the yacht.
We follow the distant calls of seabirds through the narrow corridor with Monty in the lead.
“One more thing.” He pauses at the doorway of the largest suite, turning to face us. “This one’s mine.”
I peer inside the main bedroom. It’s bigger, more lavish than all the rest, a reflection of his status as the owner.
He steps closer, his expression stony. “No one fucks her in this bed but me.”
“What the fuck did you just say?” Blood rushes past my ears.
“You heard me.” He leans in, his breath fuming with whiskey. “Going forward, you get two versions of me. That’s the only way this works.”
I’m still stuck on the part where no one fucks her but him.
The walls close in. My chest pushes out. An animalistic sound rumbles in my throat, a warning of the bloodshed to come.
“Breathe.” Kody stands behind me in the narrow hall and hooks an arm around my waist, holding me back.
“I know you’re fucking her.” Monty slams his hand against the wall beside my face, a loud cracking echo. “I can’t stop you. I can’t…” He sucks in a breath, his fingers clenching around the glass of bourbon. “But I do not want to see it, hear it, or have it flaunted in my face. Give me that much.”