Blackstone Ranger Guardian: Blackstone Rangers Book 5

by Alicia Montgomery

  “Let’s go.”

  He led her toward the pickup truck and held the door open, but kept his distance and didn’t try to touch her. Circling to the driver’s side, he slid in carefully, watching her reaction. “Are you … is your fox …”

  Her animal curled its tail and flattened its ears defensively, but Dutchy ignored the warnings. “Yes. It’s fine.”

  His shoulders relaxed and he grabbed the seatbelt, strapped himself in, then started the engine. “Just let me know if you’re uncomfortable or you’re hurting. We’ll stop. I’ll take you back.”

  She didn’t answer, but he didn’t seem to mind as he kept his eye on the road and drove off.

  Oh God, what am I doing here? This was crazy, right? She was supposed to hate him. Her fox hated him. Even now, its back was arched and ears flattened, waiting for Krieger to make a wrong move.

  “Where are we going?” she finally thought to ask. They had been driving for half an hour now, and she didn’t recognize the road they were taking.

  “I thought … maybe you’d like to see the mountains.”

  “The m-mountains?”

  He nodded. “There are roads and trails closed off to the public, even to shifters, that only rangers can access. But where I’m taking you … you don’t need to get out of the car.”

  The pickup veered up to an unpaved trail, ending at an enclosed gate with a sign that read “Private Property, Keep Out.” However, a guard’s head emerged from the security shack. When he spotted Krieger in the driver’s seat, he waved as the gates opened.

  They lumbered through the rough gravel paved roads and after a few minutes, they turned a corner, stopping at a flat, scenic viewpoint that overlooked a giant lake.

  “Oh.” The view was breathtaking, and she immediately recognized the place. Aside from the castle and its grounds, it was one of the areas in the mountains the Lennoxes kept as private property. Sybil and Amelia had invited her to their parents’ cabins there several times.

  “You’ve been here before?” he asked.

  “At the lake, yes. But I’ve never seen it from up here.” The water was so calm that a clear mirror image reflection of the mountains appeared on its surface.

  “I’ve been coming here a lot,” he confessed. “Sometimes I see the dragons fly overhead.”

  “Must be a sight.” She had to admit, even though she was friends with Sybil Lennox, she had never seen her or anyone in her family in dragon form before. “But why did you bring me here?”

  His gaze remained fixed on the lake. “This is where I go when I need to get my head on straight. I … I grew up just outside Duluth, near Lake Superior. This place reminds me of that.”

  “Is your family still there?”

  “Yeah. My parents and my sister. Grandma and Grandpa. My brothers are all over though.”

  He has family. Of course he does. Curiosity got the better of her. “And you go to visit a lot?”

  He stiffened. “Not really. I call and email sometimes. Just to keep updated. Let them know I’m okay and to check on them.”

  “You should go visit them. Maybe for the holidays,” she suggested. “I haven’t been home to my skulk for almost a year and a half now.”

  “Connecticut, right?”

  Her head swung back to him. “You were listening to me babbling on and on?”

  “Of course.” He met her gaze. “I heard every word you said. Remembered everything about you. How could I forget?”

  Her heart drummed with excitement as a flash of heat spread down her spine. She tamped it down, the feelings raw and frightening. “Th-thank you for taking me here. It’s beautiful.”

  “In the winter, Lake Superior gets covered in snow. And you know when we say covered snow up there, we mean covered. It’s the lake effect—cold air picks up the warmer air from the lake and blows it across the shores. And when that happens, everything is white. The water’s just this dark gray color, and even the cliffs get covered in ice. You’d think … you’d think it was sad because you can’t see the clear waters or the trees. But it’s actually quite stunning.”

  She had closed her eyes as he was describing his home, his voice lulling her. It was probably the most he’d ever said to her in one breath, and the way he described it, she could picture it in her mind. The snow forming over the edges of the gray water. Icicles clinging to rock faces. “It sounds amazing.”

  “It is,” he said.

  They stayed there for a few more minutes, a comfortable silence resting over them. “I can take you back, if you like,” he said.

  Unsure what to say, she nodded, and he started the engine. The rest of the ride was a blur and soon they were pulling up in front of Angela’s house. When she reached for the door, he spoke.

  “Can I see you again tomorrow?”

  She froze for a second, then turned her head to meet his gaze, startled as he was looking at her head on. For a moment she thought … no, she was imagining things. “Tomorrow?”

  “Yeah. I spoke to Rosie yesterday. She says she misses you and feels bad she hasn’t been around to see you in days.”

  “Ah. Right.” One of Rosie’s waitresses quit without warning and she’d been covering for her.

  “How about I drive you there for lunch? She’d love to see you.”

  “She’d like to see me?”

  “Yeah.” His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “And … I would too.”

  “All right.” When his face lit up, her body tensed, and a dizzy feeling came over her.

  What the—

  There it was again. Her stomach flip-flopped. But was she seeing things, or did it really happen?

  “Dutchy?” He cocked his head at her. “You okay?”

  “Uh-huh,” she stammered and looked away, her face feeling hot. “Um, I should go.”

  “I’ll come by at eleven-thirty.”

  Not bothering to respond, she darted out of the truck and made a beeline for the door. It was a miracle she made it all the way inside as her knees wobbled through the entire short sprint, and it wasn’t because she was fatigued.

  Leaning against the door behind her, she pressed a hand to her chest.

  Oh Lord. What was she thinking? Well, she wasn’t. Her fox, too, admonished her for accepting his invitation. Yet … her heart soared at the thought of seeing him again.

  And what she’d seen … she thought it was her imagination, but then it happened again. It was brief, like the failed spark from a lighter.

  A flash of bright blue from the depths of his gaze.

  But the idea of it being real scared her. And why? She didn’t know.

  Chapter Eleven

  Krieger had never cared much for his appearance in the last five years he’d lived here. Back when before he’d been deployed and lived on the base, he and his army buddies would get all dressed up on weekend nights before they hit the bars in search of some fun.

  However, living by himself up in the mountains, there had been no point in shaving, cutting his hair, or even buying new clothes. But now he wished he at least had some proper scissors and a razor to trim his beard. Or a shirt that wasn’t faded or full of holes. To someone like Dutchy, he probably looked like some hobo mountain man. Not knowing what to do, he went to the one person he could run to for help.

  “Er, I’m not much of clothes expert either,” Damon said. He had driven down from his cabin in the truck Gabriel had lent him to Damon’s place. The chief also lived in the mountains, but lower down from him in one of the few areas the Lennoxes leased lands for rangers. “I know someone who is. Anna Victoria.”

  The chief’s mate was more than happy to help when Damon called her down and explained the situation. “Ooh! Shopping trip,” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

  “Anna Victoria,” Damon warned. “Don’t go overboard, now.”

  She laughed. “I won’t, I promise. And I know just the place. Let me go get my keys, and we can head out.”

  Soon, Krieger found himself in S
outh Blackstone, one of the newer developments in town that had lots of boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. It was strange to spend time with Anna Victoria without Damon, but she seemed determined to get him some new clothes. She led him to a men’s boutique, which because they had just opened, was empty save for the salesperson inside who greeted them as they entered.

  “I don’t have much time,” Krieger said as he glanced up at the clock hanging over the counter. It was already nine thirty-five. “Also, I don’t know where to start.” The rows of shirts, jackets, and pants around him looked … intimidating.

  “We won’t take long.” Anna Victoria pushed him into the dressing room. “And I’ll take care of it, okay?”

  Forty-five minutes later, they left the store with two bags, plus he was wearing a new outfit—white shirt, black leather jacket, and new jeans. “Are you sure this is okay?”

  Anna Victoria’s smile was as wide as the ocean. “It’s more than okay. She’ll love it.”

  It didn’t surprise him that she knew why he wanted to get some new clothes. “What about this?” He grabbed a handful of his unruly hair. “Should I cut it off?”

  “No!” The female sounded like she was going to have a heart attack at the mere suggestion. “I mean … you just need a little grooming. C’mon, I know another place we should go to.”

  Just a few shops down from the men’s boutique was a hair salon. He stopped short, seeing the pink and yellow decor from the outside. “I don’t think—”

  “Don’t be a baby, Krieger,” Anna Victoria teased. “Trust me, okay? C’mon.”

  The woman at the front desk introduced herself as Amy, the owner of the salon. From the way she and Anna Victoria chatted, it was obvious they were friends.

  “His hair just needs a little TLC,” Anna Victoria explained. “Nothing fancy. He has to pick up his date in an hour.”

  Amy raised a brow at him. “I’m digging the hipster mountain man look, but I bet that hair of yours has got more split ends than my relationship history,” she chuckled. “C’mon, honey, I’ll take good care of you.” She winked at him and led him to the washing basin in the back.

  An hour later, Amy had given him a shampoo, trim, and blow-dry, plus also groomed his beard hair. She showed him how to put his hair up in a “man bun” which she said would “drive the ladies wild.” Frankly, it seemed strange to go through all that trouble to fix up his hair only to tie it up again in a messy bun, but he shrugged and left it up anyway.

  “You look great,” Anna Victoria said as they walked out of the salon.

  “Thanks … for everything,” he said gratefully. “I gotta go …”

  “Of course.” She waved him away. “Now, go knock her socks off!”

  Thankfully, he was only five minutes late by the time he pulled up in front of Angela’s house. He sprinted to the front door and rang the bell. The door opened seconds later.

  “You’re”—Dutchy’s eyes widened comically as her gaze ran over him from head to toe—“late.”

  “I’m sorry.” He didn’t miss the flash of heat in her eyes, and he knew he owed Anna Victoria. Big time. “I got held up.”

  She cleared her throat. “Uh, you look … nice.”

  “So do you.” Of course, Dutchy always looked amazing, whether she was wearing sweats like yesterday or his uniform shirt. Or nothing at all, he added silently. Today, however, she wore a pale blue sweater that matched her eyes, and her brilliant coppery hair fell in waves around her face and down her shoulders. “Beautiful, actually.”

  “Th-thanks. Angela helped.” She gestured to her left arm which was still in a cast, but he was glad to see she no longer needed the sling today. “Should we go? Rosie was excited to hear we were coming.”

  “Of course.”

  He led her to the truck and opened the door for her, and soon they were pulling in front of Rosie’s Bakery and Cafe. As soon as they came in, Rosie’s face lit up from across the room where she was pouring coffee for a two-top. “I’ll be right with you, just a sec!” she called to a table as she breezed past them to get to Dutchy and Krieger. “My dear girl.” She pulled Dutchy into a hug. “It’s so nice to see you out and about.” An auburn brow shot up at Krieger. “Oh my … I almost didn’t recognize you. Don’t you look handsome?” she said with a saucy wink.

  “Uh—”

  “Aunt Rosie, do you have a table for us?” Dutchy interrupted.

  “Of course. I reserved you your favorite booth.”

  Rosie led them to a booth right by a large window that had a view of the street. Dutchy slid into the seat facing the dining room, and he sat opposite of her. “Sorry,” she cocked her head at the other tables. “I should see to a couple of tables. But Gabriel will be right with you,” she said with a wave as she rushed off.

  Dutchy’s brows drew together. “Gabriel?”

  As if on cue, the former ranger came up to them. “Hey folks, what can I—oh, Sarge!” The lion shifter slapped him on the back. “Looking good, man! You sure clean up nice. Love the hair.” He shook his own dark golden locks. “Maybe if you keep this up, you’ll have hair as nice as mine.”

  Krieger grumbled. “Can we order?”

  He barked out a laugh and turned to Dutchy. “Hello, you must be Dutchy. Gabriel Russel, at your service.” He held out a hand.

  She took it. “I didn’t realize Aunt Rosie had hired someone to replace Bridgette.”

  “Well, not quite. I’m still learning the ropes, seeing as I’m buying out Rosie. My fiancée, Temperance, has been running the kitchen for a while now, and so we’re gonna take over once Rosie feels ready to step back.”

  “B-b-buying her out?” Dutchy’s jaw dropped, and her face went pale.

  It was obvious she had no idea what her aunt had planned. Not liking to see her upset, Krieger turned to Gabriel. “Can you give us a minute?”

  “Sure. Let me get you some coffee, and I’ll come back to let you know the specials.”

  As soon as Gabriel was out of earshot, he turned to Dutchy. “You didn’t know?”

  Her gaze dropped down to her lap. “No.”

  “Gabriel’s a good guy,” he assured her. “He’ll take care of this place. And his mate’s an amazing baker. They’ll treat Rosie’s with respect.”

  “It’s not that,” she said in a quiet voice. “I just … I’m happy for Rosie. God knows she’s earned the right to put her feet up and lie back on a beach all day. But I literally had no idea she was retiring until now, because I’ve been staying away from my aunts and all my friends. Who knows what else I missed while I’ve been wallowing in pity because I can’t get any stupid work done? I’m a terrible person.”

  “Don’t talk like that.” He wished he could reach out and embrace her. Hell, he’d settle on holding her hand. But it was too risky. “Rosie doesn’t seem like the type to hold a grudge. She obviously loves you.”

  “And Gabriel … Oh God.” She slapped a palm on her forehead. “He’s the Gabriel Russel. Only male heir to the Lyon Industries fortune. His fiancée and their wedding planner called me a couple of times about designing her gown, and I didn’t even bother to answer. I’ll never get another client again.”

  “Do you need money?” he asked quickly. He wasn’t sure how much he had in the bank, but after cashing out his pension and barely spending a dime of his salary in the last five years, it had to be substantial. “I can give you—”

  “No, no, it’s not that.” Her teeth worried at her lip. “I’m all right, I still have my savings that will see me through for another year even if I don’t work. It’s more about my reputation. People will think I’m a flake. I mean … I am a flake. So maybe I don’t deserve a career in fashion.”

  His chest tightened. “Don’t be too hard on yourself.” His bear growled, as if reminding him why she was in this state. Yeah, I know. But this was why he was trying to fix her. “Gabriel’s easygoing. He won’t hold it against you.”

  “But the damage is already done,” she said glumly.r />
  “That’s not true.” No, he couldn’t believe that. “I’m sure if you talk to her, she’ll understand.”

  “I—Oh God, Gabriel’s coming back.” Dutchy looked around in panic.

  “I have fresh coffee for you,” Gabriel announced as he stopped at their table, pot in one hand. “Let me tell you the specials,” he began while filling two empty mugs. “Today we have rose lychee pie, burnt apple Camembert pie, and a Thai chicken tom yam pot pie that can be substituted for the beef pie with our lunch special.”

  The fuck? He had no idea what the hell came out from Russel’s mouth, but it sure didn’t sound like English. “I’ll have the lunch special with beef pie and a slice of cherry with extra whipped cream for dessert.”

  “I’ll have the same, please,” Dutchy said.

  “Coming right up.”

  As Gabriel was walking away, Dutchy called after him. “Gabriel?”

  He whipped around. “Yeah?”

  “Um, Gabriel … is your fiancée around?”

  “In the back.” He jerked his thumb toward the kitchen door. “What’s up?”

  “Do you think I could … if she’s not busy back there, can I go in and talk to her?”

  “Sure,” he said. “Let me put your orders in, and I’ll check with her, all right?”

  “Thank you, Gabriel.” She fiddled with her hair nervously and turned back to Krieger. “I’ll apologize to her.”

  “Should be a good start.” Though he had no idea what Gabriel’s mate was like, she had to be very patient to put up with someone like Russel.

  “Hey, Dutchy, I did you one better,” Gabriel announced as he came back a minute later. He wasn’t alone though, as a petite young woman with dark hair wearing an apron accompanied him. “This is my one and only mate, love of my life, Temperance Pettigrew. Temperance, this is Dutchy and Krieger.”

  “Hello,” she said shyly. “Gabriel said you wanted to talk to me?”

  “Yes I—Oh.” Dutchy stared up at her, shock flashing across her face. “I-I-I …” she stammered.

  Krieger frowned, then realized what had caught her off guard. Temperance had a series of scars that started on her right cheek, going down her shoulder and arms. He’d seen some pretty bad burns in his career in the Special Forces, so he recognized them instantly.