Eagle Tactical Box Set E-Book

Willow Fox

• Herausgeber: Slow Burn Publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Welcome to Breckenridge, where the men are rugged, dominant, and will do whatever it takes to protect the women they love.
This collection contains four full-length romance novels including:

Expose: Jaxson
Ariella fled with only one thought in mind: survival. Could she trust, Jaxson, a former special forces soldier and single father or would he betray her?

Stealth: Mason
Hazel's been sold by her step-brother to the mafia in an arranged marriage. She enlists the help of an old flame, Mason, to rescue her.

Conceal: Lincoln
Hired to protect the sassy and troublesome starlet, Harper, he can't mix business with pleasure. Except she doesn't know he's been hired as her bodyguard.

Covert: Jayden
Bad boy Jayden enlists Skylar, his best friend’s sinfully sexy sister, to help find his missing niece — which means she has to pose as his fiancee to go undercover in a dangerous world. She’s utterly off-limits, but their chemistry might be too good to resist…

This contemporary romance collection is a slow burn romance featuring a grumpy single dad, a group of former military brothers, in a small town in Montana. You can expect romantic suspense, steamy scenes, and a bit of cursing. If that's not your thing or you're under 18, please move along.

Leseprobe

EAGLE TACTICAL BOX SET

WILLOW FOX

Eagle Tactical Collection

Willow Fox

Published by Slow Burn Publishing

Cover design by GetCovers

V3

© 2021

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

CONTENTS

Expose: Jaxson

EXPOSE: JAXSON

EAGLE TACTICAL BOOK ONE

CHAPTERONE

Ariella

I ran for my life, and it was all his fault. Secrets had brought me over a thousand miles from home. I fled with only one thought in mind: a second chance. Starting over was my only option for survival.

I squinted through my sunglasses, shucking them to the empty passenger seat, finding it difficult to see. My vision adjusted, but the night was setting in fast as daylight fell over the horizon.

I struggled to see the narrow, snow-covered road ahead.

The streets at the bottom of the mountain had been freshly plowed and salted. The headlights on my five-speed were angled at odd intervals, casting shadows over the road covered in potholes beneath the slush.

The car jolted and bounced with my foot on the gas, splashing my scalding, stale coffee from the cup holder.

My eyes burned and welled.

“Shit!”

Tears threatened the surface, but I wouldn’t cry. It wasn’t the sting of blistering liquid that hurt. I’d done this to myself. I blamed him, but it was as much my fault.

Secrets surrounded my past. Benjamin Ryan had been part of those secrets, but there was more than even he knew. There were secrets I could never tell him, even as he was whisked away in handcuffs.

I packed my car with my possessions and hurried out of the state of New York. Of course, not before finding a small log cabin in the woods that I could afford in cash, sight unseen.

I also lined up a job interview at a nearby resort, but there was no guarantee of landing a position right away. My last one had ruined my life, and I couldn’t even put it on my resume.

I’d have to be frugal with the few dollars left to my name, which consisted of a few ones in my wallet.

Was I bitter?

Sure as shit, but I moved on, started over, and prayed for a second chance. A fresh start is what I did, what I craved, and the only way to get that was to move.

I went back to using my maiden name: Ariella Cole. I wasn’t in hiding per se. After all, I had done nothing wrong or criminal.

I couldn’t say the same for him.

I didn’t want to get mixed up in his illegal affairs. 

I had planned on arriving at my new home before dark, but the interview had been in the afternoon at Blue Sky Resort, a ski lodge just outside of Breckenridge, Montana.

It was for a position covering other worker’s shifts, everything from waitressing at the restaurant to doing housekeeping tasks and handling the ski rental equipment. I’d take whatever I could get.

The interview had seemed to go well, and they had asked to run a background check. I wasn’t keen on it but I didn’t have a choice, so they’d see that my ex-husband, Ben, had run up our credit. They couldn’t deny me a job because of that, right?

He was serving time in federal prison for several felonies. That couldn’t count against me, right? 

When I’d left the resort, with my piping hot, burnt coffee, it had grown dark. The front desk attendant had given me directions since my phone died, and GPS was sketchy as to whether it worked in the mountains.

I headed for my new house, weary, tired, and worn after a lengthy interview and an even longer drive across the country. I wanted to discover my new home, climb into bed under the warm covers and sleep for a week.

The interviewer informed me they’d run my references, and I had to submit to a background check.

It sounded all good, and while I hoped the job was mine, there were no guarantees. They hadn’t offered me anything yet.

I downshifted my car, but I struggled to get up the mountain.

The bald tires spun as I white-knuckled the steering wheel. The back of the vehicle fishtailed.

I downshifted again and stomped on the gas to climb the godforsaken beast of a mountain when the car slipped and slid backward downhill.

“Shit!” I screamed and stomped on the brakes hard, which only had me doing donuts as I spun and slid down the icy path of the mountain. I would have braced for impact if I had known how, but I just wanted to survive. I needed to survive.

My stomach ached with dread. My palms were sweaty, and I clung to the steering wheel, attempting to maneuver my car out of danger.

I had no control over the vehicle, like it had a mind of its own.

The car spun and smacked into a tree. The window smashed. It wasn’t enough to stop the momentum from sliding down the mountain, and the back wheels skidded off the road.

By some miracle, the vehicle came to a halt. The back wheels teetered off the edge of a ravine.

The car’s front appeared stable, but would it propel me downward and into oblivion if I made any sudden movements?

I glanced in the rearview mirror.

It grew darker by the minute, and I couldn’t ascertain how far down the ditch went, but given the fact the entire drive up the mountain was switchbacks and dangerous, without a doubt, it was deadly.

Exhaling a soft, slow breath, I couldn’t stay in the car. I needed to get help.

I hadn’t seen a car on the road since I attempted to climb the damned mountain. Was there a reason for that? Did anyone live up in Breckenridge, or was I the only one crazy enough to head up there on the cusp of winter?

I probably should have traded my car in for a vehicle with all-wheel drive or a truck, but it wasn’t like I could afford it.

I was strapped for cash. I spent every dime on getting to Breckenridge and paying cash for the cabin I found on one of the realtor sites online.

The place looked like a gem, backed up to a gorgeous river, and within walking distance to a few local shops in town.

This had to mean I wasn’t the only one in Breckenridge, but they were smart enough not to travel at night up the mountain.

My phone was dead, and even if it had any juice left, I knew without a doubt there would be no cell service around here.

There had been no service at the bottom of the mountain. That had been when my phone still had a tiny amount of battery power.

Not that I didn’t have anyone to call. My sister would expect to hear from me, but we weren’t on the best speaking terms. She was pissed that I moved to Breckenridge instead of staying in New York with her.

I couldn’t stay. I had to get as far away from New York and the enemies we’d made.

I glanced behind me at my knapsack. I couldn’t risk reaching for it. Not until I was out of the car.

With slow precision, I unlocked the door and eased the driver’s side open. I made no sudden movements.

While I’d have preferred to stay in the confines of the car that offered shelter, it teetered on the edge of a ravine. I wasn’t ready to meet death.

The car creaked and groaned as I was careful to shift my weight from one foot and then the other out from the vehicle.

The vehicle didn’t launch off the cliff as I had first feared. I shivered and pulled my jacket tight.

I couldn’t easily open the back door from my position. The snow was several inches thick, and I had stuffed my boots in the trunk.

There was no way I could maneuver myself to grab my warm and comfy shoes. My fancy heels would have to suffice because I wasn’t going barefoot. That would be even stupider in this weather.

“Okay, I can do this,” I said to myself.

There wasn’t another soul on the road, and I didn’t even want to consider what wild animals like bears or wolves come out at night. I hadn’t the slightest idea if they were nocturnal. I hoped I didn’t run into any creatures because I had nothing but my hands to protect me, and well, I may as well just lie down and play dead.

Okay, so getting my bag from the backseat wasn’t as easy as I thought. I exhaled a nervous breath, my stomach in knots as I climbed back into the driver’s seat, reached for my knapsack in the back, along with my purse on the passenger seat.

I didn’t make any sudden movements, and I backed away from the car, shut the car door, shoved my purse into the bag, and swung it over my shoulder.

My hands shook from the cold and the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I dug into my pockets, retrieving a pair of leather driving gloves. They would have to suffice.

With daylight nearly gone, I headed for the main road of the mountain.

I kept to the center of the snow-covered path. I’d probably hear something long before I’d see anything, but I wasn’t holding my breath.

The moon offered the faintest bit of light to illuminate the snow-covered road.

I had no flashlight, and the darkness of night seeped in, which reminded me there wasn’t a town for miles because there were no city lights nearby.

I glanced up at the heavens, the frigid night air offering way to a sparkle of stars peppering the night sky. It would be a beautiful sight if it wasn’t so cold and I didn’t worry about freezing to death.

My lungs hurt from the cold. With each breath inward, a thousand knives were stabbing at my lungs.

With my jacket zipped up tight, I leaned my head down toward my coat. I needed to find shelter. With sundown, the night would only grow colder.

My hands trembled even with the warmth of my gloves. The edge of the road was difficult to see with no light. It seemed even more impossible to determine if there was any evidence of shelter.

I kept walking up the mountain. The only way I could tell I was headed in the correct direction was because the wind assaulted my face, and my footprints were evidence of where I’d been.

I could no longer see my car in the distance. The broken windows may have offered little shelter from the wind, but I could have been warmer had I stayed inside the vehicle. I could also have been catapulted down the ravine had I so much as shifted the car’s weight.

There was no use second-guessing my decision. I just hoped that the main road would lead off to a driveway, a house, a cabin, or some sign of civilization.

The chill of the cold brought tears to my eyes, freezing my eyelashes, stinging my cheeks. My hands were numb, and my knapsack offered no clothes. Frozen inside and out.

I stumbled over my feet.

My toes burned from the frigid air that assaulted every inch of my body. The sensation went beyond numb and tingling.

I tripped and braced myself as I hit hard-packed snow on the road, eating a mouthful. I spit out the contents as best I could.

My lips were numb, along with my cheeks.

I shivered and curled up in the fetal position in the middle of the snow-covered road. I buried my face away from the chill.

Shielding my cheeks from the cold, getting an ounce of warmth and a reprieve from the elements. I pulled my bag closer to protect me from the wind. I shut my eyes.

My body trembled, but I wasn’t cold. Not like I had been earlier. Numb. Nothing but emptiness, a cold and lonely existence stabbing at me.

CHAPTERTWO

Jaxson

I turned the satellite radio up. It was the only channels that came in within a hundred miles of Breckenridge.

We were literally in the middle of nowhere. Just the way I liked it. I’ve lived in Montana all my life, grew up in a small town a few hours from Breckenridge.

I cranked the music, letting it blare and taking a few minutes to myself after a long day visiting the next town over, I drove the main pass through to Breckenridge.

It was late. The road was not well-traveled, let alone between storms. While it wasn’t currently snowing, there were a few inches from the most recent storm.

I had no trouble with my truck getting up the mountain, and I had chains for my tires when the weather gave off a real bite.

I slowed on the main road, the mountain pass.

Catching sight of a small car tinkering on the edge of the ravine, I put my truck in park and left the engine to idle and the lights on.

I reached for a flashlight and stepped out. I pulled my coat on and zipped it, as the night air was chilly.

If someone needed my help, I wanted to be prepared.

“Hello? Anyone in there?” I called out toward the vehicle. The windows were smashed, and the lights were off. There weren’t any hazards flashing.

I shined my flashlight into the car. There was no sign of anyone inside. It was likely someone stopped by and picked up the driver.

Who in their right mind would drive that car up the mountain in winter?

It didn’t have to be a snowstorm to know that you needed four-wheel drive and chains to make it through the snow. That didn’t even consider when the rain washed out, the road or the ice storms made the road impassable.

I pointed my flashlight toward the ground.

There was a set of tracks, female footprints based on the heels and shoe size, and they headed for the main road. I shined the light farther down. The impressions continued, but my flashlight couldn’t be seen after the turn in the road, a switchback.

Sighing, I headed to the truck, climbed back in, and was grateful for the warmth of shelter. Hopefully, whoever broke down was already picked up and on their way to town.

I put the truck in drive and shined my brights.

With my foot on the gas, I crept my vehicle up the mountain pass, my eyes on the main road and on the footprints buried in the snow, following them up the mountain. I didn’t want to get distracted and miss if the person went off-trail.

Thankfully, she was smart enough to stay in the middle of the road.

I picked up speed a little, both antsy and worried. The last thing I wanted was someone to freeze to death because I took my time.

Another mile north and a figure lay in the road, dark, curled up, and not moving.

I left the car running.

It was a person, though I couldn’t tell from the distance if she was alive. I assumed it was a woman based on the shoes.

I stepped closer.

She lay shivering on the snow-packed road. The woman was curled up, a gray-green knapsack and her purple coat blocking any evidence of an actual person as she attempted to bury herself to keep warm.

I cleared my throat, not wanting to startle the woman.

She didn’t budge on my approach. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Hello,” I said and bent down, resting a hand on her back.

At least she was alive. Her body trembled against my hand. She was as cold as ice, and it was no wonder why.

I heard her try to speak, but I couldn’t make out her words.

“I’m Jaxson,” I said to her, trying to reassure the young woman that I didn’t intend to cause her any harm. “Can you stand?”

Her words were mumbled and incomprehensible.

“I’m going to pick you up and carry you to my truck,” I said.

She nodded slightly, and I breathed a sigh of relief that she was at least responsive, even if she was too cold to speak.

I scooped her up into my arms and carried her to my truck.

It only took a minute for me to open the passenger side door while holding her. I maneuvered her inside and hurried around to the driver’s side door. I climbed into the truck and blasted even more heat on her. I cranked the temperature up to thaw the poor woman.

She shivered in the front of my truck. She’d been careless abandoning her car, walking at night in the cold, alone.

I reached into the backseat for an extra blanket I kept on hand for emergencies. This qualified as an emergency.

I unfolded the thick blanket and covered her body to help her get warm.

We were too far from the nearest hospital for her to be evaluated for frostbite. That was a solid two-hour drive in pleasant weather, and it meant passing the other side of the mountain where the weather was unpredictable.

“How long were you out there?” I asked.

I unzipped my coat and pulled it off my shoulders. The car was already warm and too hot for me.

She didn’t seem to be overheated, so I left the thermostat alone and tried my best to make myself comfortable.

“A while,” she said.

It was the first time I could understand the words coming past her lips. The tremble in her voice had vanished. She was quiet, and her hands shook as she held them in front of the heater.

I was afraid to suggest for her to remove her gloves, concerned about frostbite.

“I’m Jaxson Monroe,” I said as I introduced myself to her again. She may not have heard me outside, or she did but didn’t respond.

“Ariella Cole.”

She smiled a bright and wide grin. Her cheeks were red, but at least they weren’t bruised or discolored from the cold.

It could have been colder outside had it been the thick of winter. She was lucky.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

I had a million questions, and the longer I stared at her, the more I realized how beautiful she was, in a very much girl-next-door kind of way.

Except there were no girls next door, and the number of women in Breckenridge was too few for my liking.

Honestly, I only needed one woman to care for, cherish, and take care of for the rest of my life. Of course, it wasn’t that simple, nothing ever was.

Was it that I’d saved her made me want to protect her? No, I needed to protect her. I couldn’t explain the all-encompassing feeling.

“A little warmer,” she said as she glanced at me and gave me a faint smile. Her cheeks’ red flame appeared to be from a soft blush instead of the cold this time.

I couldn’t help but wonder why.

“Good. I’m glad I can get you a little warmer. If you can buckle yourself in, I’ll get us back on the road and to town in no time.”

I wasn’t going anywhere without both of us being belted into the truck. Even with only a few inches of snow on the road, it was still dangerous. There were wild animals that could tear across the road at a moment’s notice.

Ariella nodded, and her hands trembled, but she secured the seatbelt. I did the same and put the truck in drive.

We headed up toward Breckenridge.

I didn’t ask her if that’s where she was heading. If she stayed anywhere else, I’d find her a room for the night and deal with her situation tomorrow.

“To town,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes, Breckenridge. Please tell me that’s where you were heading.” I hated to think she made a wrong turn and didn’t have to travel up the dangerous mountain.

“It is. I just bought a place along the river. Though I imagine this time of year it’s probably frozen.”

“Any chance you bought it from Mason Reid?” I asked.

“Yes, how did you know?” Ariella asked.

“He’s one of my former military buddies, my brother,” I said. “I know exactly where you’re staying. It’s a nice place, small, and was gutted and renovated by yours truly. Well, Aiden and me.”

“Who’s Aiden?” Her eyes crinkled as she stared at me.

“Another one of my military buddies. Declan, Mason, Aiden, and I started a security firm, Eagle Tactical, a few years back.”

I couldn’t explain why I was so open to this woman, willing to divulge any secret if she asked. There was something about her. Was it the fact she was fresh meat, and I hadn’t had a taste of her yet?

“All of you served together?” Ariella asked. She grinned and stared at me.

My heart fluttered in my chest, demanding to be set free. It had been a long time since anyone looked at me in that rare way.

I laughed, hoping for her not to notice the sexual tension brewing in the truck. As much as I wanted to act on it, I had some measure of self-control. We had just met. “We were all Special Forces with the Army.”

With wide eyes, she grimaced as she removed her gloves. “Wow, a town of heroes.”

I glanced at her long, thin fingers. They looked okay, albeit a little red, but there was no evidence of frostbite, which was good news.

“That is our motto,” I said joking with her.

I returned my attention to the snow-covered road as we headed farther north and made the turn off for Breckenridge. “We don’t have too much farther to go.”

“Okay,” she said. “That’s good. Is there any place local to grab dinner? I’m starving, and I won’t be able to go grocery shopping until my car gets pulled out of the ditch.” Her voice was soft, wistful almost.

“I can take you over to Lumberjack Shack. They’ve got great food.”

They were also the only place we could get in at nearly eight o’clock. It was late for the town, the bar was the only place open, and they didn’t serve a decent dinner.

“Lumberjack Shack? I hope the food is better than the name.”

“My buddy owns the place.”

“Shit. I’m sorry,” she said, quick to apologize. “That would be wonderful right now,” she said.

She seemed to relax in the front seat and removed the blanket nestled around her body.

“Warm?” I asked.

That was a good sign after how cold and out of it she’d been earlier.

“Yes. Do you mind turning down the heat a bit?”

I adjusted the thermostat in the truck, hoping to make her a little more comfortable.

It was hot. Warm enough to make me want to strip down to my boxers and nothing else. I couldn’t do that, not while driving and with a young lady in the truck.

“Thank you.”

I pulled the truck down a gravel road and through the thick forest of trees before we slowed down to a crawl. “We’re almost there,” I said.

She reached for her bag and unzipped it to retrieve her purse. 

I parked out front. The restaurant would ordinarily be closed on a Monday night, but I had a key. I helped Lincoln out from time to time, not with the cooking but tending the bar. Lincoln lived upstairs above the restaurant. He’d help me out, and well, if he didn’t, I’m sure I could whip up something for her to eat.

“The place looks closed,” she said.

The lights inside were dim, and there weren’t any other vehicles parked around the front. 

“It’s after nine. Everything is closed at this hour. I have a key that can get us inside. Don’t worry. It’s not like there’s an alarm system or anything to hack.”

“Good, because I wasn’t looking forward to spending my first night in Breckenridge in lockup,” Ariella said.

“Come on.” I climbed out from the truck and headed up the porch stairs and inside. I tried the door first, and it was locked. Pulling out my key for this very occasion and unlocking the door, I led her inside. “Ladies first.”

She gave me a look, a cocked eyebrow, and a quirked grin. A beat later, she shrugged and stepped inside.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, having a look at the décor. “I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I get cranky when I’m hungry.”

I bit my tongue to keep from commenting.

“I love the fact this place is a log cabin. It fits the bill of being a lumberjack shack.”

It was apparent she was trying to make up for the insult she’d thrown out in the car. “I get a real Paul Bunyan vibe from this place. I’ll bet the food is amazing too.”

“It is some of the best in Montana. A real home-cooked meal from one of the top chefs in the area. If he didn’t own the place, I’d worry someone else would steal him away,” I said.

Truthfully, I’d been trying to steal him away to come work with the boys at Eagle Tactical full-time, but he wouldn’t do it. He loved cooking too much to be back in the field permanently.

Heavy footsteps hit the stairs, and a moment later, Lincoln stepped into the restaurant. 

“Jaxson, what are you doing here?” Lincoln asked.

While I may have been hungry, the look on Ariella’s face told me she was starving.

“Grabbing some dinner. We haven’t eaten yet, and I was hoping you’d make us something in the kitchen.” 

“The kitchen’s closed, but for you and the pretty lady, I can make an exception,” Lincoln said and grinned. “Where’s Isabella? Shouldn’t you be getting home to her? It’s late.”

Was he trying to kill any shot I had with Ariella? I didn’t have a shot in hell, but I liked to think I did.

“At home, asleep.” I didn’t further elaborate. Why did my egg-headed military brother have to bring up Isabella?

“Do you have a menu?” Ariella asked Lincoln. 

The way her eyes scoured over his body made my heart thump wildly in my chest.

I wanted her to look at me like that, not him.

Was I the jealous type? I never thought about it much, considering there weren’t that many women to fawn over in town.

Lincoln smirked and rolled his eyes. “You’re not one of those vegetarian types, are you?” He leaned in closer and whispered, “I can make one hell of a salad, but the bear around here is mighty tasty and to die for.”

Her eyes widened in horror, and I tried not to laugh at Lincoln’s joke. He usually wasn’t quite so funny, but it seemed Ariella definitely wasn’t from this side of the woods or even the state.

“I will have a salad,” Ariella whispered. She sounded parched.

I couldn’t help but stare at her, completely taken back by her beauty. Under the warm amber glow from the restaurant lighting, I finally got a good long look at her rosy complexion and freckles dusting her nose and cheeks. Her hair was dark and she had olive eyes that took my breath away.

She was gorgeous and not just because she was the newest resident of Breckenridge, and we didn’t get a lot of ladies in town, let alone single ones.

However, I guessed that she was single. I had no idea.

I was just hoping she wasn’t taken, given that she wasn’t wearing a wedding band. That didn’t mean anything, though. She could have been getting it sized.

Then again, if she was married, where was the bastard who let her drive to Breckenridge in that shitty car that couldn’t make it up the mountain in winter? I’d kill him if he ever so much as hurt a hair on Ariella’s head.

I exhaled a heavy sigh, not realizing how protective I’d become over a stranger. That’s all she was, a young woman I’d rescued out in the cold. The thing was I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to discover who she was, why she was here, and well, if she was single and looking for a warm bed to crawl into.

I couldn’t throw caution to the wind and sleep with her just because I had needs. No. Those days were over.

“Lincoln’s just joking about eating bear. He makes a mean sandwich, and his stew is to die for.”

“Stew. That sounds delicious,” Ariella said. She rested her hands on the wooden table as we sat down. She removed her coat and hung it on the chair behind her.

“Okay, good. I’ll fix you up something in the kitchen. Just sit tight and try not to fall victim to this one’s lame attempts at flirting,” Lincoln said, pointing at me.

I wanted to slug him.

“What brings you to Breckenridge?” I asked, watching her while my heart pitter-pattered in my chest.

While I knew she’d bought a cabin along the river, I didn’t know why. Mason had said little other than he’d sold the place to an out-of-towner.

“Fresh start. I enjoy camping and thought what better place to live than the middle of nowhere.”

I laughed, and while I doubted that was the entire story, if she didn’t want to tell me, I wouldn’t push the issue, either. “You picked the farthest corner of the world, didn’t you?” I teased her. “Where are you from, Ariella?” 

“New York, but I grew up in Nebraska,” she said and held up a hand. “No Cornhusker jokes, please.”

“I’m not sure I know of any.” It was clear she wasn’t a fan of Nebraska, not that I could blame her. I probably wouldn’t like it much, either. I loved Breckenridge, though, and while winter could be brutal, it was also beautiful up here.

“Good,” she said and laughed. Her eyes met the table before glancing back up at mine. “Can I ask you a question?”

I shrugged. “Go for it.” 

“Is Isabella your wife or girlfriend?”

She glanced down at my hand on the table.

I wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, either, and it was obvious she was taking a long, hard look.

“No, she’s my daughter.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Ariella

I'd wanted to ask him who Isabella was since the moment Lincoln brought up her name. I wasn't sure how to ask without completely prying or seeming nosey.

It had to be that he'd rescued me out in the cold, and I already had a sense of attachment to him. Wasn't there a name for that?

"You have a daughter?" That took me by surprise. It shouldn't have, as he was old enough to have kids. So was I.

"Yes, she's three years old." His expression seemed pained. His eyes crinkled just slightly before continuing to speak. "Her mom wanted to give her up for adoption and came to me, needing my signature to give up my rights as a father. I couldn't do it. I refused." His breathing deepened, and his ears reddened as he spoke.

I nodded as I listened to him tell me what happened.

"My options were full custody or give her up completely.”

Lincoln brought two glasses of water to the table, giving Jaxson a look. "Dinner will be out soon," Lincoln said.

"Thank you," I said, glancing up at Lincoln before turning my attention back to Jaxson. "She's at home now, Isabella?"

"Yes. I have to depend on my brothers far more than I want to with raising Isabella, but they don't seem to mind." He laughed under his breath.

Had I missed the punchline? I didn't see what was so funny. "What's that?"

He smiled, shaking his head. "Forget it. It's not important." 

I didn't quite understand what he wanted me to forget since I didn't know what he was talking about.

"Okay," I said, relieved that Lincoln was carrying our food over to the table. The delicious smell of stew wafted into the air as he brought two large bowls to the table, one for each of us. "Thank you."

"Anything else I can get for you?" Lincoln asked, staring directly at me.

Did he recognize me? The air had been sucked out of my lungs.

Jaxson opened his mouth. "We could use spoons."

"I'll get the lady a spoon. You can get yourself your silverware." He pointed at Jaxson. "Don't let this guy boss you around."

I feigned a smile. It had probably been my imagination. "Oh, I won't. Thanks for the tip," I said.

Lincoln headed toward the kitchen, grabbed two sets of silverware, and brought it over to the table.

"Thank you," Jaxson said before I could even voice the same sentiment.

"Let me know if you need anything else," Lincoln said before disappearing back into the kitchen.

"He knows how to make himself scarce," I said.

I reached for the spoon as the steam wafted from the bowl of soup. I took a sip, and my eyes closed. I relished the taste, the warmth, the fact it was a meal in my stomach.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten today. The burnt coffee I picked up at the resort was stale and didn’t count as a meal.

"Yeah. Lincoln's a good guy. Rough around the edges, and Isabella used to be terrified of him, but now they’re best buds. Declan comes in a close second to Lincoln, which is funny because he spends more time with her. I swear he’s ready to be a dad and settle down."

I took another bite of stew, grateful for the warm and comforting meal after a disastrous evening earlier. "Is Declan watching her now?"

Jaxson nodded between bites. "Yes. My brothers all take turns watching her when she’s not at daycare. They're amazing. I couldn't do it without them." He sipped his water and glanced up at me. "So, you moved out here to get away, a change of scenery."

I nodded, not giving anything else away.

He couldn’t know why I came to Breckenridge. I couldn’t risk endangering him or his little girl.

"Any kids?" he asked. 

"Not that I know of," I said, staring at him, trying hard not to laugh.

He grinned first and nodded. "Good one. You know what I do for a living. What about you?"

 "Is this twenty questions?" I asked, trying to relax, but it wasn't the easiest task under his gaze. I couldn’t tell him what I did for a living, or rather what I used to do.

Currently, I was unemployed. I knew he wasn't trying to be rude. This was probably how small-town people made small talk.

The thing of it was I might have been from New York, but my job took me all over the world. There were dangers in him knowing who I worked for and what I did. Hell, even Benjamin, my ex-husband, had no clue who he was married to.

I lived with secrets, slept with them, and recognized they were mine and mine alone. 

"Sorry. Between my brothers and a toddler, I don't get a lot of opportunities to engage with a beautiful young woman."

The room grew warmer. Was I blushing? I glanced at the bowl of soup and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "I’ll bet you're used to being a flirt. You are former military, and it shows."

He was no doubt gorgeous, with thick muscles behind his shirt. I’d worked with a few guys who had quite the physique, but the way he stared at me, it was clear I held his attention. It was flattering.

"Believe it or not, most of the town is married or one of my brothers." 

"That can't be true." There were nearly nine hundred residents of Breckenridge, at least according to the internet.

I had researched the town thoroughly before moving here.

"You'll see," he said with a knowing grin.

I laughed under my breath.

I hoped there were more prospects in this town, not that Jaxson wasn't gorgeous on the eyes and had an incredible physique, but I also didn't want to throw myself at the first nice guy I met.

It had been a long time since I’d met any nice guys.

Ben, my ex-husband, was a bastard. The thought of marriage was like spoiled milk. I didn't want to go near it. I wasn't here looking to hook up or marry.

I never wanted to marry again. Once was enough. I wasn't even interested in dating, but with his gaze on me, my stomach in knots, I had to push those thoughts aside. 

We finished our stew, and Lincoln came out of the kitchen to clean up the dishes. "How was it?" he asked me. 

"Delicious! Do you always cook everything?" I asked. He may have owned the restaurant, but that didn't mean he ran the kitchen. 

"Yes," Lincoln said, a glint in his eye. He appeared pleased by the compliment.

"I'll take the bill when you're ready," I said, not wanting to keep Jaxson out any later, especially knowing he had a daughter at home and a brother watching over her.

I intended to pick up his share of the meal too. After all, he'd saved my life earlier today. While I may not have been able to afford it, I’d figure it out.

"Your money's no good here." 

"What?" I asked, confused.

Lincoln smiled. "It's on the house. Any friend of Jaxson eats free. At least for the first time. After that, we'll see what happens." 

"Come on. Let me pay. This guy saved my life tonight. I can't leave knowing I owe both of you for your kindness."

Jaxson covered his mouth with his hand. He was grinning like an idiot, trying to hold back his laughter.

"What?" I asked, staring pointedly at Jaxson.

"You will not change his mind. Lincoln is the most stubborn of them all. Just say thank you and be done with it, or we'll never leave."

I glanced from Jaxson to Lincoln, staring up at him from where I sat at the table. He towered above. "Thank you," I said with genuine appreciation.

Lincoln gave a curt nod. "I'm sure I'll see you around. Jaxson, lock up the place on your way out. I'm going to clean up the kitchen and then head on upstairs."

"Will do, boss," Jaxson said, putting his hand back down on the table, grinning. "Are you ready to get out of here?"

I stood and grabbed my coat. No doubt I would need it back outside.

Pulling my jacket back on, I zipped up the teeth and then shoved my hands into my gloves.

I wasn't looking forward to the icy wind or the chill in the air outside, but it wouldn't be for long. We'd be in Jaxson's truck soon enough and then at the cabin. 

Jaxson led me outside, his hand on the small of my back. I tried to hide the smile that shined right through me. Could he see it too? Was it that obvious that being around him made me at ease and free?

He walked me to his truck's passenger door and opened the door for me, offering me a hand inside. The truck was far taller than I was and reaching the running boards took a bit of a jump at my height. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure," Jaxson said.

He waited for me to buckle before he shut the door and came around the truck to climb into the driver's side. He turned on the engine.

A welcoming blast of warm air hit my face. I pushed the vents away, grateful the truck hadn't cooled off since we stopped for dinner.

He pulled out of the lot and away from the restaurant. "Do you need to stop and pick up the key for the cabin?"

I'd already forgotten about the keys.

"Yes! The owner mentioned he left the keys in the mailbox but that it was at the end of the driveway. He made it sound rather far, like I'd need to drive down to get it."

"We'll grab it on the way up to the cabin," Jaxson said.

"Thank you. You think of everything, don't you?" 

He smiled and laughed under his breath. His hands remained on the steering wheel, and his focus on the road.

He took his time as we headed farther north up the face of the mountain.

I gripped the side of the door as the switchbacks grew steeper and more challenging to see with each turn.

The headlights on the truck bounced back as a thin layer of fog hung in the air.

"Relax. I've got it. I take this route every day," he said, glancing at me.

"I know." I hadn't known, but I didn't want him to see through the fact that I was scared to death. Had it been obvious? 

"Okay, stalker," he joked, smiling as he reached out, resting a hand on my arm. "I've driven through worse. Don't worry. You'll get the hang of it. Especially when you trade in your car for something a little more practical."

"Trade in my car? Do you think I totaled it?" I'd done a number on it, smashing the windows and denting the body when I had crashed into the tree.

He was right, and I needed to think about a more reliable vehicle for Breckenridge's roads, but how would I afford it?

Jaxson guided his hand back to the steering wheel. "Even if you got it fixed up, it still won't get you up the mountain in a blizzard."

"What about if my car had those metal things on the wheels?" I asked, trying to remember what they were called.

"Chains?"

"Yes, those." I hoped I could buy a set of chains and fix the car, and put off making payments on a new vehicle.

My income was tight. I'd spent every dime on that property and driving across the country to Montana. I didn't have a job lined up, and my wallet was near empty.

He lamented before answering. "I've never seen a car like yours around here."

I stared out the window, mesmerized by the beauty of the night.

We cleared the fog, which seemed strange since we'd traveled higher, but it appeared only to be a small patch along one section of the mountain.

In the distance, lights twinkled at the base of the mountain. A small town clustered together. "It's beautiful out here," I said as he slowed on the approach and turned off the road.

Jaxson rolled down his window as he came up to the mailbox and retrieved a set of house keys. "Here you go," he said, handing me the cold metal.

"Thank you." I took the keys with my gloved hands. As quick as he had opened the window, Jaxson shut it and put the truck in drive, heading down the narrow gravel road and through the forest.

I couldn't see anything except a few feet in front of us from the headlights. There was no sign of a cabin. "How much farther?" I asked.

"Another mile or two."

Snow crunched beneath the tires as we finally slowed on the approach. The lights were off, the cabin dark as night.

"I guess no one left the porch light on."

He laughed under his breath.

"What's so funny?" I asked, not seeing anything worth joking about.

From the outside, the wood exterior looked nice, well-kept, and rustic. It was indeed a log cabin, single-story and small, but the perfect size for one person. I didn't need anything big or pricy.

Besides, I couldn't afford anything else.

He shut off the engine of his truck and stepped outside in the cold air.

Jaxson didn't answer me. I climbed out from the truck, my shoes hitting the fresh snow piling up that hadn't been shoveled.

His vehicle had driven through it with ease, but I trampled through the slush and up the porch steps covered in ice.

"Be careful," Jaxson warned, his breath on my neck as he followed me up the steps, a hand on my lower back.

Was he trying to make sure I didn't fall, or was the proximity something else far more intimate? 

Already, I enjoyed being around him, but that was dangerous. I barely knew the guy, and he had a kid.

Talk about complicated.

That didn’t even include the fact that there was a bounty on my head.

There were several people who wanted me dead. Living in the middle of nowhere was supposed to protect me, but would it? 

"Do you have the key?"

"Yes," I said, trying the front door key that Jaxson had retrieved earlier from the mailbox. It slid into the lock easily and turned.

I pushed open the door, expecting it to be warm and inviting. It certainly wasn't warm.

I shivered and reached for the wall, looking for a light switch. Nothing. "It's freezing."

"The cabin uses a wood-burning stove to heat the place." He stalked right for the stove and bent down. He grabbed a few logs kept dry out of the snow and worked on the fire. Jaxson stacked the wood and struck a match, and it slowly caught ablaze.

"You know your stuff," I said, watching him with curiosity.

It had been years since I'd lit a fire like that. The last house had a gas fireplace that involved flipping a switch. I wasn't so lucky out here. However, the wood-burning stove would be a lot warmer. "What about the lights?" 

He headed toward the bed, just a few feet away from the fire that roared to life.

The open floor plan offered no real privacy, but I hoped it would help heat the space evenly.

The cabin had come fully furnished, which was nice since I had little with me. Most of it had been sold in New York. Everything else of mine was stuffed into the trunk of my car.

"Here you go." Jaxson grabbed a flashlight style lantern and handed it to me. "Keep a few extra sets of batteries on hand."

The smile fell from my face. "You're joking." He had to be kidding with me.

The cabin had electricity, right?

I had wanted to live off grid, but I hadn’t actually intended to live primitively.

"About what?"

"There's seriously no electric in this place?" I couldn't believe it! How could his buddy sell me a house that didn't have electricity? It hadn't been mentioned—one way or the other—on the listing online.

"You bought a cabin in the woods. You're lucky it has indoor plumbing."

CHAPTERFOUR

Jaxson

I may not have known Ariella that well, but it didn’t take a mind reader to see she was pissed.

Her hands were balled up at her sides, her jaw tight and brow furrowed. She breathed heavily and loudly, although that could have been from the fact it was cold in the cabin, and she was chilled.

While I needed to get home to Isabella, I also didn’t want to leave Ariella alone, in the cold and dark. If I’d have known earlier in the day that she was arriving, I’d have stopped by and started the fire in the stove.

The cabin was frigid, and it would take hours to warm it up to a decent temperature. 

“I can’t believe this,” she said, pacing the length of the room, her feet heavy on the wooden floorboards. “I would never have moved here if I knew there wasn’t electricity. How am I supposed to survive without a refrigerator?”

I wanted to tell her to relax. Was that the wrong answer? I hated when the guys told me to chill out.

“I’ll bring my generator over, and we can hook it up to a refrigerator. We’ll have to go into town in the morning and pick one out. I can drive it back and sent it up for you.”

She groaned.

“You didn’t notice the lack of a fridge in the pictures?”

Her lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed. “I may have been in a rush to buy considering the price. Now I see why it was affordable.”

She rubbed at her forehead and slowly removed her gloves. 

“Listen, why don’t you come back with me tonight? Stay over at my place for a few hours until your cabin gets toasty. Then I can drive you back, or you can walk home. It’s not far between our properties. There’s a bridge that goes over the river. I live just on the other side of it.”

She exhaled a heavy breath, and her tongue darted out, licking her lips. “We’re neighbors.”

“That’s right,” I said. “What do you say? I can bring by the generator in the morning, and we can go into town and pick up a new fridge.”

She stalled and shifted her weight on her feet.

Was there another option that I wasn’t considering? I didn’t know of anyone giving away a free refrigerator, and the nearest thrift shop was hours away and never carried appliances. It was unlikely anyone had a spare refrigerator, though freezers were easier to come by since many of the townies were hunters and stored meat in the freezers.

“I’ll be fine tonight. It’s been a long day. I should probably just crawl up under the blankets and head to bed.”

“If you’re sure.” I didn’t want to push her. “There are extra blankets in the closet if you’re cold. Do you have a phone? I can give you my number in case you need anything.”

She slowly unzipped her coat. “It’s dead. I need to charge it, but that seems an impossible task.” Ariella yawned and brought her hand up to her lips as if she could hide the gesture.

“I’ll bring you a solar charger in the morning. I have a spare.” I stepped back toward the door, not wanting to overstay my welcome.

It was late. My daughter was at home and needed me.

“Thank you.”

I headed for the door. “If you need anything, I’m just over the bridge. It’s not too far a walk.” 

“I’ll be fine, but I appreciate it.” 

“Lock up after I leave. Most people don’t lock their doors in Breckenridge, but you shouldn’t make that a habit.” I’d seen too much in my day to leave a door unlocked.

She quirked an eyebrow. “Is there something I should know?”

Her eyes were bright and wide, a deep olive that matched her sweater. I wanted to step closer, lean in to touch her shoulder, and reassure her she would be fine, but we barely knew one another, and I wasn’t one to make empty promises.

“It’s just better to be safe than sorry,” I said.

It wasn’t anything specific or anyone who caused trouble.

In the middle of nowhere, being in the woods led to a few individuals with dark pasts hiding out and keeping off-grid. While they never bothered me, I couldn’t say the same for a pretty young girl, all alone.

I’d have to keep an eye on her and make sure she was safe.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I headed outside and waited until I heard the click of the lock before hurrying down the porch stairs and to my truck.

Fresh snow fell, and I climbed into my truck and headed back the way I came, on the same narrow road that led to her house. I would have to travel back to the main road, then head another mile or so north before the next turnoff. While our houses were close, the distance and drive to get there was a lot longer than by foot. 

The higher north I traveled, the more snow seemed to fall. It was blustery cold the moment I stepped out of the truck.

I hurried inside my house, a two-story log cabin, and removed my coat and shoes. The hearth was lit, offering warmth and an ambient glow to the living room where Declan lay asleep.

He snored softly. A checkered flannel blanket covered him. He had stretched out on the sofa, taking up the entire length.

I didn’t have the heart to wake him.

Declan was a good friend, helping me out with Isabella. While he didn’t have any kids of his own, it was obvious he wanted them and would make a great father one day. 

With the lights already off, I locked up the house and quietly headed up the stairs to check on Izzie.

Curled up in her bed, she stirred as I entered the room.

I held my breath, not wanting to awaken my baby girl. I watched over her for a long moment before finally tiptoeing out of her room and into mine.

Exhausted, I collapsed onto the mattress, not bothering to undress further.

At least my shoes were downstairs by the front door. There was no way I could do much else.

I shut my eyes, prepared to let sleep win when a loud crash vibrated through the house. It came from downstairs.

“Declan?”

On high alert, I hurried out of bed and grabbed my gun from the safe.

I’d do whatever was necessary to protect my little girl.

Quietly, I headed down the stairs, one step at a time, to make sure the intruder couldn’t hear me.

Gun drawn, I kept my back to the wall of the stairwell.

Coming around the corner, Declan gasped and held up his hands in surrender. “Careful, Jax. Don’t shoot.”

“What the hell was that?” I asked, lowering the barrel of the gun as I turned on the safety.

“Avalanche. Earthquake. Who the hell knows?” Declan said. He rubbed at his eyes and ran a hand through his short-cropped, dark hair. “Woke my ass up, and clearly, it did yours as well.”

I doubted it was an avalanche or earthquake based on the sound. “I wasn’t asleep.”

“You came home late,” Declan said.

“Did you get my text from the restaurant?”

“Yes. Lincoln called and told me all about the pretty girl you were having dinner with. So, who is she?”

Declan headed for the fridge and grabbed himself a beer, bringing it to the sofa to have a seat. He was awake and expecting to converse.

I wasn’t in the mood for a drink.

I put the gun on the coffee table and sat down on the sofa with my brother. “Ariella. She’s the new buyer of the cabin on the river, my next-door neighbor.”

Declan smiled, and his grin widened. “Is she as hot as Lincoln made her out to be?”

I tried my best not to grin, but it was hard not to reveal at first glance how she made me feel. Being around her made my heart soar like a balloon high above the clouds. 

“You’re smitten,” Declan said and laughed under his breath.

I didn’t need my friends ganging up on me and teasing me about Ariella. It was likely that I’d see her again, and not just tomorrow morning.

“I was just being friendly and helping a neighbor out,” I said, trying my best to change the subject. “By the way, she had no idea the cabin didn’t have electric.”

“Damn,” Declan said. He sipped his beer. “I’ll bet she was pissed when she found out.”

That was an understatement.

“Yeah. I offered her my generator, and I was going to go into town with her in the morning and bring back a fridge. She’s going to need to do something if she plans on living here year round.”

“You don’t have to take care of her, Jax. She’s a grown woman,” Declan said. 

I knew that, but I didn’t care. In part, it was my responsibility. I always seemed to clean up after my buddies made a mess of things.

I was the responsible one.

“I realize that,” I said and stood.

I didn’t need a lecture from Declan. He was younger than me, only by a year, but it still irked me when he tried to give me advice.

“Who’d you think was going to buy the place?” Declan asked.

“Honestly, I thought it’d be some rich folks from California. Some lavish city people who wanted a second home in seclusion, off-grid, where they could spend a few weeks a year in the outdoors.”

“That was wishful thinking. No one comes out here for just the summer. Well, almost no one.”

I sighed and stood.

The unspoken name he was referring to was the mother of my baby girl.

Emma was a summer fling, a woman who had come to Breckenridge to get away from her wild city life and unwind for the summer.

She’d done more than relax. She’d found her way into my bed and ended up pregnant.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring her up,” Declan said. 

He knew I hated talking about her. It wasn’t that I was in love with the woman; it had no doubt been a summer fling for both of us, but I hadn’t been too fond of hearing she planned on giving up Isabella for adoption. Showing up on my doorstep, it hadn’t been to tell me she was pregnant or ask about my involvement.

No.

She’d shown up that day to ask me to sign my parental rights away, something I refused to do.

“I’m going to head out, get a few hours of sleep before work,” Declan said. “Do you need me for anything else before I go?”

“Tomorrow, on your way down the mountain pass, Ariella’s car ended up in a ditch. Can you pull it out and tow it over to the shop? I’m not sure it’s in mountain weather shape, but she’s going to need something to get her around town. Also, find her a pair of used chains she can put on her tires to get her up the mountain. Let me know what they cost and I’ll cover it.”

“You got it.” Declan owned the tow shop in town.

When we decided to start Eagle Tactical, he hired out help, bringing in a mechanic and a crew to support him.

“You’re welcome to stay and crash on the couch. It’s snowing out there, but I know that’s never stopped you before.”

It was late, and while the snow had just started coming down within the past hour, it likely hadn’t lightened up any.

Declan grabbed his beanie and jacket, pulling the thick material over his shoulders before zipping his coat. He slipped on a pair of boots and then donned his gloves.

“Have fun tomorrow with the new girl.” He winked at me.

“Her name is Ariella,” I said, correcting him.

“Whatever. I hear from Lincoln she’s cute, and the blush on your ears gives it away that you like her. I can’t wait to meet her. If you don’t sink your teeth into her, I might have to.”

“It’s time for you to go.” I ushered him out the door and shut it behind him. I ran a hand through my hair, gasping for breath.

Just the thought of Declan trying to steal her away pained me.

Why was that?

She wasn’t mine. She wasn’t anyone’s, well, as far as I knew. She hadn’t exactly told me her story, why she was in Breckenridge, and whether or not she was single—not that I was looking.

I was a father, which came first and foremost.

I took the gun back upstairs and secured it in the safe before stripping down to my boxers for bed.

I climbed under the covers; morning would come soon enough, and my little girl would wake me at the crack of dawn.

For a few scant hours, I could dream of Ariella, of her smile and laugh, and let the nightmares that haunt me vanish in the night.