The Ranger's Destiny (Army Ranger Romance Book 6) Read online

  It was a struggle to keep her voice in check for his sake. “Jack! What’s going on? Where are you, baby?”

  There was a fumbling noise, like someone picked up the phone. “You want him? Come and get him.”

  She knew that voice, too. The voice she’d heard in her nightmares ever since that night on the road. “What did you do?” she screamed. “Where is he? You monster!”

  The sound of chuckling only added to her horror and rage. “Come find out. Alone. Don’t bother bringing your physician friend with you, or we’ll know.”

  “Please, just tell me where he is. What do I have to do? Don’t hurt him. He already lost his parents and—”

  “You should’ve thought of that when you decided to mess with us,” the man chided. “We warned you more than once, but you didn’t learn your lesson. You even told the cops we were the ones who set the fire. You just can’t let it go. Look what you made us do now.”

  “Where is he?” she whispered. “Please. Don’t hurt him. He’s innocent.”

  “He won’t get hurt so long as you do as you’re told. Alone. No one else. Got it?”

  “Whatever you say.” And she meant it. Nothing mattered as much as Jack. “Where do you want me to go?”

  “Are you familiar with the old refinery down by the river?”

  “Yes.” It had been abandoned for years, the sort of place only rats and addicts frequented. Was that where they’d been doing business?

  “You’ll find him there. Better hurry.” The sound of Jack calling out to her was the last thing Holly heard before the call ended.

  How was she supposed to do this on her own? What would they do when she got there? If she didn’t, what would happen to Jack?

  What if it was a trick? She quickly dialed her mom, letting it ring until her voicemail came on. Where was her mom? Did they have her too? She started to dial the police and stopped. Fiona was working with the dogfighters, and she and Fiona were as close as anyone in town. What if they’d gotten to the police too? If Holly called them, would they alert the dogfighters? She couldn’t risk that.

  Mason could help, but if she called him, would they know that too? He’d put a tracker on her car without her even knowing it. Could those goons have put something in her car to alert them if she tried to call him? It wasn’t something she could risk.

  At that, only the thought of what might happen if she didn’t hurry kept her from falling apart as she turned the car in the direction of the river. “I’m coming, honey,” she said as her foot pressed harder on the accelerator. “Mama’s coming.”

  Chapter 30

  Something was wrong, but Mason couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Not just with Holly, but with her story.

  For one thing, there weren’t any properties a few blocks from the office currently up for lease—none that he could see as he rolled down the street, searching for her car. Was he stalking her? It would seem that way to anyone unaware of the situation, he was sure. He’d given her a few minutes to cool down before looking for her, but he was quickly growing uneasy the longer it took to track her down.

  Now wasn’t the time to care what passerby thought. Why had she lied? She was usually so honest, and this was such a stupid thing to lie about. Unless she wanted to get rid of him, but she would’ve gone home after that, and she wasn’t there. A fact he’d verified when he’d driven by her home and found her car missing.

  She wouldn’t answer the phone, no matter how many times he called. “Where are you?” he asked when her voicemail picked up. “I don’t see you anywhere around town, and you’re not in front of the house. I don’t want to drive to your mother’s since if you’re not there, it’ll only worry her. Please, call me back. There’s a lot we need to talk about. There’s a lot I have to say.”

  Just where he’d start, he had no idea. All he knew was that he couldn’t watch her walk out of his life the way she’d walked out of the office. He couldn’t bear it.

  The tracking app was still on his phone. The app he’d promised not to use unless it was an emergency. The app that called out to him, taunting, reminding him of its presence and how easy it would be to find Holly if only he’d open it and let it do its job.

  Did this count as an emergency? The fact that he wanted to tell her he’d fallen in love and had no idea what that meant for the rest of his life, even if it meant holding her lips closed so he could actually tell her without her interrupting him? That he was terrified of her discovering how broken he was? He couldn’t even put his emotions into words, and he always did and said the wrong thing.

  She deserved someone who wouldn’t hurt her without meaning to. But he loved her, and nothing would change that. He’d have to take the chance of saying the wrong thing if it meant getting his point across.

  Would she forgive him for turning the app on? He’d have to take his chances—besides, she was already furious.

  He waited, impatient, as GPS located her presence. “Where are you?” he said, pulling over to examine the map as it homed in on a blinking dot moving east at breakneck speed. She was miles away, down by the river.

  The river, where dozens of refineries and warehouses sat. Empty, dangerous. She was driving in that direction. There was no reason for her to go there. There wouldn’t be any property in that area for her to lease.

  Which meant someone told her to go.

  He called her again, now heading in that direction as fast as he dared. “Holly, whatever you’re doing, stop. Please. Don’t go there alone. No matter what you’re thinking or what they’re telling you, you cannot go in there alone. Do you understand? Please, call me when you get this!”

  When he ended the call, he pulled up the tracker again. She was still moving, closing in on that area. He was miles away. He’d allowed his emotions to keep from doing his job, and he’d not followed her like he was should have. How was he supposed to catch her in time? He floored the accelerator once he hit the open road.

  But it wasn’t enough. She was well ahead, driving fast. Which meant whatever they’d said or done to lure her down there had her speeding their way. Could he make it in time?

  Chapter 31

  The refinery towered overhead, the walls rusted and the grounds covered in litter and abandoned cars. A stray cat darted out from under one of them as Holly pulled into the lot while night fell all around her.

  Was this where they had their dog fights? It had to be. There were tire marks everywhere, the evidence of so many cars and trucks pulling in and out. Miles away from town, where prying eyes wouldn’t see. Outside the jurisdiction of the Chester police department too.

  Jack was in there? In that terrible place where there’d been so much violence and cruelty? She stepped out of the car, her knees shaking, and the stench of death assaulted her on the first breath she drew. There was a big metal dumpster not far from where she’d parked. The thought of what might be inside brought tears to her eyes and bile to her throat. Could they be that cruel and heartless?

  Jack. Think about Jack. Yes, one thing at a time. She drew a deep breath and willed away the tears threatening to spill over before taking the first steps toward a rusted door hanging partway open. The lights outside the building still worked, making it possible to avoid tripping over countless bottles and cans strewn across her path.

  It was dark inside, and cold. It stank of excrement, which she could only imagine had come from the dogs forced to fight there.

  “I’m here!” she called out, forcing herself not to shrink back from the sound of her own voice.

  What was she doing? She should’ve called someone. She should’ve told Mason. Why didn’t she call him? Right, because they told her not to. But now she was alone. How could she hope to help Jack all by herself, without even a weapon? She was so foolish.

  “Mama!” Jack’s voice snapped her to attention. “Mama! I can’t find you!”

  “Jack? Sweetheart?” She moved deeper into the darkness, turning her phone’s flashlight on. “Where are you, hone
y? I’m here for you!”

  There was a light. A white light, glowing in the dark. She followed it, but carefully. Waiting for the trap to spring.

  “I came like you told me to,” she spat, her teeth clenched. “I want my son, and I’m going to leave with him. I’m alone. I didn’t bring anyone else.”

  The light went out, followed by deep chuckling. “You’re way too easy.”

  She stopped, frozen in fear at the sound of that familiar voice. “What do you mean? Where is Jack?”

  The white light reappeared, only now she realized it wasn’t light. It was a video being played on a tablet held by the man who’d menaced her before. A video of Jack she’d posted to her social media. They were playing hide and seek, and he was trying to find her.

  He wasn’t there at all. He’d never been there.

  This should’ve flooded her with relief—and it did, knowing he was safe, away from these monsters.

  At the same time, she could’ve kicked herself. Why hadn’t she considered that her mom might be busy…taking care of Jack? Because she’d panicked. It all could’ve been solved so easily, but no.

  Now she was theirs. In their lair. Trapped.

  Footsteps sounded behind her, and she knew she was cornered now. So many things went through her head at once. Jack, losing his mother again. Her mother, losing another daughter.

  And Mason. Their last words had been spoken in resentment and confusion. He’d never know the way she really felt. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her captors closed in, still shrouded in near darkness.

  “Any last words?” The man in the hat stepped in front of her, making her heart stop for one agonizing moment.

  Last words? Was this it? She could only hope she’d loved enough. That Jack would be okay without her, that her mom and brother would make it through by leaning on each other. That her dogs would be safe and cared for.

  That Mason could forgive her for wasting even one precious moment being too angry and hurt to come out and tell him how she felt.

  “Sure,” she growled, throwing her head back and staring straight at him. “Go to—”

  An ear-splitting crash stunned them all, and Holly darted out of the way in time to avoid being hit by the car that had suddenly come crashing into the building with its horn blaring. It was impossible to see what the car looked like or who was driving, thanks to the high beams casting blinding light, but the driver managed to mow down two of the men who’d only just been surrounding her before swinging around to make a return trip.

  It was chaos, with men running in all directions and shouting orders while other men screamed after being struck. Holly used this to her advantage, ducking behind a wide steel pillar and praying as she’d never prayed before.

  Gunfire rang out, and she covered her ears while squeezing her eyes shut and trying to make herself as small as possible. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be real!

  Only it was, and as the car in question rolled past her hiding place, Holly understood what had happened. It was Mason’s car, and it finally came to a stop moments before sirens and flashing lights shone through the windows all around the building in every direction.

  She bolted for the car, scrambling to open the driver’s side door. The overhead light revealed a bloodstained Mason, slumped over the wheel. “No, no!” she wailed, shaking him. “Wake up! Please, wake up!”

  “I’m not sleeping,” he replied in a voice just loud enough to be heard over the chaos all around them. He sat up, his face paler than usual, but he was alive and breathing. “Got my shoulder. I got one of them, though.”

  “You got more than one!” She laughed through tears threatening to blind her. “What did you think you were doing?”

  “What I came here to do. Protecting you. And providing a distraction while the cops assembled outside.” He tore off his sleeve and handed it to her. “Press hard on my shoulder, please.”

  She did as she was told without asking questions. “They told me they had Jack.” It sounded so lame now that she was explaining it.

  “I figured it had to do with him, or someone as important. I’m sorry. I hope you’re not too angry.”

  “Angry?” she asked. “Why would I be angry? You saved my life!”

  “I used the tracker to find you. When I couldn’t find you around town, I—”

  She cut him off with a brief, firm kiss. “I think this qualified as an emergency,” she whispered, touching her forehead to his. “Most definitely.”

  “Hey. There was something I wanted to tell you…” Mason’s eyes started to slide shut.

  “No. No, hold on. Stay awake. Talk to me.” Holly shook him hard, harder. “Come on. Hang in there.”

  She was still saying it when a pair of officers ran over and pulled her away so he could be treated.

  Chapter 32

  This was unexpected.

  “How am I supposed to get into the building?” Mason looked around, scratching his head at the sight of dozens of wrapped and boxed baked goods, casseroles, cards, flowers, and more littering the front step of the doctor’s office. There was enough to make unlocking the door a challenge.

  But he managed it, and he slowly managed to bring everything inside too. He’d never seen so many gifts at once in his life. The names on the tags and cards were those of his patients. The Thorpes. The Larsons. The Thomases, whose beloved Fergie had been one of the deceased dogs found outside the refinery along with the other three missing dogs. And so many more, even names unfamiliar to him. They cared. They’d gone out of their way to show it.

  He barely noticed his phone ringing in time to answer. “Noah, you’re not going to believe what I found when I got to the office.”

  “More gifts than you know what to do with?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Lucky guess.” Noah chuckled.

  “I feel terrible, though,” Mason admitted. “They’re giving these things to their town physician when I’m not even qualified to have my own practice.”

  “Yet…”

  “Hang on.” Mason laughed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. That would take ages, finishing my training.”

  “What would be so bad about that?” Noah challenged before moving on. “I just checked in with the police. They have more than enough evidence to put those guys away for a long, long time. I’m only sorry I disappeared on you after you called Saturday.”

  “You had more than enough on your plate.” Noah had sent over a photo of him, Mia, and their new daughter after Mia’s lengthy labor had finally come to an end and they’d made it home.

  “But I left you on your own, and that’s not okay.”

  “I improvised. And now you’re not the only one who took a slug to the shoulder while doing something stupid.”

  Noah’s laughter was gentle, probably because there was a newborn in the house. “Not all that stupid, though. You got the job done.”

  “And now it’s all over.” He sat in the chair at the reception desk, his words echoing in the otherwise empty room. It was over. The bad guys were no more. Holly was safe and probably in the process of moving Jack back to her house. Everything was just as it should be.

  Why did he feel so hollow inside, then?

  “I’m not so sleep-deprived that I can’t hear what’s in your voice, you know. You like being there. Don’t you?”

  “I guess so. My landlady has been pampering me ever since I got home from the hospital. I’m surprised she let me come to the office today. Everyone is so generous. They’ve all pitched in to foster the dogs until Holly finds a new space. They left me enough food to feed an army. They’re good people. This is a good place.”

  “So why don’t you stay if that’s what you want to do? You could finish your training and become a doctor. Or any number of other things.”

  It was the first time anyone had put words to what had been knocking around in Mason’s heart for days. “I’ve never seen myself living this life.”

  “Do you t
hink any of us did? Especially coming back from what we faced? I’m serious. I know I didn’t see much of a future at first. Neither did Ryder, Elijah, Kolby, Gunner. None of us could’ve predicted where life would lead.”

  Noah chuckled and no doubt shook his head. “Life’s funny that way,” he continued. “The worst thing you can do is turn your back on what you want when it’s standing right in front of you. If you found what you want, what you need, what right do you have to turn away because it wasn’t exactly how you pictured it?”

  Mason sighed. “You’re right.”

  “I know.” They shared a quiet laugh. “Listen. You’ve found a woman you care about, who cares about you and is willing to put up with you.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Did Holly care about him? He’d yet to have that confirmed.

  “I do. Remember, I talked to her yesterday. I think she’d be good for you. I liked her. I wouldn’t recommend you spend your life with just anyone, you know.”

  “It’s just that I don’t want to let her down. I don’t want to fail her the way my parents failed each other and me and everyone around them.”

  “So don’t. Make a decision to not be that person. I don’t think you could be that way if you tried, frankly, but that’s just my opinion.”

  Faint crying interrupted them, and Noah chuckled. “Whoops. Time for feeding. Mom’s sleeping, so I’m on duty.”

  “Hang in there, Dad.” Mason smiled as he ended the call.

  He sat for a long time in silence, surrounded by the evidence of how many people had taken him into their hearts.

  He hoped Holly was one of those people.

  Chapter 33

  “Hello? Is there a physician in the house?” Holly nudged the door open with her shoulder, a plate of cookies in one hand and Jack in the other.

  “Wow!” Jack immediately set to work, examining each plate and dish and sniffing one bouquet after another.