Chapter 5
Hunter could already feel the tendrils of dawn creeping over the horizon, a subtle shift in the darkness that spoke of the coming light. He stood outside the canvas shelter, his silhouette etched against the awakening sky—a man transformed into a sentinel guarding against the encroaching threat.
He thought about the woman sleeping in the tent next to his. Not for the first time, he wished he was in her bed.
Get a grip.
Now was not the time to develop feelings for a woman. Fuck. No time was a good time in his life. Shake her off and get to work.
“Ghost,” he said into the secure line, after calling in to his second in command. “I need intel on cartel movements in Grand Ridge. Call Phantom, see what history lies there with the Los Pedros Cartel, then get ahold of Lucky. I want to know about this deal he has with Hell Speed Motorcycle Club.”
“Roger that. What are we expecting?”
“Trouble,” Hunter replied succinctly, his gaze scanning the treeline as if he could will the information to appear before him.
“And lots of it.”
“Need me on a plane?”
“Yes. Even if it turns out to be nothing, I’d like you here.”
“Roger.” The phone clicked off, and Hunter slipped it back into his pocket, his mind churning like the river that cut through the valley below. The cartel was a hydra; for every head cut off, two more sprang forth. But he was no stranger to impossible odds. His time with the SEALs had honed not just his body but his mind, crafting him into a weapon of flesh and bone.
He lifted the hot cup of coffee to his lips and took a long drink. Part of him wanted to keep Amber out of it all, tell her to stay at camp and enjoy her visit. He knew she”d balk at the idea and do what she wanted anyway. Best to include her in it all, where he could keep watch and keep her safe. She was protective of this land, as she should be; it was her family’s property.
As if thinking of her had conjured her up, she emerged from her tent, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. There were dark circles under her eyes that hadn’t been there the day before.
He watched as she scanned the horizon with an intensity that matched his own. He wondered briefly if she was named after the warm color radiating from her eyes. Amber with flecks of gold. The most beautiful eyes he’d seen. “We’re out-manned, Hunter. This isn”t a script for one of my documentaries where I can just yell ”cut” and hop in a van when it gets too real. Did you get through to your team?” she asked.
“Ghost is on it,” he answered. “They”ll dig up what they can on the cartel”s presence in Grand Ridge. He should be here tonight.”
“Ghost?” Amber”s brow furrowed. “Do you trust him?”
“With my life.” A humorless chuckle escaped Hunter”s lips. “And respect? That I have in spades for Ghost. He”s the best man I’ve got.”
She nodded, the early morning chill causing a wisp of her blonde hair to dance across her face. He bit back the temptation to reach out and tuck the hair back into place. “And what about us? What do we do in the meantime? I can’t sit here and do nothing knowing they are on my grandparent’s property. What if their presence draws competition and my grandparents are put into danger? Or Lauren and Jack?”
Hunter heard the concern in her tone. Her elderly grandparents and ten-year-old nephew were at risk. “We prepare,” he stated. “We need to be ready for whatever comes our way. I”ll reach out to some local contacts too—people who owe me favors, people I trust”
“Trust and loyalty are luxuries,” Amber observed, her lips quirking in a half-smile that didn”t quite reach her eyes.
“Maybe,” Hunter conceded, “but it”s also currency. And right now, we”re going to spend it. There’s a long list of people who owe me favors, and I don’t often collect.”
As he contemplated their next steps, Hunter acknowledged the risks ahead. They were two against a legion, a David and Goliath tale where Goliath had automatic weapons and a penchant for violence. Yet, he was certain that he could navigate this labyrinth of danger. He and his team had often taken on multitudes and came out the victor.
Hunter stood rigid against the encroaching darkness, the last vestiges of twilight playing across his hardened features. The chilled mountain air bit at his skin, but he was used to the elements. He had made promises in his lifetime—oaths to his country, vows to fallen comrades—and now he pledged to Amber Ross. She’d gotten under his skin, and as much as he wanted to deny it, something told him she was meant to be his.
They’d spent the day together, and the more time he spent around her, the more his feelings grew. He’d accompanied Amber to the police station to make a report. They couldn’t guarantee keeping Amber’s name out of it, which wasn’t acceptable to Hunter. The officer they spoke to said they couldn’t investigate without a formal statement and, he let them know, the defense would get a copy of the report with all of Amber’s information. Otherwise, they would “look into it” on their own. They’d left the station pretty damn discouraged.
They didn’t know if or when the police would investigate and he didn’t trust them to protect her, either. She refused to stay at the main house with her family and didn’t want to get them involved yet. He understood not wanting to stress out her family, but he disagreed. In the end, he left the decision up to her.
As they’d driven into town, she’d told him more about her job. He’d tensed listening to her talk about all the dangerous stories she’d covered. The evil she’d stared into, completely unarmed, sent chills down his back. He understood why she said she did it—shining a light on the darkness was a useful tool in reducing it, but it was unsettling knowing she kept putting her life at risk. One thing was for sure, she wasn’t facing this situation alone.
“Amber,” he said, turning to face her. “No matter what we face, I will protect you. We”re going to dismantle their operations piece by piece.”
Amber nodded, her silhouette outlined by the glow of the tent”s interior light.
“Taking down the cartel won”t be easy,” he continued, his gaze scanning the tree line as if anticipating the shadows might come alive with threats at any moment. “But we can stop them.”
“We have to. If not us, then who?” Amber”s words were spoken softly, yet they carried in the stillness of the night.
“Apparently, not the local police.”
As the silence between them grew, it was filled with the implicit knowledge of the challenges ahead: covert operations in treacherous terrain and facing adversaries who valued life cheaply. Yet, in that quiet, Hunter’s mind raced, plotting, planning—his military training merging with his primal instinct to protect.
He thought of the dawn that would soon break over the Colorado Rockies, bringing with it the beginning of their rigorous preparation and the first steps of their daunting journey.
“Tomorrow, we start early. We should go to bed. We are going to need our rest.”
“Then let”s make sure we”re ready for whatever comes our way,” she agreed, the edges of her form blurring as she stepped back into her tent. “Thank you, Hunter.”
Hunter remained outside a moment longer, allowing himself to feel the magnitude of their undertaking. They were two souls standing against a tide of corruption and violence, yet he sensed that together, they formed an unbreakable front. With a last glance at the stars that hung like watchful guardians above, he went into his tent.
Alone.