Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
LOCH
The outside of that RV is the swankiest I’ve ever seen. Gleaming and silver, it’s like a penthouse on wheels. If I didn’t know better, I’d guess a rock star had camped overnight in the park.
But I do know better.
I know that Ranger Carter fucker is up to no good.
Alena’s off today, but I picked up an extra shift to build goodwill toward a full-time hire. But it also gives me a chance to follow a hunch.
I know Alena is safe on her own.
Because the real risk to her is right here.
It’s Carter.
Any man who sexually harasses a woman on the job is a piece of shit in all aspects of his life. Guaranteed.
Once Ranger Carter showed his true colors, trying to degrade Alena, I had to see what evil he’s up to.
Like this.
An hour ago, Carter parked his patrol SUV in the campground and, without knocking, disappeared inside that brand new RV with Tennessee plates and hasn’t come out. Hasn’t been on the radio either. His last location check was inspecting the campground.
Leaning against an oak tree, I’m watching him. My last location check was on the hiking trail nearby, checking for fallen trees while covering my tracks to this spot.
Is there anything illegal about Carter disappearing into a camper’s RV while on the job? No.
Is it suspicious as fuck? Hell yes.
Especially when the RV doesn’t look like it belongs to weekend warriors or yearly snowbirds, campers he may know. No, it looks like fresh from a showroom.
Entering the license plate number into my phone, I’ll have Grant run it when I get back to my cabin. If I ask Nash, he’ll be here in hours, gouging eyes.
Finally, the shiny RV door swings open, and Carter emerges, adjusting his fly. The shadows at the door are too dark to see who’s inside. Can’t hear what they’re saying, either.
With way too much pep in his step, Carter aims for his SUV, so I turn, hustling through the woods, back to my truck.
Minutes later, Carter gives his next location check, making the hairs on my neck stand.
Black Balsam Knob.
Alena’s favorite spot.
I give him a few minutes’ lead time and follow him. Leisurely, driving past where he turns toward the trailhead, I find the next one where I can hump it over the ridge and intercept him again.
I have no proof, only instinct, but I trust it. It’s gnawing at my insides about him.
It takes me twenty minutes to track him down without being detected. The creep is lurking behind a tree at the edge of a clearing, hunting something.
When I take out my binoculars, I see it’s not something, but someone.
It’s Alena.
Lying on a blanket in the sun, she’s relaxing in the field, resting on her stomach, reading a book. Happily, her hiking boots kick the air as she flips the page.
Fuck, she’s beautiful.
Alena’s the picture of innocent seduction; she’s not wearing her uniform or hiking gear.
No, her silky tawny hair curtains her face, her green sundress fluttering in the breeze.
She’s enjoying the sun on the back of her legs, while the gentle wind teases a glimpse of her gorgeous ass with the next gust.
“You fucking piece of shit,” I hiss, watching Carter watch her.
Red rage igniting my veins.
He must do this every week, if the weather allows. Following Alena to her favorite spot on her day off, and perving on her. From this angle, it’s obvious he’s jerking off to the sight of her.
Grinding my molars, I use my head first, not my fists. I lift my phone, taking a video of him as ammo.
Do I have room to talk about jerking off to Alena? No, but I’m alone when I do it. Well, alone while thousands watch me online. I don’t need to violate her privacy to come so hard, imagining her.
It’s not easy sneaking up on Carter. I fear a snapping branch under my boot will give me away. But disgustingly, he’s too enthralled to hear me approach from behind.
Choking him, I slap my other hand over his mouth, hissing in his ear, “It’s really fucking personal now, Carter.”
“What the fuck?” His garbled mutter is barely audible.
“Is this what you do? Stalk a fellow ranger and violate her privacy? Indulge in public indecency at the sight of her?”
He reaches down, trying to zip his fly.
“No, no.” I choke him harder, glancing down.
“Playtime is over for your little yogurt rifle. You’ll resign today.
You’ll leave the park and fire that pathetic thing somewhere, far away from her, or I’ll share with HR and Reddit the damning video I just took of you.
Think I’ll call it ‘Forest Ranger Caught Wringing His Worm in the Wild.’”
“Fuck you.” He tries to squirm.
Lowly, I laugh. “You want to fuck with me, Carter? Be smart. We both know I’m not who I say I am either.
” He tries to elbow my ribs, but lucky for him, I don’t want Alena to catch us; otherwise, I’d break him in half.
“I have a friend who’ll pay you a visit tomorrow.
He’ll make sure you’re gone. Dead or alive: you’ll never put your eyes on Alena again. You decide.”
He stops fighting me, his lungs heaving.
“Good boy. Now tell me who you were with in that RV an hour ago.” He stiffens in my arms. Like he’s more afraid of that RV than me. “Was it a woman? A man?” He’s frozen. “A couple with strap-ons? I don’t give a shit, Carter. Get your kink on, but you were up to some shady shit, weren’t you?”
“Please.” His muffled beg sounds desperate.
“Please, what?” I fume. “Whisper, so Alena won’t know I busted you, or I’ll toss you over a cliff.”
When I lift my hand, he whimpers, “Alright, man. I’m gone. Tonight. Please, just let me go.”
I choke his neck with my biceps. “Tell me about the RV first.”
“I can’t.”
I squeeze tighter. “Wrong answer.”
“I mean it. If I tell you, I’m dead as well as my girlfriend, after she’s put through hell.”
A dozen guesses fire through my mind. All of them evil. “Oh, Carter. What have you gotten yourself into? You’re fucking around and letting someone threaten an innocent woman? Which, by the way, say goodbye to your girlfriend. She doesn’t deserve a piece of shit like you.”
“Yeah, yeah, man,” he splutters. “I’ll leave her tomorrow. Whatever you say.”
I could torture him. Could play with painful pressure points on his body until he pisses himself and passes out. Or I could beat the shit out of him and drag him away. All of which would make Alena turn her head and see us across the clearing.
And I don’t want to take her innocence.
I want her to read books in the sunshine, even if I’ll always have to protect her from afar.
“Little bro, you’re on to something.” Grant chomps his usual gummy bears while we’re on a call. “That Tennessee tag is registered to an LLC out of New Mexico.”
“New Mexico? Why the fuck?”
I talk on my Bluetooth, winding my way up the mountain, staying a half mile behind Alena.
Carter left, and I stayed to watch her finish her book before she hiked back to her truck. Of course, she got her usual Slurpee fix after she went to the grocery store, and now she’s headed back to her cabin.
“New Mexico is a rare state that allows anonymous LLCs,” Grant explains. He’s the expert on intel. “No names needed for the paperwork.”
“But that’s over a thousand miles from here.”
“And now they’re right under your nose,” he confirms. “It’s not coincidence. Put a tracker on that RV.”
“Can’t right now. I’m tracking Alena.” I pull into my gravel spot beside her truck.
“How’s it going?”
I already confessed to Sire and won’t burden another brother with my forbidden love. Grant’s not a good liar, particularly to Mom. Hell, who is?
“She’s predictable. Makes the job easy.”
“Makes Nash happy. Axel too.”
Still, I gotta know. It always bothers me. “Ever wonder why Axel cares so much about Alena?”
“Pfft.” He’s kicking his boots up, I can tell. “She’s his goddaughter, and he’s a possessive fucker. Like all of us.”
“You’re not that possessive.” I know he gets the reference to his wife, Delphine. How he let her teach me, rather than make a fool of myself in front of my brothers.
“What can I say?” Grant chuckles. “I’m a sucker for our baby lion. Had to make sure your cock cherry was properly popped.”
“You’re a lucky man. Delphine truly loves you because you know she was just being nice to me.”
Our mom rescued Delphine from a Parisian brothel, catering to politicians.
Seems Delphine had become more valuable dead, killing the secrets she kept for powerful men, than alive as a talented blonde courtesan.
So Mom brought her here to keep her safe, and Grant learned French to keep Delphine company.
They’ve been in love ever since.
“Nice to you?” Grant huffs a laugh, “Brother, don’t insult my beautiful wife. Everything she taught you was more than nice. I just hope you’re putting your skills to good use.”
I am.
With over a million followers.
Just not with the one woman I want.
Speaking of…
Alena appears, wedging her cabin door open with her boot while balancing a tray in her hands. Looks like she’s carrying raw steaks on a plate.
“Alright. Gotta go.” I end our call, swinging my truck door open.
“Hey!” she calls out. “How was your shift?” Lifting the lid to the community grill on the edge of the gravel, she makes my stomach growl.
“Quiet. Just checking trails.”
She nods. “Hungry? They were selling these T-bones in a two-pack, and I can’t eat both.”
My pits start sweating. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” She shrugs. “Kinda sucks eating alone. And I’ve always wanted a dinner date with Mutt Damon.”
I twirl my keys, aiming for my cabin door. “You a Jason Bourne fan?”
“Nah, I’m kinda partial to The Martian.” She grins, making my chest do that weird thing I love. “He had me at soil samples.”
I laugh, opening the door as Mutt charges past me, almost knocking me down. He’s in love with Alena too.
“Come here!” I shout.
“I got him.” With his tail wagging, she squats, petting him. “Go change and give me ten minutes for these steaks.”
Ten minutes?
Babygirl, you’ve got a lifetime from me.
I disappear inside, my pit stains growing. Quickly, I strip down and let the shower heat up while I comb through my one-foot closet.
Is this a date? And how the fuck would I know? I’ve never been on one. So what do I wear?
On instinct, I grab my phone from the bed, calling the only woman I trust not to give me shit.
“Bonjour,” Delphine sings. “What is wrong?”
“Why does something have to be wrong?”
“My kings only call me to solve their woman problems. What is yours?”
I sigh, watching steam billow from my shower. “I think I have a date, but it’s not really, and I don’t know what to wear.”
“Tu es adorable.” She laughs, all raspy. “Simple. Wear a shirt with buttons.”
I scan my closet. “Don’t have one.”
“Merde. I give you a shirt every Christmas.”
“Thank you, and they’re in a closet at Sire’s.” I reveal. “I don’t have shit here.”
“Fine. Then, who is she?”
Fuck, Delphine can’t know about Alena either. Delphine is one of our queens. We trust her with our truth, but keeping a taboo secret from another king and my mom? I can’t do that to her.
“I met her at a coffee shop,” I lie.
“And you were dressed like a tree? For killing animals, yes?”
I laugh. Delphine hates American fashion, particularly camo. “Maybe.”
“And she did not run away, screaming, no?”
“No, she invited me over for steaks.”
“Ah,” she notes. “Then wear an undershirt and denim.”
“You mean a T-shirt and jeans?”
“Ouais. You have a nice belt?”
“Does a gun holster count?”
“My young lion,” she chides, “I have trained you better. You know how to please a woman, yes? The only gun we want is the one in the pants, not strapped to it.”
I guess I know.
From eighteen until twenty-two, I got by on blowjobs. Girls would kneel before me, trying to stretch their mouths around my dick, and it was so good until I closed my eyes. Then suddenly, I’d fantasize it was Alena’s lips on my dick and bust a nut right there.
But I felt guilty desiring Alena, so I tried with other girls. Like they could suck the sin out of me. Still, I was too afraid to fuck them. Too scared I’d imagine Alena the whole time.
The one girl I wasn’t supposed to want.
It worked until I was twenty-two, when my brother Grant fell in love with Delphine. It was clear she’d be his wife and queen, but Delphine needed a second king, and she chose me. Given how alpha my brothers are, it made sense. I was the youngest, the lesser threat to Grant.
But, fuck, I freaked out.
I got drunk and told him I was still a virgin, worried my older brothers would laugh at me during our ritual. It’d be the first time I had sex, and I didn’t know how to fuck, so Grant protected me.
He asked Delphine, a former sex worker, to teach me everything, and for months, she did. Like a pro. It wasn’t love; it was an erotic education.
I didn’t imagine Alena. I was too focused on not coming, on learning how to dominate and please a partner. By the time Delphine was initiated, my mastery skills were obvious.
As my second queen, I’ll kill for Delphine. I care for her. She was patient and kind to me. I realized how you can feel but not fall; fuck but not love.
Afterward, I fucked around for a few years with different women but gave up. It was futile.
Nothing felt like the hurricane of emotions I got that day on the beach, watching Alena rescue that boy. It’s how I feel around her now. Like Alena’s the eye of my storm. My center. I can’t resist this pull to her anymore.
Sweetly, Delphine sighs, frustrated with my rugged ways. “Do you at least have cologne for your date?”
Fuck, is this a date? My dream can’t be coming true this quickly. Alena just grabbed an extra steak at the grocery store. That’s it.
Don’t overthink it.
I wince. “Won’t that be too obvious?”
“No, you are right.” She flits a laugh. “Go to her smelling like a pig. Love at first whiff.”
Delphine’s sarcasm is the best. The kings love pissing her off just to hear it.
“Yes, ma’am. Turning off the shower now.” I let her hear me sniff my pits. “Whoo-ee! I sure smell ripe.”
“Loch!” It’s hilarious when she yells. She fires a slew of French at me. I recognize putain. It means “fuck,” and she sure taught me how.
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding.” I grin. “Got it. T-shirt. Jeans. Cologne and a leather belt. I’ll tie it around her wrists and please her for hours.”
“Ouais. That is my big little lion. Make me proud.”
She ends our call, and I jump into the shower. While I get dressed, I give Boner a firm lecture about his limp behavior tonight.
But my heart?
It’s pounding out of control.