Chapter 5
HAZEL
“Before we get there, do you have any questions about GMG?”
Alec’s voice breaks the heavy silence in the car, yanking me out of a suffocating loop of memories. I jolt in surprise, whacking my elbow on the car door and yelping at the sudden flash of pain.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Hazel.” He glances at me with contrition creasing his features. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” His gaze moves to my elbow, which I’m cradling with my other hand. “Did you hurt yourself?”
“No, I’m fine,” I reply automatically. Releasing my elbow, I force a thin smile. “Just whacked my funny bone is all. No big deal.”
And really, the fading ache is far preferable to the violent images burned into my memory.
Images of the masked man lunging for me with malevolent glee in his eyes.
Of his large, gloved hand clamping around my arm, his grip hard and punishing.
Images of my terrified flight from the house, the shadows bringing promise of more enemies. Of standing at Paula’s front door, pounding on it, praying for it to open before the intruder caught up to me.
How many terrible things can you store away in your mind before it breaks?
Alec’s attention shifts back to the road. In profile, his features are mostly in shadow, with hints of moonlight catching the lines and angles. A frown tugs at his lips. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” I assure him. “A bruised elbow won’t kill me.”
Alec grimaces. “I’ll get you some ice at Enzo’s. To keep the swelling down.”
I tear my gaze away from his face to look out the window, watching the blur of darkened trees move past.
Guilt presses down on my chest.
It’s late. Nearly midnight. Well past when I’m sure Alec would be in bed. But instead, he left the comfort of his home to come to the police station to get me, and now he’s giving up more valuable time taking me to Enzo’s house for this meeting.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him quietly.
Alec glances over at me again. “What for?”
“Calling you so late. Making you come get me at the station. And now—”
“Hazel.” He gently touches my arm. “I told you to call me. Anytime. That doesn’t come with conditions. Noon, midnight, four AM; it doesn’t matter. If you need my help, I’ll be there. Okay?”
My heart squeezes.
When’s the last time someone offered me unconditional support?
Then again, when’s the last time I actually asked for help?
I can’t remember, honestly. Not for years. Not since I decided I didn’t deserve it.
The maudlin thought has me changing the topic back to Alec’s original question. “So. GMG. I think I know the basics of it. You help people when the police can’t or won’t. Like Winter. Lark. Rory. Alice from Breakfast Bliss when she had that stalker.”
Alec lets up on the gas as we wind around a sharp curve. As he accelerates out of it, he replies, “That’s a part of it.” He pauses. “Maybe some background will help.”
My interest is piqued. I’ve never heard the story of how Green Mountain Guardians was formed, and I’m curious how five former Special Ops soldiers came together in rural Vermont to create it. “I’d like to hear it. If you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.” Alec casts a quick smile in my direction.
“So. Everything that happened with Winter was really the catalyst for Green Mountain Guardians forming. She found herself in trouble with her ex, and things escalated from there. Enzo was protecting her, but he wanted backup. Ronan, Gage, Knox, and I were all living in the general area, and we knew each other from our time in the Army. So Enzo reached out for our help.”
“You all served together?” I ask.
“Sort of. We were all stationed at Fort Campbell together. Me, Enzo, and Knox were Green Berets. So was Ronan, before he transferred over to Delta. Gage was based there too, but as part of a Night Stalker team. Though we weren’t teammates back then, we all knew each other pretty well through trainings and joint missions. ”
“And somehow you all ended up living in Vermont.”
“Yeah.” Alec slows as we round another curve.
“Enzo came back to Bliss to take over his uncle’s store.
Knox bought his house from an old friend.
Ronan loves skiing and spent a lot of time in Vermont, so it made sense for him to move here after he left the Army.
And Gage liked the solitude of rural Vermont—” Alec smiles.
“Though he’s not living quite as quiet of a life anymore. ”
Considering Gage and Rory live on the same property that houses Rory’s dog shelter, I can’t imagine it being particularly quiet.
Not with at least ten dogs on the premises and potential adopters coming to visit.
But judging from Gage’s huge smile whenever I see him with Rory, he’s happy with how things turned out.
“And what about you? Why did you move to Vermont?”
Alec hesitates. His fingers tighten on the steering wheel.
“Nevermind,” I add quickly. “It’s none of my business, anyway.”
His gaze flickers to mine. “No, it’s fine.
I grew up in Boston, and when I separated from the Army, my parents wanted me to move back there.
But… I wanted a change. I’d always liked the area from visiting, and when I found a floundering home security company up for sale after a bankruptcy, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.
I could use my computer skills plus my experience from the Army to build it back up into something successful. ”
After a beat, he continues, “Anyway. After everything with Winter settled down, Enzo asked us about forming a team. Offering our services to people like Winter who found themselves in trouble with nowhere to turn. We didn’t want to charge them, but we needed to find a way to cover expenses.
So we decided to pick up paid jobs, as well. ”
“Like what?”
“Security for events, for one,” he answers. “Like last month, we covered a financial conference in Boston. And sometimes we’ll do security consults—analyzing the current system, making recommendations, training staff—for high-value clients.”
“So you use part of the money to cover the pro-bono cases?”
“Exactly.” As we come up on a driveway on the left, Alec signals to turn into it. “And since we all have other jobs, we don’t really need a salary from GMG. The profits go towards the clients and improving the property. Adding fencing, cameras, radar…”
“Radar?”
“Yes. So we can see if a drone is flying overhead.” Alec smiles. “Gage and I worked on that one. We know some guys who had trouble with a drone attack, so we wanted to make sure we were protected.”
My stomach lurches. A drone attack? As if I didn’t have enough to worry about.
“You’re safe here,” Alec says. “Most of the GMG property is surrounded by a reinforced fence with surveillance cameras all along it. They can even detect the difference between a human and an animal, so they’re not going off whenever a deer walks by.
Plus, we have cameras throughout the woods, and the buildings are extremely secure. ”
“Oh. That’s good.” For now. But what about when I leave? I highly doubt the Blissful Sleep Motel has any of those things. And the only other place to stay in town is the Bliss B and B, which I’m pretty sure I can’t afford.
We come to a stop in front of a large farmhouse-style home with half the windows aglow. A large porch is lit with orange lights wrapped around the railing and a cheerful illuminated ghost set beside the front door.
Just for a moment, my spirits lift. Despite the size of the house, it looks cozy. Lived in. It’s the kind of place I’d be happy to call my own.
“This is Enzo and Winter’s place, obviously,” Alec says. He shuts off the ignition and turns to me. “We have a building not too far from here that’s used for official business, but most of the time we meet here. It’s just more comfortable, you know?”
“It does look comfortable,” I agree. “Although I feel bad waking Enzo and Winter up like this.”
“Don’t feel bad.” He opens the driver’s side door but doesn’t get out. “Enzo offered to meet here. And Winter won’t mind. She’ll probably have snacks and drinks waiting.” He pauses as his expression grows solemn. “Winter understands better than most.”
I don’t know the details of Winter’s story aside from the snippets she’s shared with me, which are that she had an abusive ex who turned obsessive, she risked her life to save Enzo’s store, and some unpleasant drama went down when her ex broke out of jail.
So yes, if she actually knew my story, she probably would understand.
“Let’s get inside,” Alec says. “Wait there, and I’ll come around to get you.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to insist I’m perfectly capable of getting out of the car and walking to the front door by myself.
But I swallow it back. Partly because Alec’s already coming around to my side and to refuse his help would be rude.
And partly because I’m secretly hoping he might touch me again—even if it’s just a light pressure on my back as he guides me inside or the brief brush of his hand against mine.
The little voice in my head urging caution when it comes to men is silent for a change. Maybe it’s too exhausted to persist. Or maybe it’s been swayed by Alec’s strong and comforting presence, just like my heart has been.
And oh, he touches me. Not just the brief contact I hoped for, but his arm solidly wrapped around me as we head to the front door. He tucks me against his side while we walk up the porch steps and keeps me there as he knocks on the door.
It’s probably just because he thinks I might stumble if he doesn’t. But I’ll take it.
Seconds later, the door swings open to reveal Enzo on the other side of it—tall, slightly imposing, but with a concerned expression softening his gaze.
He lifts his chin at Alec first. “Hey, Alec.” Then he turns to me.
“Hazel. So sorry to hear about everything that’s been happening. Hopefully, we can help.”
“Thanks,” I reply. “I’m sorry for coming over so late—”