Chapter 1
TODAY
Max stood near the whelping box, his arms braced on the edge of the kennel as he watched the chocolate lab circle the area for the third time in as many minutes.
“Easy, girl,” he murmured. “Everything’s going to be just fine.”
Juno glanced at him, her eyes wide and searching. She finally lowered herself to the ground again, only to rise another second later. The poor girl . . .
Veterinarian Hadley Chase crouched on the other side of the pen, one hand resting lightly on the dog’s belly. She still wore her scrubs from the office—she’d come straight here when they’d called her two hours ago after Juno had started showing signs of distress.
Someone had abandoned the very pregnant dog at a private shelter the next county over. That facility didn’t have the resources to help, so they’d called Refuge Cove to see if they had room. Thankfully, they did.
Juno had arrived two days ago—on Valentine’s Day—and the staff at Refuge Cove had been monitoring her ever since. Max himself had even built the whelping box in anticipation of this moment. New life was a beautiful thing.
“She’s close,” Hadley murmured.
Max was so glad Hadley had been available. He definitely didn’t want to do this by himself. Kendra Williams, who assisted at the kennel, probably would have volunteered to help. But things between her and Max were still awkward after their breakup a few weeks ago.
The kennel could house up to twenty dogs. Each had their own run, with an interior area, as well as an outdoor run accessible via a doggie door that was locked every night. At the back of the building was a large work area, where supplies were kept and food was prepared, as well as a small office.
Max straightened as a noise caught his ear.
Hadley glanced up at him, her forehead wrinkling as she studied him. “What is it?”
“I thought I heard something outside.”
She listened before shaking her head. “The wind’s picking up. Could have been that.”
“Maybe.” But something about the sound seemed off.
Their closest neighbors, the Hendersons, had been determined to make everyone here at Refuge Cove miserable. They illegally hunted on the property, threatened the Kings, and made no secret of the fact they were watching everyone who came and went.
The county seemed interested in what they were doing here also, and Dale Harding, Richard’s brother, seemed determined to make the Kings pay for putting his brother in jail.
On top of that, the women staying in the house had fled from dangerous domestic situations. When they came here, they were promised safety.
Max couldn’t take any chances with their welfare.
Everyone who lived and worked at Refuge Cove kept an eye on the place, but Max felt especially compelled to do so. If he’d been keeping a better eye on things back when Sarah lived here, she wouldn’t be dead . . .
Guilt had formed an atomic bomb in his gut, and he could still feel the aftereffects.
Max pushed away from the pen. “I’ll feel better if I check out the noise.”
“Don’t be long.” Hadley glanced up, her long, dark hair escaping from her sloppy bun and falling into her warm gaze. “These babies could come at any minute. I’d hate for you to miss it.”
Max had seen new life come into the world before—and it never lost its power to both ache and awe.
However, right now, he needed to set his mind at ease.
“I’ll be right back.” He offered a quick nod before heading toward the back door.
As he stepped outside, the sharp mid-February air hit his exposed skin. Last he’d checked, it was only ten degrees outside. He pulled his collar up to ward off the biting cold.
Snow crunched beneath his boots as he walked along the side of the kennel, his eyes adjusting to the dark. The security lights outside the building cast long shadows across the yard.
The sound reached him again, clearer this time. It almost sounded like . . . metal clanking.
The front gate, he realized. That was how it sounded when it opened and closed. Though people had to have a code to get in, that didn’t mean that trouble hadn’t shown up. It had happened before—more times than Max would like to admit.
Sarah had always liked to say the more resistance you faced meant the harder you had to fight.
His pace quickened.
He rounded the corner in time to see a petite blonde with curly hair standing on this side of the gate. She wore a colorful striped scarf around her neck.
Lyndee Thomas, he realized. She was one of their guests here at Refuge Cove. Her brother had been a fellow soldier with Max in the army and had asked Max to help her.
Most people thought this place was just an animal shelter and boarding facility.
But their real mission—their secret mission—was that they were a battered women’s shelter.
They allowed women to come here with their pets, a restriction at other shelters that often deterred women from fleeing violent relationships.
They didn’t want to leave their dog or cat behind.
Very few people in the area knew what they were actually doing here at Refuge Cove. For tax purposes, they’d classified this house as a nonprofit retreat center.
Lyndee’s estranged husband had nearly choked her to death two weeks ago. She’d called Max, and he’d gone that night to pick her up.
Max was usually hands off with the residents.
But Lyndee was not only his friend’s sister, but she was also talkative—very talkative.
Every time they’d run into each other since she’d been staying here, she’d shared more of her life story.
Overshared, really. Max didn’t mind listening.
In fact, he preferred it. Staying quiet, letting other people fill the space—that had always come easier to him.
It was safer that way.
If there was one thing he’d learned to recognize over the years, it was when someone was holding on by a thread. That didn’t necessarily make them dangerous. But trauma did hard things to people. It twisted reality, blurred lines, and made reactions bigger than the moment called for.
He knew that better than most.
Memories began to pummel him, memories of a time when he’d stepped in and tried to do the right thing.
But things hadn’t unfolded the way they should have. He’d learned the hard way that doing the right thing didn’t always matter if no one stood beside you when it counted.
He’d learned from experience that when someone talked the way Lyndee did—fast, scattered, circling back to the same things—he listened a little closer.
Max watched Lyndee. Her white toy poodle was tucked against her chest, and she wore a backpack on her shoulders. She appeared to be fumbling with the gate.
He’d bet that neither Caleb King nor his sister Naomi, who both ran this place, knew Lyndee was outside.
Max slowed as he approached the woman. “You going somewhere, Lyndee?”
She flinched and spun toward him. Fear flashed through her gaze before another emotion pushed in behind it. Resolve, maybe. Or desperation.
She held Tinkerbell closer. “Max . . . I didn’t expect to see anyone out here.”
“What are you doing?”
Her gaze wavered. “If you must know, I—I’m leaving. I have that right. This isn’t a prison.”
“Of course. You can leave if you want.” He narrowed his eyes. “However, it isn’t safe to be walking on that road at this time of night. It’s too dark, and there’s no shoulder. It’s dangerous.”
“I’m not going to walk.” Her gaze flicked behind her, past the gate. “I have a ride.”
Max followed her line of sight.
A truck was parked in the shadows just beyond the gate, its engine and headlights off. A man leaned against the driver’s side door, his arms crossed and his posture defiant.
Kenny. That had to be Kenny.
Lyndee’s estranged husband and the man who’d tried to kill her. She’d talked a lot about him and what a vile person he was.
Max’s jaw tightened as he turned back to Lyndee. “You don’t want to do this. You’re safe here, Lyndee. He can’t hurt you here.”
Her resolve turned into a tremble—but just for a moment. Then she raised her chin. “You don’t understand.”
“I understand enough.” He stepped closer, keeping his movements slow so he wouldn’t spook her. “You came here for a reason. Whatever’s waiting out there hasn’t changed. Kenny hasn’t changed, no matter what he says.”
The man pushed off the truck and walked toward them. “Hey, babe. What’s going on? We need to hit the road.”
Max didn’t look away from Lyndee. “Remember, he tried to kill you. You told me so yourself. You don’t have to go with him.”
Lyndee’s gaze fluttered to her husband and then back to Max. Her motions were quick and jerky with indecision and doubt.
“Get in the truck, Lyndee.” Kenny’s voice turned sharper. “We’re not doing this again.”
Lyndee hesitated, and doubt flickered in her gaze.
Kenny rushed toward the gate. Lyndee must have gotten the lock open because he pushed inside.
Even with the space between them, Max could smell the stale cigarette smoke on the man’s clothing and see the vitriol in his gaze.
“I don’t know who you are, but you need to back off.” Kenny glowered at Max. “This isn’t your business. I’m here to bring my wife home—where she belongs.”
Max straightened to his full six-foot-three height and broadened his already broad chest. “This is my business when it happens here. This land is private property, and you’re trespassing.”
The man chuckled under his breath. “I didn’t realize this place came with a bouncer.”
Max didn’t respond, only glared.
“Come on. Let’s go.” Kenny grabbed Lyndee’s wrist.
She flinched as if it hurt.
“You should have stayed away.” Max bristled as he stepped closer. “Let her go, and leave.”
Kenny turned toward him, irritation flashing across his face. “Or what?”
“Or I’ll make you let her go, and then I’ll make you leave.”
Kenny stared at him, something dark simmering in his gaze.
The next moment, the man swung his fist.
Hadley felt the change in the air.
Juno began pacing again, her nails clicking against the floor. But Hadley’s attention shifted past the dog a moment.
Something was wrong.
Raised voices carried through the walls. The words were too muffled to distinguish but sharp enough to send a pulse of unease through her chest. The dogs sensed it too and began to bark. All of them—except Juno—seemed to join in the cacophony.
She pushed to her feet and turned to Juno. “Stay put, girl. I’ll be right back. I promise.”
Hadley didn’t have much time before these puppies came. But she wanted to check things out in case trouble was near.
She pulled her jacket on over her scrubs and stepped outside. Snow swirled across the threshold, and the chill instantly bit through her clothes. Blue Ridge Hollow was colder than Atlanta, and she was still adjusting to the climate.
As Hadley rounded the corner, the scene came into view.
Max stood near the gate, his shoulders squared and his body angled toward a man she’d never seen before. A tiny blonde hovered just behind them, clutching her small dog.
Hadley stepped forward in time to see the man lunge toward Max.
His fist swung out fast, aimed directly at Max’s face.
Max’s arm snapped up in time to block the punch.
But the man didn’t stop. He charged at Max again.
Hadley’s breath caught. No!
Max planted his feet and let the man come at him. He took the hits on his arms without flinching. He didn’t panic or rush to react. Instead, he seemed to watch and wait as the man wore himself out.
When Kenny didn’t stop, Max finally shifted.
His fist connected with the man’s jaw, the action precise and purposeful.
The man staggered back then hit the ground with a heavy thud.
For half a second everyone remained frozen.
Then the woman screamed. “Kenny, are you okay? Why’d you punch him, Max? You didn’t have to do that!”
The words didn’t match what Hadley had just seen.
The man—Kenny—groaned and rolled onto his side. As he clutched his jaw, the woman dropped to her knees beside him. She still held the small dog in one hand as she leaned over him.
“You could’ve knocked him out!” she cried, looking up at Max. “What’s wrong with you?”
Snow gathered on Max’s shoulders as his gaze fixed on the man at his feet. He appeared poised to act again if necessary.
Footsteps sounded behind Hadley.
Caleb and Naomi darted from the house, jerking their coats over their arms as they sprinted toward the scene. Her cousins—siblings—ran this place.
“What’s going on out here?” Caleb demanded. “We heard the commotion.”
The woman pointed at Max, her hand trembling. “He attacked Kenny! He just came out and started hitting him!”
Hadley’s pulse thudded in her ears. That certainly wasn’t what she’d seen.
But she knew how this might look for Max . . . bad.