truth was, she didn’t know how or if anyone could help her, not when she’d given up herself.
Chapter Seven
“Can I get you anything? Coffee? A sandwich?” Damon asked. “Did you get anything to eat at all?”
When was the last time he’d eaten? Krieger wasn’t sure. What time was it when Dutchy woke up and threw him out of her room? “I’m fine,” he mumbled.
“You don’t look fine,” Damon insisted. “What the hell happened? What are you doing out here?”
What was he supposed to say? That Dutchy woke up and freaked out the moment she saw him? His chest tightened, remembering the sheer pain on her face. But worst of all, he could feel her mistrust and loathing at the mere sight of him. His bear, too, raged at the visceral reaction from her, and it did not like it one bit.
“Krieg?”
He looked up at Damon. “Can we talk about something else?” He needed a distraction. Maybe he should have taken Damon up on his offer of food. But his stomach was tied up in knots, and he probably wouldn’t have been able to keep anything down, not when things weren’t right between him and Dutchy.
Damon sighed and grabbed an empty chair from across the room. “What do you want to talk about?”
“How are things back at HQ?”
His lips pulled back. “I’m short two rangers. How do you think things are going?”
He winced. “Sorry. I’ll get back as soon as I can—”
“I know.” Damon scrubbed a hand down his face. “Look, I meant what I said about you taking the time you need. Hell, you’ve probably earned it since you’ve never taken a vacation.”
“You said you’re short by two people. Who else is down?”
“Who do you think?” Damon sighed. “Stevens. He’s working things out with his mate. Shows up sporadically, but basically, he’s been hanging around Darcey for days.”
The blonde they’d chased down. He’d forgotten about that. “And how are things going?”
“Dunno. Daniel’s got the info, but he’s tight-lipped. He’s hoping they work it out since Darcey happens to be his sister-in-law. By the way, I hope you don’t mind, I told him what you told me about Anders and all those girls. At first, he couldn’t believe it, but I told him the info came from you, so now he’s trying to help reform Anders’s playboy image.” He let out a chuckle. “Of course, it’s not helping his reputation at work. I think some of the guys feel betrayed because they think he’s some kind of lady-killer hero.”
He huffed. Of course, he understood on some level what that was like. He winced in shame now, but he’d once reveled in the action and thrill of chasing pussy. Women hadn’t been in short supply, especially around the base. But that had been a different life. “Did you—”
The door to Dutchy’s room opened and immediately, his body went on full alert. But the flash of red hair wasn’t his mate’s.
“Ma’am,” he said to Dutchy’s aunt. “How—how is she?”
Rosie eyed him warily. “Awake.” She paused, then straightened her shoulders, her pale blue eyes flashing. “What happened between you and my niece?”
Krieger wasn’t surprised she’d figured it out. “She didn’t tell you?”
“No.” Her hands fisted at her sides. “But someone better damn well tell me before I lose my mind, and that someone better be you, young man.”
Young man? Sheesh, he hadn’t been called young in ages. But the stern look on female’s face—not to mention the fierce determination he could sense in her animal—made it difficult to deny her. “We’ve … met before. A few months ago. In that big snowstorm.”
And so, he told her what happened. Each word was like reliving the whole damn thing again, but she wanted the truth and so she would have it.
By the time he was done, Rosie’s face had gone as red as her hair. “You just … rejected her? Told her to leave? After what you’d been through together?” Though he didn’t give her every detail, she obviously guessed their time together in his cabin wasn’t some innocent sleepover. “Tossed her aside like trash when you were done with her?” The words cut deep, but how could he deny it?
“Rosie,” Damon warned.
“No.” He waved his friend aside. “She’s right.”
“But she doesn’t know. Neither did Dutchy. What happened to you … it changes a man.” Of course, only Damon could understand why he needed to push Dutchy away. He’d gone through it himself. PTSD was a fucking bitch.
But he didn’t know this was how things would