Blackstone Ranger Guardian - Alicia Montgomery Page 0,45

one coffee date with a dragon and everyone thinks—oh, he’s coming back.” She cleared her throat. “Don’t mention Ian, please? Or kilts.”

“Kilts?” Kate asked. “What’s wrong with kilts?”

“Hey, Krieger,” Amelia greeted.

“Ladies,” he grunted as he handed Dutchy a glass of white wine.

“Thanks, John,” she said gratefully as she accepted the glass. “Oh! Luke and Georgina just arrived. I didn’t realize you’d invited them too. Let’s go say hello.”

“We’ll see you around,” Kate said.

“Yes. More often now, I hope?” Amelia glanced meaningfully at Krieger.

Despite her initial hesitation, Dutchy enjoyed herself. She’d missed times like this—just hanging out with good friends, chatting and catching up. It was like things were normal again. Like she hadn’t spent the last months pushing her friends and family away. No one seemed to hold a grudge against her, nor did they bring up anything about missed dinners, parties, or ignored calls and messages.

It was … nice. And for once, that heaviness, that cloud that seemed to follow her around just disappeared.

As she mingled and caught up with her friends, she didn’t notice that Krieger wasn’t at her side. Not until Anna Victoria came up to her.

“This was a really great party,” Anna Victoria said. “But Damon and I have to get going.”

“So soon?” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve only been here two hours. Is it the baby? Are you tired?”

“Yes, and well, you know Damon,” she said. “I’m surprised Krieger made it this long too.”

“E-excuse me?”

Anna Victoria’s brows furrowed. “You know. About …” She nodded toward the exit, where Damon stood. The chief looked normal, but upon closer scrutiny, Dutchy did notice a few things. His rigid shoulders. The way he clenched and unclenched his jaw. The slight jitter of his right leg. And the thousand-yard stare that left his eyes vacant.

“You don’t know,” Anna Victoria concluded. “About them. The Special Forces. And Kargan.”

“Kargan? What’s a Kargan?”

Anna Victoria glanced around. “I’m sorry. It’s not my place to tell you. And I don’t know the details.”

“Tell me what? Please,” she implored. “I need to understand.”

Anna Victoria paused, her eyes darting around. “Krieger and Damon were in the Special Forces together. Damon was his commander.” She let out a breath. “There was an incident with an explosion in Kargan … and then … it’s crowds for Damon, mostly. He doesn’t like them because he was nearly trampled to death. Krieger, too, to some extent. He doesn’t like being around others. Actually, I think this is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen him in, except for the anniversary ball, and even then, he had to leave after thirty minutes when people started arriving.”

What the heck was Anna Victoria saying? And why hadn’t Krieger told her any of this?

“That’s why he has to live all the way up there by Contessa Peak.”

As if she wasn’t reeling enough from processing this brand new information, the world halted under her feet at that last revelation. “Krieger … lives there? In that cabin?”

“Yes. Damon visits him regularly. It’s only recently he’s been leaving on his own.” Anna Victoria frowned. “Are you all right, Dutchy?”

She swallowed, trying to moisten her dry throat. All this time, she thought that cabin was just a temporary shelter. It had been his home. He had to live away from others. I’ve been so blind. So blind and focused on herself, she didn’t see that Krieger had PTSD.

I’ve been working on it. Trying … trying to be better. For you.

The realization crashed over her like a wave.

He lived alone, on top of a mountain because of some trauma that made it hard for him to be around others. He said he needed to stay up there. That’s where he belonged.

But somehow, he was here. He made his way down from the mountain, fought with his demons and won.

Well, kinda.

Looking back on tonight, she realized how he got tenser with each interaction, his jaw hardening as the room filled up with more people, his stare becoming more vacant as the minutes ticked by. But he didn’t say anything to her nor give any indication he wasn’t having a good time. Hell, he even arranged this whole thing. He was probably going crazy now with all these people here.

“I need to go find him.” Panic surged in her when a cursory glance around the room told her he wasn’t there. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know,” Anna Victoria said. “Maybe he went to get some fresh air. That usually works with Damon.”

“I’ll try that. Thanks!” She made a mad dash for