I thought I’d come to terms with my solitary existence.

Most days, I even told myself I preferred it.

After all, the dogs at my shelter didn’t ask questions about my appearance. They didn’t stare at my scars. They didn’t make me feel ugly.

Then I met Gage. He came to the shelter to adopt a dog, but even after that, he kept returning. Was he just coming to help, like he claimed? Or could I dare hope he wanted to spend time with me?

Would he? Handsome, brave, heroic Gage, who could have any woman he wanted? Could he possibly see me as more than just the quiet, reclusive woman who ran the dog rescue outside town? More than the scarred woman everyone else looked away from?


I liked Rory from the first time I met her.

How could I not? She was caring. Smart. Beautiful. Even though I knew it couldn’t go anywhere, it didn’t stop me from wanting to spend time with her.

Friends was enough, I told myself over and over. It was all I could offer. It was all my wounded self-esteem would allow me.

Until I found her unconscious and injured in the woods, with no memory of how she got there. Until I held her in my arms and realized I’d do anything to protect her. Until I realized just being friends wasn’t enough.

But first, I need to make sure she’s safe. That the person who hurt her is caught. And I’ll draw on all the skills I learned in the Special Forces, along with the help of my Green Mountain Guardians teammates, to make sure no one hurts her again.