The woman turned to me, her brow furrowed. “I can’t afford a cabin. I just…”

  “Mommy. I’m hungry.” The little girl continued tugging on her mother’s jacket, even stamping her feet for emphasis. I could tell whoever the mother was, she was doing her best to remain calm.

  “Honey. I’ll get you some graham crackers in a little bit,” she said.

  Graham crackers?

  Mark snapped a hateful look at me. “Let me check.” His fingers flew across his computer’s keyboard and I made a mental note to rake the shithead over the coals later. “Yes, the Wyoming cabin is available. But it’s very expensive.”

  Her face fell.

  He was telling me this as if I didn’t know? The resort’s accountant? I was close to being livid, which wasn’t good for anyone. “We’re comping her the cabin for as long as she needs.”

  “But sir⁠—”

  “Don’t ‘but sir’ me,” I interrupted. “You heard me. You work for me. Remember? Not the other way around. Make it happen. Identification or not. It’s on me.”

  “Yes, sir,” Mark said, but he wasn’t a happy camper.

  As if I cared.

  The woman appeared shocked, but her expression changed quickly into more than a slight hint of anger. “I don’t take charity. Thank you very much, but I’m not that kind of woman.”

  I could tell she was the kind of person who didn’t appreciate anyone providing assistance. “A storm is coming.”

  “I’ll go to another hotel,” she said.

  “The two other inns are completely booked given the damn season and the upcoming snow event. It’s late and your daughter is hungry. Accept my generosity. I don’t usually offer any.” I started to turn away until she touched my arm.

  As soon as she did, a huge jolt of current rushed through every cell in my body. Shock followed, the kind that caught my breath in my throat.

  “You didn’t need to do that,” she said more softly this time.

  “It would appear you needed a little help. I have the ability to make that happen.”

  “Mommy. I’m so hungry. Pwease.”

  The little girl was now begging, which struck at the heartstrings I hadn’t known I had any longer. I rubbed my eyes, already hating what I was about to do.

  “Why don’t we grab some dinner? The chef makes a tasty cheeseburger.” I was shocked by how generous I was being. I was the Fox brother who argued against a single freebie.

  “Mommy. A cheeseburger.”

  “No, Cally. We can’t do that.” Cally’s mother was at the point of losing some sense of control. I could tell from her face and by her body language.

  “Nonsense,” I told her. “I was going to grab a bite and I hate eating alone.” It was just a lie since I preferred being entirely alone.

  The woman’s face as she peered at me yanked at something else, desire that I’d long since thought dead. She was also distrusting, questioning whether I was a good guy or bad guy.

  I knew the answer and I doubted she would feel more comfortable knowing.

  “I don’t bite,” I told her, although that was no more the truth than anything else I’d said.

  “What’s your name at least so I can place you into our system?” Mark asked, his tone prompting another expression of displeasure from me. Since when did our employees judge a single guest?

  Not allowed.

  She bit her lower lip and I could tell she was still deciding whether to accept the offer.

  I wasn’t the kind of man to beg for anything.

  “Bella Winters,” she said in a tone suggesting defeat. She had a story to tell, but one I didn’t care to hear.

  I’d done my good deed for the year, dinner just icing on the cake. As she signed a piece of paper for the hotel, I took more time paying attention to how she was dressed, her daughter as well. I was a damn good judge of character, my former life requiring me to be observant with the smallest details about a person.

  Bella’s lower lip was quivering, but she was doing her best to remain strong. She’d obviously been through some kind of ordeal, doing an excellent job of hiding it from her daughter. She was also the most beautiful woman I’d ever set eyes on.

  I’d had my share of affairs over the years, none of which I could call a relationship. However, I was more attracted to Bella than I had been with anyone in as long as I could remember. With her long blonde hair, striking violet eyes, soft rosy lips, and an hourglass figure unable to be hidden by her jacket, she was the epitome of stunning.

  Even my cock registered just how insanely gorgeous she was, my shaft pushing hard against my trousers.

  “Here are the keys to the Wyoming cabin and a map to show you how to get there. Enjoy your stay.” I didn’t like the look on Mark’s face. He was definitely pushing the envelope in my world and he wouldn’t like me getting angry.

  I’d been called a son of a bitch more than once, the title held with pride.

  With the keys in her hand, Bella was still debating. “I will pay you back.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Now, how about those cheeseburgers?”

  Cally smiled at me and her small gesture could light up the dreary night. “Thank you, mister.” The kid couldn’t have been more than three, maybe four, yet she’d already been taught manners.

  “You can call me Jagger.”

  The little girl’s eyes opened wide and she clapped. Maybe the kid thought I was some kind of superhero in a world that held few.

  “Jagger,” Bella repeated. “A good name.”

  A dangerous one. If only she knew the moniker provided by the last people I’d worked for.

  If she learned, she’d leave the resort and never return.

  CHAPTER 3

  Bella

  Charity.

  I’d never thought since reaching adulthood that I’d be forced to accept anyone’s charity again. I wasn’t that kind of woman, priding myself on climbing from the depths of hell, my hard work allowing me a lucrative career.

  But that had been before.

  Before my life had fallen apart in a few days.

  I’d followed my GPS, heading for the location I’d selected at random, uncertain of the name of the town or the resort. What I did know by the festive and posh interior including marble floors and gleaming brass accents was that I was in way over my head.

  With little cash available at this point, and my credit cards cut off, I had few options. Being despondent wasn’t going to get me anywhere, but tears had formed more than once during the trip. The bastard I’d left had worked quickly, no doubt eliminating any chances for resuming my old life or being able to afford much of anything.

  So charity it was.

  Cally was starving, the few bites of food I’d provided screaming I was a bad mother.

  Jagger was staring at me. I had a feeling he sensed I was on the ropes. That was putting it mildly. His kind gesture was something I never would have gotten back in Baltimore. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t find the right words.

  The man towered over me. He had a look about him that reminded me of a grizzly bear crossed with a mountain man. His thick, curly dark brown hair was unruly as if he’d been running his fingers through it all evening long. In my world, men either wore expensive suits in an effort to appear rich to lure ladies into a night of passion or they were wearing scrubs, hiding their natural physique.

  Not that many of them were anything to write home about. They’d likely never gotten dirt under their fingernails. Not like Jagger. He was the epitome of rough and tumble, his scruffy beard creating a slightly dangerous persona. But it was his piercing eyes I couldn’t seem to glance away from. The man was a definite breath of fresh air and I needed that desperately right now.

  “Okay. Let’s get some food for Cally. Thank you.”

  “Good, but no need for thanks,” Jagger told me. “I don’t like seeing a pretty young lady starving to death.”

  I sensed Jagger wasn’t used to dealing with people, his stilted words giving him away. But he was trying and for that, I would be forever grateful. Cally had already been through a lot, her entire life disrupted. I hated myself for being forced to do so and about a dozen other things.

  “Come on,” he suggested. “We’ll head to the grill. They make the best burgers this side of the Mississippi.”

  He was trying harder to seem more likable, yet his jaw was as clenched as before. His vibes were electric, his gruff demeanor likely turning off everyone who didn’t know him. But with me, I felt an odd sense of connection. Why? I had no clue and I couldn’t allow that to cloud my judgment.

  Never trust anyone ever again.

  As he led the way, I realized I’d never felt so uncomfortable with a stranger in my life. He was sexy, very much so in a rugged, almost mountain man kind of way. I had a tough time not throwing him glances, feeling tiny next to his six foot something muscular body. His dark, very thick shoulder-length hair couldn’t hold a candle to his whiskey-colored eyes. But they were pained, haunted.

  Almost dead.

  Still, my bestie would call him eye candy for the soul.

  Maybe former best friend. Would I ever see her again, enjoying a night of my favorite treats including mojitos? I reminded myself for the tenth time this was best for my little girl’s life.

  As well as mine.

  “Who are you, Jagger? If you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Meaning what?” he asked as he glanced in my direction.

  “Are you the resort manager?”

  He laughed at my question, shaking his head. “One-third owner.”

  “Who owns the other two-thirds?”

  “My brothers.”

  “There are two more of you?” I realized my question could seem flirtatious and that was the last thing on my mind. No matter how hot he was or how lonely I felt already, men were completely off the radar.

  At least he finally smiled. “My father might say unfortunately so.”

  “Oh, cold.”

  “Trust me. The man is ice cold. I took after him.”

  “What a pity.”

  The moment we walked into the restaurant my stomach growled so loudly Jagger looked over at me. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten. He said nothing while my face flushed. I felt the heat and was embarrassed, tugging down on the sleeves of my jacket. I must look like some homeless person looking for freebies. I had to remind myself I was close to that and would be if I wasn’t extremely careful with my money.

  Several of the employees greeted him as we passed, although I wasn’t certain if their extended glances were out of respect or hatred.

  He headed directly for a table, pulling out the chair for my daughter. I helped her remove her jacket, putting it on the back of the chair before she sat down. Her little giggles were a wonderful sound to a mother who felt like Mommy Dearest. She’d acted like a big girl the entire trip, napping a good portion of the way. I could tell she was close to shutting down, the ache in her tummy just another reminder of the horrific actions I’d taken.

  Everything was aching straight to my bones. Even my pulse had increased from continued anxiety. I yanked off my jacket, shivering almost immediately. I remained turned away from him, pulling on the three-quarter sleeves of my sweater. I hadn’t expected seeing anyone who might ask questions.

  “The jackets you have are too thin for the area.” His words sounded like he was chastising me, but I didn’t take the bait. He studied me intently, including allowing his eyes to fall to my arms.

  Dropping my arms into my lap, I almost told him I could be pretty nasty myself when shoved into a corner.

  I shouldn’t have been surprised when a waitress appeared almost immediately, but I was.

  “Samantha, these young ladies are my guests so anything they’d like is on the house,” Jagger told her.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “What would you like to drink?” he asked me. When I hesitated, he lifted his eyebrows. “White wine?”

  “I’m not a white wine kind of girl. Merlot? Cabernet?” I still felt guilty, but the thought of a glass of wine seemed like a small slice of heaven right now.

  He nodded as if appreciative. “Bring my guest a glass of our finest cabernet and reserve the bottle. And for the little lady?”

  I wouldn’t have thought a man as gruff as he appeared to be would allow my little girl to feel more comfortable in strange surroundings.

  “Milk for the little princess,” I told them both. Her nose wrinkled, but she knew better than to ask for her favorite soda. Although I could tell she was going to try to twist his arm.

  “And you, Mr. Fox?” Samantha asked.

  “I’ll have a bourbon. Neat. We’ll also have three juicy cheeseburgers with all the trimmings, including crispy fries.”

  I would ordinarily be pissed when a man dared order for me, but this time, I was honestly grateful. Exhaustion was taking a toll, the stress of worrying and wondering sapping my energy.

  “Coming right up, sir.”

  Being comfortable around a stranger wasn’t possible and I sensed he wasn’t interested in chitchatting. At least Cally did it for us, jabbering about deer she’d seen on the way. She loved animals, constantly asking for a guinea pig or a puppy, neither of which she’d been allowed to have.

  Jagger tried to engage, his uncomfortable demeanor apparent by the tenseness in his body and the pulsing of the thick cords in his neck. He was ruggedly handsome, completely unlike the men I was used to dealing with. Especially with the beard and mustache. I could see him in jeans and holding an ax, a flannel shirt tossed over a log after he’d gotten sweaty. The thought and the naughty images forced me to bite back a laugh. He was also doing everything not to look in my direction.

  After the milk was brought, Cally stopped talking long enough for me to get a word in edgewise. I was just as uncomfortable doing so as he was talking. “It’s pretty here.”

  “Yeah,” he said quietly. “Real pretty in Danger Falls this time of year. Like I give a…” He caught himself before cursing in front of my daughter, which prompted me to laugh.

  His brow furrowed, making him look even more dangerous. “What?”

  “Nothing. Danger Falls. That’s the name of the town?”

  “Yep. Did you get lost coming up the mountain?” His question was almost accusatory.

  “Not really. I just didn’t remember the name.” I was a terrible liar. I’d forgotten it the moment I’d tossed our things into the back of the SUV, screeching out of the driveway before Joel returned to a house he no longer belonged in.

  Neither did I.

  “Mmm… Well, it’s a quaint and happy little town in a beautiful part of the country. So I’m told.”

  “You don’t like it here?” I took a sip of wine and thought it to be as close to heaven as I’d ever experienced. “This is delicious. Thank you.”

  “Not particularly,” he answered, giving a slight nod. The man was as closed off as anyone I’d ever met.

  “Then why are you here?”

  I had a suspicion the man didn’t like being hassled with questions. The expression he wore screamed of a shutdown. Maybe even a warning to let it go.

  Fortunately, the food arrived a few seconds later.

  I was too busy paying attention to keeping Cally eating to notice until much later that he’d been staring at me. When I finally caught a glimpse of his pensive face, I was instantly on alert. What if he was going to report where I was?

  That was ridiculous. The odds of that were slim to zero.

  My deep breath was scattered and he caught the sound, tilting his head as he continued studying me. We munched in silence and I was grateful my daughter wasn’t shy. She’d managed to shut down some of the awkwardness.

  A flash caught my eye as a different waitress rushed in our direction.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Fox, but Carlos is hurt pretty badly. There’s blood everywhere.”

  The girl was almost panicking. I could tell he was annoyed by the deep sound rumbling up from his throat.

  “Did you grab the first aid kit?” he asked.

  “The cut is too bad. I think he’s going to need stiches and I tried Doc Welby, but he’s not answering. I don’t know what to do. Carlos is losing a lot of blood.”

  “Where is the cut?” I asked,

  “His hand and wrist. It was a sharp knife.”

  “Did the blade cut the major artery on his wrist?”

  The girl’s eyes opened wide. “I think the knife nicked it.”

  Shit. I bit my lower lip and shifted my gaze toward Jagger. This was the absolute last thing I needed, but I wasn’t able to let an injured man go unattended. “Can you watch Cally while I see what I can do to help?” I realized as soon as the words slipped from my mouth naturally how idiotic they sounded. Why would I leave my daughter with a stranger and how the hell could I help in any way? “I have some first aid training. You know because I was once a camp counselor.”

  I was racking up the lies today.

  “Abby, why don’t you take our little guest here to my office and keep her company while we take a look at Carlos. Cally. Abby is going to take you to a special place. Call it a little adventure. Will you go with her?”

  “Of course, Mr. Fox.”

  My daughter had been taught as early as she could understand never to talk to a stranger let alone go anywhere with one. Yet she stuck out her little hand as if we were all best friends or family.

  “You don’t need to go with me,” I stated through gritted teeth. If he did, he’d possibly suspect I was lying.

  Not that I’d told him anything about myself.

  “It’s my hotel,” he said with more than a harsh tone.

  “Come on, Cally. Let’s go on that adventure.” Abby didn’t miss a beat, taking Cally by the hand.

  Once she was gone, I pushed back the chair. “We need to attend to your employee quickly. A cut in that area could be life threatening.”

  “I’ll take you to the kitchen.” Jagger led the way, taking long strides as he headed to where we were going.

  There was near pandemonium inside, the entire staff freaking out about the amount of blood. One of the men was close to yelling at them. I wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up as he wasn’t helping the situation. Carlos was close to panic mode, his face far too pale. He was holding his wrist, blood seeping through his fingers. His white jacket was stained, his body swaying even though he was seated.