The Ranger’s Heart
A Clean Army Ranger Romance Book Three
Bree Livingston
Edited by
Christina Schrunk
The Ranger’s Heart
Copyright © 2018 by Bree Livingston
Edited by Christina Schrunk
https://www.facebook.com/christinaschrunk.editor
Proofread by Krista R. Burdine
https://www.facebook.com/iamgrammaresque
Cover design by Victorine Lieske
http://victorinelieske.com/
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.
Bree Livingston
https://www.breelivingston.com
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
The Ranger’s Heart / Bree Livingston. -- 1st ed.
ISBN: 9781798041215
Contents
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
Sneak Peek! The Ranger’s Hope Chapter 1
Sneak Peek! Her Pretend Billionaire Boyfriend Chapter 1
Also by Bree Livingston
About the Author
Life doesn’t always go the direction we think it should. Sometimes, it goes the direction we need.
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Chapter 1
Gunner rapped his knuckles against Noah’s office door and slightly opened it. “Hey,” he said as he slipped inside.
“Hey. Shut the door and take a seat,” Noah said.
“Must be nice to be the boss,” Gun said as the door clicked shut behind him. He crossed the room and sat in the chair facing Noah. The Guardian Group’s office that once belonged to Pam had been transformed. Not that all the feminine touches were gone. Noah’s new wife, Mia, made sure of that. Still, there was no denying an ex-soldier had stamped his personality on it.
When Gunner first started working for the Guardian Group—well, not just him, all his buddies from his company: Noah, Kolby, Ryder, Gunner, Elijah, and Mason—Pamela Williams was the boss. Pam started the security firm when her husband was murdered and left her with plenty of money. About a year ago, she’d stepped down, and now his former CO, Noah, was calling the shots. Not long after that, Kolby had settled down and gotten married, only working when an emergency popped up.
“Whatever. I’m still the same guy.” Noah chuckled.
Gun lifted an eyebrow. “Do you sign our paychecks?” It was the same teasing he’d given Pam.
“Shut up. I called you here for a reason,” Noah said. “I need you to go undercover on a dating show.” There was definitely a difference in the way he and Pam delivered information too. Whereas Pam would ease into the assignment, Noah delivered it like a ten-year-old with a firecracker, just tossing it out there and laughing hysterically.
Stunned, Gun blinked. “You want me to what?”
Noah rolled his eyes. “It’s not that big of a deal. You’re the best man for the job.”
Gunner stared at his friend, and now, boss. Not a big deal? He was wrong. It was a huge deal. “I don’t want to be on television, and I sure don’t want to be on a reality dating show.”
Laughing, Noah leaned back in his chair. “They’ve received death threats the last four seasons of Celebrity Proposal. This last one during season four was addressed to the next bachelorette. It scared her enough that she’s threatening to quit, and they start filming the fifth season in two days. The show’s executive producer has asked us to help.”
“Okay, but that doesn’t mean I have to be on the show. I can stand on the sidelines.” Gunner shrugged. “Seriously, man, there has to be a better way.”
“They’ve tried exactly what you suggested, beefing up security on set, but the letters would stop, and each time they were left with no leads. When the first letter showed up addressed to the next bachelorette, they brought in an ex-FBI profiler. He said based on the letters and the way they stopped when security was on set, the person behind them was someone connected to the show.” Noah paused as he leaned forward and handed Gunner a file. “Since then, they’ve received two more letters addressed to her.”
Gunner opened it and glanced at the information. “Okay.” It backed up what Noah said. Not that Gun didn’t trust him; he was just that desperate not to be on a reality show.
“Pam’s friend Hillary Shaw is one of the producers of the show, and she’s kept this information from everyone. And no one knows we’ve been hired. The bachelorette, Sophia Parker, doesn’t even know. You’d be going in as a bachelor.”
An undercover bachelor on a reality television show? The only way this was getting any worse was…Gunner came up blank. What could possibly be worse than being part of the male equivalent of a herd of cattle? “Don’t they cut bachelors loose throughout the show until she picks a guy? What’s to say she’ll keep me?”
Noah nodded. “I asked about that, and Hillary has it all worked out. At the finale, despite how it looks on the show, the guy Sophia picks will already be decided, and the other guy is just to keep viewers guessing. They’re going to make sure you’re that guy.”
That was good. Gunner sure didn’t want to be chosen. He flipped the page in the folder, and his gaze landed on Sophia’s picture. Dark hair, bright green eyes, sun-kissed skin. California girl. Swallowing hard, he lifted his gaze to Noah’s. “If it weren’t for the brown hair…she looks almost…” The words trailed off.
“—like Bella. I know.”
Gunner raked his hand through his hair. Bella was his high school sweetheart, the love of his life. The woman he’d planned his forevers with…the woman taken from him. “I can’t do this. No.”
“Actually, you’re the best guy for the job. You’re the only one with the looks to pull it off, and you’re the right age, twenty-eight. I know because they asked me for headshots, and they picked you.” Noah stood and walked around his desk to perch on the edge. “Sophia Parker needs you. I’m not asking you to fall in love. Just go be your normal charming self and find out who is threatening her.”
Of course, Noah was right. This was a cake walk. There’d be nineteen other guys. Gunner took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and nodded. “Okay. I can handle this.” He would keep his cool and his distance.
Noah eyed him as if he knew what Gunner had just decided. “You’re going to have act like you like her. Pretend you want to be there. That armor you wear? You’re going to have
to take it off long enough to give a good show.”
As Gunner looked up, he smiled. He was the king of masks, and he’d worn one long enough that it would be no sweat keeping it in place for a reality dating show. “It’s me. I’ll do what it takes to get the job done.”
Straightening, Noah walked back to his chair. “All of the bachelors are staying in a mansion in Malibu. You leave for Los Angeles tonight so you can be there with the other guys. That way you can get a feel for the men, see if you get a vibe. Plus, the producers will be meeting with all of the men tomorrow morning where they’ll go over the show rules and procedures. It would seem off if you weren’t there. As it stands, your plane is late.”
“I’ll go get packed.” Gun stood and shook Noah’s hand. “And I’ll keep her safe.” Along with his heart. It was all Hollywood spin. Sophia was as much an actress as the men trying to woo her. He’d been Romeo in a high school production. His acting skills were a little rusty, but by the time the cameras started rolling, he’d have his best fake smile ready.
* * *
Sophia touched a shaky hand to her hair as she sat on the couch in the living room of her apartment. As hard as she tried to still the fear, she couldn’t. From what she understood, in the past, the threatening letters were addressed to the show, not a specific person. They’d remained consistent until it was announced that Sophia would be the next bachelorette. That’s when the tone of the letters changed, and now, they were addressing her specifically.
Hillary Shaw, her best friend and one of the producers of the show, sat next to her and touched her arm. “We’re going to keep you safe. We’re taking extra precautions now. We’ve even rescheduled one of the group dates and all of the one-on-one dates. The crew won’t know where we’re going until the day we go. And the places have signed non-disclosure agreements with the threat that if they speak to anyone, we’ll sue them into oblivion.”
Hillary was the reason Sophia was on the show to begin with. It had started out as a joke until Hillary called her up a few months ago, pitching the idea to her. At first, Sophia thought she was joking. Who would want to tune into a bachelorette show featuring a twenty-six-year-old YouTube star? And a modest one at that. It wasn’t like she was Rhett and Link. Still, because Hillary was one of the producers, she’d somehow managed to land Sophia as the next leading lady on Celebrity Proposal.
“Have you talked to the FBI profiler? Is there a reason the letters are now addressed to me?”
Hillary shook her head. “I’ve spoken with him, and he doesn’t have an answer.”
The front door opened, and their best friend Travis Bing stepped inside. They’d been expecting him. Hillary, Sophia, and Travis had grown up together in Los Angeles.
“Hey, you two,” he said, his deep voice filling the room. Talk about hunky. If he was a little more famous, he could be on Celebrity Proposal himself. He was tall, attractive with blond hair, green eyes, and muscles that could make you cry. But there was zero spark. He was more like a big brother than a romantic interest. “Whew, that’s some security. Good thing you left me a message and reminded me to bring my wallet.”
Sophia grinned and chuckled. “You’d forget your head if it weren’t attached.” Hillary, Travis, and Sophia had been the three musketeers since about the time they could walk. Sophia couldn’t imagine her life without either of them.
Travis rolled his eyes. “Ha ha.”
At first, Travis had planned to attend a college in Mississippi, and he was already moved in when he decided to make the transfer to Cal State at the last minute. Mississippi had been on Sophia’s radar too, but after her oldest brother died of a drug overdose, she’d stayed local to be close to her mom and dad. It had worked out for the best since Hillary was at Cal State too. Having Hillary and Travis to help her through her brother’s death was worth staying in LA. They’d both been godsends.
“You can thank the creep writing the terrible letters for that,” Hillary said. “But they’ll only be at this house and the bachelor house. Otherwise, production will go on as normal with the normal level of security.”
Travis sat on the sofa arm next to Sophia. “You don’t have to do this show, Soph. I’m sure Hillary could have another bachelorette in five seconds.”
Hillary scoffed. “Okay, I’m fast, but I’m not that fast. Besides, we’ve done all this promo work with Sophia. I can’t just go out and get a new star. I’m not the only producer of the show, you know.”
“It’s okay. The security screening here at the apartment helps. They’ve changed the bachelor house location too. Instead of being in the LA hills, we’re going to be in Malibu, except for the live opening night, and I’ll be staying at the guest cottage. We’ll use the regular LA house for the live first night so everyone thinks we’re filming there. Set security will keep me safe. Are all the guys here yet?”
“The last one arrived a little while ago.” Hillary smiled.
Travis groaned. “This is so nuts. I can’t even believe you agreed to this.”
Sophia bumped his hip with her elbow. “I want to find love. Not saying this show will help with that, but at least it will help me gain subscribers to my channel. After that first promo, my list jumped by five thousand. I might actually be able to make a living by giving people recipe tips.”
“There has to be a better way,” Travis said, huffing. His eyebrows kneaded together. “Really. You’re beautiful. You don’t need a show.”
Hillary crossed her arms over chest. “You know, you could be a little supportive. This show has been a hit, and my dad has actually looked at me with pride lately. Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for that?”
Sophia put her arm around Hillary’s shoulders. Her dad was an executive producer on several hit shows, and her two brothers were actors doing well in Hollywood. When Hillary first started out, several shows she backed tanked, and she’d taken a lot of grief from her dad.
Celebrity Proposal was a hit, and the last time Sophia had dinner with Hillary’s family, there’d been a difference in the way her dad treated her. Sophia couldn’t take that from her friend. “It’s okay, Travis. I wanted to do this, and I’m sure this person writing the letters is just being a jerk. Hillary’s making sure I’m safe.”
Travis stood and faced Hillary. “I’m sorry, Hil. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m happy for you, really. I’m mostly worried about Sophia. These letters are scary. What if this guy means business this season?”
“That’s why I’m taking precautions like having people checked before they get to Sophia’s apartment. Do you really think I’d let her get hurt? She’s my best friend too.”
Sophia held up her hands. “Look, both of you. I’m fine. I want to do the show.” She looked up at Travis. “If it’s worrying you so bad, why can’t you be on set?” Turning to Hillary, she said, “Do you have a job he could do? Not only would it give him peace of mind, but it would be one more person on set we know we can trust.”
Dropping her arms, Hillary smiled. “I hadn’t even thought of that, but I do. One of the drivers quit.” She turned her attention to Travis. “You’d be chauffeuring the guys around. You okay with that? Jeremiah, the show’s driver, would need to teach you how to drive the stretch we’re using. Both Sophia and the guys will be using one to come and go.”
Travis smiled. “As long as I’m close. During breaks, I can run my website business, so that won’t interfere at all.”
“See? Now wasn’t that easy?” Sophia looked from Travis to Hillary. “All settled. Plus, I get both of my best friends to help me weed through all these guys.”
Travis groaned. “I really should have thought this through.”
Laughing, Hillary and Sophia stood. “Come on, let’s go get some lunch. Then we’ll go shopping for some new clothes for the show,” Hillary said.
“Oh, fantastic. Just what I’ve always wanted to do.” Travis moaned and rolled his eyes. Putting an arm across each of their shoulders, he said, “If I didn’t love t
he both of you, I’d bail so fast you’d see dust.”
Sophia laughed. This was good. She’d have Hillary and Travis on set with her, making her feel safe and giving her advice on who to pick over the next ten weeks. They’d always been the ones to come through for her. Now she just needed to get herself ready to meet the guys tomorrow night at the opening ceremony.
Chapter 2
Peeking out the first-floor window of house in the Los Angeles hills, Sophia let her gaze wander down the wet driveway as splashes of orange and red from the sunset reflected off the dozen or so palm trees lining it. Any minute, the opening ceremony would begin. A stretch limo would be pulling to a stop and twenty guys would be filing out. She’d known it would be stressful, but she hadn’t anticipated how wrecked she’d be. It didn’t help that the ceremony would be filmed live this year. With Sophia being a YouTube star, the producers thought she’d be the perfect person for the switch-up this season.
All day she’d had questions zipping through her mind. What would they think of her? What would she think of them? Would she fall in love with someone like a dog groomer from some odd little town on the East Coast as a previous contestant had? If she did, how could they make the relationship work? She loved the California sunshine. She didn’t want to move. And who was he to think she had to move? He could move. “That’s right. He’ll move,” she grumbled to herself.
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