Page 2 of Raven Blackwood (Cyborg Guardians #2)

Hannah

“You know who I am, but you never answered the notification that we matched,” Raven remarked.

“Well, my com tablet had a little accident. My milk cow got a little restless when I stopped to answer the call. She bumped into me while I was looking at your picture, knocked the tablet out of my hand, and stepped on it. There was nothing I could do, but I figured you might show up sooner or later.” I gave him a self-deprecating smile.

“I brought extra coms and came as soon as I was notified; I was worried that you might be in trouble.” Raven finished retracting his helmet and returned my smile. “Apparently, I was right. Exactly what did I just see?”

For several long seconds, we just stared at each other, perhaps a bit overwhelmed at meeting for the first time.

His picture had barely done him justice, and had not prepared me for his breathtaking presence.

He was a big man by any standards, head and shoulders taller than me.

I wasn’t a tiny woman. The skintight armor covering his ripped, muscular body hid little of his physique.

My body zinged with sexual awareness. I wanted him.

The quirk of his full lips and the heat in his gaze told me he knew it.

I shook my head and sighed, glancing at my sister-in-law.

“That was Mayor Jenkins’s regular shakedown.

He sends his goons around to all the ranches to rob us of whatever we have.

They don’t care whether they take more than we can spare,” I explained.

“We haven’t had enough to satisfy their demands in months.

We’re just scraping by as it is. My sister-in-law, Grace, is pregnant, and my brother disappeared over a month ago.

We’re pretty sure that Jenkins’s goons took him.

Zach had the only weapon we owned with him.

One gun against that crew, no matter how good a shot I am, isn’t going to stop them. ”

Raven frowned as I said that, and I could see a hint of disapproval in his eyes. “Don’t even think about it. There’s no way you could stand up to all those thugs. I am trained for this, and even I will have to be cautious.”

“Well, aren’t you bossy?” I quipped with a smile because he sounded more protective than bossy. He was definitely impressive in person.

“I just don’t want to see you hurt. Then I might have to kill somebody.”

I could see he was deadly serious, but then he gave me a cocky smirk.

From the way he was looking at me, I felt like he considered me his already.

But I was warned about that by the cyborg Dagger’s wife after they had done my DNA scan.

Cyborgs are possessive mates. I found that both intriguing and disturbing.

In any case, I was glad he had arrived. We needed him. I needed him.

Raven took a step closer, his presence almost overwhelming. His nanite armor glinted in the sunlight as he scanned the area, his jaw tightening. “Hannah,” he said, his tone softening slightly, “you don’t have to deal with this alone anymore. I’m here now. And I’ll handle Jenkins and his thugs.”

I crossed my arms, lifting my chin. “Handle it how? If you’re planning to march into town and take him on single-handedly, you’ll only make yourself a bigger target. Jenkins has spies everywhere, and he won’t take kindly to someone interfering with his so-called ‘operations.’”

Raven smirked, his confidence practically radiating off him. “I’m not worried about Jenkins. He’s just another bully who thinks he can rule through fear. And I don’t scare easily.”

Grace, who had been silent until now, spoke up, her voice shaky but determined. “If you’re going after Jenkins, be careful. He’s not just a bully—he’s a monster. People who cross him disappear, like Zach.” Her hand instinctively moved to her growing belly. “We can’t afford to lose anyone else.”

Raven glanced at Grace and frowned. His gaze softened as he looked back at me. “I’ll do what needs to be done. But I promise you, no one else is going to disappear—not while I’m here.”

He turned back to me, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. “But before I make any moves, I need to understand what exactly we’re up against and learn the lay of the land. Can you show me around? I want to see how secure this place is and what resources you have.”

I hesitated, feeling a flicker of both relief and frustration. I was relieved because it was clear Raven knew what he was doing, but I was frustrated. After all, his take-charge attitude made me wonder if he saw us working as a team or simply expected me to follow orders.

“You two go ahead,” said Grace. “I’ve been in the garden all morning before Jenkins’s henchmen showed up. I need to go inside and sit for a spell.”

“Are you okay, Gracie?” I asked .

“Just tired,” she assured me with a small, knowing smile.

“Okay,” I said to Raven, gesturing toward the barn. “I’ll show you the layout, but don’t expect miracles. This place is barely holding together as it is.”

As we walked, I couldn’t help but notice the way Raven moved gracefully and efficiently, like a predator assessing his surroundings.

It was equally impressive and unsettling as a frisson of attraction rippled through my body.

This gorgeous, lethal male was to be my mate. It was a lot to reconcile all at once.

“This isn’t just about the ranch,” I said as we stopped by the garden.

“If you really want to help, you’ll need to think bigger.

Jenkins has the entire town under his thumb.

People are scared and desperate. They won’t fight back unless they know they have a chance—and a leader who can give them that. ”

Raven paused, considering my words. “Are you saying you want me to lead a rebellion?”

“I’m saying you might be the only one who can.”

He turned to me, his expression serious. “Then I’ll need your help. You know these people, this land. We’ll need to work together to take Jenkins down. ”

I studied him for a moment, weighing his words. He wasn’t just some cocky soldier playing hero. There was a depth to him, a sense of purpose that went beyond duty.

I began to believe that, with Raven's help, we had a chance against Jenkins and his thugs. “All right,” I said finally.

Raven’s lips quirked into a half-smile. He was staring at me again, and it was making me feel self-conscious. Yet I could hardly take my eyes off him either.

Despite my nervousness, I thought it seemed he liked what he was seeing. I know I did. Finally, I said, “We should get started,” and headed toward the barn.

As we started the tour, I gestured toward the barn. “This is where we keep the cattle and horses. It’s nothing fancy, but it does the job.”

Raven followed me inside, his sharp eyes scanning the structure. The scent of hay and animals filled the air, and a horse nickered softly from one of the stalls. He reached out, brushing his hand along the weathered wooden beams.

“Sturdy enough,” he said, his deep voice resonating in the quiet. “But it wouldn’t stand up to a siege. What about defenses? Do you have anything to fortify the perimeter? ”

I shook my head. “We have barbed wire fencing, but it’s more for keeping livestock in than keeping people out. Most of what we rely on is sheer stubbornness and luck.”

He frowned, his expression thoughtful. “That’s going to change. I’ll set up some perimeter sensors and see if we can figure out how to reinforce the weak points.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure how we’re going to do that because most of our land is out in the open, as we're on a plateau.”

His gaze flicked to mine, and for a moment, something unspoken passed between us—an acknowledgment of the strange, undeniable connection that had brought him here.

“I want you to feel safe,” he said simply, his voice low. “That’s why I’m here.”

However, the heat in his glance told me it was more than that. It was crystal clear that there was a powerful attraction between us, and it excited me. Yet, I couldn’t shake my edginess in his presence.

I quickly turned my attention to the garden outside the barn. “This is where Grace and I spend most of our time. We grow enough to feed ourselves and trade a little extra when we can.”

Raven crouched beside one of the rows, running his fingers through the soil. “It’s good land. You’ve done well to keep it going.”

“Thanks,” I said, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. “This ranch has been in our family for generations. Zach and I grew up here, and his wife, Grace, grew up in town. When they became a couple, she moved in with us.

As we moved toward the chicken coop, Raven’s presence seemed to fill the space around me. His movements were deliberate, his focus unwavering. There was something both reassuring and unsettling about the way he observed everything, like he was cataloging every detail.

“So,” I said, trying to lighten the mood, “is this what you imagined when you signed up for the Mating Project? A rundown farm and a stubborn ranch girl?”

He smiled a slow, lopsided grin that made my stomach flutter. “Honestly? It is what I expected. Things are not that much different here than where I was stationed in Gretchen, Montana. But I wouldn’t complain anyway. I came here for you, my genetic mate.”

“You get straight to the point,” I teased, feeling a warmth rise to my cheeks.

He chuckled, the sound rumbling and rich. “I am happy to be here, and I’m going to help you. I’ve faced worse odds than this, Hannah. And I’ve never backed down from a challenge.”

“Good,” I said, meeting his gaze. “Because if you’re sticking around, you’ll have your work cut out for you.”

“Of course, I’m sticking around. You are my genetic mate, my only chance for love and a family. Isn’t that why you submitted your DNA to the project?”

“Yes,” I admitted, a ripple of desire shimmering through me at the thought of making a family with this gorgeous cyborg.

We stopped at the edge of the property, overlooking the rolling hills and distant tree line. The sun was starting to dip toward the horizon, casting a warm, golden light over the land.

“It’s beautiful here,” Raven said, his voice quieter now.

“It is,” I agreed, my chest tightening as I looked out at the place I’d fought so hard to keep. “But it’s not just the land. It’s my home. My family. And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect it.”

He turned to me, his expression serious. “You won’t have to do it alone anymore, Hannah. I promise.”

Something about the way he said it made me believe we could do it despite the odds stacked against us.

For the first time in months, I felt a flickering of hope.