DAX: Royal Protectors/Sidewinders Crossover

  DAX

  A Royal Protectors/Sidewinders Crossover Novel

  Kat Mizera

  Copyright © 2020 by Kathy Mizera

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Editors: Tera Cuskaden, Ashley Martin

  Cover Design: Dar Albert, Wicked Smart Designs

  Contents

  Also by Kat Mizera

  Letter from the Author

  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

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from TORE (Sidewinders: Generations, Book 2) Unedited and subject to change

  Also by Kat Mizera

  Las Vegas Sidewinders:

  Dominic

  Cody’s Christmas Surprise

  Drake

  Karl

  Anatoli

  Zakk

  Toli & Tessa

  Brock

  Vladimir

  Royce

  Nate

  Sidewinders: Ever After

  Jared

  Dmitri’s Christmas Angel

  Ian

  Sidewinders: Generations:

  Zaan

  Tore (2021)

  Anton (2021)

  Alaska Blizzard:

  Defending Dani

  Holding Hailey

  Winning Whitney

  Losing Laurel

  Saving Sara

  Chasing Charli

  Tending Tara (2021)

  The Royal Trilogy:

  Nowhere Left to Fall

  Nowhere Left to Run

  Nowhere Left to Hide

  Royal Protectors:

  Sandor

  Cocky Protector (book 1.5 and part of the Cocky Heroes Club books)

  Xander

  Axel

  Dax (A Royal Protectors/Las Vegas Sidewinders crossover)

  Inferno:

  Salvation’s Inferno

  Temptation’s Inferno

  Redemption’s Inferno

  Tropical Inferno (formerly “Tropical Ice”)

  Romancing Europe:

  Adonis in Athens

  Smitten in Santorini

  Lucky in Lugano

  Other Books:

  Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Bobbi (Susan Stoker’s Special Forces World)

  Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Delilah (Susan Stoker’s Special Forces World)

  Brotherhood Protectors: Catching Lana (Elle James’s Brotherhood Protectors World)

  Letter from the Author

  Dear Readers,

  If you’ve read my Royal Protectors series, please note this story takes place around the same time as the first book in that series, SANDOR. Just to clarify, the beginning of DAX goes back to just before Sandor and Lennox meet, so keep that in mind as you read. And of course, if you’ve read XANDER and AXEL (books two and three in the Royal Protectors series), those events haven’t happened yet.

  Happy Reading!

  —Kat

  1

  Isla

  It had been raining for hours and I’d gotten soaked getting to my car when I left work. I was already running late for dinner with my family, but as I pulled into my spot in the garage, I realized I was going to be even later because I had to freshen up. My hair was matted against my head and my makeup had smudged. Not to mention my silk blouse was so wet my bra was visible through the fabric. And my seventy-four-year-old grandfather definitely wouldn’t approve.

  I grabbed my bag and hurried up the back staircase to my room, stripping out of my clothes and pulling on black jeans with a pretty top. We were having company tonight, but I’d been too busy at work to ask who, though I suspected my grandfather was up to his usual tricks, trying to play matchmaker. My grandfather had pulled this nonsense for years. More so when I was younger, and then he’d seemingly given up for a bit. It had been six months or so since the last time he’d tried to set me up with someone, but his timing sucked.

  My phone buzzed and I ignored it, assuming it was my mother asking where I was. I had to dry my hair and touch up my makeup and I’d be ready to go, so they could all just wait. I had a busy career, after all, and I wasn’t a child. At twenty-eight, it seemed unfair that my presence be demanded at dinner on a regular basis, and I was considering moving out next fall.

  I wasn’t dressed for a dinner party, but that was okay because I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. Based on past experience, my grandfather and I had very different tastes in men. But Granddad didn’t seem interested in my thoughts on the matter. Normally, it didn’t bother me. I was an adult and led a full, busy life, but times like this, when he commanded my presence, made me a bit resentful. He’d never do something like this to my brothers, and since my father had passed away five years ago, it had only gotten worse. I’d thought he’d finally give up, but apparently not.

  I touched up my lipstick and made my way downstairs. Most evenings, we ate in the less formal room just off the kitchen, the same room where we had breakfast or lazed around on weekends. Tonight, Granddad was pulling out all the stops, and I wondered who he’d set his sights on as a husband for me.

  “Hello, love.” Granddad stood up as I walked into the dining room, and l lifted my cheek for a kiss.

  “Hello, everyone.” I smiled politely, averting my eyes from the thirty-something-year-old guy sitting next to my empty place. “Sorry I’m late. Busy day at work.”

  “Our girl works far too hard,” Granddad said, pulling out my chair for me.

  “Wine?” Mum murmured, holding up the bottle.

  “Thanks.” I nodded politely and took a sip as I waited for the inevitable introduction.

  “Isla, love, this is the grandson of a dear friend of mine,” Granddad said, taking his seat at the head of the table.

  I glanced up with a forced smile. “Oh?” I met our guest’s gaze with as much interest as I could muster up.

  “Gideon Sinclair, this is my only granddaughter, Isla Campbell.”

  “Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Gideon got halfway out of his chair and held out his hand.

  “Likewise.” I shook his hand and took another sip of wine to avoid anyone seeing me sigh. I really hated these set-ups and made a mental note to nip this in the bud. If my grandfather wanted me to move out, I could and would, but continuing to allow him to manipulate me with regard to my personal life had to stop.

  “Gideon’s grandfather is a founding partner at Sinclair and Associates.” Granddad met my gaze meaningfully.

  Bloody hell.

  Sinclair and Associates was the legal firm my grandfather had been c
ourting to take over the family’s legal affairs for over a year. And now he’d thrown a grandson into the mix, as if I wasn’t under enough pressure in the dating department.

  “Are you an attorney?” I asked Gideon politely.

  He smiled. “I am. Junior partner as of now, hoping to make full partner next year.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “And you’re a…physicist?” He seemed uncomfortable even saying the word and I wanted to laugh, but I managed to nod instead.

  “I teach physics and study astronomy. Black holes, to be exact.”

  His eyes rounded slightly, but I wasn’t sure if he was overwhelmed or impressed. Didn’t matter to me either way since I had no interest in dating him, but it was occasionally fun to mess with the guys Granddad brought around.

  “Isla’s always been a little too interested in books and her studies,” Granddad said. “It’s high time she started living a bit.”

  “Granddad, we’ve just sat down,” I said with a chuckle. “Let me catch my breath before you attempt to find new extracurricular activities for me.”

  Luckily, my mother took pity on me and turned the conversation to the excellent meal our housekeeper, Merrie, had prepared. Finn and Mac, two of my younger brothers, were also in attendance and they kept up a steady stream of conversation so I didn’t have to. Gideon paid polite attention to me, without making his interest too overt, but I figured an invitation to go for a walk or see the grounds or some such thing was forthcoming. Instead, he surprised me.

  We’d just started dessert when Gideon met my gaze. “Isla, I have a proposition for you. My family and I will all be attending Ian’s wedding, and since I hate going to weddings without a date, I was hoping you’d accompany me.”

  I froze. He wanted me to be his date for my twin brother’s wedding? Bloody hell, this was worse than I thought. There would be five hundred guests at the wedding and it was going to be quite the event. Anyone that saw us together would immediately assume it was serious, and I wasn’t on board with that at all. Luckily, I was pretty quick on my feet.

  “Going to weddings alone is no fun,” I said with a friendly smile. “But I’ve been spared that plight this time around. I apologize for any misrepresentation on my grandfather’s part, but I’m involved with someone, so I’ve already got a date.”

  Gideon looked chagrined, murmuring an apology while Granddad frowned. “What are you talking about, Isla? You haven’t brought round any young men.”

  I’d hoped he wouldn’t push me for details in front of company, but now I had to think fast and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Of course not. He lives in Las Vegas.”

  “He—what? Is it one of Ian’s friends, then?” Granddad looked confused and Mum was giving me side-eye, but I’d gone too far to back down now, especially since Gideon looked as interested in who it was as my brothers did.

  I smiled and gave a little shrug. “Sorry. I should have told you.”

  “Yes, you should have.” Mum gave me a pointed look that told me I had a lot of explaining to do.

  “Well, are you going to tell us who it is?” Finn pressed, looking at me intently.

  I hoped I wasn’t blushing, but now I had no choice but to go full steam ahead with this, and I definitely hadn’t thought this through. Fuck, I was in so much trouble and every eye at the table was now on me.

  I swallowed, mentally cursing my grandfather for putting me in this untenable situation.

  “Is it a secret?” Mac asked, arching a brow.

  “Of course not.” I breathed in and then out, slowly and methodically, summoning up my courage. “It’s Dax.”

  “Dax?” My mother looked startled and my brothers immediately started teasing me, threatening to call my twin brother, Ian. Who just happened to be Dax’s best friend. Oh, this was going to be a mess.

  “Another hockey player in the family!” Mac chirped.

  “But then we’ll be outnumbered,” Finn said.

  “Better than American football, though.”

  “Aye.” Finn grimaced before bursting out laughing.

  I wasn’t paying much attention to them, though, as I contemplated my next move. Dax was my twin brother’s best friend, and though I’d had feelings for him for a long time, I didn’t think he returned them. However, we were good enough friends that he might go along with this if I approached it right. Just for the wedding. I had no idea how to approach it, though, so I was going to call Ian immediately. He’d help me come up with a plan before my family figured out I’d lied, and if I was lucky, he’d talk to Dax for me too.

  Bloody hell.

  What had I done?

  2

  Dax

  The end of any season was hard, but losing in the final round of the playoffs sucked more than usual. We’d won the whole damn thing last year, so going home early was a bit more poignant. Normally, I handled the inevitable last game of the season without much emotion beyond a day or so of disappointment, but something about tonight’s loss hit me harder than normal. I wasn’t even sure why.

  “This sucks balls.” My best friend and teammate, Ian Campbell, shook his head.

  “Yeah.” I motioned to the waitress to bring us a round. We came here often enough for her to know our drinks.

  We were at a local sports bar called Kendall’s, which was a hangout for the professional hockey team I played for, the Las Vegas Sidewinders. A group of us had come here to lick our wounds and hang out for a few hours, probably for the last time until next season.

  “To better seasons.” Our head coach, Jared Wylde, raised his glass.

  “I’ll drink to that.” I raised my glass and clinked it against Jared’s. There was a small group of us right now, but more guys were arriving and I had a feeling this was going to be a long, rowdy night. Which was fine with me. Frankly, I needed a wild night. If there happened to be a pretty lady who wanted to show me a little sympathy after a big loss, that would be okay too.

  It had been a while.

  A long while.

  Jesus. How long had it been?

  I glanced around the bar and realized it had been so long since I’d hooked up with a woman, I’d started tuning them out. As much as I needed to get laid, I’d lost my drive to put in the work to make it happen. Even a one-night stand seemed like a big waste of time and energy.

  Of course, there had only been one woman on my mind for the last couple of years, but she was thousands of miles away and I was here. Sporting a semi as I drank beer with my teammates.

  Nope.

  I wasn’t going to think about her tonight.

  “Hey!” Another teammate, Tore Brekken, had just arrived and sat down across from us. We’d pulled three high top tables together and had gathered as many stools as we could since most of the team had said they were coming. A few of the guys were going home to their families, but the last night of the season tended to be one time the bulk of the team showed up.

  “You guys suck.”

  I bristled, taking a breath before turning to see who the smartass was. It wouldn’t be the first time disgruntled fans approached us in public after a loss, but this was the wrong night to mess with me. Driving my fist into the guy’s face would probably feel really good.

  “Sorry to disappoint you,” Jared said, lifting his glass in the man’s direction.

  “You could’ve won back-to-back championships, but you had to put Lacroix in for Martensson.”

  “When you’ve played and coached pro hockey for two decades, you can tell me how to do my job,” Jared replied. “Until then, that’s life.”

  “Coach Barnett wouldn’t have done that.” The man wasn’t letting this go and I shifted on my stool to give him a look.

  “Coach Barnett retired, man.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Jared turned away, shaking his head.

  “Hey, I’m talking to you, asshole.”

  “Why don’t you walk away?” I said to the man. “Being an assho
le isn’t going to change the outcome of the game.”

  “Fuck you too!” he snapped.

  “Come on, Bo, don’t do this tonight.” Our usual waitress, Kelly, approached the guy with a tired smile. “Let me buy you a beer and—”

  “I’ll buy him a beer,” Jared said. “Put it on my tab.”

  “Fuck you,” the guy grumbled. “I don’t want your fucking money.”

  “Bo, if you don’t settle down, you’re gonna have to leave.” Kelly seemed wary and I watched with a frown as the guy reluctantly walked off.

  “There’s always one,” Jared said, taking a pull from his beer.

  “Asshole,” Tore muttered. “I’d like to see him on skates.”

  “Right?” Ian chuckled from my other side, shaking his head. “Wanker wouldn’t last five minutes on the ice.” Ian was from Scotland and often slipped into the vernacular of his native tongue.

  We went back to joking around, our tables getting more crowded as other guys and their significant others arrived. A handful of fans had shown up as well, most of them stopping by to merely say hello and wish us well, or thank us for a great season. The guy who’d been ragging on Coach Wylde was truly the exception because we had great fans here in Vegas. There were always a few who were jerks, though. Having been a professional hockey player for a decade, I was used to it. I simply wasn’t in the mood for it tonight.