Ripper (Tortured Heroes Book 5) Read online

  It started with a knock on her door as she was about to start a morning walk with Andrew, her assistance dog.

  That’s when Mrs. Strong, the retired woman a few doors down, showed up and said she needed help.

  “I’m so sorry; I agreed to take care of her, but my sister in Pittsburgh needs me, right now. And he’s not answering his phone.” Mrs. Strong pointed to the brownstone next to Raleigh’s.

  Raleigh had just moved in, and her next-door neighbor had been AWOL since she had been there.

  “I see you walking your dog and Estelle here is really no trouble, just a sweet girl, but I can’t take her with me to Pittsburgh.” Mrs. Strong was clearly distressed and distracted.

  “But how long are the owners out of town? I don’t even know them?”

  “Him. Mace lives here, and he said just a few weeks.”

  “Just because I walk my dog doesn’t mean I can take her. I’m not a dog kennel.”

  “You can’t possibly want me to take her to the pound?” Mrs. Strong lifted the tiny white face up, and both looked at her with sad eyes. There was no way Raleigh could say no. This little furry bundle needed her.

  “Give her here.” Mrs. Strong handed the little dog to her and then a bag of food.

  “Thank you, dear. Estelle will be no trouble. She was a perfect angel for me!” Mrs. Strong ran off, faster than Raleigh would have predicted for an elderly woman, and straight to a waiting cab.

  It dawned on Raleigh that she had no phone number for the owner. She called out to the cab but it drove off, and Mrs. Strong didn’t look back.

  Raleigh looked down at the white Bichon Frise in her arms. She sure was cute. The furry white face surrounded two big dark eyes that blinked up at her.

  “Nice to meet you, Estelle.” The puppy stuck out a little pink tongue and licked her chin. Apparently, Estelle was okay with her new living arrangement.

  Over the next few weeks, they got into a rhythm and Estelle became a part of her morning and afternoon walks with Andrew. Estelle kept up with the big Labrador. Of course, Andrew was trained to take things in stride. Even little white cotton balls with personality plus could not throw Andrews off his solid as a rock game.

  Raleigh had moved into this place because it was close to the park and a corner grocery. It was a big step in her new life, living alone here.

  She was still hesitant to go much further, even the farmer’s market, six blocks away, seemed too far. It was one dog at a time, one step at a time, one breath at a time. The thought of going farther, or someplace new, spiked her heart rate.

  She was gong to need a new pair of running shoes, her walking was wearing them down. That was good.

  Her walking adventures were working, a little at least, to help her reclaim her independence. Raleigh’s confidence was building back up. So was her courage.

  It had been almost a year since that awful day. She wanted to believe she was free, but there were dark patches. Places in her mind she could not go. Entire chunks of time had disappeared from her memory. That was one of the scarier parts of this whole thing.

  Moving to the heart of Grand City was a good idea she reasoned. New businesses were popping up. The mayor was trying to revitalize the area. She also could walk to get everything she needed.

  While it would be a cold trek in winter, it was summer now. Warmer weather had opened her world a little. She knew she needed to keep opening her world or she would wither away. It would have been so easy to stay with her parents forever. Something she never would have considered before the incident. She had to push herself. She had to fight to reclaim the old Raleigh. The Raleigh who didn’t have epilepsy.

  Her new path was lonely and scary. But it was hers.

  Raleigh staved off the loneliness thanks to Andrew, her constant companion; he had already saved her twice. Her assistance dog was a big reason her parents let her strike out.

  Thank God for Andrew, her smart, and gentle protector. She could not imagine just leaving him like her neighbor had left Estelle.

  A terrible picture was forming in her mind of Estelle’s owner.

  He had left Estelle with Mrs. Strong, and for all, he knew Mrs. Strong had taken the poor baby to the pound.

  Estelle was a quirky little dog but full of charm.

  Estelle was clueless to commands like sit and stay, but she was loving, she came when you called her name and quickly fit in Raleigh’s life. Was Crazy Dog Lady a thing? Maybe she was on her way to that.

  Estelle needed a little more attention than Andrew required. That was probably good.

  Raleigh should not stare at the computer all day, and Estelle made sure she didn’t with her boundless energy.

  Staring at the computer too long was a possible trigger. Dr. Hardy wanted her to log everything. What she ate, when she slept, and how much screen time she was doing for work. He said no more than an hour without a break was safe.

  Every time she pet little Estelle, her dislike for this Mace person intensified and if he ever showed up, she would unleash holy hell on him.

  That was the plan formulating as she finished her walk around the block with the two dogs.

  Andrew was on his lead and Raleigh had Estelle tucked firmly in the crook of her arm. Estelle did her best to keep up, but her legs could not quite match Andrews’s long legged gait. The poor baby had to walk four times as fast. Estelle ran her little heart out most of the way, but towards the end of their excursions Raleigh’s soft heart kicked in and she scooped Estelle in her arms.

  To her surprise, the door to the neighbor’s brownstone was open. Mace must be back, finally.

  She knocked but did not wait for an answer. It was open. She could be the old Raleigh when it came to protecting animals darn it.

  Raleigh boldly stepped into her neighbor’s apartment and launched into her lecture about responsible pet ownership.

  Mace

  “Missing something important? Or maybe not so important, since you left her.” Mace whirled around to the voice behind him who had invaded his apartment and started flinging accusations.

  “Estelle! Mon petite? Ici!”

  His mouth went dry as a gorgeous blonde with the long, lean legs stood in the foyer of his apartment. He slid his eyes up to a figure that was all curves and an angry-looking face. She was as ready for blood as any opponent he had faced in the ring. He also noticed his beautiful Estelle nestled in the gorgeous stranger’s arms.

  “Mon petit!” Mace took a big step forward to gather up his dog.

  “Not so fast, Mace, if that’s your name.” The woman stepped back and twisted Estelle out of his grasp. She seemed to be trying to protect the animal. What right did she have to imply Estelle needed protection from him? Who was this woman?

  Mace wanted to grab his baby girl out of her hands but thought better of it. He slowed down a bit since he noticed she had another, much larger animal, at heel next to her.

  He decided he’d show this American woman what good manners looked like and introduced himself.

  “I am Mace Alois. Who are you and why are you yelling at my face, in my home and scaring poor Estelle?”

  “Yelling at your face? The phrase is in your face. It’s a little late to be worried about your puppy when she hasn’t heard from you in weeks.” The fiery blond woman tilted her chin in the air. Mace noticed her long neck and a bead of sweat trickling from it to the peak of her breasts. The zipper on her hoodie was just low enough to tease how lovely they were.

  She was the perfect mix of muscle and flesh, but Mace pushed aside his physical reaction to this woman. What he wanted to know now was why she had his Estelle and such a bad attitude.

  “I left her care to Madam Strong, my neighbor.”

  “Well Madam Strong had an emergency, and I’ve been taking care of your dog for weeks.”

  “Merci, I appreciate you stepping in.”

  “You from Canada?”

  “No France.”

  “Well in America we do a better job of caring
for the welfare of our best friends.”

  “She was in very good hands with Madam Strong, Madam...um...I don’t believe I know your name.”

  “Raleigh, like the city, Mademoiselle Raleigh Gibson. I moved in next door a few weeks ago and have been taking care of your dog almost from the get-go.”

  “And she seems to be happy. What do I owe you for your services?”

  “I charge 25 bucks an hour, and Estelle has been with me for, oh, 20 days. So I’d say twelve-thousand dollars should cover it.”

  “I see. Well, I do not have that kind of cash lying around so I will need to arrange to maybe pay you, how is that phrase? On time?” Mace was sure Raleigh was sarcastic about the money, but the woman was angry and righteous so maybe not.

  “Payments? Ah, no.”

  “I see. You need muscle? I can move furniture for you? And odd job? Something like that?”

  “I’ll think about it. Because you do owe me Frenchie, big time.”

  “I’m at your service. Now can I have my baby?” He stepped a little closer to Raleigh Gibson. She smelled damn good, and he watched as she nuzzled her full lips into Estelle’s ear.

  “Hmm. Estelle, I’m going to leave you to this man. I hope he treats you well. If not, my door is open.”

  She stepped forward and gently placed Estelle in his arms. Their hands touched, and Mace caught her instant reaction. Her lips softened, and her eyes went wide. The anger in her eyes was replaced by a surprised look. He liked their brief contact way more than he should have and apparently, she did too.

  After the exchange, he had his tiny baby Estelle back. Mace nuzzled her soft white fur. The puppy was his only real connection on earth these days, and it was good to have her back.

  His new neighbor appeared a little less angry and was watching him with Estelle. Perhaps assessing whether it was safe to let the dog stay. He took another long look at Raleigh. Her blue eyes were stunning, and with no makeup on, she looked quite different from the women he had seen hanging around the ring or on his recent trip to Las Vegas for work. She was fresh as a peach that is what came into his mind.

  There was also a nervous energy to her. Her anger-fueled confidence was receding, and wariness replaced it. Smart girl. It is not such a good idea to barge into a strange man’s home and accost him. Though Mace discovered he did not mind, in this case, not in the lease.

  “Nice to meet you, Raleigh,” He said, breaking the stare they were locked into. He wanted to erase the nerves that he now sensed in her. The larger dog, her dog, sensed it too and formed a barrier between them with his body.

  For some reason, he wanted Raleigh to be at ease with him. Why did it matter?

  “Heel Andrew.” At her definitive command, her animal stepped back and sat

  down.

  “Let me know if I can return your kindness.” He decided to stop arguing with the lovely neighbor.

  “We’ll see.” With that, she turned and walked out the open front door. Mace took the opportunity to look at her derriere. It was just as perfect as the rest of her.

  Mace would like to get a little closer to Mademoiselle Raleigh Gibson, but he reminded himself about the dangers of that and refocused his affections on Estelle.

  He could not let a woman in is life ever again. Even one as dynamite looking as Raleigh Gibson. The thought put a little ache in his chest. It was safer this way. For everyone involved. Still, something about Raleigh Gibson made Mace think she needed protecting. She was all bravado and then instant fear.

  What put her on edge? He behaved like a gentleman, as his maman had taught him.

  Raleigh Gibson, bold and then shy, it was quite the gorgeous little contradiction.

  Ride Bonus Chapter Two

  Raleigh

  Raleigh was a tumble of emotions. She had started out pissed as hell but left Mace Alois’ apartment trying to figure out how to get back in it. The man was gorgeous, built, sexy as hell and French. When the French accent purred out of his mouth, her anger had turned to intense attraction for a man who had left his dog!

  He wanted to pay her back for taking care of Estelle. She considered his offer. That was something she could work with. It could be a way to get to know him without a dreaded date.

  The idea to make him do a few chores around her place began to percolate in her brain, and she could not let it go. She was afraid to climb a ladder without a spotter, afraid to move the couch alone; she was supposed to have a “buddy” if she did anything strenuous. She had so many tweaks she wanted to make to her place but so many limitations as well.

  She was too proud to call her friends for every darn thing. They had already done enough this year.

  This could be perfect. Mace Alois had offered to help, and she definitely wanted to see him again. He for sure owed her, after the stellar dog care she had rendered.

  Maybe next time they were together she would not be yelling “at his face.” The way he misused English made her laugh to herself as she recalled it. Then she stopped herself.

  What was she doing? In less than a minute after meeting him, she had begun to fantasize about him. That is the result of being a hermit Raleigh scolded herself. She was turning into a dirty old woman at age 23.

  Raleigh Gibson was just gaining equilibrium. The key to her slow progress was a quiet balance. Not taking risks. Slow, steady, deliberate progress had been made since her life crashed down around her.

  She could not drive, she could not work outside her house, and she didn’t want to be in a vulnerable position if it happened again.

  Thanks to Andrew, she at least had a warning if it happened or was about to, in her house. She could lie down or get out of the shower. Andrew gave her an instant to prepare for the worst. Sometimes she woke up where she had lain down, other times it was in the hospital. Always it was with a raw tongue, a pounding headache, and terror.

  She fingered the links on her medic alert bracelet then she put her hands on her array of computer keyboards and powered up. It was time to get hacking.

  Her job as a freelance hacker allowed her to work from home. She tested computer weaknesses for a living. Facebook, the local bank, the school online grade card system, you name it, she could break in. Grand City’s largest computer security firm hired her to hack into their client’s systems, find the weakness and report back.

  Wistfully she recalled the few months that she had worked in the offices in downtown Grand City. It was exciting and vibrant. But not anymore. She could not risk it.

  Now she stayed close to home just in case. It helped her keep everything on an even keel. She meticulously kept logs that Dr. Hardy asked for of every minute of her day, she recorded her sleep, her Lean Cuisine’s, the amount of water she drank, and the amount of time at her computer monitor with no breaks.

  Her day was programmed to the minute because it was the only defense against the chaos that threatened to take her down. It was also a way to see if anything precipitated her incidents.

  What entry did she write for today? Ripped muscle, big bicep, French neighbor interaction, two-minutes? Heart rate? Off the charts? Sweat. Yes? No way to log Mace. Maybe she would write “French Lesson” for the next time Dr. Hardy wanted an account of her activities. His strong jaw and sandy hair would not be making an appearance in her logs. Nope. Too hot for her little lists.

  Damn her new neighbor. He was upsetting the balance.

  At 23, Raleigh had had a few high school and college long-term boyfriends and even a smattering of hot-for-a-night hook-ups in college.

  She felt like that was a thing of her old life. Hooking up with a man now seemed like a huge risk. What if it happened at some random guy’s house? She would be vulnerable at the worst or at the very least embarrassed as hell.

  Even so, the image of her new neighbor kept invading her imagination. Instead of code on her monitors, she was seeing Mace Alois towering over her. He looked like he could throw her over his muscular shoulders if there was an emergency. She liked that about hi
m.

  How in the world had her brain allowed her to visualize that scenario?

  Lack of sex was apparently her security weakness.

  Time to analyze the threat Mace Alois posed to her carefully achieved balance. Let’s hack this sexy neighbor scenario like it’s a job.

  Raleigh ran through the limited information she had about the man. He was in some sort of job, MMA had Mrs. Strong said? Anyway, it required travel, and the fact that he had a job went in the good column of the list her mind was making.

  He was all muscle from floppy-haired top to bottom. Though most women would put that in the good column, she was not so sure. His looks could be very dangerous for her self-control. Most of her boyfriends were less muscular than she was, she had thought tall and skinny was her type. She had just learned, thanks to Mace Alois, that hard as a rock was her type.

  So, she reasoned, she had become more self-aware in the last three minutes, probably good to know.

  The man had left Estelle for three weeks, possibly more. That was a definite mark in the bad column. Though seeing Mr. Uber Muscle cuddle, Estelle did things to her insides that might require attention later. It was insanely sexy watching him nuzzle in with Estelle.

  Raleigh put a stop to her mental coding of Mace Alois. It was a fantasy run wild. Logically this made sense, she’d only had a few dogs, millions of lines of code, and not much else for company in the last year.

  Her girlfriends tried to include her. She loved Alysha and Courtney for that. But she did not want to be out, be seen, and god forbid have it happen at some hipster bar.

  She shuddered and tried to wipe the memory away. She worried that thinking about the incident itself was a trigger.

  She also tried to brush aside the very recent sensation provided by Mace Alois. When he touched her just now, all the fine hairs on her body stood up like she’d been zapped by electricity. This went into the bad column.

  When your body ignored the facts and responded to the touch of a foreign-dog-abandoning-muscle-head, it could not be good. Though, for some reason, the jolt of heat courtesy of Mr. Mace Alois kept wanting to put itself in the very good thing column.