Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

N oel

"Come, boy," I said as I pulled Max from my car.

He peered up at me with the same huge brown eyes as when he'd walked into my house five days before. He'd been so calm yet so attentive, falling by my side and never leaving. Whoever had trained him had done an amazing job.

With the incredible and very beautiful dog by my side, I'd finally slept an entire night through. I knew part of it could be the fact that I finally felt as if an evil shadow wasn't hanging over my shoulder, but it was more than that.

It was the weight of Max's body molding into mine, the tiny licks he gave me in the morning to ensure that I was okay. And the fact that every time I took him outside for a walk, he was more attentive than any person or other dog I could imagine.

Plus, he adored tennis balls.

I'd been given all the dog's information, a half-eaten bag of the dogfood he'd been on for the five months of training, and a huge bag of toys and his fluffy bed. There'd been at least eight or nine tennis balls, some of them brand new.

I'd found joy in the simple act of tossing him the ball over and over again. The moment he flanked my side, bouncing his muzzle against my leg, I was given a boost of confidence as well as a feeling that the two of us belonged together.

As I walked into the restaurant, I was overwhelmed with gratefulness. Just two weeks ago, entering a restaurant with a group of strangers would have felt impossible to do. I'd never been to the lakeside location before because I hadn't been able to experience anything outside my comfort zone. In a few short days, Max had offered me the ability to venture out. But more than that, I'd wanted to get out into the big bad world again.

I'd taken him to a dog park, to get ice cream, and even a hike in the mountains. His arrival had awakened the dead woman inside and for that, I was eternally grateful. So much so, I'd made a decision I had to thank the man responsible for training him.

Even if learning his identity went against the rules.

Just walking inside was a feat, but there was no instant claustrophobia, no wish to run away and crawl under the covers. Instead, I had a smile on my face and a wishful spirit for the future in my heart.

Max was a service dog, wearing his vest given his certification. That allowed for admiration amongst the people I passed in searching for Zoe, not condemnation as I'd felt so often before.

Zoe stood up and waved from what appeared to be a pristine position at the back wall of glass peering out at the crystalline lake. It was chilly outside, steam rising from the water but it couldn't take away from the incredible vision of beauty.

I could swear colors were brighter, the sun larger in the sky and my heart completely full. As I approached, Zoe clasped her hands over her mouth.

"Oh. My. God. This is Max?"

"This is my Maxie boy. Say hello to my friend, Zoe, Max." He was dutiful and continued his amazing training by walking the two steps closer that was approved, then offering his paw.

Zoe glanced at me, shaking her head before shaking my pup's paw. "So nice to meet you, Max. You look amazing. You have stars in your eyes."

I laughed as I pointed to the floor and Max took his place by my feet. As I sat down, I realized I felt incredible. So much so I could scream to the heavens. Sure, I continued to pray it wasn't short lived, but it felt as if I had my entire life yet to live. "How can I not feel amazing. My book is sitting at number one in three markets, the audio book set to release tomorrow, the bastard who tried to kill me is likely receiving the death penalty as he should be, and I have this boy."

She laughed and eased into the seat across from me. "I'm so happy you seem so happy. I took the liberty of ordering us margaritas."

"Ooh-la-la."

Almost immediately the drinks were brought to the table as well as a bowl of water for Max. I adored pet-friendly locations.

"To Max," Zoe said as she lifted her glass.

"To Max."

I had to admit the taste of the margarita was incredible, even more so than I could remember. Perhaps it had to do with my new lease on life.

"So," I said after a sudden quiet settled in. Suddenly, my bestie appeared more uncomfortable than I was used to seeing.

Zoe sighed and finally leaned over the table. "Look, I told you before if I was lucky enough to find the information that it was possible I could get disbarred for securing it."

"Oh, come on. It's just a name. Nothing more. I don't need to know the guy's life story or learn about his medical records. I just want a name so I can write him a thank you letter. Nothing more."

"You're sure you want to do that? I mean…"

"Zoe. It's the right thing to do. Incarceration or not, the man who trained this incredible pup, who was abused beyond imagination, into becoming this incredible little ball of fluff is a decent man in my book. As such, he deserves to be treated like a human being. I know you found out something. I can tell."

"It's not as easy as you think. I had to pull in a couple favors."

I threw out my hand. "Give it to me."

"His name is Conrad. All I managed to get was his first name and his prison identification number. Don't send him brownies or anything because they won't get to him." She pulled out a folded slip of paper.

"Duh. I have no intention of doing so. We're talking a single letter. Nothing more." I glanced at the information and felt Max's tail thumping against my leg. No matter the rules or the goddamn protocol, I knew it was the right thing to do.

Maybe, just maybe the guy would find peace in knowing all his hard work meant something to someone.

Kage

"Kage. You got mail."

I'd gotten two letters from my baby sister over the years, both of which I treasured. But with the parole hearing ten days away, she had the same kind of hope I'd finally felt so I certainly wasn't expecting a letter from her.

Unless she wanted to tell me more antics about my father and his continued hatred of me. He'd been a proud papa when I'd been decorated with the Silver Star. I'd done my best to keep my changing career from my parents, but the moment I'd been arrested for a murder I didn't commit, my father's shock had quickly turned into anger. He'd disowned me on the spot, forbidding even my mother to talk to me.

Could I blame them? Hell, no.

As the already opened letter was shoved through the bars, I glanced at the guard who was grinning at me. I snatched it from his hand, suddenly feeling the loss of having Max by my side more than I'd allowed myself to feel up to this point. What was interesting was that I felt something heavier than just a piece of paper inside the envelope.

The letters were checked and rechecked before being given to any inmate. Hell, if a family member sent cookies, they'd never arrive, the guards stealing everything. I sat down on my bunk, pulling out the piece of paper. When something fell into my lap, I slowly looked down.

A lump formed in my throat. It was a photograph of Max with what appeared to be his new owner, only half her face was hidden. In the background was an incredible mountain, snow already slicing across the tallest peaks. She was kneeling down, her arm wrapped around his neck, and in her other hand was a tennis ball.

For a few seconds, my heart soared before collapsing. I missed my boy, more than I'd thought I would. The picture was incredible, and even with only half her face showing, I could tell the woman was absolutely beautiful. If only I knew her story, which wasn't allowed. I hadn't been told anything about where Max was going other than it was a person in need of a support animal.

As I read over the letter, I felt a sense of pride all over again for my boy and maybe a little for myself. It seemed Maxie boy was already making a difference in the woman's life.

Dear Conrad,

You don't know me and I realize this is against the rules but I have a friend who was able to find me your name. I just wanted you to know what you did with Max has changed my life. I'm the survivor of an abduction, the monster who took me killing several other women. I was lucky, able to escape. But as you might imagine, the horror of what I went through never left even after several years of being safe. If there is such a thing.

With Max by my side, I can breathe again and it's all because of the sacrifice you made. I thought you deserved to know I adore this beautiful boy with all my heart and will do everything in my power to honor the grace and gift you've given me. I hope that gives you a small level of comfort.

PS—he will always have a huge supply of tennis balls!

Affectionately,

Noel

Shit. I sat back, fighting tears. This wasn't the kind of place you were ever allowed to show emotion. It had been almost nine years since I'd shed my last tear, the horrible stormy day something I'd tried so hard to forget. At least this time, the tears that were difficult to blink away were ones of joy.

Mostly.

I stared at the photograph again, tracing my boy's outline before shifting my full attention to the sparkle in her eye, the look of sheer happiness that while masked was definitely there.

Noel.

The name suited her.

"Take care of her, Maxie boy. She deserves you."

Two weeks later

Noel

I stood outside for a few seconds, pushing the very comfort zone I'd come to embrace. Okay, so we were technically under an awning but that didn't stop Max from shaking his entire body, tossing rainwater all over me. I was at the same grocery store I'd been to hundreds of times, but it felt entirely different today.

Maybe because I'd chosen to purchase food during the middle of a storm. It might even turn into an ice storm later. Yet here I was, feeling more confident than ever.

Woof.

He rarely barked, only when he was hungry or there was danger, but today his huffing woof was nothing more than a gentle push. He was telling his new mommy dog he wasn't a fan of the rain either. And that he was right by my side. Laughing, I rubbed his head and walked us both inside, noticing the manager was smiling from behind his perch near the front of the store.

While the grocery store was required to allow assistance dogs, it didn't mean the manager had to be as nice as he was. True to form, the man slipped from behind the tall enclosure. In his hand was a new chew toy that he'd likely had for days just waiting for Max to pop in with his mommy dog.

I knew that I was supposed to keep others from petting Max or interacting as much as they did. I'd been provided with all the rules for owning a support animal. I'd gone through a full six hours of training both before and on the day Max had come into my life. But the attention and affection hadn't seemed to faze Maxie boy in the least. He was still attentive and protective as the moment he'd attached himself to me.

"Such a gorgeous boy. Here you go, buddy," Marty said with such glee in his voice.

"Marty, you are so sweet. Thank you." Max was eager but patient, knowing he'd need to wait until we returned home to get his treat. Besides, I was purchasing Frosty Paws for him as well to celebrate a little over two weeks together.

"The least I can do to see that pretty smile of yours. By the way, I read your latest book. All I can say is woman, you made me sleep with the light on last night."

"Then I did my job, Marty. Thank you so much."

He gave a single pat on the head to my boy before returning to his perch while I grabbed a basket.

"Let's get this over with, baby boy. I think we're going to watch a movie tonight during the storm. What do you think?"

He did nothing more than give me that happy little face I'd already come to adore.

I was happily selecting items, barely paying any attention when I tossed a few products into my cart. Yet the moment I heard Max whine, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. The sound was eerie, mournful, and a lump formed in my throat. Refusing to feel any form of terror as I'd done so often before, I did everything I could to act nonchalant as I searched for the source of Max's obvious distress.

There were several people shopping, a good dozen positioned in front of the meat counter, which was only a few feet away from me. Maybe it was the cute little boy waving at Max from the closest basket. Or maybe the girl blowing him a kiss.

I walked closer, my curiosity getting the better of me. Max was no longer making a single sound, just sitting on his haunches beside me, staring at the end of the meat case. When a shopper moved, I finally noticed a lone man searching through the expensive meat, finally selecting a package of steaks and tossing it into his basket.

Staring wasn't my normal habit, yet it was impossible not to gawk at the vision in front of me. I'd been around some incredibly handsome men in my life, including a few cowboys in Colorado after I'd moved. But this man was… Whew, baby was all I could say in my mind. Almost instantly my face felt flushed, the heatwave coursing through my body starting with my inner core.

I hadn't experienced this kind of reaction to a man. Ever.

The fact he was wearing a tight pair of blue jeans that managed to highlight all the good things God had put into a man, a dark tee shirt accentuating his carved chest, and a leather jacket that made him appear just a tad bit dangerous was truly delicious.

Add in the guy had to be at least six foot five, his shaggy blond hair the kind you wanted to run your fingers through, and I was shocked the other female shoppers weren't lining up to provide him with their phone numbers.

Or their panties.

My eyes were drawn to two other items he was wearing, one being his very expensive watch. The other was his rugged yet incredible cowboy boots. He held an aura of money yet not one of arrogance. Often the two went hand in hand.

Maybe I'd been wrong and Max had been whining about something else. All I had to do was to look down at my pup to realize that no, he was locked into the stranger. Why? Granted, the guy was delicious in every way but certainly not something we'd run into since Max's adventure had begun.

As my bad luck would have it, the man realized someone was staring at him, slowly lifting his head. Almost instantly a look of amusement formed in his eyes as he shifted his heated gaze all the way down to my tennis shoes before sliding his eyes to Max. When a grin crossed his face, I was certain the sun had come out.

And Max was now thumping his tail wildly against the floor.

"What's gotten into you, sweet boy?" I asked him as I found myself pushing my basket just a little bit closer. The furry boy remained quiet even as the stranger walked closer, a curious look on his face.

When he was a foot away, I realized just how tall and brawny the man truly was. I'd never felt like a dwarf in my life but around this man, I was tiny.

He laughed and lifted a single eyebrow. "I must admit, it's been a long time since I've had a beautiful woman stare at me."

"I'm sorry. That was rude of me." I tried to laugh but I was nervous as a kitty cat in a very good way. My nipples were aching, my pussy throbbing, and in my mind, both were a good sign. Maybe the real woman inside hadn't shriveled up and died as I'd believed.

"Nonsense. I call it making my night. Hell, maybe my month. And who is this beautiful boy?" He tipped his head, obviously reading the wording on Max's vest.

"This is Max, my new buddy."

"Ah, Nice to meet you, Max. I see your mother buys you Frosty Paws."

For all the times I'd seen such a reverent face on Max, his fascination for almost everything a source of constant joy, to see his adoration for the man meant the stranger reminded him of his trainer. "Nothing is too good for him. I didn't mean to interrupt. It's just… Well, Max is only trained to make a sound when he's hurting, I'm in distress, or there is a dangerous situation around us."

"I hope I didn't interfere. I understand such a huge responsibility. I'll move away."

"Nonsense," I told him. "You did nothing wrong. I think Max is just getting used to crowds. He was horribly abused at one point in his life, but a very special man took care of him, training him to be a good boy. I think he had a little memory of that man just now. Maybe you look a little like him." I was unable to help myself, scratching behind the pup's ears. I was doing everything wrong tonight, which would ultimately derail Max's training, but I wanted him to feel comfortable.

"Heavens, I hope not. My daddy used to tell me I looked like an ox who'd been run over by a tractor." He laughed and it was the first time I noticed his eyes were the color of the most intense emeralds. Holy shit, the man was sinfully perfect.

"That's terrible and your father is dead wrong." I slapped my hand across my mouth, unable to keep from laughing. I would never, ever have been this forward with a man before Max came into my life. What in God's name had happened to me?

He planted his hand on his chest, bending over as if bowing. "Quite a compliment and I thank you. I might even tell him."

"You should do that." A moment of common sense finally kicked in and I felt awkward. I wasn't flirtatious even before the attack, always shy even growing up. Why I felt comfortable around this man must have everything to do with Max. Still, I wasn't ready to attempt anything outside of my normal routine. "I should get going."

"Understood."

"It was lovely to meet you…" I instinctively held out my hand as normal people would do, not that I would ever be normal again of course.

The stranger eyed my hand before accepting and instantly the crackle of electricity shared between us shocked the hell out of both of us. Instead of jerking my hand away as I would normally do in a situation such as this, I found myself leaning further into the man, as if I wanted him to kiss me.

Which was the most ridiculous aspect at the moment.

"Kage with a K."

Did he just say his name was Kage? It was absolutely perfect for a man of his… virtues. Holy shit was all I could think. What remained of the bad girl inside of me couldn't filter out the filthy images suddenly floating through my mind. At least I had a face to put with the name of my next villain. Or maybe he could be the hero. Up to this point, they hadn't looked like him. Whew.

"Kage with a K," I repeated. We were still shaking hands, the current refusing to back down.

"And you are?"

"Oh, yes." Jesus. I acted as if I'd never seen a man before. Well, perhaps I hadn't been in front of a real man for a long time, the kind who didn't mind getting dirt under their fingernails. Sure, the man might have money but there was no doubt he was rugged. "Noel. My name is Noel."

"What a beautiful name for an equally gorgeous woman." He shifted his gaze toward Max, an almost sad and very haunted look shifting into his eyes. "Good to meet you as well, Max." The way he shifted his hand allowed Max to lift his paw, placing it into the mystery man's fingers. I was proud of my boy, the training remaining solid. His gesture clearly defined the unknown sexy man meant me no harm. "Take care."

Kage walked away first and it was odd that I was chewing on my lower lip, following his departure just like every woman still breathing inside the store was doing. Of course it didn't hurt that Kage's butt filled out a pair of jeans like nobody's business.

"Whew," I whispered as I purposely turned away. Maybe two bottles of wine were in order tonight.

As I headed to another part of the store, I almost found myself with an appetite, which was also something new. The new book I'd started to outline would take on an entirely different vibe tonight. Maybe for once I could finally let go.

A few minutes later, I realized I'd purchased way more than normal, but what the heck. I could afford it. Plus, with my agent browbeating my publisher with increasing the advance offer given the success of the recent release, I'd soon be rolling in money. Ha. Now I rolled my eyes, pushing the cart close to the checkout stand as I struggled to grab a can of my favorite Italian tomatoes that had been shifted to the top row, even taller than me. I lurched forward, the cart shifting forward just enough that I lost my balance.

When the can I'd only had my fingers on suddenly flew from my hand, flying high in the air, Max barked once to indicate danger. No shit. If I didn't move, the falling can would smack me square in the face. Suddenly, I was not only jerked forward and out of harm's way, but the can was also ceremoniously snapped up by a massive hand that easily grabbed it midflight.

I'll be damned if I didn't hear a few people clapping at the heroic action.

"Shit." The breath was knocked out of me and I slowly lowered my head, locking eyes with the same extremely handsome man from before. Being in his arms felt too… normal.

I sucked back in my hot breath before trying to smile.

"Forgive me, beautiful lady, but we need to stop meeting like this." He grinned as he righted me, slowly placing the can into my basket.

"I am so sorry. I need to pay attention to where I'm going."

"Not a problem. Here to help when I can."

Max's tail was whooshing back and forth across the floor, shifting his eyes from one to the other of us.

"You're okay? You're not hurt?" Kage asked.

"Not in the least thanks to you. I'm curious. Do you keep a cape in your car?"

He narrowed his eyes, obviously confused by my poor attempt at humor. It was something else I hadn't done in ages. When he finally laughed, the deep booming sound sent a wave of oddly welcome desire all the way to my toes.

"Just a lasso and a whip inside my big red truck, ma'am. Hero in training at your service."

It was good to laugh for a change. "Thanks again."

His grin was positively infectious. He went the other way as I had before and I did my best to make it to the checkout stand without making a bigger fool of myself. I couldn't help but notice the man's taste in food. Meat. Lots of meat. And potatoes. And bread. Plus beer. Yep. He was an all-American boy.

After checking out, I fought the hood on my jacket, trying not to get soaked. I hurried into the parking lot, groaning from realizing the rain was starting to become slushy. Thankfully, I didn't have far to go but if there was anything I hated more than being in a thunderstorm it was an ice storm.

"Come on, baby. Let's get this loaded up so we can get home. It might be your first time seeing snow, huh?" At least I hoped it would turn into snow, not a full-blown ice storm, which was rare in Colorado. My little car wasn't equipped to handle ice.

I loaded the groceries in the backseat, hustling Max into the passenger seat beside me before jumping in. Shit. I was freezing, the pellets stinging my skin. My hands were shaking enough it took me a few seconds to press the start button for the engine.

Sputter. Sputter.

Wait a minute. Hold on. Did the engine really not start?

There was no way I'd left my lights on. None. Oh, God. This was so bad. I didn't have any jumper cables. What was wrong with me? That was because I'd gone out so little during the past three years it hadn't seemed important.

I was such a fool.

"This can't be happening." I took two deep breaths then tried again. Nothing. Not a whir. Not a click. Nothing.

I glanced over at Max, determined not to panic. "Stay here, boy. Let me see if I can figure out what's going on." What I did have was a flashlight. Hell, I had an entire house full of them, refusing to be in the dark for any longer than necessary.

Groaning again, I pulled the lever for the hood, blowing on my hands before climbing out. I'd even forgotten my gloves in my haste. As I cursed under my breath, I moved to the front of the car, fighting to get the hood open. The flashlight highlighted a beautiful engine and little to nothing else. Who was I kidding to think I could find the source of the problem? Still, I did my due diligence, trying to remain upbeat when now I wanted to crawl under the covers.

A rumbling sound from behind me caught my attention and I froze, every muscle tensing.

"I still don't have my cape, but I can offer a hand maybe."

His deep voice was even more penetrating that before. But at least it was friendly and recognizable. I turned toward him, laughing at seeing the huge truck idling in front of me. "I don't know what you can do. It just died on me."

"I'm no mechanic but let me take a look." As he stepped out of his truck, his long legs drawing my attention, a series of shivers coursed down my spine.

"What do we have?" He yanked off his gloves. I held the flashlight as he leaned over, touching certain parts of the engine while tugging on a couple of hoses. "I must admit, I don't see anything wrong. Your battery isn't fully charged but it shouldn't be giving you any problems."

His voice was husky but clear, evoking a sense of protection.

"How do you know that?"

"See right there? It has a charge of eleven point nine. You probably should replace it soon."

"Oh. I guess I'll need to call a tow shop."

"If you'd like, I'll take you home. I got a buddy who might be able to figure out what's happening but likely not until in the morning. I promise the dude is on the up and up. He's also reasonable."

I took another deep breath, trying to keep from shivering. He noticed I was looking around and lifted both his arms as if in giving up.

"Hey, I promise I'm no serial killer. Just a hungry cowboy in search of food."

He had a way of disarming all my defenses, making me feel more at ease.

"Don't worry. Max can ride up front with us to protect you in case I do anything funny."

Now I laughed.

"If it's not too much trouble."

"Hell, no. Who knows? Maybe I'll be awarded that cape. You know?"