by Storm Savage
Love and war become one and the same in the arms of a wounded soldier. Will an unplanned dinner serve up heaven or hell for dessert?
Army Staff Sergeant Mason Haller is forced to retire from his military career after an IED bomb leaves him severely disabled. His homecoming is not what he expected. Family and friends are unable to accept the fallout of his condition. When his girlfriend moves out, Mason turns to drinking. He discovers that alcohol and psychotherapy drugs are a dangerous mix when demons of war come calling.
Sydnie isn’t quite sure about her new neighbor. She’s been watching from a distance and notices that his girlfriend isn’t around anymore. One night after work, she sees his garage door open and mail strewn about the lawn. During an unexpected snow, this warrants a closer look. When she finds Mason passed out on his driveway with blood running down his face, she dials 911 and waits with him.
When Sydnie wakes up to Mason plowing her driveway the following morning, she is pleasantly surprised and offers to cook him dinner. What happens next terrifies her yet she can’t deny the strong attraction between them. Can she pull him from his darkness or will he be forever trapped in the battle raging in his mind?
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
The Soldier Next Door
Copyright © 2013 Storm Savage
ISBN: 978-1-77111-626-8
Cover art by Martine Jardin
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by eXtasy Books
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The Soldier Next Door
By
Storm Savage
For my readers, thank you for choosing my books. My wish is that you escape reality for a while and enjoy the experience I have created for you.
For Jay, your support and patience have saved me many times. Never was there a better EIC.
And always, for Austin, the love of my life. Never was there a braver boy, a brighter spirit or a more loyal friend. I think of you every day, miss you every minute and feel your spirit still lighting my way. Thank you, my puppy angel, for showing me what unconditional love feels like.
Chapter One
“That’s strange,” Sydnie muttered while pulling into her drive. The neighbor’s garage door was wide open with snow blowing in. “I can’t believe we’re getting snow in May. This is insane.” She parked her car, closed her own garage door, then strolled across the yard to take a closer look. Pieces of mail were strewn across the lawn on top of a fresh layer of snow. “Hello? Are you in there?” She peeked past the huge white truck parked just outside the entrance.
Taking care not to slip on the ice in her high-heeled boots, she carefully made her way across the drive. “Oh my god! Are you okay?” She dropped to her knees in the snow. On the ground laid her new neighbor, seemingly unconscious, beside an overturned garbage cart, his face covered in blood. When he didn’t reply, she whipped out her cell phone and dialed 911.
While waiting for help to arrive, she pushed the cart aside, removed her coat and covered him the best she could but was careful not to move him. Suddenly he bolted upright, scaring her to pieces. She jumped back, slipped on the pavement, and fell backward, landing on her butt in the grass. “You’re hurt! You shouldn’t move!”
He shot her a warning glance. “Stay down.” Then he assumed a prone position on the ground and belly crawled to behind the trashcan, lying as if he had a rifle in his arms. “I’ll get those motherfuckers.”
Sydnie watched in fright as a man she’d never officially met other than a wave in passing, acted out a battle scene. She’d heard he had been in Iraq and she knew he had a girlfriend living with him, but lately the girlfriend had not been around at all. Afraid to speak, she sat frozen to the ground, praying for help to arrive fast.
“I called an ambulance,” she finally managed to say, hoping this would help.
He gave her a quick look. “The medics are on the way?”
She nodded briskly.
“Good thinking, Kool. Sit tight. I’ll shoot any cocksucker that comes into sight. You hold on, buddy, nobody dies tonight.”
She realized he was having a delusion and he thought she, not him, was the injured man down. A few minutes later flashing lights appeared on the road as an ambulance pulled up to the house. “Are you the one who called for help?” a paramedic asked from the window.
“Yes!”
“Turn your fucking lights off, asshole!” her neighbor shouted. “I’ve got the area covered. I have a man down. Get in here and help him.”
Immediately the lights stopped and two men walked into the drive. “It’s okay, Mason, we called in the Apaches. We have the area cleared.”
“Take him first.”
One of the medics reached for Sydnie. “Come with me. We know this guy. He won’t let us help until he believes you’re safe.”
With her heart racing, she nodded and walked with the medic to the waiting ambulance. From there she watched them talk Mason down and coax him onto a backboard.
He stared up at her as they wheeled him by. “You okay, buddy?”
She nodded.
“I’ll see you in the ward,” he told her as the medics hoisted him into the ambulance.
“He’ll be fine, miss, you really kept it together,” a paramedic told her as he came around the other side. “Mason and I were friends before he went into the war. Anytime we get a call to this address, they send me. Are you okay?”
“Y-yes…just trying to catch my breath.”
He returned her jacket. “He’s a good guy. He’s lucky you passed by. I didn’t know he was living alone again.”
“I’ve never officially met him.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? You look pretty shaken up.”
“I’m fine, thank you.” She glanced around. “I’ll close his garage and pick up the mail. You can tell him I have it when he feels better. I hope he’s not seriously injured.”
“We’ll take good care of him.” The man tapped the roof of the ambulance. “Ready to go?” He hopped into the back, gave Sydnie a nod, then closed the door.
On shaky legs, she wandered around the yard, picking up the scattered mail, then she pulled the garage door closed and turned the handle to lock it. She battled with the garbage cart until it was back in place. I seriously need a drink after this day. She walked the short distance to her own front door and went inside.
“Holy shit, that was intense,” she muttered to herself in the mirror. She brushed out her long honey-blonde hair. Looks like my highlights need to be redone. Using a cotton face pad, she cleansed her face and wished her lashes were longer, or her eyes were bluer, or that her body was a little thinner. Still, for her age she looked pretty good and had no trouble catching a man’s eye. But she hadn’t met one worth dating since her divorce. Maybe I’m too picky.
People who didn’t know always guessed
her age to be in the mid-thirties and didn’t believe her when she confessed her true age of forty-six. At least I was blessed with great skin, she mused. Even if I need a little makeup to bring out these blonde lashes. After a long warm shower, she poured herself a tall glass of white wine and retreated to the sofa.
The shocking encounter with her neighbor dominated her thoughts. She came from a military family but none of them had served during wartime. Pictures and stories on TV did not capture the reality of what she’d just seen. The intensity in his eyes when he thought they were under attack, his fierce stance and fearless demeanor lingered in her mind. He’d seemed truly convinced they were in war and she was hurt. He ignored his own injuries to protect who he thought was a fallen comrade.
She downed two more glasses of wine before her nerves settled. Even while sliding beneath the plush comforter on her bed, she couldn’t block Mason or their first official meeting from her head. Eventually, she grew sleepy after playing the scene over and over in her mind.
Sydnie woke to what sounded like a powerful dirt bike outside her bedroom window. This used to be a quiet neighborhood. She sighed and dragged herself out of bed, then peeked through the blinds to her front drive. What the hell? He shouldn’t be doing that after suffering a head injury. She quickly dressed, grabbed a coat, and pulled on a pair of boots before heading outside. Mason looked up, then cut the engine of the biggest quad she’d ever seen.
“What are you doing?” She kept her tone of voice polite, not wanting to offend him. “Shouldn’t you be in the hospital?”
He smiled with warm brown eyes. “Hell no. I hate hospitals. I checked myself out.”
“Are you going to be okay? That was a lot of blood on your face.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I fell and blacked out. The medics told me you called and stayed with me. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Her gaze swept over the quad with a plow attached to the front. “Are you sure you should be doing this? You should be resting.”
“I’m fine. We got hit with a shitload of snow last night. I didn’t see anyone shoveling your drive.” His brows lifted, forming adorable points above his eyes.
“No, you won’t either. I usually hire someone to do it, but we never get snow in May. He’s out of town now. I figured it had to melt soon, right?” She let out a light laugh. “How long can snow last in May?”
“I was restless anyway, gave me a chance to dig my quad out.”
“Well…thank you. You’re very kind. I haven’t seen your girlfriend around lately, is she away on business or something?”
“Nah, she moved out.”
“Aw, I’m sorry.”
“We’re still friends. She’s my paid caregiver.”
“How often does she check in? Because you needed help last night.”
“She only comes over once a day in the morning. I don’t know what the hell happened last night. I was wheeling the trashcan back from the road. I slipped, the damn thing tipped over and next thing I knew…” His thoughts seemed to drift. “I was in the hospital with a mild concussion.”
“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call or knock on the door. Are you retired from the military?” She tried not to sound nosey.
“I was forced to accept a medical retirement. I’m actually not supposed to be living alone, but I like it.” He paused as if searching for words. “When Nicole moved out, I realized how nice it was not having someone controlling me so I told her not to come back.”
“Oh…well, at least let me make you dinner for plowing my driveway. I have no plans for this evening. And I have your mail.”
He nodded with a sweet smile. “Okay. I’ll finish up here, then I have other things I need to get done.” He paused again. “I’ll stop by later this afternoon. Is that good?”
“Yeah. Do you like ravioli?”
“Love it.”
“Great. I’ll see you later. Be careful out here today.” She offered him a warm smile.
He gave her a knowing look before she walked away. From her living room window, Sydnie watched Mason clear the snow. He seemed perfectly normal today. Though his flashback had been terrifying to witness, she wasn’t afraid to be alone with him tonight. He had the prettiest brown eyes she’d ever seen, eyes that revealed a gentle soul despite his crazy outburst the night before.
And he was in amazing physical condition. He didn’t appear disabled with the exception of seeming to struggle in finding the right words to express himself. She knew that not all disabilities were clearly visible on the outside. From what she’d seen the previous night, she had a pretty good idea of why he’d been given an early retirement. She’d heard of what war could do to a man’s mind. The question of why his girlfriend moved out did flit through her mind, but she dismissed it. Something about Mason intrigued her on a deeper level.
Evening arrived with Mason at her door holding two six packs of vodka coolers.
“Hey, come on in.” She opened the door, smiling. There was no reason to feel nervous. After all, this was just a casual dinner between new neighbors. Though he did look really hot dressed in faded jeans and a sleeveless designer t-shirt. Cropped dark hair covered his head where until now she’d only seen him in a cap.
“I brought something to drink.” He, on the other hand, seemed extremely anxious. His fresh inviting scent greeted her as he walked in.
“You smell good,” she said in natural response. And he did. “I recognize that scent, is it that chocolate stuff?”
He nodded with a light laugh. She accepted the coolers, then placed them in the fridge. He followed her into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table in a chair against the wall. She noticed him chugging the liquor rather quickly.
“We should eat before drinking. Dinner is ready. I hope you’re hungry.” She set two plates on the table, along with bread and a casserole dish full of ravioli. “How’s your head?”
“A bit sore, but not bad.”
They made scant small talk over dinner. He told her about the improvements he made to the house after he bought it, talked about his truck, but said very little about his time in the service.
“What do you do?” he asked, pushing his empty plate aside, then wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“Graphic design. I work part time at Designs Incorporated and do a lot of freelance work from home.”
“Cool, so you make pictures and shit like that?”
Sydnie let out a little laugh. “Yeah, shit like that. Actually I design websites, book covers, and pretty much anything web related. I can show you my portfolio later if you’re interested.”
“Sure.” He appeared more relaxed after his third cooler.
She cleared the table and returned to her chair. He didn’t seem in a hurry to leave. They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes with him staring at her.
“Sooo…” she began with a nervous breath. “What do you do now that you’re retired?”
“Spend time with my kids when I can, ride my quad, play video games.”
“Oh, I never noticed kids over there. How many do you have?”
“Three, to three different women.”
“Oh.”
“Two live down south with their mom and the other lives not far from here. I see them as much as I can. Do you have any?”
“Two, but they are grown and on their own.” She hesitated but decided to ask anyway. “Are you and Nicole still together even though she moved out?”
“No. She found another guy. I’m not with anyone right now and maybe that’s for the best.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I have too many problems. I don’t think anyone can handle living with me.” A touch of sadness moved through those pretty brown eyes.
She was almost jealous of his naturally long black lashes. Men always get the nicest eyes. I guess Mother Nature knew women would love makeup. “Maybe they just don’t understand.”
He stared
straight into her eyes. “I’m really fucked up. I see people when I’m alone, like they are sitting next to me, and they talk to me.”
“Delusions?”
“The doctors told me I have Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and a bunch of other shit. One whole part of my brain is damaged. I take so many fucking pills a day that some days I just want to stop. These doctors, they give me all this shit that fucks with my head. They said I’m in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease and that it’s only gonna get worse.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No—I don’t want your pity. I just want someone to talk to. I can’t tell my friends and family the shit that goes on in my head. If I do, they reach for the damn phone and want to call someone or put me back in the psych ward. I ain’t going back to that fucking place. They had me in a padded room because I refused to take their drugs.” He framed an invisible outline with his hands to describe the bed. “The only thing in there is a little bed with a padded pillow attached. They didn’t let me out until I calmed down and took the meds.”
She became acutely aware that his demeanor changed drastically with every drink. His language became rougher. His character seemed more agitated. Having never been in this situation, Sydnie decided it best to sit and listen.
“I’m not going to call anyone. You can talk to me.”
When he looked at her, his gaze penetrated her soul in a disconcerting way. He was beyond intense. She wished that he’d stop drinking, but he continued knocking back coolers.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“No, I’m fine. This is the only thing that makes them go away.” He looked past her.
“Who?”
“The voices, the memories. I wasn’t supposed to come home. All my friends died over there. They show up on my couch. We talk. They went on to a better place and I’m stuck here in this hell.” He became silent for several minutes, simply staring at the table. Then his eyes met hers again and he stated bluntly, “I have a noose in the basement.”
