Living on the Edge

by Susan Mallery

  “I know that. But it’s hard to picture you living alone.”

  “Why?”

  “You’re social.”

  She laughed. “Maybe compared to someone like you, but to the rest of the world I’m the quiet type.”

  “What do you mean someone like me?”

  “You’re solitary. The literary lone wolf. Besides, who are you to be asking questions? I don’t see a wife around here.”

  “Not good for business.”

  “Meaning?”

  “I’m gone too much.” There was more to it than that. “I don’t want the distraction.”

  She shook her head. “All crap, Tanner. You have trust issues, too.”

  “Maybe.”

  “There’s no maybe. It’s true. But somehow I don’t think that means you lack for female companionship.”

  He didn’t want to be having this conversation. “Can we talk about something else?”

  “Of course not. This is wildly interesting. So do you spell out the rules ahead of time?”

  He shifted in his chair. “What rules?”

  “Sex only, don’t expect me to call afterward, forget my name. Those rules.”

  “I’m not a jerk about it.”

  She smiled again. “But I’m close on the rules, huh?”

  “You did okay.”

  They ate in silence. Tanner found himself enjoying the company even when they weren’t talking. Madison was restful. Damn smart, too. Had she been someone else—someone less high-profile and without so much to lose—he would have considered recruiting her. Not that she would be interested. Her world was her kids.

  But he wouldn’t mind her sticking around.

  As soon as the thought formed, he squashed it. She was exactly what he’d been talking about a minute ago—a distraction. And distractions got a man killed.

  When Madison finished with her e-mail and notes, she logged on to her favorite shopping Web site. While she had no intention of actually buying shoes, it never hurt to look.

  She flipped through several pages before pausing to salivate over a pair of strappy sandals she had absolutely no use for.

  “But they’re so cute,” she murmured. And a really pale green. She didn’t have any shoes that color—or any clothes, which meant the possibility of having to get a new outfit to go with her shoes. Which was just plain dumb but very tempting.

  She moved the cursor to the size selection, but before she could click on it, an instant message popped up in the center of her screen.

  The rectangle contained exactly two words: Hello, Madison.

  She scrambled off the bed and ran out of the room.

  “Tanner!” she screamed. “Tanner, he found me! He found me!”

  Tanner was already halfway up the hall. She barreled into him, barely able to think or breathe or believe it was real.

  He grabbed her and held her. “What are you talking about? How did Hilliard find you?”

  “I don’t know. He’s right there.” She pointed back at her room.

  Tanner glanced from her to the doorway. “Get in the control room and push the red button by the door. It’ll activate a security alert.”

  His words didn’t make any sense. She forced herself to breathe in and out as she tried to figure them out. When the meaning sank in, she sagged against him.

  “He’s on my computer.”

  Tanner’s expression didn’t change, nor did he push her away or tell her she was crazy. Instead he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her against him.

  “It’s okay,” he said quietly. “Finding you online isn’t the same as finding you here.”

  “But he can trace my connection.”

  Tanner smiled. “No, he can’t.”

  She bit her lower lip. “Swear?”

  He made an X over his heart. “Come on. Let’s see what he has to say.”

  She allowed him to lead her back to her bedroom. She hesitated at the threshold, afraid to cross into the room. It was as if Christopher was really here, that he wanted to kidnap her again.

  Tanner settled a reassuring hand on her waist. She covered his fingers with hers and led the way in. The computer sat on her bed, the cursor blinking. Now there was a second message.

  Madison? Are you there?

  She looked at Tanner. “Should I answer him?”

  “Why not? You’re safe. Maybe you can make him sweat a little. Or we could play a game.”

  She liked the idea of that. “What kind of game?”

  “One where you make him believe he has a chance of winning you over. That could work in our favor.”

  “Okay. Yeah, that’s good.” She sat on the bed and pulled the computer onto her lap. “What should I say back?”

  “That you’re surprised to hear from him.”

  She typed the sentence, then waited. Tanner settled next to her. The mattress dipped and she found herself sliding toward him. Their hips and thighs pressed together in a way that made her aware of his physical power. Right now it was very reassuring.

  I’m sorry about everything that happened, Christopher typed. You must be terrified.

  Madison’s chest tightened. “He doesn’t know,” she whispered. “He has no idea that I know he kidnapped me. That lying bastard.”

  “Hey, I’m the only bastard here,” Tanner said.

  She flashed him a smile. “Only in the technical sense. In spirit, Christopher has you beat.” She thought for a second, then typed, A lot of strange stuff has been happening. I don’t know what to think.

  That makes sense, he responded. Madison, I’m worried about you. Please come home to me.

  She shuddered. “Not for the world,” she said aloud.

  I want to start over with you, he added.

  I don’t trust you, she answered, then looked at Tanner. “He’ll believe that.”

  Sure enough, the reply came seconds later. I’m willing to do whatever I have to in order to earn your trust.

  “Can I tell him to drop dead?” she asked.

  “How about saying you have to think about it.”

  “Okay.” She typed that.

  “Now disconnect,” he said. “Better to leave him hanging.”

  She was happy to do just that. When she’d shut down her system, she set the computer on the nightstand and shifted so she faced Tanner.

  “How did he know I was online?” she asked.

  “It’s not that hard for him to track. But knowing you’re using the computer is very different from knowing where you live.”

  “It’s still creepy.”

  “I know.”

  He touched her cheek as he spoke. At the warm brush of his fingers, she realized that she’d run to him when she’d panicked and she was okay with that. More than okay.

  Heat from his body seemed to spread over her skin, making her want to sway toward him. Her gaze settled on his mouth. What was Tanner like when he was with a woman? Tough? Tender? Very intent on the details?

  He stood suddenly and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I want to break into his house tomorrow night.”

  Her brain had to bend around the quick change in subject. “Will you have all the information you need?”

  “Yeah. The last of it is due in tomorrow morning. We’ll have all the details on the security system, including how to defeat it.”

  “I’m going to go with you.”

  “No.”

  She stood. “I know the house and the room the safe is kept in and the exact location of the cabinet. I’m a logical member of the team. Plus this is my life we’re talking about.”

  “You’re an amateur and the target. You stay where it’s safe. That means in this house.” His gaze turned steely. “I mean it, Madison.”

  “It’s not your decision,” she said. “I’m going.”

  “You think you can make me?”

  She refused to back away and tried to look as mean and stern as he did. “You owe me, Tanner.”

  Nothing about his body change
d, yet she felt a subtle shift. She knew in that moment she’d won.

  “I don’t want you dead,” he said flatly.

  “I don’t want that either. But I’m still going.”

  He shook his head as if regretting the decision. “Okay.”

  Chapter 12

  Madison dressed all in black, per Tanner’s request. She felt like an extra in a James Bond movie and did her best to focus on that rather than on the nerves currently doing yoga in her midsection. Wanting to be part of the team was one thing, but actually breaking into her ex-husband’s house was another. Wasn’t her entire goal to get away from Christopher?

  Yet she wanted to be a part of this—mostly to prove to herself that she couldn’t be defined by her fear.

  “A really dumb time to want to make an emotional statement,” she told herself as she quickly secured her hair in a braid.

  She’d barely finished when Tanner knocked on her door.

  “It’s open,” she called as she grabbed black shoes and walked to the bed.

  He stepped inside. “Ready?”

  “Just about.” She slipped on one shoe and tied it, then reached for the other. “I’m feeling all stealthy and invisible.”

  “Good. Here.” He tossed her a black baseball cap. “Your hair’s like a beacon. This will cut down on the glow.”

  She examined the front of the cap, half expecting to see some kind of spy logo. But it was plain.

  “No, we don’t have a mascot,” Tanner said dryly.

  She grinned. “You should think about getting one. Maybe a black cat or a bat.”

  “Why a bat?”

  “It’s dark and a creature of the night.”

  “We’re not vampires.”

  “Good to know.”

  He stared at her. “I thought you’d be nervous.”

  “Oh, I am. I’m hiding it with humor. Pretty clever, huh?”

  “Brilliant. Angel should be here any second. We’ll go over the plan, then load up.”

  “Do I get gear?”

  “Some.”

  “Can I have a ray gun?”

  Tanner sighed heavily. “How much coffee did you have today?”

  It was already well after midnight. Tanner had warned her that they would plan to be at Christopher’s house around two in the morning. Although she’d napped, she’d worried about not being alert enough.

  “Five cups since eight tonight,” she said, feeling the caffeine coursing through her veins.

  “Great. You’re wired.”

  “And ready for action.” She bounced from foot to foot, as if proving it.

  “When the caffeine fades, that’s going to be some crash.”

  “I know, but I figure I’m safe through the break-in. The adrenaline will keep me going.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t complain so she figured she was fine.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let’s introduce you to Angel.”

  “He’s here?”

  Just then the doorbell rang. Madison put the cap on her head and followed Tanner down the hall.

  “How do you do that?” she asked. “How did you know he was right there?”

  “Experience.”

  She figured it had to be some kind of pager or something that told him when someone approached the building, but it was still impressive.

  She hovered in the hall while Tanner let in his friend. The two men stood by the front door, talking. She watched them, noting they were both tall and lean with dark hair. When Angel glanced in her direction, she had to consciously keep from taking a step back. Instead of black or brown, his eyes were gray. A metallic, otherworldly color that made her muscles tense as fight or flight kicked in.

  Technically he was better looking than Tanner, but those eyes really creeped her out. She noted a scar running down the side of his neck and wondered who had tried to kill him and what had happened when he’d failed. She doubted he was alive to tell the tale.

  “Madison,” Tanner said, motioning her forward. “This is Angel.”

  She steeled herself, plastered on a happy-to-meet-you smile and walked toward the men.

  “Hi. I’m Madison.”

  Angel looked her over with a thoroughness that made her feel naked, then offered his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  They shook, then she ducked behind Tanner. Not in an obvious way, she told herself. More in a being-a-toddler-and-shy-around-strangers way.

  Angel grinned. “I make the lady nervous.”

  “Not nervous,” she protested. “With everything that’s happened in the past couple of weeks, I’m a little suspicious of strangers.”

  “I trust Angel with my life,” Tanner told her. “You can, too.”

  “Good to know.”

  She was about to say something else when she realized that Angel was probably the other man Tanner had been talking about when he’d offered to have someone else move in. Good thing she’d refused, she thought, knowing the dark, dangerous, pale-eyed stranger as host would not have made for restful nights.

  “Let’s get loaded up,” Tanner said.

  They walked into the control room, where both men put on utility belts with all kinds of gear. She recognized some things like knives and flashlights, but little else.

  They’d been over the plan several times, so she felt comfortable with the theory of what they were going to do. It was the reality she was having some trouble with.

  Tanner crossed to a cabinet in the corner and drew out a vest, then motioned her over.

  “Are you expecting bullets to go flying?” she asked, suddenly nervous about the evening.

  “No, but better to be prepared.”

  He held the vest out and she slipped into it. He moved in front of her and fastened it up the front. The vest was surprisingly heavy and stiff.

  “I wouldn’t want to go jogging in this,” she said.

  “We shouldn’t have to.”

  Bulletproof anything was her first inkling that maybe she’d gotten in over her head. The second was when Tanner offered her a gun.

  “I can’t—” she began as she tucked her hands behind her back.

  “It’s not a regular gun,” he said, interrupting her. “It shoots a powerful sedative that acts instantly. If anyone comes after you, aim for his gut and fire. Keep firing until he drops.”

  “Okay.”

  She held out her hand and he set the gun on her palm. It was heavy, too. He showed her the safety and the trigger, then he strapped a holster around her hips and tucked the gun into its holder. It occurred to her that if it would drop a man instantly, she could take out both Angel and him in a matter of seconds. Apparently Tanner wasn’t worried about that.

  “Flashlight,” he said, handing one over.

  That, at least, she could handle. It clipped into the other side of the holster.

  The last thing he gave her was a cell phone, which they’d already discussed.

  “It’s preprogrammed,” he reminded her. “If something happens, get away from the action and hit Send. You’ll be connected to a man named Jack. Tell him what happened. He’ll be there in less than five minutes to get you.”

  She didn’t like that part of the plan.

  “You’re saying something could go wrong.”

  He shrugged. “It’s always a possibility. I would prefer you stay here. Want to change your mind about coming?”

  She shook her head. “I need to do this.” She wasn’t sure why, but the feeling was powerful enough to overcome her fear.

  She tucked the cell phone into her jeans front pocket and prayed she wouldn’t have to use it. Tanner picked up a backpack. Angel already had his. Then they walked out to the garage, where the van waited.

  Madison climbed in back. The box she’d arrived in was gone. Instead there were low seats and windows that looked dark enough for her to figure that while she could see out, no one could see in. Tanner and Angel went up front, with Tanner driving.

 
“Alarm system?” Tanner asked as he started the engine.

  “Jack’s on it. The system is set to deactivate as soon as we let him know we’re in place. Best point of entry is the French doors off the dining room. Not much of a lock there.”

  Madison crossed her arms over her chest and thought about the house’s dining room. She remembered the doors but not the lock. Had Christopher changed much after she’d left? Their prenuptial agreement had cut him out of all the money she’d had before they were married, so he’d insisted on keeping the house they’d bought together shortly after their wedding. She’d agreed because the thought of staying in the house had made her skin crawl.

  “You know there are security guards on duty,” she said. “At least, there used to be.”

  “We have it covered.”

  Thirty minutes later, they pulled up on a side street she recognized. Tanner turned off the engine while Angel spoke quietly into some kind of walkie-talkie. Less than ten seconds later, Tanner turned to her.

  “We’ve got an all clear. Madison, you can stay here in the van.”

  She had already reached for the rear door handle. “Not a chance.”

  She heard him sigh.

  The night was cloudy and silent. The infamous June gloom had appeared on schedule, bringing night and morning clouds from an encroaching marine layer. She shivered slightly in her thin long-sleeved T-shirt but didn’t complain. She didn’t want to give Tanner an excuse to order her to stay behind.

  “Alarm down,” Angel murmured.

  Tanner touched her arm. “No talking from now on,” he said. “Hand signals only. Stay close to me. If anything starts to go wrong, get out of the house and back to the van. If Angel or I aren’t with you in ten seconds, use the cell phone. Walk away from the van and head south.” He pointed to the left.

  She nodded. “We’ve been over this a dozen times. I know where south is, I know how to count to ten, I know not to come back to check on you.” Although she wasn’t sure she could just leave him lying there if something did go wrong.

  Not surprisingly, he read her mind.

  “You have to get out,” he told her. “If you don’t, Hilliard gets his hands on you. None of us wants that.”