Edge: A Tortured Heroes Novel

by Jayne Blue

  In some detached part of my brain, I could have been impressed by Damon’s driving skills. Truly. The way he hugged the curves, kept his speed steady, and anticipated my moves made me wonder if he’d had specialized training of his own. It wouldn’t matter though. He wasn’t innocent. If I had to kill him to keep Lila safe, I would.

  I screeched to a halt in front of Lila’s shop. Late evening now, and downtown was deserted. I had one shot to keep Lila’s brother out of this. This was as good a place as any for him to wait.

  I gripped the steering wheel and waited for Tommy to walk up to my window. Sixty seconds. That’s all I’d give him.

  “You know where you’re going?” he asked.

  I nodded. “And I know where you’re not going, Kelly.”

  “It’s too late for that. This is my sister we’re talking about.”

  I turned and met his stare. “You really want me to believe you give two shits what happens to her?”

  He got in my face. “You’re right. I don’t. I care what happens to my business if this psycho buddy of yours kills her. Like it or not, she’s under my protection.”

  On another day, that would have gotten real laughter out of me. “Nobody hurts her but you, right?”

  He sucked air through his teeth. “Yeah. That’s exactly right.”

  “Well, you’re out of your depth with this one, Tommy. You need another lesson in how ineffective your security team is? They try to go in with me ... they try to get in my way ... they’ll die. Not hurt, Tommy. Dead.”

  He straightened, slowly pulling his hands from the window frame. We understood each other.

  “You get her back,” he said.

  “That’s my specialty,” I said.

  “Right. It better be.”

  “And when I do, your little field trip to Crystal Falls is over. You don’t talk to Lila. You don’t call her. You don’t fuck with her business. You’re gone. Not so much as a family Christmas card, Kelly. Because I can get to you.”

  He laughed. “Sure. You can get to me. What do you think happens to you if you do, huh? I’ve got ways of causing you pain that isn’t physical. Your life here will be over. I have reach you don’t appreciate yet. You can’t be everywhere all the time. No one can. Not even you. What’s her name ... Ramona? She send you a postcard from Hawaii yet? And your other friend, Clyde? Crane? He’s got an interesting uncle. Sheriff Wendall, is it? We had a nice chat the other day. He came to my hotel.”

  I could have crushed my steering wheel to powder. I’d kill him. I’d enjoy it.

  “Lila,” Tommy said, leaning back into the window. “Focus.”

  I couldn’t look at him anymore. I jammed my truck into gear and peeled away from the curb, not caring if I ran over Tommy Kelly’s fucking toes.

  Lila. Sweet Lila. She didn’t deserve any of this. She didn’t deserve me. It didn’t matter if I died. It only mattered that she lived.

  I cut the engine a quarter of a mile before turning down the old dirt road to my driveway. The cattle had grazed near the fence in the backyard. I heard one bleat again just like I had on the phone.

  I sat behind the wheel for a moment. Henny had planned everything to perfection. That was his specialty. He took over my sanctuary. He likely knew every inch of the house and grounds now. He’d probably mapped it all out when he was here a few weeks ago. I’d turned my back and gone to sleep.

  Henny knew what I would do. He knew my training. Get in. Get out. Neutralize the threat. Save the hostage. He wanted me to think Lila was the target. Maybe she was, but she was his plan B. In his twisted thoughts, he wanted to cause me pain like he felt. He didn’t realize the depths of my own pain. Because he was right. It should have been me. Eight feet to the left on the north side of the road, I would have gone down with Henny. They would have captured me too. It didn’t matter that I didn’t leave him behind. I should have been by his side the whole time.

  He’d planned everything down to the last detail. So the only thing I could do was the one thing he didn’t expect. I took my Nine out of its holster and set it on the seat of the truck. I slipped the knife and .45 out of my ankle straps and lay them beside the Nine. Then I got out of the truck and walked up to the house with my hands hooked behind my head.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Lila

  “This is Beckett’s house?” I whispered. Henny had unbound my ankles but tightened the ties around my wrists. He led me up the basement stairs and into Beckett’s living room.

  “Wanted to make it easy to find you.”

  “No,” I whispered, holding back tears. This was a trap. He’d wanted Beckett to find me all along. I wanted to feel sympathy for this man. I couldn’t begin to understand what horrors he’d faced in that godforsaken desert so many years ago. He’d been Beckett’s team member. A kind of brother. Brothers. I bit back the irony. Just like mine, Beckett’s brother was trying to destroy him.

  “You don’t have to do this,” I said; the tears broke free.

  Henny caressed my cheek with his gun. Tears played at the corners of his own eyes. Again, my heart felt torn. He looked so broken. But then he got a hold of himself and the cold blew back in. He went hard, jerking me away from him.

  A screeching whine filled the room. I staggered sideways, wanting to tear my hands from my bindings so I could cover my ears. Henny went to the keypad on the wall near the front door and disarmed Beckett’s security system.

  “Took him long enough,” Henny said. He flipped the plastic cover closed on the security console and came back to me. He grabbed me roughly by the arm and held me with my back against his chest with his arm across my shoulders. I felt the cold barrel of his gun against my cheek.

  “This is your plan? You’re going to blow my brains out the minute he walks in? What will that prove?”

  Henny sighed. “Well, it’ll sure get his attention.”

  “Cause him pain? Yes. Killing me right in front of him will destroy Beckett. Part of him already is, Henny. I’m telling you. You think he got off scot-free. He hasn’t. You of all people should know that. You know him.”

  “Yeah. I know him. That’s the whole idea.”

  “Henny!” Beckett’s voice cut through. He’d walked straight up to the front door.

  “Beckett, don’t!” I shouted. Henny jerked me even closer. The doorknob turned and all the blood rushed from my head. Only Henny’s strong grip kept me on my feet.

  Henny pressed the gun to my temple and waited. Beckett walked straight in, keeping his hands up. I blinked hard, trying to sort out what I saw.

  Beckett was naked except for his boxer-briefs. He held his arms up, his fingers linked behind his head. He wore his dog tags. They dangled between his hard-cut pecs. Sweat beaded his brow.

  “I’m unarmed,” Beckett said, though that was obvious. He wasn’t even wearing any shoes. He turned slowly, exposing his back. No weapons there either. Not in his waistband. Not taped to his skin.

  “You son of a bitch!” Henny was becoming unglued. His grip on me tightened, bruising my shoulder.

  “Beckett!” I sobbed. “No!” He was giving in. Henny wanted to hurt him. This wasn’t a fair fight. I struggled against Henny but it was no use.

  “Take it!” Henny shrieked. “Pick it up off the table.”

  For the first time, I saw the other gun. It was big and black, identical to the one Henny held to my head.

  “Not gonna happen, brother,” Beckett said.

  “Do it!” Henny cried into my hair.

  Beckett shook his head. “Let her go.”

  Suddenly, I understood. Oh God. Suicide by cop. Henny had banked on Beckett coming in here guns blazing. He couldn’t do it himself. He wanted to take Beckett with him. I felt his grip on my shoulders loosen. Should I move? Should I try to slip away?

  I locked eyes with Beckett. It was barely perceptible, but he shook his head and I understood. I froze in place.

  “We can find you some help, Henny,” Beckett said. “There are places. P
eople who understand.”

  “No one understands,” Henny whispered. “You tried to save me, Finch. Finish the job.”

  Beckett’s jaw clenched. His eyes misted with tears. “I will. I swear to God, I will. But not this way.”

  “Superman. Fucking Superman.”

  Henny dropped the gun. I didn’t wait for a signal. I let myself go limp, dropping to my knees. Beckett charged forward. With lightning quickness, he had his hands on Henny, driving him back toward the couch.

  I rolled away. Sweat poured down my face and I struggled to get up. The bindings tore into my skin. Henny’s gun went off, deafening me for a moment. I screamed. Beckett didn’t get up. The two men were a jumble of limbs and I couldn’t tell who was on top from where I lay.

  Then chaos erupted again and the front door blasted open. Damon and Joe came in, guns drawn.

  “Don’t fucking move!” Beckett shouted. He had Henny on his stomach. Another shot rang out, and Henny’s left shoulder exploded with blood.

  Superman. Henny had called him Superman. In those next few seconds, it’s what he became. Beckett flew through the air, taking Damon out first. Joe looked bewildered, his aim flying wild. Beckett was up again, driving Joe into the wall. He disarmed them both and ordered them to their stomachs with their hands behind their head.

  “Goddammit!” Beckett shouted. Henny wasn’t moving. Blood spurted from the wound in his arm.

  Tommy’s hulking frame filled the doorway. He looked wild-eyed and scared until his gaze fell on me. I finally got to my feet.

  “You tell them if they fucking move I put a damn bullet in their brains! You tell them!”

  Tommy nodded, grim-faced. “You heard them,” he said to Joe and Damon.

  Beckett was everywhere, filling my senses. He pulled me to him, his body trembling with relief.

  “You okay? Did he hurt you?”

  I wanted to get my arms around him. I wanted to hold him forever. Again, Beckett moved with cat-quick reflexes. He brought me into the kitchen and got a knife from the block. He cut the zip ties binding my wrists. I fell into his arms.

  “I thought he was going to kill you,” I said, my voice cracking. “I thought …”

  “I’m so sorry. I should have seen it. I should have protected you.”

  “You did,” I said. He was kissing me. His lips were everywhere.

  “Is he dead?” I asked.

  Pain went through Beckett’s face. “I don’t think so,” he said. “But he needs help.”

  I nodded and smoothed the hair out of my eyes. “Okay. Then let’s get it for him.”

  Beckett went stone still. Then fire came into his eyes. He pressed his palm to my cheek. “If anything had happened to you ... If I’d lost you …”

  “You didn’t,” I said. “You won’t.” Still, I trembled in his arm.

  “Beckett,” I said, looking up at him. “What were you thinking? He could have shot you.”

  He smiled. “Well, I took a chance that wasn’t what Henny was really after. He expected me to come in here and run through things like we’ve been trained. I knew he’d be able to anticipate my moves if I did that. I did the one thing I knew he wouldn’t expect.”

  I hugged him close. “Superman.” He stiffened when I said it. He wouldn’t wear that kind of title lightly, nor the word hero either. He was just a man, after all. But he was mine.

  “I’m never letting you out of my sight again, woman,” he said and my heart soared.

  “Good.” I mustered a smile. I knew in another minute, the adrenaline might wear off and I’d probably hit the floor. For now though, I felt like I could fly. In Beckett’s strong arms, the world felt good and right. He kissed me again and I knew I’d never let him go.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Beckett

  Two Months Later …

  “God ... you’re torturing me.” Lila leaned far over, sliding a metal tray into the oven. It was the Fourth of July and she dressed the part. High-heeled red shoes with little straps around the ankles. She had navy-blue shorts that showed her ass as she bent over like that. She had a white top with puffy short sleeves and I had a plan to unbutton it in another minute.

  She straightened and wagged a finger at me. “Behave,” she said. She painted her lips siren red and curled her hair like some forties pin-up queen. In another hour, Lila’s Cakes and Coffee would reopen for business. She was scared. What if no one came?

  “Come here,” I said. I leaned against the counter. It was just the two of us. Arlene and Addy wouldn’t be here for another forty minutes or so. Just enough time.

  “Don’t give me that look,” she said, blushing.

  “Oh, I’m about to give you more than a look, baby.”

  I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t get enough of her. Not looking like that. Hell, any way she looked I wanted her.

  “Beckett!” She squealed with delight as I grabbed her. I slid my hands over her hips and went for the buttons in her shirt.

  “You’re on duty, Sheriff!” she gasped.

  “Not for another hour and a half,” I said, kissing my way up her neck. Her top tied in a bow a little below her breasts, showing her toned stomach. I got what she was going for. But I really didn’t want the rest of the town seeing her like this. It was tame, of course, by twenty-first-century standards, but Lila was damn gorgeous. And she was all mine.

  “I want you,” I said.

  She went on her tiptoes and kissed me. “You had me. Twice last night, if I remember.”

  “Mmmm. That was yesterday.” I already had her top undone. She feigned a protest but I could already feel the heat coming off her. I unfastened the zipper on the side of her shorts and slid them down.

  “Fuck,” I whispered. She wasn’t wearing any underwear.

  “Beckett!” she gasped as I lifted her on the counter and spread her thighs. The front door was locked, but that little hint of danger and the threat of discovery revved her engine that much more. That’s one of the things I liked most about this woman. She didn’t mind life on the edge.

  She tasted sweet as a ripe peach as I spread her wide and licked her. Lila arched her back, spreading her thighs as far as she could. She threaded her fingers through my hair as I worked my magic. I had her writhing and bucking for me on that countertop. She braced one palm against the edge of the butcher block.

  I brought her so close, loving the way she squirmed for me. I planned to do this well into the night this evening, no matter how tired we both were. I brought my tongue out of her and looked up at my angel. So damn beautiful. Her lips parted and she gave me that wicked smile.

  “Come here,” I said, helping her down. My Lila knew just what I needed. She reached for me, freeing my cock as she gently brought my zipper down. God, she looked so fucking sexy. Her blouse lay open, her bra hung loose where I’d undone the front clasp. Her shorts were in a heap on the floor. Her shoes were the only thing I’d left alone. I went for one nipple, swirling my tongue around it until it rose to a hard peak. Then I did the same to the other.

  Lila worked her fingers around my shaft, pumping up and down. She had me hard as steel, pulsing for her. I meant to drive her crazy with lust, but she’d done the same to me. Her sultry laugh nearly did me in. Then she turned; pressing her stomach flat against the butcher block, she gave me her sweet ass.

  I gave her a little spank that made her squeal again, but also got her juices flowing. My wicked little Lila. I was made for her, but she was made for me.

  “Beckett,” she whispered. “Hurry. I can’t hold out very long.”

  Neither could I. I gripped my cock and angled it toward her sweet opening. Lila spread her legs as I entered her. She was slick and ready, her walls squeezed around me. So tight. So perfect. All mine.

  It was just the two of us for now. My heart felt so full. Lila leaned far forward, taking me in all the way. I could never get enough of her. She was perfect. She was everything. She screamed my name as she came for me. It only took a few thrus
ts before I felt myself rising to join her.

  “God!” I cried. I saw stars this time as I spent myself inside of her. It wasn’t something we talked about, not out loud anyway. But two weeks ago, we stopped being careful. I’d never thought I’d want it. Never thought I’d be ready for it. Lila changed everything. I carried the secret hope that one day soon, my seed would take root.

  Lila came hard, her walls twitching as she dug her nails into the wood. I went up as high as I could, driving my cock in deep so she could take what she needed. Then I felt her go limp as she crested down. I leaned forward and kissed the back of her neck, loving the little goosebumps my touch made.

  I didn’t want to let her go, but the girls would be here soon. Lila put herself back together. Within five minutes, she looked perfect again.

  I took my seat at the counter out in the dining room. Smiling, Lila poured me a cup of coffee. We had just a few more minutes alone. I had planned to do this later, in the quiet of the evening. But something in Lila’s eyes made me braver than I’ve ever been.

  Maybe it was too soon. I’d only known her for a few months. None of that mattered though. I knew this was right.

  “What?” she said after she put the coffee pot back on the burner. She took my hand. Her eyes shone clear and bright.

  “Thank you,” I said. “In all the chaos, I don’t know if I ever really said that. Thank you for Henny.”

  She cocked her head but her smile hadn’t left her. It had taken some doing, but I’d worked out a deal with the prosecutor. Incredibly, Lila spoke on his behalf. I got Henny into a V.A. hospital near Abilene. Once his physical wounds healed, he’d go into a program. It might be years before he got out, if ever. But there, he would get the help he so desperately needed. I knew I may never fully be able to let go of the guilt I felt. With Lila’s love, it got so much easier to bear.

  “He’s your brother,” she said. “Or close enough to it. I mean, I was scared. Terrified. But I don’t know. I could see Henny’s pain. I wish I’d known him before.”