Edge of Reason (EDGE Security Series Book 2)

by Loye, Trish

  Now that was just sad. True, she’d been insanely busy with missions, but to be celibate for half a year? Maybe her mom was right—maybe she really did need to meet a man.

  She glanced at Rhys.

  Some other man. And she wasn’t going to sleep with Rhys just to satisfy some itch.

  Her inner voice protested that it wasn’t just an itch, but she ignored it.

  “So what are you going to show me?” Rhys said, startling her from her thoughts.

  She grabbed the distraction with both hands. “A movie,” she said brightly. “We need to laugh and relax. What better way than to watch a funny movie?”

  “Please tell me you’re not going to make me watch some romantic comedy.”

  “Not tonight,” she said. “Though I know you secretly wish you could.”

  He snorted.

  “Beer’s in the fridge. I’ll set up a selection of movies I have and you can pick.”

  She went to her laptop and brought up her movie file. “Okay, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Tropic Thunder, Galaxy Quest, or Bridesmaids.”

  Rhys came over and handed her a cold beer, the top already twisted off, and started to peruse her files. “You’ve got quite an eclectic taste in films, Valkyrie.”

  She shrugged, and unstrapped the holster that kept her backup Browning 9mm hidden at the small of her back, under her t-shirt. She placed it on her dining table and plopped onto her couch, leaving Rhys lots of space on the other side, and went through her takeout menus.

  “I’ve heard Bridesmaids is hilarious,” he said.

  “Let’s do it,” she said.

  They decided on Thai food and ordered too much, chatting about their favorite movies until the food showed. With open boxes of noodles and various stir-frys set up on her coffee table, they started the movie.

  The opening was an awkward five-minute-long sex scene where the woman was obviously not enjoying herself and trying very hard to. Rhys didn’t say a word. Cat looked over at him and his face had the same expression he’d had earlier on the street. The Brussels-sprout-in-his-beer look.

  She started to giggle.

  His gaze snapped to her, his eyes wide. Her giggles turned to outright laughter. And then he joined in, his laughter loose and loud. By the time the couple on the screen finished, Cat had tears running down her face from laughter.

  “Okay,” Rhys said. “I needed that. This might have been a good idea.”

  “When are you going to trust that I am full of good ideas?”

  “Woman, I’ve trusted you since I met you on that mountaintop and you told me to get my ass on your bird,” Rhys said.

  Cat smiled. “We work well together.”

  Rhys nodded. Without saying another word, they enjoyed their beers and the food, and watched the movie.

  When it was over, it was only ten o’clock. Too early to call it a night even though she was bone tired, because she knew she’d only toss and turn if she tried to sleep. She looked at Rhys and he seemed to be having the same thoughts.

  “Another one?” she asked.

  “It was definitely a two-movie mission,” he said.

  She tried to smile, but couldn’t. “Definitely.” She stood up and stretched. “But I’ve forgotten the best part.”

  Rhys’s eyebrows raised. “Really?” His eyes skimmed down her body, which heated under his gaze. “What would that be?”

  “Stop that,” Cat said with a smile. “Friends, remember?”

  “Fine,” he said, grumpily. “What’d you forget?”

  “Popcorn. I’ll be back.” Cat threw a package of popcorn in the microwave and then changed out of her jeans and into a loose comfy t-shirt and yoga pants. Definitely not something she’d ever wear in front of a guy she wanted to sleep with, but totally okay to wear in front of a friend. Zach had seen her in this same outfit many times. So Rhys could, too.

  She grabbed two blankets, as well. When she went back to the couch with the blankets and popcorn, Rhys had cleared their plates off the coffee table while she’d been gone, and now his feet rested on the table while his SIG Sauer P226 and holster lay on the floor near him. His eyes were closed.

  She watched him for a minute. His breathing was deep and even. She knew he could wake in an instant and this was only combat sleep, but he obviously needed it.

  And so did she, but dreams would come tonight and she didn’t want them. She needed more of a distraction before she’d find sleep.

  She carefully put the bowl down and then shook out one of the blankets. She draped it over Rhys, knowing it would wake him, so she spoke softly at the same time. “It’s just Cat, Rhys,” she said. “I’m covering you with a blanket. You’re safe. Go back to sleep.”

  He didn’t move, but his face relaxed and his breathing deepened. Good. She should probably kick him out, but she suspected he too wouldn’t be able to sleep on his own tonight.

  It’s not like anything was going to happen between them.

  She sat down on the couch, got cozy with her blanket and popcorn, and then took the remote. She glanced at Rhys.

  Yup, still sleeping. But was it a deep enough sleep?

  She decided it was and then started pressing the buttons on her remote that would bring up her guilty pleasure.

  She’d missed at least four episodes of The Bachelor, but she had them recorded. She loved the first episodes the best, when all the women were together in the house. Seeing all of them gossiping and fighting over one man was like a car crash she couldn’t not watch. This was something not even Zach or her family knew she watched.

  She pressed play.

  Five minutes into the show, Rhys spoke. “Tell me you’re not making me watch this.”

  Cat jumped. Rhys still lay in the same position with his eyes closed. She held back her laughter. “You’re not watching it. Your eyes are closed.”

  And with that she felt him relax. It wasn’t that she was touching him, but she could almost sense the energy radiating from him dim a bit. His muscles eased into the couch and she suspected he was really letting sleep take him now. Almost as if she’d given him permission to stay.

  And if she was honest with herself, she had.

  CHAPTER 15

  A click sounded in the silence. Rhys opened his eyes. Morning light snuck in past the blinds lighting the dim room. He’d turned the TV off at three in the morning, when an infomercial of some kind had woken him. Cat had been curled up asleep on the other end of the couch. He’d tucked the blanket in around her and then settled himself back to sleep. He’d spent the night in much worse places than a couch.

  Cat was no longer on the other end of the couch—she was draped over his chest. He could feel her soft breasts against his chest, and his hand lay on the curve of her hip. He turned his head to look down at her.

  Her brilliant blue eyes were open and staring at him. Desire stirred as he looked at her sleep-tousled hair and parted lips. His hand tightened on her hip.

  Another click. Someone was trying to get in the front door.

  Cat tensed, her sleepiness cast aside, her eyes wide and alert.

  “You expecting anyone?” he whispered by her ear.

  She shook her head no, even as she eased off him. She grabbed her gun from the dining table while he picked his up from the floor. They positioned themselves beside the door. Rhys put his weapon back in the holster, handed it to Cat, and readied himself to grab the guy. Cat still had her weapon trained on the door. She’d be his backup. Rhys raised his brows when he looked at Cat.

  She nodded back. Ready.

  They really did work well together.

  No more time to think. The handle turned and the door started to open. Rhys stepped forward, yanked the door open, and dragged the man standing there into the apartment. The man fought back, twisting in a way that let Rhys know he was a trained fighter. Rhys grunted when he took a powerful hit to his stomach. He blocked the next attack before striking the man hard on his chin and using the split second of the guy’s shock to
get behind him with an arm around his neck. He ducked his head to keep the man’s fingers out of his eyes and applied pressure. In seconds the guy would pass out.

  “Stop!” Cat yelled. “Rhys! Dylan! Both of you stop!”

  Rhys stepped out of the guy’s reach with his guard still up.

  “Cat?” the man said, slowly straightening from his fighting crouch. “Who is this nut job?” He stood a bit taller than six feet, with the same wheat-blond hair and brilliant blue eyes that Cat had.

  “Let me guess,” Rhys said. “Brother?”

  Cat nodded. “Older, but not wiser. This is Dylan.”

  Rhys stuck out his hand. “I’m Rhys.”

  Dylan took his hand and they played the not-so-subtle game of who could squeeze the hardest.

  “Nice to meet you, Rhys,” Dylan said with a grin and a last bone-crunching squeeze. If he hadn’t done the same thing back, his hand might have been sore. As it was, Dylan’s grin just got wider and he nodded. “That’s a helluva grip. Tell me you’re not a paper pusher like my sis?”

  Rhys snorted at the thought. “I work at E.D.G.E. Securities. I’m an account manager there,” Rhys said, sticking with his cover story. He took his weapon and holster back from Cat and strapped it on.

  “So.” Dylan looked at Cat’s gun, still in her hand, and then at Rhys’s. “What kind of clients do you have that you need to carry?”

  “Dylan,” Cat said, putting her weapon on the dining table, “what are you doing here?”

  “I’ve got a couple days leave and I thought I’d visit you,” he said. Even Rhys didn’t buy the innocent look on his face.

  Cat’s eyes narrowed and she stared hard at her brother. It looked like some kind of sibling telepathy was at play.

  “Did Mom put you up to this?”

  “I think I need to hear more about E.D.G.E.,” he said in response. “What did you say it stood for again?”

  Rhys stepped around Cat and moved into the tiny kitchen while the siblings avoided each other’s questions like two circling cats.

  He found a frying pan, eggs, mushrooms, peppers, and cheese. He started coffee and began chopping while he listened.

  “I already told you,” Cat said. “It’s a security company. Elite Digital and Global Enforcement.”

  “Really? Because I never did buy you leaving the military to join a security company to guard rich companies’ oil assets.”

  “You’re avoiding the question of why you’re here,” Cat said. She moved into the kitchen, grabbed another knife, and started slicing mushrooms. She and Rhys stood side by side and worked in tandem as if they’d been doing it for years.

  “Fine,” Dylan conceded. “Mom sent me. I am on leave, and she convinced me to come down here. I haven’t seen you in a year, so here I am. Mom wants to know who you’re dating and what he’s like. What would you like me to tell her?”

  “To mind her own business?” Cat muttered.

  Rhys laughed. Cat added the sliced mushrooms to the frying pan. He wondered how she was going to answer this question, especially since he was staying for breakfast. The smell of frying mushrooms and peppers made his stomach growl.

  Both men waited for Cat’s answer. “Tell her that I’m not dating anyone.” Cat looked at Rhys as if defying him to say something. “I’m not,” she said again.

  He nodded, knowing that’s what she’d say, but disappointment still ran through him. He turned back to the frying pan and added the eggs, no longer hungry.

  No one said anything until breakfast was ready. He slid eggs onto two plates and handed them to Cat and her brother.

  “You’re not staying?” Cat asked.

  He’d planned on it, but now he just wanted to go punch something. He shook his head. “I told Jake I’d meet him at the gym. I’ll just grab something there. You two enjoy.”

  He left before she could protest. He’d had enough of being her friend right now—he just needed a little space to make sure she stayed in that category.

  He made it to the street and zipped up his leather jacket against the brisk morning air. Striding down the street, he dialed one of his buddies from his old SEAL team. This was something he’d decided on last night, to wipe the shadows out of Cat’s eyes.

  “Scattalone,” he spoke into his cell. “I know it’s early, but I’ve got a favor to ask.”

  It was three hours earlier in San Diego than Montreal.

  “Damn, Rhys. It’s six a.m. on my day off,” Scat grumbled. “Fine. I’m up. What do you need?”

  “I need an off-the-books team for a mission.”

  “What and where?” Instantly, Scat’s voice lost all trace of grogginess. Rhys smiled. He knew his buddies would back him up on anything.

  “Northeast Nigeria. We’ve found some of those missing schoolgirls.”

  “E.D.G.E. found them?”

  “My team did. But we don’t have permission yet to go back. I’m afraid by the time we do, the girls will be gone.”

  “Give me the details and I’ll see who and what I can come up with.”

  Ten minutes later, Rhys got off the phone feeling confident that within days he and his old team would be tracking those girls down. He could get the call from Scat to go at any time, so he needed to enjoy this break with Cat while he could.

  Should he tell Cat of his plans? He knew she was more than capable of handling herself, but his team knew him. How would they handle a woman in their mix?

  He sighed. He had at least another day to make the call of whether to include Cat. Did he dare ask her to go against the rules? She could be discharged from E.D.G.E.—and even from the military. After just a few minutes of thought he realized he couldn’t ask her, not after she’d spent her career proving she belonged. He’d hate himself if this mission took that away from her.

  Even so, he knew she felt a duty to those girls.

  He called her number and she answered on the first ring. “Hey,” he said. “I was wondering if you wanted to get dinner tonight. I’ve got something we should talk about.”

  Her long hesitation made him speak again. “Just a dinner as friends. I promise,” he said.

  “Okay,” she said. “Text me the details.”

  He smiled at that. “Is your brother still there?”

  “Yes, and listening as hard as he can.”

  “Well, you pick the place since you know the city. How about seven?”

  “Good. I’ll see you then.”

  Rhys hung up and let his smile widen. He was going to get those girls out, and he would convince Cat to break some rules and come along.

  And maybe afterwards, he could convince her they should be a team outside of work, as well.

  Rhys went to the Combat Sports Gym near E.D.G.E. HQ with Jake later that morning. They sparred in the center ring after having lifted weights for a while.

  Rhys walked right into a strike Jake threw and grunted.

  Jake stepped back. “Lucky, your head isn’t in the game, and you’re gonna lose it if you don’t focus.”

  Rhys rolled his shoulders and then nodded. “Focused.”

  Jake stepped closer, and Rhys knew he’d lead with a punch. They’d been sparring together for years and Rhys knew how Jake fought. Jake had a bit more power, but Rhys had more speed and reach. It was usually an even match, but not today.

  After Rhys took a hit to the kidneys, Jake pulled back again.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  Rhys shook his head.

  “Mission failure?” Jake asked.

  “No. It was a success,” he said in a flat voice. He slid through the ring’s ropes and jumped to the floor.

  “Ah, one of those,” Jake said. “Wanna grab a drink later?”

  “Can’t. Got some things to take care of.” He didn’t want to tell Jake about what he’d planned. He hated to pull his buddy in on an off-the-books mission. Jake had found happiness with Dani, and Rhys didn’t want to screw that up by landing the guy in jail—or worse.

  Jake grabb
ed his arm. “Buddy, I know that look. What are you planning?”

  “Nothing, dude. I’ve just got things on my mind.”

  Jake stepped in front of him, blocking his way to the locker room. “You’re telling me what’s going on.”

  Rhys crossed his arms. Maybe he could divert Jake’s attention with a fight. “Who’s going to make me?”

  Jake rolled his eyes. “What are we, ten? Give it up, Lucky. You know you’re going to tell me eventually.”

  That was true, but Rhys would tell him after the mission was complete. “Look, man, I just don’t want to mess up what you’ve got going here.”

  All humor left Jake’s face. “This isn’t an E.D.G.E. op?”

  Rhys kept his face still, neither confirming nor denying.

  “Rhys, I’m your brother. Tell me. Because I swear to god if you go somewhere unsanctioned and get your ass killed, I will murder you myself.”

  Rhys looked away, thinking it through. He, Scat, and the guys could do this together–they were hardened SEALs. His old team could kick anyone’s ass.

  Not one of them was Jake, though. There was no one he trusted more in the thick of it. And Rhys knew that on a mission like this, to rescue those schoolgirls, he needed the best. He needed Jake. And even if he didn’t, there was no way in hell Jake was letting him out of this gym without getting the whole story.

  Rhys sighed. “I’m gonna go save some little girls,” he said finally.

  “Where?”

  “Nigeria. It’s not sanctioned. But Scattalone and Roddy are with me.”

  “It’s important?”

  Rhys nodded.

  “Then I’m in.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Cat left her brother at her apartment and went in to work. She decided to work out first and headed to the subbasement fitness level of E.D.G.E. HQ, where the Beast was. Marc and Zach were already there, lifting weights.