Razor's Edge

by Shannon K. Butcher

  The man had a syringe in his hand and was about to inject Roxanne.

  The urge to shoot was nearly uncontrollable. It would have been so easy to lift his weapon and fire. But there were other people sleeping here, and the walls were way too thin.

  “Stop or I will shoot,” he ordered, aiming his gun for the man’s back. He stepped to the right, angling himself so that any stray bullets would go into the exterior wall and not into the room where someone was sleeping.

  The man froze and lifted the hand holding the syringe. Tanner followed the movement, but in doing so, he hadn’t seen the intruder’s intent until too late.

  The man slung Razor around, whipping her up against his front as a shield. Her legs were pinned against the bed, her back bent at an extreme angle. She let out a cry of pain.

  “Put the gun down or I kill her,” whispered the man.

  During the commotion, he’d pulled a gun and had it shoved against Razor’s ribs. His other arm was around her throat, cutting off her air as he backed away toward the exit.

  Her face became redder as the seconds ticked by. Her legs thrashed, and she pried at his arm with her hands, trying to free herself.

  Beneath the man’s mask, his dark eyes were flat and emotionless. His hands didn’t shake. His voice didn’t waver.

  This man was a professional.

  There were only a few feet separating them. If he could take the man off guard, Tanner could rush him and free Razor.

  He set his gun on the floor and met her gaze, hoping she’d see his intent. He moved to stand up again, but halfway through the motion, he pounced, using his legs to propel him forward into the attacker. At the same time, Razor elbowed the man’s hand holding the gun, shoving the barrel toward his body. The advantage only lasted for a second, but it was long enough to tackle both of them to the ground.

  The man hit hard, letting out a whoosh of air. Tanner slammed his fist into the man’s temple, but it didn’t even stun him.

  The gun came up. Tanner grabbed for it. He recognized the model. The safety was on the side, accessible. With one quick movement, he flipped it on to keep the weapon from firing. The man’s other arm was pinned down by Roxanne, who was gasping for her first gulps of air even as she bashed the man’s ribs with her elbow.

  The intruder was strong—stronger than anyone Tanner could ever remember fighting. Even using two hands against his one, the man wasn’t having much trouble controlling the weapon.

  He aimed it at Tanner’s head and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.

  A second later, Tanner felt himself flying across the room until he came to a sudden, painful stop against the dresser. Razor had regained her footing and executed a graceful spinning kick right into the man’s hand.

  The gun skidded across the floor, and from the angle of his fingers, Tanner was sure Razor had broken at least one of them.

  Tanner picked up his weapon, but before he could aim, the man scooped up the syringe he dropped, darted out the door, and leaped over the balcony railing.

  Someone knocked on the door. “Is everything all right in there?” came the elderly Mrs. Hall’s voice.

  Tanner ignored the woman and raced to the balcony to see if the man had survived. Not only had he lived through the long fall, but he was on his feet, running. The urge to rush after him was a pounding, hot compulsion. Only his concern for Razor held him back.

  He shut and locked the door.

  “We’re fine,” called Razor. Her voice was weak and strained, and she was out of breath. “Sorry to be so loud. We got carried away.”

  “Oh,” said Mrs. Hall, immediately repeating the word in a tone of deeper understanding. “Oh. Sorry to interrupt. You two lovebirds keep it down, okay?”

  “We will.”

  It had been a long time since Roxanne had been so afraid. She was used to being able to take care of herself, but from the moment that man’s hands touched her, she knew she was outmatched.

  He’d been incredibly strong, controlling her body easily, pinning her in place. She had no idea who he was, but she had a pretty good guess about what he wanted.

  Jake’s journal.

  Tanner crouched in front of Roxanne. Propped against the bed, she was sitting on the floor, rubbing her throat in an effort to ease the ache. Her back wasn’t much better, but she didn’t think it was more than pulled muscles.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She nodded, wincing at the movement. “Yeah. Just bruised, I think.”

  “Let me see.”

  He flipped on the light and brushed her hair back from her throat. He pressed gently, probing the area to check for more serious injuries.

  “These men keep going for my throat.”

  “As lovely as it is, I wish they’d pick a different, less delicate target.” Restrained anger filled his voice, but his hands were gentle.

  The feel of his fingers on her skin eased some of the quaking inside her, and calmed her nerves. She focused on his face, the way his jaw was clenched and his brow was lowered in concentration and concern. His blue eyes were intent, but there was fury lurking there, just below the surface.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t go after him,” she said.

  “I couldn’t leave you. Throat injuries can be serious. If there’s any swelling, it could cut off your air supply.”

  “It’s not that bad. I’ll be sore tomorrow, but thanks to you, I’m still alive.”

  “He didn’t want to kill you,” said Tanner. “At least not here. He was getting ready to drug you with something when I came in—probably to keep you quiet so he could transport you.”

  The idea of being unconscious in that man’s hands was more than she could take right now, so she forced herself to think of something else, such as the way Tanner kept stroking her arm as if to reassure her.

  His fingers were warm. She hadn’t realized how chilled she was until now. The frenzy of adrenaline was wearing off, leaving her feeling weak and deflated. The urge to lean forward and put herself in Tanner’s arms was almost uncontrollable. She held back only because there was no time for such luxury. They had to get moving.

  “Why didn’t you tell Mrs. Hall to call the police?” asked Tanner.

  “Because they’re the only ones who know we’re here. I didn’t pay with a credit card. We didn’t tell anyone where we were. The police are the only ones who know, so someone there must have told the wrong people.”

  “You’ve been followed before. It could be that they found you here. It’s not necessarily dirty cops.”

  She shrugged, regretting the movement instantly. A deep ache knotted along her spine where she’d been bent too far. “Who knows? I’m not willing to accuse them of anything, but I don’t trust them, either. We need to do this on our own.”

  “Do what?”

  “Find the man who was in here tonight. Or at least find out where he came from. He’ll lead us to Jake.”

  “That’s insane. The only reason we’re still alive is because he decided to leave us that way. We need to get out of here before he comes back.”

  “And we will. I’m in no shape for a manhunt right now. We need to find a place to hole up for a few hours.”

  “You need to go see a doctor.”

  “After what happened at the clinic today, that sounds like the worst idea ever.”

  He gritted his teeth so hard she swore she could hear the noise. “We’re in over our heads. Whatever is going on with Jake is bigger than either of us thought. If we go in after him—assuming we can even find him—we’ll get killed. Or worse.”

  Many of the things that fell into that “worse” category had crossed her mind when she’d been pinned facedown on the bed. She was still too close to the trauma to flippantly deny his words. “We need time to think. Let’s leave here and find a safe place to stay while we figure out a plan.”

  He nodded. “I’d rather take you to a hospital.”

  “I’m fine. Really. I’ve been through worse than this.�
��

  His gaze shot to hers, and she realized she’d said too much. “When?”

  She didn’t want to talk about that time of her life. It was over, and she wanted it to stay buried in the past.

  Of course, she wasn’t wearing her watch or a bracelet, and if he saw the scars, he might start asking uncomfortable questions.

  Roxanne crossed her arms to hide the scars. “It was a long time ago, and I’m not going to talk about it. Now, go grab your stuff, and let’s get out of this place.”

  Ten minutes later, they left, heading straight for the highway. It was late enough that there was hardly any traffic on the roads except for truckers.

  Tanner darted around them, heading east as fast as his truck would go.

  Roxanne kept watch behind them, but saw nothing. Not that it meant anything. Whoever these people were, they’d found her before. They could find her again.

  Until this was over, she wasn’t trusting anyone except Tanner.

  Fifty miles later, he pulled off and found a motel out of sight of the highway.

  He came to a stop outside the front doors and turned in his seat. His shoulders were squared as if he expected a fight. “I’m only getting one room. I won’t leave you alone again.”

  She dug in her purse and got out some cash. “You let me pay for it, and we have a deal.”

  “You can’t go in. They’ll call the cops, thinking I beat you up.” He took the cash and reached behind him to retrieve his gun. He set it on the seat between them. “I won’t be long. I’ll be able to see you through the window the whole time.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “You almost weren’t.”

  “But I am. Now please go get our room so I can wash the feel of that asshole’s hands off me.”

  He nodded and got out of the car, his long legs covering the distance in seconds. He glanced back over his shoulder. Roxanne waved him on.

  His concern was comforting to her. It had been a long time since anyone had cared enough about her to worry quite so much. Granted, it had also been a long time since she’d been in trouble this deep, but she truly believed that Kurt would have ditched her at the first sign of danger. He just wasn’t cut out for battle the same way that Tanner was.

  Then again, there were a lot of areas in which Tanner blew Kurt out of the water. He was far better-looking. And while Kurt had kept in shape, that shape was nothing like Tanner’s hard, sculpted body. In addition, Kurt had never been as aware of her as Tanner was. Kurt was more worried about what was happening in his own shallow world to take the time to care about someone else’s.

  Sure, Tanner had been assigned to babysit her, but she had the feeling that he would have done so even without Bella’s request. He just didn’t seem the type to walk away, as evidenced by his vigilant stubbornness to stay by her side.

  He came out through the lobby doors, spine straight, shoulders back, walking with the kind of determination that screamed he was on a mission. She’d known confident men in her life, but never one who had the ability to impart that confidence on everyone around him. Just looking at him walk, she felt safer, more sure that they’d find Jake. It was like a magic trick, but one she so desperately needed right now.

  He got into the truck and started the engine.

  “There’s magic in your walk,” she told him.

  He gave her a skeptical look. “In my . . . walk? I didn’t think you’d hit your head.”

  She smiled and it felt good. Fear drained from her system, giving her room to breathe. “I didn’t. I was just thinking that the men you worked with had to have been sorry to see you leave the military.”

  He shrugged. “Some of them, I suppose.”

  “Modesty?”

  He backed into a parking spot in case they needed to make a speedy exit. “That’s not exactly the kind of thing a man asks another man, you know? It’s best not to think about it.”

  “Ah. A man who knows how to live in the moment.”

  “A man who knows how to deal with the situation at hand and not sweat the rest. So how about we get you settled and get an ice pack on your neck.”

  They got out of the truck, and after having sat for an hour, her back had tightened up to the point that standing hurt. “My back could use the ice more.”

  He grabbed their bags out of the back and took her arm to help her walk. And while she didn’t need the help, his touch was nice.

  Tanner unlocked the door and tossed their bags on the floor. “Lie down. I’ll grab some ice and be right back.”

  Roxanne waited until he left before she dared to sit. She didn’t want him to see her in pain. He was already worried enough.

  He came back moments later with the bag from the ice bucket filled and tied. He wrapped it in a towel and said, “Where do you want it?”

  “Between my shoulder blades. I think he pulled something when he jerked me around.”

  “I’m sorry. That was my fault. I pulled a gun on him and gave him no choice.”

  “He could have not broken into my room. I’d say that makes everything that happened after that his fault.”

  She rolled over slowly, but the second her face was pressed against the bed, a fast, angry panic exploded in her gut. Her heart jumped around in her chest, and her breathing became panting. Sweat formed across her skin, and all she could think about was getting off this bed—fast.

  That man had been about to inject her with something. Who knew what he would have done to her after that? So soon after the ordeal, she couldn’t just shrug it off, as stupid as it was.

  Roxanne flipped over, making her muscles scream in protest. Her stomach heaved, and she sat up to keep from vomiting.

  “Easy,” said Tanner. He was holding her arms, helping her move.

  “Sorry. I can’t lie that way.”

  “Sure. No problem.” There was no judgment in his voice, no condemnation for being silly. “I’ll just hold the ice pack on, okay?”

  She gave him an unsteady nod and took deep breaths to quiet her rioting stomach.

  He sat in silence as the chill of the ice sank through her shirt. It felt good, especially on her overheated skin. The air of the motel room was stuffy and warm, as if the room had been closed for too long.

  As the seconds ticked by, she began to feel more and more awkward. The rush of fear had worn off, leaving only the embarrassment of her irrational reaction. “You don’t need to hold it. I’ll lean against the headboard or something.”

  “If that’s what you want. Let me grab the pillows from the other bed.”

  He fluffed and arranged until she was propped comfortably with the ice pack in the right place.

  The silence was not her friend right now. Too much had happened, and her mind kept going over the gruesome details again and again: the dead doctor; the bleeding nurse; the deranged man who’d attacked her in Dallas; and now another attacker in New Mexico. If whoever had Jake was going to so much trouble to find her and get the journal back, there was no telling what they were doing to him. Would they punish him for the trouble he caused, or had they already killed him for the crime?

  She had to find him soon, before it was too late, assuming it wasn’t already.

  Roxanne cleared her throat, but her voice was still rougher than normal. “I suppose now would be as good a time as any to figure out our next move.”

  “I’m glad you think so. I have definite opinions on the matter.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s your plan?”

  “You go back to Dallas. We get the authorities involved. We call in favors or offer to return them in exchange for help.”

  His lack of confidence in her stung. “First, you can go back to Dallas anytime you want. Second, we’ve seen how much help the authorities have been. Third, the people who owe me favors can get me into the most exclusive country clubs, but they’re not good for much else.”

  “What about Bella? Or Payton? He’s been around long enough to rack up a few favors.”

  “Payton r
uns in the same circles my parents did. He’s useless.”

  “He didn’t seem useless to me.”

  “Wait until you get to know him. He has money. He’s good with numbers. But I wouldn’t trust him to find Jake when I’m much more capable of doing so myself.”

  “We’re outclassed, Roxanne. If we don’t admit that to ourselves, we’re going to get killed, and if I do that, my brother will never forgive me.”

  “I suppose we could ask Reid to help. He’s a decent guy.”

  Tanner muttered something under his breath she couldn’t hear. “He’s not enough.”

  “Okay, so maybe we ask a couple of the guys to come out and lend a hand. But we’re not going to the police or the feds. I don’t know who I can trust except you.”

  The anger in his face relaxed, and he sat down next to her on the bed. “Glad to hear I’m on the list.”

  “You should be glad. It’s a short one. I’m a very exclusive kind of woman.”

  A smile flickered across his mouth. “I do have ideas that might work if we have help.”

  “Like what?”

  “We could send them to Dry Valley and have them ask the questions we can’t. We see if anyone else has seen your stalker, or the woman who sent you that e-mail warning, or Jake. Someone might know which way he went if he did pass through.”

  “It’s worth a shot. I’ll call the Edge first thing in the morning and see who’s available.”

  He nodded his acceptance. “How’s your back?”

  “Cold. A little sore, but not bad. I’ll get a hot shower in a few minutes and see if that helps.”

  Tanner smoothed her hair away from her neck. His fingers lightly traced the marks left behind.

  A shiver that had nothing to do with the ice pack eased along her spine. He saw it, and his eyes darkened with a knowing look.

  She hadn’t had a shiver like that over a man in a long, long time—not since she’d been young and foolish and had fallen easily for a man. She hadn’t known he’d only loved her money. At eighteen, she’d had no real defenses against men like that. She’d come a long way in the last ten years, and now she knew when a man was looking at her, and when he was drooling over her net worth.