Razor's Edge

by Shannon K. Butcher

  “I’m assuming you could.”

  He nodded, emptied his glass, and poured another. He waited for the burn to subside before he spoke. “They’re not identical to the Threshold Project, but close enough that I’m convinced.”

  “Convinced of what? Exactly?”

  “Norma Stynger is still alive.”

  “So you’re sure.”

  “Between Staite’s journal and the chemicals in Evans’s system, I think it foolish to ignore the obvious.”

  “Damn it, Payton! Haven’t we ruined enough lives? We haven’t even finished cleaning up our mess, and now someone else is adding to it.”

  “There’s more,” said Payton.

  “Hell,” spat Bob. “Might as well pile it all on. I won’t be sleeping for a week, anyway.”

  “It seems that Clay Marshall is degrading. Fast.”

  Bob scrubbed his face with his hands, suddenly seeming ten years older. “I had high hopes for that boy. He was such a fighter, even back then.”

  “I’m going to continue to monitor him, but the signs are bad.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” said Bob. “You shouldn’t have to deal with someone you’ve gotten so close to.”

  “No. He’s my responsibility. If he has to be stopped, I’ll be the one to do it. I owe him at least that much.”

  “Hell, we owe him more than that, but a quick, easy death before he can hurt someone he loves is all we have to offer, it seems.” He got up and poured himself another glass. “While we’re at it, I’ve got my own bad news to share. Adam Brink has disappeared, but not before he found another three people on the List and abducted them.”

  “Any idea where he took them?”

  Bob shook his head. He had more gray hair now than a year ago, but then, so did Payton. They were getting old. It was time for them to be retiring from this business to let the next generation take over and do a better job. But they’d screwed that up. The next generation had been their victim, and neither one of them could justify the selfishness of walking away. “None. He’s got to have resources. No one man could do what he does and leave no trace.”

  Weariness weighed down on Payton. He let out a long sigh, wishing he could take back his mistakes—at least the big ones. “We need to address the most immediate problems first. Starting with finding and eliminating Stynger.”

  “Don’t you have people searching for Staite?”

  “I do, but it’s not going well. And now there’s a body in a morgue in New Mexico that is going to raise a lot of questions.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “One of my men was questioning him when he just . . . died. Gage didn’t do anything to him.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Bob. “Things can get hairy in the heat of the moment.”

  “Not with Gage. That man is as calm and methodical as they come. He’s one of the few successes the Threshold Project had.”

  “So far. When they turn, they turn fast.”

  “You don’t have to remind me. I live with these people. I’m careful.”

  “So why are you worried about this body?”

  “Because if he has the drugs in his system that I think he will, it’s not going to take long for someone to connect the dots. The last thing we need is a multistate investigation. Media coverage. We don’t want to do anything to trigger the memories of the few that have been lucky enough to find normal lives.”

  “I agree. I’ll take care of getting the body.”

  “How?”

  “Let me worry about that. You need to figure out what you want me to with the body once I have it.”

  Payton was tempted to have him burn it, but who knows what they might be able to learn from it. “Bring it back. I’ll convince Dr. Vaughn to do an autopsy.”

  “Can you trust him?”

  “Her. She’s the only doctor I do trust. She owes me. She’ll do what I ask.”

  Norwood’s shoulder sagged. “We’re doing a shitty job, Payton. We’re too old for this. We need help.”

  “And just who would you like to ask for that help? Who can we trust not to handle things even worse than we have? At least we’ve protected some of them.”

  “It’s not enough. What if I told you I think we need a task force—a specialized unit that can fully devote itself to dealing with the shit storm we created?”

  “I’d say you’ve had too much to drink. Where the hell are we going to find people who can deal with the things we’ve done?”

  “Under your nose.”

  Payton stilled in the act of taking a drink. He stared at Bob for a long time, resisting the immediate knee-jerk reaction that had him rejecting the notion. “You mean the Edge.”

  “Yeah. I do. Many of them are ours, anyway. Why not contract them to find Stynger and bring her down along with anyone else she’s poisoned along the way?”

  “What about their memories? I’m trying to protect them—give them someplace, some chance at a normal life.” That was the only thing Payton had to offer many of the people he’d hurt. It seemed vicious and cruel to rip that away from them.

  “Their lives will never be normal. We saw to that. But what we can give them is a chance to set things right, to stop any more people from being hurt the way we hurt them.”

  Payton hated the idea. It was reasonable. Practical. But there was one part he just couldn’t stomach—one part that left him lying awake at night in a cold sweat. “We’ll have to tell them the truth.”

  Bob nodded, his face grim. “Fucking sucks, doesn’t it? Sloane will probably never speak to me again.”

  That was the least that would happen. Lives would be torn apart. There was no doubt in his mind that some of those who learned the truth would take their own lives. Especially if they remembered. “Sloane wasn’t a victim. You stopped that from happening. The others were.”

  “She won’t care. Nor should she. We fucked up big-time. Sooner or later, we’re going to have to own up to it.”

  “Publicly?”

  “No. That’s way too dangerous. Let the sleepers sleep. But the ones here, at the Edge—we’ll bring them in. Tell the truth. Take the heat.” He emptied his glass. “And then we’ll cut them loose to take some control over their lives.”

  Payton eyed his drink, his stomach twisting. “You mean vengeance.”

  Bob shrugged. “A little of that, too.”

  “We’ll be targets,” Payton pointed out. Part of him didn’t mind the idea. There was something comforting about the thought of letting go—of no longer keeping so many secrets. The weight on his shoulders would be gone. He’d be free.

  “We’ve always been targets. The sad truth is that we’re getting too old to dodge the bullets for much longer. Our mistakes can’t outlive us. We have to make this right before it’s too late.”

  The general was right. Payton hated it, but he knew it was true. It was time to own up to his mistakes and admit what he’d done to the people he’d grown to love despite his best efforts to remain emotionally distant.

  Payton pulled in a deep breath, but it did little to steady his nerves. “I’ll talk to Bella. Just give me a bit more time.”

  “We don’t have much left, Payton. You take too long and it’ll be too late.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Roxanne and Tanner had been waiting for two hours, and Clay still had not shown up. He wasn’t answering his cell phone, either.

  She was worried. “It’s not like Clay to be a no-show.”

  Tanner peered through a gap in the motel room curtains. “He’ll be here. Maybe he thought he was being followed and had to take a long way around.”

  She checked her phone for the thousandth time—no texts or voice mails from anyone. “How do you think it’s going for Reid and Gage?”

  “I imagine the police are having trouble getting much out of either of them. I’m sure we’ll hear from them soon.”

  “They’ll need a ride.”

  “Reid will call. Or he’ll rent a car. Don’t worry
about them.”

  She sprang from the bed and started pacing. “I have to do something. This waiting is killing me.”

  She hadn’t heard him cross the room. His hands settled on her shoulders, making her jump. She spun around, knocking his hands away. “Sorry. I’m a bit jumpy.”

  “It’s understandable. You’ve been through a lot these past few days.”

  “Not as much as Jake’s been through.”

  Her phone rang, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. It took her shaking fingers three tries to answer the call. “Hello?”

  “It’s Clay.”

  “Are you okay? Where are you?”

  “I’m fine. I’ll be there in a couple of hours.”

  “Hours? Where are you?”

  “I had to find a different ride. They were going to be looking for this one.”

  “Please tell me you didn’t steal a car.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay? That’s all you’re going to say?”

  “Listen, Razor. It’s been a shitty day, so can we just skip the lecture?”

  “Sorry. Just get here as soon as you can.”

  “I will. And you’ll be glad to know I think I have an idea of how we can find these fuckers.”

  “Really? How?”

  “Not on the phone. I think I covered all my bases, but I’m not taking any chances. They could hear me.”

  Roxanne had no idea what to say to that. “Uh. Okay. I guess we’ll see you soon, then?”

  “Two hours. If I’m not there by then, then I was wrong.” He hung up, leaving her wondering what in heaven’s name he meant.

  Tanner watched her as she hung up the phone with shaking fingers. His gaze was intent. “Well?”

  “Clay is fine. He should be here in two hours. He said he might have a way of finding the people who took Jake.”

  “How?”

  “He didn’t say. He was worried they might hear him.”

  “He thinks our phones are tapped?”

  She shrugged, and sore muscles screamed in protest. Her head still throbbed, but it was localized now to the spot she’d hit, rather than a pounding through her whole skull. “Maybe. We should assume they are.”

  Tanner nodded as he pulled out his phone. “I’ll text Reid and warn him.”

  His fingers flew over the buttons, more nimble than they should have been, given the size of his hands. She watched the movement, remembering just how those fingers had felt on her skin, pinching her nipples and sliding between her thighs.

  Her body warmed, and some of the shivers faded, leaving her feeling stronger and less fragile.

  He tucked his phone in his pocket, unaware that she’d been watching him.

  “You look tired. Maybe you should try to get some rest.” His concern for her was genuine, shining in his blue eyes as the lines around them deepened.

  Just seeing him eased some of the tension behind her eyes. He was so strong and solid. She knew deep down that if she fell, he’d be right there to catch her. It had been a long time since she’d put that much faith in anyone—since she was a kid. She wasn’t sure she wanted to trust him quite that much. The last time she had, she’d been betrayed by the people who were supposed to love her the most.

  “I am tired, but I can’t sleep,” she said.

  He nodded in understanding and slid his hand over her hair. His touch lingered at her neck, his fingers stroking her bare skin.

  Her whole body responded to his touch, lighting up like Christmas. Exhaustion faded, and worry dissolved more with every second. She loved how he could do that to her—how he could make the rest of the world disappear with so little effort.

  “Just lie down. Give your body time to rest. I promise it’ll make you feel better.”

  She knew what would make her feel better, and as thinly stretched as she was—as important as it was for her to hold it together—she wasn’t above using Tanner to get it.

  Roxanne stepped closer until their bodies were touching from knees to chest. His heat sank through her clothes, making warmth pool in her blood. He tensed but didn’t back away. His jaw bulged, his lips tightened, and his eyes scrunched closed.

  “Roxanne.” She couldn’t tell if he’d meant her name as a warning or a plea.

  She dragged the pad of her thumb over his bottom lip, hoping to relax him. His lips parted, and a low groan of need vibrated against her breasts. He grabbed her wrist and stared down at her with an expression she’d never seen before. There was a fierce, almost predatory challenge in his eyes, while at the same time, he seemed uncertain.

  “We can’t do this,” he whispered.

  “I think we proved before that we can. Quite well.”

  His nostrils flared, and he sucked in a deep breath. “You’re injured. We’re risking our jobs.”

  “I’m fine, and no one has to know.”

  “Reid will know. He always knows.”

  “He already caught us. If he’s going to tell Bella, then there’s nothing we can do to stop him. We may as well enjoy ourselves before the ax falls.”

  He closed his eyes as if to gather his self-control. “You were hurt today. As much as I want you, I can’t be the kind of asshole who would risk hurting you more.”

  She wanted him. He wanted her, too. She could see it in the way his muscles clenched and the stain of lust darkening his cheeks. She could smell his heated skin. His fears were unfounded, and right now, she needed his touch to distract her from the waiting and the danger that Jake faced with every passing minute. Two hours of fear felt like a lifetime, but two hours in Tanner’s arms would pass in a heartbeat of pleasure.

  Rather than give up, she pressed a kiss against his neck and felt the cords there tighten. “I think you should kiss me and make me better.”

  His chest rumbled, and his hands gripped her hips, tugging her forward. She felt his erection against her abdomen, and her body melted, becoming soft and hot. The need to have him inside her again swelled, shoving out all else.

  Roxanne slid her hands to his waistband and tugged the button free. Tanner grabbed her hands, holding them captive. He stared down at her for a long moment, his eyes roaming her face. “Promise me you’ll tell me if I hurt you.”

  “You won’t.”

  “Promise me, or I walk out that door right now and wait outside.”

  “I promise.” She’d say anything to have him.

  He lowered his head and kissed her, his lips barely grazing hers. It wasn’t enough. She wanted more—all of him.

  She flicked her tongue out, tasting his mouth. He went still, except for a fine vibration that radiated out from his clenched muscles.

  Roxanne slipped one of her hands free and pulled his head down, gripping his neck tightly so he wouldn’t pull away. She took her time kissing him, delving inside his mouth to taste him. Slowly, he gave in, yielding to her onslaught.

  She felt every shift as he lost the battle with himself. First, his breathing sped, and she could feel the hard pounding of his heartbeat against her breasts. Then, his muscles unclenched, and a sinuous power took over. His arms snaked around her body, caressing her as they went. He held her against him and leaned her back so he could control the kiss.

  With anyone else, she would have worried she’d fall, but this was Tanner. He was rock solid and as steady as they came. She’d trust him with her life.

  Roxanne’s head spun. She couldn’t get enough oxygen. Her heart was beating hard, and her whole body was alive and tingling. Sweat beaded on her skin in a futile effort to cool her down. Everywhere Tanner’s hands passed, they left shivers in their wake.

  She gripped his shoulders to try to steady herself, but he didn’t give her time. His big, hot hands slid under her shirt, lifting it. She didn’t even stop to think; she simply lifted her arms, letting him strip the garment off over her head.

  His eyes darkened as he stared down at her. He traced one finger along the lacy edge of her bra, following the curve of her breast.

  Her n
ipples hardened, and her breasts seemed to swell. Her bra became too tight, the fabric too rough. She needed his hands on her, his lips. She’d never been with a man who made her body sing with only his mouth the way Tanner did.

  She unfastened her bra and flung it aside, then shoved his shirt up so she could rub herself against his bare chest. Tanner took the hint and stripped out of his shirt.

  He was glorious. Hard, mouthwatering contours tempted her fingers to touch. She pressed her palms against him and closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of his body. No other man had ever turned her on like this with just the sight of him, but as breathtaking as he looked, the man inside was even more beautiful. He cared more for her comfort than his own pleasure. He worried about her. He’d risked his life for hers more than once. Maybe it was all part of the job for him, but the combination of kick-ass warrior and gentle protector was getting to her, tearing down defenses she hadn’t even known were there.

  She could love a man like him if she let herself. It wouldn’t even be a long fall. The question was, would Tanner fall with her, or was what they had limited to the here and now?

  Those thoughts were too heavy for her to deal with right now. She was already stretched thin, to the point of snapping in two. Any more pressure, and even the hope of something good would be destroyed.

  She couldn’t let that happen. She had to take what he was willing to offer and not be greedy. Men like Tanner came along only once in a lifetime, and she was going to enjoy him while she could.

  Roxanne kissed him while her fingers played over his chest and abs. Her hands skimmed his rigid contours, sliding down until his jeans barred her path.

  That simply wasn’t going to do. She wanted all of him—as much as she could get.

  She sank to her knees, drawing his zipper down as she went. He towered over her, his chest pumping with each fast breath, his jaw tight. His eyes held hers as she peeled his clothes down and stroked him with her tongue.

  His whole body went tight as if she’d sent an electric current up his spine. He sucked in a deep breath and threw his head back.