Page 17 of Edge of Danger

Extra time with Walker and extra money? Like she would ever turn that down.

“No problem. I’ll, um, keep my phone close by.” But when he called, she’d have to be sure not to stay on the phone long enough for the men hunting Robert to use it to find her.

“Thanks.” He granted her one wide, relieved smile before waving and turning toward his car. Her own smile stayed on her face long after he was gone, blood thawing even more.

THEREWASNOsuch thing as getting decent sleep in an alley. Even if the alley didn’t reek of urine and was fairly secluded. It was still dark without so much as a hint of light in the sky when Tessa’s phone rang. Adrenaline sent her bolt upright, her heart pounding hard enough to make her sick.

When she finally found her phone, it told her two things: it was two in the morning, and it was Brax who had awakened her from not-so-deep sleep.

“Hello?” She could barely push the word out of her mouth. If she didn’t get a grip, he might figure out something was wrong.

“Tessa, I’m so sorry to wake you up like this, but things just broke with this case, and we think we know where to find our guy. It’s something we all need to be there for. Can I come and pick you up at your place? I could drop you off at the office with Walker.”

“No, no, it’s okay. I’ll meet you at the office in fifteen minutes.” She put a hand over the phone when a car passed at the end of the alley.

“I’ll be there in five.”

She looked at the phone to confirm he’d already ended the call, ignoring all the messages from the diner wondering where she was.

She looked around in a panic before shoving her things into her bag: what was left of the bread and peanut butter and half a bottle of water. She couldn’t let him see her makeshift home.

It happened so fast. She only realized she’d lost her grip on her phone when the thing hit the ground hard enough to break the screen.

“No!” Hot, frustrated tears welled in her eyes. She couldn’t afford to be without a phone. How would Brax get ahold of her if he needed her?

She had barely reached the front door before he pulled up in front of the building.

He hurried around to open the back door and unstrap the car seat. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have no idea how much you’re helping,” he muttered. His arm brushed against her as he hustled to enter the code that unlocked the door.

“You have to do what you have to do.”

If he thought it was strange that she’d made it to the office so quickly, he didn’t mention it. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise. Thank you again for this.”

“You’re welcome.” She took the car seat with a sleeping Walker inside.

Before he ran out the door, Brax pressed a kiss against her forehead. He didn’t say anything, just left.

She reeled from the suddenness. And from how much she liked it. How could blood go from frozen to boiling so quickly?

She watched Brax peel away, staring into the darkness long after his taillights had faded. Mechanically, she turned out the lights, her head still spinning from Brax’s kiss. It was innocent. Pure. So why had it hit her like a freight train? Why did it linger? She could’ve sworn she still felt his lips against her skin.

It had been so long since she’d had adult human contact. Even something that simple and quick. Robert hadn’t exactly been big on affection or tenderness. Once he’d gotten her into bed there hadn’t been a reason to pretend to be romantic.

He had even taken away her son. She’d been alone for months. Without a friend, without anybody.

Now she had her Walker, and in a simple, friendly way, she had Brax. Things were looking up.

The footsteps rang out a moment before a face appeared at the front window.

Tessa strangled a gasp and eased into the shadows, praying Walker wouldn’t pick this moment to wake up. She studied the face she didn’t know. Didn’t want to know. It chilled her, those cold, hard eyes staring into the office.

Another man pushed him aside and tried to open the door. He pulled hard, but it didn’t budge. Thank goodness Brax had taken the time to lock them inside. Thank goodness she’d turned out the lights. Thank goodness Walker slumbered peacefully.

She plastered herself against the wall, pushing deeper into the shadows, holding her breath like the men outside might be able to hear. Who were they? Not friends of the Pattersons—she would’ve bet good money on that if she’d had more than eighteen cents left to her name.

“I followed the signal,” the one at the door growled. “You positive it died?”

“Yeah.” The man at the window nodded, throwing a filthy look inside the building like his frustration was the building’s fault. “Maybe there was something wrong with the equipment. Why would she be here in the middle of the night?”

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