Page 36 of Edge of Danger

“Hey.” Brax joined them a moment later, looking between the women like he was trying to decide if everything was okay. “How’s it going in here?”

“Oh, you know. Just chatting while Walker does his darndest to understand what we’re saying.” Sheila beamed at Walker, who waved his fists.

Brax touched Tessa’s back. “We’d better get moving.”

Sheila sighed. “I was fixing dinner for you!”

“Sorry. I need to talk to the others about what happened this morning and I have to pick up my car. Chance would probably like his Jeep back at some point.” He looked to Tessa with a sheepish shrug. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t owe me an apology.” They got Walker’s things together and said goodbye to the Pattersons.

“I expect to see you both again, and soon.” Sheila hugged Tessa before letting her out the door, then kissed Walker’s chubby cheeks. “I could just eat him up.”

“Not if I do it first.” They laughed together before Tessa followed Brax to the Jeep.

Inside the Jeep was a different story. There was no laughter.

In fact, Brax looked downright murderous. “I have to tell you something I should’ve told you way before now. I never imagined it would seep into my personal life.”

“What is it?”

“I’m testifying in a few days against the Riviera cartel. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of them.”

“I’d have to be living under a rock to never hear the name.”

“Yeah, well, it looks like they already put one of the two witnesses out of commission. I don’t know whether the heart attack he had was natural or induced. Either way, it looks like they’re coming after me now. I was so confident they didn’t know who I was, but what other explanation is there?”

Silence hung heavy between them as Tessa struggled to process this. “You...think what happened this morning was related to the cartel trouble?”

“They found my car. Why else would they be looking for it? That’s why I wanted to let you go. I didn’t want you to suffer over this again. You’ve been through enough because of me.”

On one hand, her heart swelled at the thought of him caring that much about her. Wanting to keep her out of harm’s way.

On the other hand, she just about wanted to melt away under the weight of her guilt. He thought he was the reason she was being stalked.

Sheila’s comment about the burden of secrets rang out in Tessa’s memory. That was no random piece of wisdom—she’d known it at the time too. Sheila Patterson was a mother through and through, dropping little bits of advice without coming right out with the unvarnished facts.

There was nothing left to do but tell the truth. She owed it to Brax.

She owed it to her son.

What if he takes Walker away?The question made her shiver. The fact was, unless they played it safe from now on, one of the goons looking for Robert might kidnap Walker to get to him. More than likely Robert wouldn’t care. He’d be too concerned about his own life to worry about his son’s.

But those creeps wouldn’t know that, would they?

Walker’s safety meant more than anything.

So much, in fact, that Tessa cleared her throat. “There’s something you need to know. I should’ve told you from the beginning, but I was too afraid.”

“Afraid? Of what?” He didn’t sound surprised, she noticed. He’d always treated her like he was waiting for her to come clean about something or other. Like he would accept her explanations even if he didn’t actually believe them.

The phone rang before she could continue. Brax touched a button on the steering wheel to answer. “Hello?”

“It’s Weston.” He didn’t sound happy. “Is Tessa with you?”

“Yeah, she’s right here.” Brax glanced her way.

She couldn’t breathe.

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