Edge of Danger (San Antonio Security #2)

Chapter Nineteen

A police radio squawked. Tessa jumped at the sound. Her heart lodged in her throat. Her arms shook so hard she was afraid she might drop the baby.

She would break into a million pieces soon. All it would take would be one more thing. One more menacing face in the dark. One more emergency. One more panicked run at nighttime. It would destroy her.

Then there were the questions. The what-ifs. When she wasn’t jumping at the slightest sound, she asked herself what could have happened.

If they hadn’t been downstairs when the bomb had come through the window. If it had shattered on impact with the floor. If they’d gone out the wrong door and one of those men had cut them off. If Walker had cried out while they were hiding in the trees.

If, if, if. An endless string of them, stretching into infinity.

She’d lose her mind if this didn’t stop. There was another what-if. What if this never stopped and she ended up losing what was left of her sanity?

No.

Some people had the luxury of falling apart when life threw them curveballs. Some people didn’t have a baby depending on them.

She nuzzled Walker’s head, tucking it protectively under her chin, and marveled at his ability to sleep through so many things. A blessing, considering he’d fallen asleep while they’d been hiding. “Thank you, sweetheart,” she whispered before kissing him.

Who had tried to kill them? Robert’s enemies or Brax’s? More than likely something so vicious would have come from the cartel, but there was no way to tell.

Did it matter? If they’d died, would it have mattered who had killed them? The result would’ve been the same.

A slight touch on her shoulder made her jump again.

“Sorry.” Brax held up his hands, coming around in front of her. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

A stunned little laugh bubbled up from her chest. “You’re the least of my worries.”

“Understood.” His brows drew together. “Come on. Weston’s going to get you two to a safe house. You’ll be fine there.”

Fine. As if anything could be fine. She almost laughed again, but the little bit of self-possession she still had told her it wouldn’t be a good idea.

He walked her to Weston’s car and opened the passenger side door for her to sit inside while Luke set up the car seat in the back. When Brax reached for Walker, she only held on tighter.

Brax’s face fell, which was what got through to her. Knowing her reaction had hurt him. He had never done anything to hurt her or the baby. He didn’t deserve this.

She extended her arms and held Walker out to him. Brax took the baby and fastened him into his car seat. He would be safe. Her son would be safe. Even if she still felt like she was going to fall apart.

The impulse to scurry over the center console, get behind the wheel, and tear off into the night with her son was so strong she almost couldn’t resist it.

All that mattered was keeping him safe. She had to keep him safe. His life meant more than hers—after all, what had she ever done that was worth anything?

Giving birth to Walker had been the only worthwhile thing she’d ever done. He was her one good thing. And she’d come so close to losing him. Again.

She studied Brax’s face as he looked down at her from outside the car. He had that look in his eyes. That sad, fallen sort of look like when she’d held Walker away from him. Brax hated this as much as she did. Maybe more, since he felt responsible. Nobody had to tell her that. She just knew.

He crouched beside the vehicle. “It’s going to be okay, I swear. Once we get you and Walker to the safe house, there won’t be anything to worry about.”

His hand covered hers. “You’re not in this alone. I’m going to keep you both safe. I swear on my life, Tessa. Nothing matters more to me than you and Walker. You’re my priority, and I intend to make your safety my life’s mission. Do you understand?”

The conviction in his words shook her to her core. The strength in his voice. His confidence. A man with a mission was a powerful thing.

And he had the power to make her believe him.

She turned her hand upside down so they were palm-to-palm and laced her fingers with his. “Yes. I do.”

“Good.” He cupped her cheek with his free hand and sealed his promise with a kiss that soothed her aching heart.

“Let’s roll.” Weston slid behind the wheel. “Meet you there.”

Brax gave his brother a nod, stood and looked at her one more time before closing the door. He lifted his hand in a wave before backing away.

“Don’t worry. We’ll split up on the way, just in case anybody’s watching—which they aren’t, but we can’t be too careful.” Weston stole a glance her way and cleared his throat. “Why don’t you get some rest while we drive?”

“Where are we going? I mean, exactly where. Don’t take it personally, I’m curious.”

“I don’t blame you. You have the right to be curious about where we’re placing you for the time being. It’s an apartment on the north side of San Antonio.”

“Okay.”

He eyed her. “Seriously. You look like you’re ready to fall over.”

“I didn’t get any sleep tonight, even before this whole nightmare started.”

“Then by all means.” He gave her knee a gentle pat. “Rest while you can. Something tells me that come morning, your little guy isn’t going to care very much what went on tonight.”

He made a good point. Walker couldn’t exactly tell time.

She’d close her eyes for just a minute...

“Tessa? We’re here.”

Her eyes snapped open. Not a second had passed.

Or hadn’t it? Because they were in a parking garage now. “Wow. I dropped right off.”

“You needed it. Come on. Brax texted a few minutes ago. He’s already inside.” Weston helped with the car seat, and Tessa was all too happy to follow him into the apartment building.

“It’s not the biggest or fanciest,” Weston offered as he unlocked the door. Like he was apologizing in advance.

If she hadn’t been half-dead from exhaustion, she might’ve told him this apartment was at least three times the size of the one she’d left in Eagle Pass. Furnished better too.

Brax was waiting, just like his brother had promised. He pulled her in for a hug. “You’ll be safe here. I promise.”

“I’m going to head out.” Weston placed the car seat on the coffee table. “You have everything under control?”

“Sure.” Brax shook his hand.

“Thank you,” Tessa whispered. Weston touched two fingers to his temple in a quick salute before leaving them alone.

She turned to Brax with a heavy sigh. “Alone at last.”

He offered a brief smile. “I hate to say it, but I’m going to have to leave you too.”

“Really? Already?” Except a look over his shoulder told her it was close to dawn. It had been a long night.

“I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

She should let him go. She knew she should.

That didn’t make it any easier to release the hold she had on his shirt.

“Tessa.” He touched her hair, her face. “Nobody knows about this place except for people I trust—which pretty much means my brothers and that’s it. You’ll have to stay inside. No going out. But otherwise, you’ll be safe here.”

“I don’t care that I can’t leave. I’m worried about you.”

His smile was more genuine now, and for a second he was his usual, charming self. “I’m the least of your worries, trust me. It’s the bad guys you should be worried about.”

“Unlikely.” No amount of humor could ease the cold fist gripping her heart. “Please be careful.”

“I will.” He kissed her forehead and held her tight for a moment before letting her go. “I’m going to figure out how to keep us safe long-term. In the meantime, I’ll send somebody with supplies for you and Walker. There’s a burner phone on the nightstand in the bedroom that I’ll call to contact you. All you have to do is sleep now. Okay?”

“Okay.” She tried to be as brave as she could so he wouldn’t have one more thing to worry about.

After all, she’d given him enough to worry about already.

I T WAS PAST noon when she woke up.

Her first thought, as always, was of Walker. He was next to her on the big bed, surrounded by pillows just in case he decided today was the day he’d start rolling all over the place.

“Hey, little man.” She relaxed when she found him cooing to himself, playing with his feet. “I used to be that flexible once.”

At least he was feeling good. No memory of last night’s trauma.

That made one of them.

There was a message from Brax on the burner phone. Supplies on their way. Trusted sources.

Whatever that meant. She knew she could trust him—and anybody he trusted.

There was time to change Walker and take care of her own needs before a knock sounded at the front door. Tessa tiptoed to the door with her heart in her throat and peered out through the peephole.

It was Maci, from the office, along with a woman who looked vaguely familiar. They were loaded down with bags and boxes. She hurried to open the door so they could put everything down.

“Hi,” Maci whispered as she hurried through to the kitchen. “Whew! That was my arm-day workout right there.”

“You don’t have to whisper. He’s awake.” Tessa went to the bedroom and brought Walker back.

“There he is! My best buddy!” Maci held out her arms, which didn’t seem to be all that sore from carrying the packages after all.

Meanwhile, the other woman—small, blonde, with a face Tessa recognized from somewhere—held out a hand. “Hi. I’m Luke’s fiancée, Claire Wallace.”

Right. Tessa might’ve been half out of her mind with grief and pain after Robert had stolen Walker, but she remembered seeing Claire on the news around that time. There were stories about her supposedly killing somebody she’d worked with and then killing a cop, but she’d been cleared of all charges.

And had managed to simultaneously bring down one of the most crooked businessmen in Texas. Now Tessa understood how the woman had not only survived but had come out the other side smiling. She shook Claire’s hand gladly.

“I’ve never seen Brax like this,” Maci admitted as Claire and Tessa put the groceries and supplies away.

“Same here. I mean, I haven’t known him for too long, but he’s on a whole other level right now.” Claire winced when she met Tessa’s gaze. “Not to make you feel bad or anything. It isn’t your fault.”

“No, but he’s definitely determined to get you out of this okay,” Maci continued. “You have nothing to worry about. Believe me. Those boys do not give up.”

Claire set aside the packs of diapers and wipes, then went back to stocking the pantry. “I’m surprised, honestly. Brax is usually the laid-back one, isn’t he? I mean, I’ve always seen him that way. Charming and smiling. He could convince anybody of just about anything.”

“True. Luke’s usually the cranky one—with everybody but you, anyway,” Maci teased with a wink at Claire. “Weston’s Mr. Serious. And Chance...” She blew out a long sigh, rolling her eyes.

“You two don’t get along well, do you?” Tessa asked, remembering them bickering during her time at the office.

“We get along fine. When I don’t want to kill him.”

Claire giggled. “Oh, please. You two have it bad for each other. You just don’t want to admit it.”

“‘Oh, please’ yourself!” Maci turned her attention to Walker, clearly eager to change the topic. Not fast enough, though, her flushed cheeks betraying her words.

Tessa exchanged a look with Claire. “I don’t know,” she said. “Sometimes it’s those denied attractions that are the most explosive.”

Claire’s eyebrows moved up and down. “Remind me not to be around when a spark ignites the fuse.”

“Okay, enough.” Maci’s face glowed redder as she turned back to them. “Believe me, I’m not the sort of woman a guy like Chance would ever look at twice. Men prefer women like you two, or didn’t you know that?”

Tessa assumed Maci was referring to her figure, which could be described as plus-size. “You have curves I would kill for. Chance would be blind not to notice you.”

“Anyway.” Maci’s voice was a little louder than it needed to be, which Tessa took as a signal that this part of the conversation was over. “Brax has taken your safety to heart. Big time.”

Tessa looked at Walker, who clearly loved the attention of three women at once. The thought of him being a ladies man like his father crossed her mind, and she hated it. “Brax is concerned about his nephew. It’s only right.”

Claire frowned. “You’re kidding. You think that’s all he’s worried about?”

“Seriously. I’ve seen the way he looks when he talks about you. He’s just as concerned about you as he is about Walker—but in a different way.” Maci shrugged. “It’s the truth.”

Suddenly, Tessa’s knees felt weak. Could it be true? She collapsed into a seat at the kitchen table.

She wanted to believe them, to think that Brax cared about her. A few kisses were one thing. But deep, serious emotion? That was something else.

“I doubt Brax could ever trust me again after the way I lied,” she confessed.

“Listen.” Claire sat across from her, and she wasn’t kidding anymore. “If there’s one thing the Pattersons understand, it’s survival. I mean, anybody would lie in your situation—so there’s that right there. You had to be with Walker, but you didn’t know what Robert had told Brax and whether Brax believed him.”

Maci handed Walker to Claire, who looked like she was just about dying to hold him. “Those men respect people who do whatever it takes to survive. They’re survivors. So are you. I know Brax respects you.”

“Agreed.” Claire beamed at the baby while bouncing him in her arms.

Were they right? She hoped so, since one thing was clearer every single day, and it scared her a little.

She was falling in love with Brax Patterson.