Living on the Edge (19 page)

He waited until the helicopter landed, then crossed over to help the only passenger step down.

“Mr. Keane?” Blaine Adams asked when they'd moved away from the helicopter. “I was told you would be meeting me. Perhaps you can explain what's going on. Nothing I've been told makes sense.”

“I'm not surprised,” Tanner told him. “You know who I am?”

“Of course. You're the man my son-in-law hired to find my daughter after the first company failed. She was kidnapped.”

Blaine Adams was in his mid- to late fifties, tall, with white hair and piercing blue eyes. He had the craggy good looks aristocratic men often fall into as they age. He seemed smart enough, but appearances could be deceiving.

Tanner waited until the helicopter had taken off before narrowing his gaze at the old man.

“Christopher Hilliard, who is not married to your daughter anymore, has been arrested on several charges,
including kidnapping, extortion, attempted murder and a few other things that haven't been made public. He will most likely be charged with the death of his parents. There was always some suspicion about the way the brakes went out on their car. With the device authorities found attached to the brake line of your car, they may have all the evidence they need.”

Blaine paled, then braced himself against the limo. “I don't understand. What are you saying? Christopher would never…”

“Hilliard would do a lot of things, Mr. Adams. He's done them. That technology you're so proud of, the one he worked for months on, was purchased from the Russian Mafia. The only work Hilliard did was that of convincing everyone he invented it. The kidnapping was staged to get you to cough up ransom money. He needed fifteen of the twenty million to make his next installment. The other five million was for his gambling debts.”

Blaine shook his head. “No. Not Christopher. He's been like a son to me. Like a brother.”

“He's been a lying, cheating son of a bitch who tried to kill your daughter. She's been staying with me, not in some mental home. I've been investigating Hilliard to find out the real story. He tricked her into coming out into the open by convincing her you were dying of a heart attack. She loved you enough to risk her life to see you.”

Tanner glared at the old man. “You're a fool and blind where Madison is concerned. I don't know anything about your late wife, but the only thing wrong with Madison's brain is how much she still loves you despite
the fact that you turned your back on her. She's not weak or mentally ill. She's tough, determined, intelligent and damn good to have around in a fight. She's a hell of a lot more than you deserve.”

“I don't understand,” Blaine whispered. “Christopher tried to hurt Madison?”

“Who do you think gave her that scar on her face?”

Blaine stared at him. “She said she fell.”

“He pushed her. He also threatened her, kidnapped her and told her if she didn't sign ten million dollars worth of securities over to him that he would blow up the brake line on your car and kill you.”

“Oh my God.”

Tanner figured the old guy was seconds from passing out. He opened the rear door of the limo and helped Blaine onto the backseat.

“This car will take you home,” Tanner told him. “The police and some federal agents are waiting there to question you. Madison's going through that right now. Someone will bring her by later. I suggest you act very, very happy to see her. Whatever you may think about Hilliard being misunderstood or not as bad as everyone thinks, don't you dare say it to her. If I hear you've even
tried
to defend him to her, I'll hunt you down and make you wish you were dead. Do I make myself clear?”

Blaine drew himself up and glared at Tanner. “Mr. Keane, I don't need you telling me how to take care of my daughter.”

“Why not? You've been ignoring her and underestimating her for years. Someone has to look out for her.”

“I suppose you think that person is you?”

“No one better.”

Tanner stepped back and slammed the door shut. When the limo had pulled away, he walked over to his car and prepared to drive back to the safe house. Madison should be finished with her first round of interviews. He'd asked Angel to drop her off there to collect her stuff before she was taken home. Maybe it was stupid, but Tanner wanted to see her one last time. He knew he couldn't say very much, but maybe it would be enough to tell her goodbye.

M
adison finished packing her clothes. She'd already put her laptop in its case and cleared out the bathroom. There wasn't all that much left to do, which meant she had no excuse to linger. But she desperately wanted to see Tanner before she left. Angel had said something about him dropping by, but he hadn't been specific. Madison had a feeling that if she didn't see Tanner now, he would disappear from her life.

She closed the small suitcase and fastened it. Footsteps in the hallway made her tense. She turned, prepared to argue with Angel, but instead saw Tanner standing in the doorway.

Her heart leaped, her chest tightened and deep down in her belly she felt a sensation that could only be relief. He'd come.

Words seemed impossible. She did the only thing that made sense—she ran to him.

He caught her and pulled her hard against him. His arms wrapped around her in an embrace that promised to never let go. She could feel his heat, his strength and his steady heartbeat. His scent surrounded her. At last, she thought with incredible gratitude. Everything could be right with her world.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, still clinging to him. “I'm so sorry.”

“Don't be.”

He pulled back far enough to stare into her eyes and smile. “I read the e-mail from your father's secretary. The woman has worked for him for years. You've known her since you were a kid. Why wouldn't you trust her?”

“I should have known Christopher could get to anyone. It's just, between talking to her and then speaking with someone at the hospital—it all sounded so real.”

“I know. Hilliard had a lot on the line and he was playing for his life. He would have done anything to get you out in the open. Don't blame yourself.”

“Who else is there?” she asked. “Are you okay? Did the sedative hurt you?”

“It gave me a hell of a headache, but I've recovered.”

She studied his face, the strong lines, the dark eyes, the mouth that could take her to paradise.

“How did you find me?” she asked. “I knew you could trace me to the hospital, but after that…”

He touched her chin, then tucked her hair behind her ears. “My cell phone. It has a tracking device in it.”

Of course. “I'm glad, because I was really scared. I
knew this only worked in the house.” She held out the bracelet she still wore.

“We should take care of that.” Tanner led her to the control room, where he quickly removed the metal band.

“Better?” he asked.

“I guess.”

They weren't touching now and she missed the contact. She missed him. The last few hours had been crazy. But she didn't know what to say to him.

“Tanner, I—”

He pressed his fingers to her mouth. “Don't say anything, Madison. You don't have to.”

“Yes, I do. You saved me. Not just from my ex-husband but in a hundred other ways. I lost faith, and you gave that back to me. You showed me I was tough and capable.”

“You always knew that.”

“Maybe, but I never had to prove it before.” She shrugged. “I shot you.”

“Good for you. You did what you had to in order to survive.”

“Oh, right. I ran straight to the enemy.”

“You didn't know that. The point is you needed to escape from me and you did.”

His casual acceptance of her actions made her heartsick. “I should have trusted you.”

“We've been over that.” He leaned close and kissed her forehead. “The reality of all this is you've known me ten days. In a dangerous situation, everything is heightened. Senses, reality, feelings. But in time you go back to your regular life and you reevaluate what hap
pened. You have a lot to be proud of. You were tough from start to finish. You never gave up. Hold on to that.”

“Nice words,” she said as her stomach tensed. “It sounds a lot like a goodbye speech.”

“It is.”

Pain slammed into her. “But you can't. We've been through so much. It has to mean something.”
I have to mean something.
But she couldn't bring herself to say that.

“Of course it does,” he told her. “You're amazing and I'll never forget you.”

“But?”

“But this isn't real. You're reacting to the danger.”

Great. Now he was telling her she didn't know her own heart? “What? You're saying this is like the Stockholm syndrome? That I've fallen for you because of what we've been through?”

He nodded. “I know that seems cruel, but in time you'll see that I'm right. You need to get back to your own life. See your friends, get back to work, establish a routine. I'm not saying you'll forget me completely, but in six months, I won't matter the same way. If we were to start something now, you'd quickly regret it, but you'd feel too guilty to tell me.”

“You're wrong,” she said. “You're completely wrong.”

“You can't know how much I want to be. I've seen it happen.”

“I'm not her. You're not him.”

“We might as well be.”

As he spoke, she saw the pain flash through his eyes. She reacted instinctively, reaching out for him. He hes
itated at first, then he gathered her close and pressed his mouth to hers.

It was a kiss of desperation, of one last time before they were apart forever. She clung to him, hoping to convince him with her mouth and her body that this was the most real relationship she'd ever been in. She strained to get closer, to crawl inside of him. Tears spilled from her eyes.

“I love you,” she whispered when he drew back. “Why can't you believe me?”

“Don't cry,” he said, brushing her cheeks with his thumbs. “I'm not worth it.”

“Of course you are.”

He lingered against her scar. “I want you to think about why you're keeping this,” he said as he stared into her eyes. “If it's for you, if it makes you feel strong and empowered, then don't change anything. But if you keep it for any other reason, then maybe it's time to put it behind you. Don't let Christopher define your future.”

She couldn't stop crying. Sobs built up in her chest, although she refused to give in to them.

“Did you hear me?” she demanded. “I love you.”

He bent down and kissed her. “You have touched me in ways I would never have thought possible.”

Damn the man. He wasn't even going to acknowledge her feelings. “What happens if I feel the same way in six months?” she asked.

“You won't.”

“But if I do?”

“Goodbye, Madison.”

“Tanner! No!”

The sobs claimed her and she couldn't speak. She had the sense of being alone, so very alone. Then someone was with her, but the arm that offered support wasn't familiar, and when she was finally able to see, the eyes that watched her were pale and empty.

“He's gone,” Angel told her.

She nodded and tried to pull herself together. She still had to face her father and help him make sense of all that had happened. She still had a life.

But she didn't want any of it. Not without Tanner.

“Is it because I didn't trust him?” she asked.

Angel shook his head. “No. He understands that. Any of us would have reacted the same.”

“Then why?”

“It's like going on vacation. You want to stay in your beachfront bungalow forever, but it's not real life. At some point you have to get back on the plane and go home.”

“Tanner is my home, but he won't believe that.”

Angel stared at her for a long time. Finally he reached into his jeans back pocket and pulled out a business card. There was nothing on it but a phone number.

“Six months,” he said. “If you still feel the same way about him, then you call this number.”

Six months. It felt like a lifetime, but having a way to get in touch with Tanner gave her hope.

“You'll see,” she said.

Angel didn't look convinced. “Maybe. Now come on, dollface. Let's get you home.”

 

Madison slept for nearly twenty-four hours. When she awoke, she was in the bedroom where she'd
grown up, surrounded by stuffed animals and school awards.

It was early evening, still light, and she had the sense of having gone so far, she might never find her way back.

After showering and dressing, she made her way downstairs. The house was familiar. Memories lurked at every corner. Some pleasant, some less so. The ghost of her mother was not to be found. The woman had never really lived here in life, so why would she linger in death?

Madison found her father in his study. But instead of sitting behind his desk, engrossed in papers, he sat in a leather club chair, a drink in his hand. When he saw her, he put down the glass, stood and walked over.

“Madison,” he said before pulling her into his arms and hugging her.

She couldn't remember the last time they'd embraced. He might have hugged her at her wedding but not since. Once things had started to go wrong in her marriage, he'd disappeared behind disapproval and lectures.

“I'm so sorry,” he told her, echoing what she'd said to Tanner. “I spent most of last night with the police and federal agents, then had another round with them this morning. The things they told me. The things Christopher did.”

He stepped back and studied her, then rubbed his thumb against the scar on her cheek. “My beautiful baby girl. What has he done to you?”

She covered her hand with his. “Not so much as you'd think.”

“But how he treated you. The things he did. I can't be
lieve he had you kidnapped. Yet it's all true. He's in jail, you know. As are a few people who worked for him. And Alison. He got to her years ago. She has a son with a drug problem. Christopher paid for his rehabilitation, and when that didn't work and he was back on the streets, Christopher made sure he was safe. She was afraid if she ever came to me with the truth that her son would be killed.”

Madison led the way to the sofa and sat next to her father. “It's a lot to take in.”

“Too much. He fooled us all.” His mouth twisted. “No. He didn't fool you, did he? You tried to tell me and I wouldn't listen. I nearly got you killed.”

“When we were first married, I believed in him, too,” she said. “It was only after that I realized there was something wrong.”

Her father pulled her close. “To think he wanted to lock you away and I would have let him. I'll never forgive myself for that.”

“You were busy with your work.”

Her father grimaced. “How right you are. I have a body of work to be proud of and I nearly lost my only child. I've been doing a lot of soul-searching, Madison, and I don't like what I've learned about myself. I've been self-centered and have taken the easy way out. That's what it was all about with Christopher. It was so much easier to let him be in charge. To let him make the decisions. Then I could spend time in my precious laboratory. But at what price?”

She appreciated the words and the hug. Although they couldn't go back and change time, maybe they could start over.

“At least there's time to stop the merger,” Blaine said. “I can't believe I let him talk me into that.” He sighed. “No. I encouraged it. Again because it would make my life easier. I'm going to have to spend less time in the lab and more time in the real world.” He smiled down at her. “I don't suppose I can convince you to come be part of the company.”

“I don't know,” she said honestly, stunned he would even consider it. “I have my work with my kids.”

He frowned. “What kids? Oh, the charity work. The surgeries. I don't know anything about that. I'm sorry, Madison. I don't know a lot of things. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Of course.”

He put his arm around her. “I want to hear everything about your work. If you wouldn't mind, would you start at the beginning and bring this foolish man up to date on your life?”

“I'd be happy to.” Then, in a move that shocked her and most likely shocked him, she began to cry.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing. Everything. I'm so confused and Tanner just left me. He said that I don't know what I feel about him. That I'm just reacting to the danger. But I don't think that's true. I think I love him very much.”

Her father smiled at her. “I am probably the worst person to bring this problem to. I know nothing about relationships. Not even friendships. The past two days have more than proved that.”

“I know.”

“But I would very much like to listen.”

She leaned against his shoulder and sighed. “Then I'll tell you.”