Living on the Edge by Susan Mallery Page B

herself by accepting it. After all that had happened, she would have thought she would still be physically afraid of him. Apparently not.
    â€œYou’re not crazy,” he said, staring into her eyes. “You’re sane and rational. More than that, you’re strong. You were kidnapped by your ex-husband and held for twelve days. You didn’t crack. Not even close. When I came and got you, you managed to convince me to help you, and I’m not an easy sell. You’re made of steel, Madison. Whatever happens, he’s not going to break you. I think he knows that and it scares the hell out of him.”
    She didn’t know what to say. Oddly enough, she wanted to burst into tears, throw herself at Tanner and have him hold her tight.
    She didn’t do any of it. “You sure know how to turn a girl’s head.”
    â€œI mean it. I respect you.”
    Coming from him, that was high praise. “I appreciate that. I…” She pulled her hand free of his and dropped it to her lap. “I know why you did it,” she said in a low voice. “You were angry about Kelly’s death. You wanted someone punished and I was close.”
    â€œIt wasn’t your fault. Madison, you’re the innocent in all this. You didn’t ask to be kidnapped and you sure didn’t do anything to make things go wrong. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I’m the one who sent him on the assignment.”
    He drew in a deep breath. “You’re right. I was angry. Beyond angry. He was a great kid with his whole life in front of him. I lashed out and you were convenient.” He turned away and stared out into the night. “I’ve never let feelings get in the way before. I can’t tell you how much I regret my actions.”
    The night was still, as if the crickets had stopped their songs just to listen.
    â€œI know.” She believed him because she felt his pain. Because she believed he was basically a good man who had been pushed too far, unlike Christopher, who had never believed he’d done anything wrong.
    â€œThank you,” Tanner murmured.
    Now it was her turn to reach out. She touched his upper arm, just above the sleeve seam on his T-shirt. “Has it occurred to you that neither of us is to blame for Kelly’s death?” she asked. “Doesn’t that lie with the person who pulled the trigger and Christopher, who hired him in the first place?”
    â€œGood point.”
    She didn’t think she’d actually convinced him that it wasn’t his fault, but maybe he could consider the possibility. Bad enough to mourn the death of a friend without the added burden of being the reason he was gone.
    â€œYou don’t need to leave,” she said.
    Tanner stared at her. “Are you sure? I can have someone else here within the hour.”
    â€œAny plans to drug me again?” she asked.
    â€œDon’t joke about that.”
    â€œI’m not.”
    â€œThen no. I’ll never do that again.”
    Something had shifted between them. She couldn’t explain it and she wasn’t sure she even understood it. Maybe it was his guilt or his attempts to level the playing field by sharing his past with her. Maybe it was that she believed he thought she was strong. Maybe it was that they’d both been rubbed raw emotionally and that had brought them together. In some strange way, she felt as if she knew Tanner better than she’d known anyone in her life.
    â€œYou can stay,” she told him and meant it.

Chapter 10
    M adison was surprised by how good she felt the next morning. She woke up feeling energetic and actually hopeful about her situation. Maybe it was knowing that Tanner was firmly on her side. She wouldn’t want him as an enemy, but as a member of her team, he was invaluable.
    She showered and dressed, then left her bedroom. The scent of coffee drew her to the kitchen. The pot was full and there was a bowl