Lethal Edge Read online

  LETHAL EDGE

  Rifle Creek Series

  Kaylea Cross

  LETHAL EDGE

  Copyright © 2020 Kaylea Cross

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  Cover Art: Sweet ‘N Spicy Designs

  Developmental edits: Deborah Nemeth

  Line Edits: Joan Nichols

  Digital Formatting: LK Campbell

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  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

  ISBN: 978-1-928044-40-6

  Table Of Contents

  ABOUT THE BOOK

  DEDICATION

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  Lethal Temptation

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  COMPLETE BOOKLIST

  ABOUT THE BOOK

  A diehard romantic looking to start over in a small town.

  Dr. Nina Benitez might be an astrophysicist and a scientist down to her bones, but she also believes in true love and happily ever after—and won’t settle for anything less. After a rocky end to her first semester teaching at the University of Montana, she’s looking forward to a new school year and a fresh start in the small town of Rifle Creek. When she meets her roommate’s work partner, a sexy, hard-edged detective, Nina is immediately intrigued. However, it’s soon clear they’re like oil and water. But when she’s confronted by the painful past event she wanted to forget, she faces an even greater danger. A predator is bent on silencing her forever, and Nina’s only hope of survival is the unattainable man who’s captured her heart.

  A cynical cop determined to guard his heart.

  Tate Baldwin has dedicated his life to serving and protecting, first in the military, and now as a detective in Rifle Creek. Badly burned by his last relationship, he isn’t looking to get involved with anyone, especially a brilliant college professor who seems to have her head in the clouds. Yet even Tate can’t deny the attraction between them that soon grows into something more. And when a secret from her past triggers a lethal threat, Tate will risk everything to stand between her and the monster who wants her dead.

  DEDICATION

  For Katie Reus, who always supports me and my dreams. For being a fierce and loyal friend. And for always being there for me.

  Love you bunches.

  xo

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  Welcome to the small mountain town of Rifle Creek, Montana! I hope you’ll fall in love with this place, and the new cast of characters I’ve created.

  Happy reading,

  Kaylea

  Chapter One

  Tate Baldwin finished tightening the last bolt on the bedframe in his niece’s tiny college dorm room and turned to face Rylee as squeals and raucous laughter came from out in the hallway. “You sure you want to stay here tonight?” He frowned at her in concern. “I can take you home with me and then drive you back here tomorrow night.”

  Standing in front of the small closet next to the door, his niece flashed him an amused smile and continued neatly putting her clothes away. “I’m sure. Want to get the lay of the land before classes start on Monday.”

  Setting the socket wrench back in his toolbox, Tate straightened. Rylee had moved down from the interior of British Columbia to stay with him just outside of Missoula for a few weeks before the semester started. She was a quiet, introverted kid, and only just eighteen.

  Didn’t matter that she’d already been to orientation. Dumping someone so sheltered in residence the weekend before her first week of classes suddenly seemed all kinds of wrong, no matter how often she and Tate’s sister had both assured him Rylee was ready for this.

  “It’s no trouble,” he added. Rylee would decline his offer just because she didn’t want to inconvenience him. But she could never be an inconvenience to him. He flat-out adored her, and had since the day she was born.

  She shook her head, her dark brown hair swishing across her back. “No. I appreciate the offer, but I’d rather start the adjustment now, while I still have a couple days to get my bearings. Besides, my roommate isn’t getting here until Sunday night, so I’ll have the place to myself and some peace and—” She paused, a rueful grin spreading across her lips as someone shrieked and yelled something as they ran past her closed door. “Quiet before school starts.”

  He got that she wanted her independence. It was just hard to let her do this alone. “All right.” He glanced around the small, cinderblock room. There wasn’t much here, just the beds, bedside tables and the few things Rylee had brought from home to warm the place up. Not much of a step up from some of the barracks he’d stayed in. “Maybe we should find you an apartment just off campus.”

  Rylee laughed. “Seriously, Uncle Tate. You joined the Marines when you were my age and then went to war. University—okay, guess I need to start calling it college since I’m not in Canada anymore—is way safer. I’ll be fine. Promise.”

  He folded his arms, frowning more. How the hell was his sister so calm about her only child going off to college? “It just feels wrong to leave you here. And how’d you grow up so fast on me, anyway? I swear you were ten just a few years ago.”

  “Aww.” Rylee gave him a fond look and came over to slide her arms around his ribs in a familiar hug. “I love how protective you are of me.”

  Tate grunted and squeezed her in return. He couldn’t help being protective of her, and him being a cop made it ten times as bad. “You’re the only niece I’ve got.” She had chosen to go to school here at the University of Montana because it was close to him. Her mother, still back in B.C., entrusted him with keeping an eye on Rylee, and he took his niece’s safety and wellbeing seriously.

  Rylee tipped her head back to look up at him, her hazel eyes so like his own, and full of adoration. “I’m going to be okay here. But thank you for worrying about me.”

  Shit, now his damn throat was getting tight. He cleared it. “I know you’ll do great.” He nodded at the door with a dark look at all the noise coming from the hallway. At least this was an all-girls’ dorm. No way in hell would he have let her stay in a co-ed one. “It’s them I’m worried about.” They sounded like all kinds of trouble.

  Rylee grinned and patted his back soothingly. “I’ll use the pepper spray you gave me if they get too out of hand.”

  He squeezed her one last time, then released her. “Good. Keep it on you whenever you leave the dorm. And especially if you go to a party or wherever.” She was a mature and responsible kid, but he felt the need to reiterate all of this anyway. “Never ever leave your drink unattended, not even for a second. If you do, toss it and get a fresh one.”

  He didn’t want to scare her, but sexual assaults weren’t uncommon on college camp
uses, and there had been a string of them in the area over the past couple years that still hadn’t been solved. He’d worked on a few cases that had seemed to be connected at the end of his time with the Missoula police department, but they’d never found a suspect. Thankfully he hadn’t had to deal with that kind of thing yet at his new job in Rifle Creek.

  “I know. And I promise I’ll think about your offer to certify me with a pistol,” she said.

  She thought it was overkill but wanted to humor him anyway. “How old were you when we last went to the range together? Thirteen?”

  “Fifteen, but I still remember most of it.” She eyed him, the hint of a smile playing around the edges of her mouth. “I could just call you and have you escort me if I decide to venture out to a party. Of course, then I’d never get a date, because you’d scare off any guy who came within fifty feet of me.”

  “Deal.” He’d make the forty-five-minute drive down here in a heartbeat if she wanted him there. “You don’t need to date anyway. College-aged guys are assholes only after one thing, and you’re here to study.”

  She grinned, making her look so much like her mom. “This is why I love you.”

  He flushed a little at the praise, but her words hit dead center in his chest and warmed him inside and out. “I know you probably can’t wait to see the back of your paranoid and overprotective uncle, but how about some pizza before I leave you to fend for yourself?”

  Her smile was pure sunshine. “I’d like that.”

  They ventured out onto campus together and walked the few blocks to a pizza place. The late August sun blazed high in the brilliant blue sky, warm and golden. He managed to withhold another lecture about safety while they ate. She was all grown up and could make her own decisions.

  After lunch he hugged her, kissed the top of her head and made himself let her go. “Go get ‘em, sweetness. And I’m only a phone call away if you need anything.”

  “I know. Thanks, Uncle Tater. Love you.”

  “Love you too.” Christ, his whole chest ached as he watched her walk away, all on her own for the first time as she faced her future as a young adult.

  He climbed into his truck for the drive back to Rifle Creek, more restless and unsettled than ever. Lately he had started to feel unsatisfied with life, bored and hemmed in, like it no longer fit him.

  He hadn’t felt this way since leaving the military, during his initial transition back into the civilian world. So the potential business opportunity looming on the horizon couldn’t have come at a better time. He was excited at the idea of working with his buddies, setting his own hours and being his own boss.

  With Rylee on his mind, he used his truck’s hands-free device to call his sister as he left campus. “Just wanted to let you know she’s all squared away.”

  “And how are you holding up?” Tala asked, an amused edge to her tone.

  One side of his mouth pulled up. She knew him better than anyone. “Not as well as you are, to be honest.”

  “Aww. Well, hang in there, Tater. This too shall pass.”

  He grunted. “When are you coming down to visit? Canadian Thanksgiving?” That was only a few weeks away, in mid-October.

  “No, probably not until American Thanksgiving, since Rylee will have some time off then. Can you handle me staying with you for an entire week?”

  “I can handle you staying as long as you want.” His sister was the greatest, and with their schedules they didn’t spend nearly enough time together.

  She laughed. “You say that now, but I guarantee I’d drive you nuts inside of a month living in your house. Anyway, I hear Mason’s coming into town tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, he’s driving down from Calgary. You know he’ll do anything to avoid flying.” His buddy was coming down to scope out a piece of land they and another friend were thinking of turning into an adventure ranch/training facility geared toward private security and contracting groups.

  “Can’t say I blame him, after what happened.”

  “No.” Mason had never fully recovered from that incident, and Tate was starting to think he never would.

  “So you’re seriously thinking about starting the business with him and Brax?”

  “Yeah.” It was time for a change.

  “How’s that gonna work when Brax is still active duty?”

  Braxton was still serving with JTF2, Canada’s elite, tier-one unit. “It’s tricky, but doable, especially if Mason and I get everything up and running by the time Brax’s contract is up. I just feel like I need a change of p—” He broke off when a car suddenly veered out beside him over the double solid line and cut off someone to run the red light.

  Horns blared, tired squealed.

  Tate only had time to glance in the rearview mirror and tense before the car behind him swerved and slammed into his truck with a sickening crunch that pushed him out into oncoming traffic.

  Chapter Two

  Nina gasped, her heart jumping into her throat as the loud impact shot the dark gray pickup straight into the middle of the intersection. Thankfully the driver wrenched to the right and sped through it just in time to avoid being hit head-on by someone else.

  “Oh my gosh…” The car that had hit the truck was stopped. Traffic was snarled in all directions, and she couldn’t tell if anyone was hurt.

  She pulled her little SUV over to the curb, put on her hazards and threw open her door, cell phone in hand. The idiot driver who had caused the wreck by running the red light was long gone.

  The car that had rear-ended the pickup sat partway through the intersection, blocking traffic in most directions. Other drivers were impatiently veering around it, unwilling to stop and help.

  Nina ran past the rear-ender car, noting that the elderly lady behind the wheel looked shocked and shaken, and headed for the pickup to see if the driver was okay.

  Just as she neared the back of it, the driver’s side opened and a tall, powerfully built man stepped out. She halted as he turned to face her, a little jolt running through her. He was hot as hell, and thankfully didn’t appear hurt.

  “Are you all right?” she asked, pushing down her worry.

  He nodded, annoyance clear in his expression. His sandy brown hair was longer at the front, the bronze stubble on his jaw glinting in the afternoon sun. The light gray T-shirt he wore hugged his sculpted chest and shoulders, and left most of his muscular arms bare. “I’m fine.” He turned toward the car that had hit him.

  “She’s elderly. I think she’s okay—”

  “Oh, shit,” he muttered, and took off past her.

  Nina whirled and followed him, alarm streaking through her when she saw what the problem was. The elderly woman was clearly in some kind of medical distress, grabbing at her chest, her mouth opening and closing, eyes wide with panic.

  “Call 911,” the hot guy ordered Nina, and ran to help the lady.

  Nina’s fingers fumbled as she dialed the number. She spoke to the operator, her heart racing as she hurried to the woman’s car. Through the windshield the elderly driver appeared to be struggling to breathe. The guy tried the driver’s door, but it was locked. Other people had stopped now and were getting out of their vehicles.

  The guy ignored everyone, watching the elderly woman as he hurried around the other side, reaching a hand down to his hip. Nina gasped as he drew a pistol from its holster. He slammed the butt of it into the passenger door window, cracking it, then pushed the broken glass in so he could reach inside and unlock the door.

  “Ma’am? Are you still there?” the operator asked, jerking Nina from her shock. Coming from California with its strict gun laws, it was still a shock to see weapons being carried around openly here.

  “Yes, someone broke a window to get to the woman. He’s helping her right now. It looks like she’s having trouble breathing. Do you have anyone on the way?”

  “A fire crew and ambulance are en route right now.”

  “All right.” God, it looked bad. “Please hurry.”


  “They’ll be there soon, ma’am. Stay on the line with me and let me know what’s happening.”

  “Okay.” Nina approached the car, watching anxiously while the man leaned inside it to scoop up the woman in his arms and lifted her out easily. He laid her gently on the ground, talking to her.

  Juggling her phone, Nina hurriedly stripped off her jacket, wadded it up and tucked it beneath the woman’s head. The man was leaning over the woman, talking to her in a deep, calm voice. He radiated a calm confidence Nina could feel through her distress.

  He looked up at her. “See if she’s got some ID in the car.”

  “Right.” Nina jumped up and rushed around them to look inside, and found a purse sitting on the passenger seat. The driver’s license was inside a wallet.

  “Her name is Sophie,” Nina said, coming around to kneel next to the woman’s head. “Hi, Sophie, I’m Nina,” she said, taking the woman’s cold, damp hand. The poor thing was still gasping, a sheen of sweat on her face, eyes panicked. “Help is on the way. I’m going to stay with you.”

  The man looked up at Nina with a grateful half-smile, his hazel-green eyes staring right into hers before focusing on the woman once more. “We’ll both stay with you, Sophie. Just try to stay calm, and focus on your breathing.”

  Sophie continued to gasp, her face pale, eyes full of fear as she stared up at the man. Then her eyelids fluttered, her rasping breaths going quiet as she went limp.

  Nina stared at her in horror. Oh, shit… Her chest wasn’t moving.

  “Sophie?” the man asked, his voice urgent as he checked the pulse in the woman’s neck. “Her heart’s stopped,” he muttered to Nina.

  Before she could say anything, he stacked his hands on the center of Sophie’s chest and began compressions. Nina clung to the woman’s frail, limp hand while she spoke to the operator, then held her breath as the man tried to get Sophie’s heart going again.