Free Razor's Edge by Shannon K. Butcher

secrets.”
    Roxanne kept her voice calm and stepped out most of the way from behind Tanner. She kept her right hand hidden behind his back, holding the knife steady. “I think there’s some kind of mistake here. I guard secrets. I help track down people who steal them. I don’t steal them myself.”
    The man’s brow scrunched up as if he were in pain. He pressed the side of his fist against his forehead and went deathly pale. His thin body trembled. The gun wavered and drooped.
    â€œLies. The rose lies. She told me you would.”
    â€œWho?” asked Tanner. “Who told you that?” He took a step forward, and she could see his muscles bunch as they coiled to spring an attack.
    With the gun in the way, that was a dangerous move, and if anyone was going to be risking their life, it should be Roxanne. She’d somehow gotten them into this mess. She didn’t know how, but that didn’t change the fact that the drugged lunatic was after her, not Tanner.
    Tanner’s weight shifted. She put her hand on his shoulder, letting him feel the metal of the knife, praying he’d understand her signal to hold off.
    He moved to the right, slow and steady. Roxanne went left, holding the knife behind her back to hide it the best she could.
    The man’s head jerked up, and his eyes went wide. They glazed over in fury and he snarled at her, jerking the gun toward her again. “Stop right there. Tell me where the secrets are. I don’t want to hurt the rose, but I will.”
    She believed him—at least the part about his being willing to hurt her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    â€œLies!” he shouted, making spittle fly out from his mouth. Rage burned in his eyes and shook through his body.
    â€œEasy,” said Tanner, pulling the man’s attention away from her.
    The stranger turned and saw how close Tanner had come. Panic widened his eyes, and she watched his finger shift at the trigger. The tendons in his hand tightened.
    He was going to shoot Tanner.
    Roxanne whipped the knife out and flung it toward the man’s chest, hoping her aim was decent enough to at least nick him.
    The knife struck. The gun went off. Tanner dove to the side, crashing into the boxes.
    Fear choked Roxanne, keeping her scream of denial inside. She lunged toward the shooter, to keep him from firing again.
    She plowed into him, knocking him down. He lifted the gun to fire it at her at point-blank range.
    A split second later, she saw Tanner’s big cowboy boot swing through her field of vision, and the gun went flying. It clattered as it skidded across the concrete.
    The stranger screamed in outrage and grabbed her by the throat, cutting off her air.
    She shoved her arms between his, pushing her body up with her legs at the same time to break his grip. Tanner kicked again. This time his blow landed against the man’s head. His grip went slack, and Roxanne scrambled back away from him like a crab, panting.
    â€œAre you hurt?” asked Tanner as he flipped the man over and shoved a knee into his spine.
    â€œI’m okay,” she grated out, her voice hoarse. “You?”
    â€œFine. Find something to tie him up.” His words were sharp, and she could hear his anger lurking just below the surface.
    She found the box she’d seen earlier with Jake’s clothes in it, and grabbed one of his ties. She watched Tanner secure him as she dialed 911. By the time she told the dispatcher what had happened, the stranger was starting to regain consciousness.
    Tanner rolled him over, sitting on his legs to keep him pinned. Blood wet the stranger’s shirt where she’d hit him with the knife, but the wound wasn’t bad.
    Roxanne leaned over him. “Who are you?” she demanded. The man bared his teeth and thrashed against Tanner’s hold. A dog tag slid out from his shirt.
    She leaned down and picked it up. S-11-17 was stamped into