Against The Wall Read Free

prison soccer team?”
    His deadly glare pierced her before focusing back on the road.
    Dumb thing to say, especially to a man just out of prison. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I get nervous traveling with…” Ex-cons. But she didn’t say it.
    Jess chose to look at the bright side. She needed to talk to Maurice and maybe Tanner’s gun would help her get what she needed. Then she’d find a way to save Maurice’s sorry ass before Tanner really killed him. There seemed to be some circularity to the evening. Tanner could help her with Maurice, Maurice could help her with her family and she could help Maurice with Tanner. A nice, neat package.
    Ha.
    What a surreal thought. That Tanner might actually kill Maurice if/when he found him. Looking at Tanner’s stone-cold face, mostly hidden in shadows, she doubted she’d be able to stop him from doing anything he wanted. H a spectacular view of the or behind er shoulder throbbed as if to agree with the assessment. Maybe she couldn’t stop him, but Maurice’s security team could.
    “How much time do you need with Juneau before he’s mine?”
    Holy jeez! What a question. And he’d stated it so calmly. As if taking someone’s life was just another errand in a long day. Of course, if Tanner thought to ask, maybe he had the inclination to negotiate. Maurice had better hope so. So, the time she needed with Maurice depended on how seriously he took the situation. “I don’t know.”
    “Let me rephrase,” he said. “ What do you need from Juneau before he’s mine?” The certainty in Tanner’s voice freaked her out. He didn’t strike her as a man who killed on a regular basis, yet he sure talked like it. What if that was why he’d been in prison? What if he’d killed multiple people? What if Maurice’s security couldn’t stop him? Bad thought. Because maybe he planned on taking her to Maurice and killing her there, making it seem like some type of work related incident. Crazy Assistant Attacks Boss And Takes Her Own Life. Story at eleven. Yikes.
    “Did you not understand my question?” he said. “What do you need with Juneau?”
    Jess swallowed. This guy wasn’t long on patience. Maybe after spending years in prison, his patience had evaporated. If he’d had any to begin with. “Money. I need money.” A whole hell of a lot of money.
    Tanner glanced at her again, but this time with assessing eyes. He hadn’t expected that answer. Good. She wanted to surprise him. Wanted him to know she wasn’t a wimp who crumbled at the littlest thing…well most of the time. Most of the time she handled a crisis with calm rational thinking. But her idea of a crisis was a cameraman calling in with car trouble and finding a replacement ASAP. Or making sure the location permits were in order or that a fire marshal was present when incendiary devices were used on the set.
    “How much money do you need?” he asked.
    Would it matter if she told him? If he knew how much, he might actually spare Maurice, especially if he thought he could get a fraction of that amount for himself.
    Jess took a deep breath. “Eight million dollars.”
    Tanner jerked his head and looked at her. A car horn blared and he quickly corrected the car. “Eight mil.” He whistled. “What’s a little thing like you going to do with eight million dollars?”
    Save her family, but that was none of his business. She’d been warned not to tell a soul and she wouldn’t. Not if it meant their lives.
    “What does anyone do with that kind of money?” She tried to sound casual, but sounded ridiculous even to herself.
    “Depends on who you are,” Tanner said. He gave her another hard glare. “Who are you, Jess-Jessie?”
    He was mocking her now? “It wasn’t enough that you shot me, now you have to make fun of me too?” It was something her brothers would do, but s gesturing to her.t him he didn’t get any type of brotherly vibe from Tanner. He had her on edge…made her angry. Worse than those two things,