She took a second to watch him, her gaze trailing over his muscled arms and their ink.
God, he was gorgeous, and all hers.
She moved up behind him and bent down, nipping his ear. He jerked and cursed, his feet dropping to the floor.
She sucked on his earlobe.
“Shit, Cal.” His voice was husky.
“Are you hard?” She looked over his shoulder and down to his lap. Yep, his jeans were tight.
He groaned. “When you breathe, I get hard.”
“We’re at base tonight, so later, after everyone’s asleep, how about we meet here for a date? You and me…and maybe you can leave a screen on again?”
He groaned again, long and loud.
“Hey, no base hanky-panky.” Blair strode in.
Axel was behind her, his hands over his eyes. “I’m not looking.”
The team loved teasing them, and Callie didn’t mind one little bit. She’d sensed they’d been cautious at first, but after a week of watching Brooks and Callie together, they’d settled in.
As the rest of them filed in, everyone holding sodas or coffee mugs, Brooks scanned them.
“Where’s Ty?”
Blair rolled her eyes. “Locked in his lab, muttering. He’s still trying to unlock the secrets of the wind jewel.”
Seth grinned. “And Arlo’s hovering, wanting to lock it up in the warehouse. There’s going to be a fistfight soon.”
“If Arlo hurts Ty, River will take him down,” Axel said.
Ty’s girlfriend was mean when riled. Although, considering Ty towered over Arlo and had several pounds on him, the scientist could probably take care of himself.
Axel leaned against the wall and took a casual sip of his coffee. “Where’s Nat?”
“Archeology conference,” Lachlan answered. “In Greece.”
Axel groaned. “A room full of stuffy archeologists talking about old shit. Boring.”
“I’d like to hear you tell Natalie that,” Blair said.
“So, no more training until tomorrow?” Brooks asked.
“All finished for the day,” Lachlan said.
“How about a Call of Duty battle in the rec room?”
Axel pointed at Brooks. “You’re on, Jameson. And you’re going down.”
Brooks snorted. “Diaz, you might know your way around a submachine gun in real life, but in Call of Duty-landia, I am king.”
After a little more trash talk, the room cleared, as everyone made their way to the rec room. Brooks rose.
“Nice way to get rid of them,” Callie murmured.
“I’m a pretty smart guy.”
Her gaze dropped to the front of his T-shirt and she laughed. “Really?”
“Hey, if it’s true…”
His shirt was emblazoned with text designed in a similar fashion to the famous opening crawl of every Star Wars movie. It pronounced, “I’m literally the most awesome person in your universe.”
She shook her head. “Well, I can concur that it is absolutely true.”
His brown eyes fired and he wrapped an arm around her. “I need to kiss you.”
He nibbled her lips, then tipped her head back and kissed her.
“You can kiss me whenever you want,” she murmured.
He lifted his head, his face intense. “I love you, Callie.”
She pulled back and started unbuttoning her shirt. His eyes widened, and then she shoved the shirt open.
She wore a T-shirt underneath. It had a picture of Han Solo holding a gun on it, and the words “I know” printed below it.
Brooks’ grin just about split his handsome face. “I knew you loved Star Wars.”
She smiled back. “I love you more.”
He pulled her closer. “I’ve got the most beautiful, talented, badass woman in the world, and she loves me.” He shook his head. “I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and find out this is all a dream.”
Callie twisted her hands in his shirt. She knew how precious life was, and how sometimes, you could lose the ones you loved. But having this man as hers was worth every risk. Waking beside him, kissing him, loving him, was amazing. For however long she had that—and she hoped it was until they were both old and gray—she was going to glory in it. Besides, she’d protect him with everything she had. They’d take care of each other and build a life together.
She couldn’t wait.
When his lips touched hers, Callie yanked her tattooed geek close and kissed him back.
* * *
Axel
The sounds of gunfire exploded through the room, followed by the rolling clank of a tank.
“Oh, come on!” Blair shouted. “I was in cover. You couldn’t have made that shot, Diaz.”
“I did. Your ass was hanging out, Mason.”
They were all in front of the big screen in the rec room. Axel had to admit, playing war games on a screen was a hell of a lot nicer than being under fire in real life.
He’d unfortunately been under fire in some hellholes in his lifetime.
His heart pounded hard for a moment and his breathing quickened. He missed Delta sometimes. He’d worked on the edge, defending his country, and he’d been fucking good at it. Someone had to do the dirty work to keep their country safe.
But he’d done his time, and besides, he was still defending his country by working with Team 52.
If he still had nightmares, he figured that was normal.
If he was still broken inside, he figured that was normal too. Some pieces never went back together.
Axel knew that he’d never inflict those nightmares on anyone else.
“Brooks, watch out!” Callie yelled. “Sniper.”
Axel turned his head and saw Callie leaning against Brooks. They were both grinning at each other. Axel let out a big sigh. They may as well have had a neon sign over their heads, saying “in love.”
Truthfully, he was happy as hell for them. And the rest of his teammates who’d found someone worth holding on to. Hell, Seth even had a baby on the way.
But it wasn’t for him. His mama would be disappointed, but he was never dragging a woman down in his muck. If he needed sex, thankfully Las Vegas was full of a variety of women looking for a good, temporary time.
Then he thought of big, up-tilted eyes so brown they looked black, and shiny, dark hair, and a face so beautiful it made his gut cramp.
No. His hand curled around his game controller.
She wasn’t for him.
But his mind ignored him, thinking instead of Natalie’s gorgeous body that she showed off in her tight skirts and fuck-me shoes.
He blew out a breath. Nat ticked every fucking fantasy box he had.
But they worked together, and he wasn’t shitting where he worked. He glanced at Brooks and Callie again, then he rubbed the back of his neck.
He wasn’t going to hurt a woman like that, especially a woman like Nat.
But fighting the pull of her was getting damn fucking hard. Especially since he hadn’t hooked up with anyone for…he calculated. Hell, a couple of months.
Get a grip, Diaz.
A chime sounded, and he glanced over to see Brooks lean down and grab his tablet. Then, the man stiffened like he’d been stung by something.
“Nat?” Brooks said to the tablet with a frown.
Sounds came from the tablet—screams, crashing.
Then Nat’s panicked voice. “Brooks, I need help.”
Axel shot out of his chair and raced over. He leaned over Brooks’ shoulder.
“Nat, what’s happening?” he barked.
The image of her flickered. “It… happen… attacking…”
The signal was breaking up.
“Clear it up,” Axel demanded.
“I can’t from here,” Brooks said. “Computer room.”
Brooks moved quickly, sprinting out of the rec room. Axel glanced at the others and then followed. They all thundered down the corridor.
When they burst into the computer room, Nat
’s fear-lined face was up on all the screens.
“It’s attacking us.” Her hair was tangled around her pale face. “We need help.”
Behind her, Axel saw a large, modern conference room filled with chairs. Many were tipped over, and he saw that half the roof had collapsed in.
“Nat, what’s happening?” Axel yelled.
Her dark gaze locked with his. “Axel.”
She was so afraid. His heart thumped in his chest. “Mi cielo, I’m here. We’ll get you out.”
She bit her lip and another crash echoed behind her. “Please—”
All the screens went blank.
“Get her back!” Axel yelled.
Brooks tapped frantically on his keyboard. He cursed. “I can’t. She’s gone.”
No. Axel swiveled and punched the wall.
“Brooks, get in touch with the Greek authorities.” Lachlan’s tone was hard. “Find out what the hell is going on.”
“We need to get to Greece,” Axel said.
Lachlan stepped forward. “Axel—”
“Now!”
Lachlan watched him a beat, then nodded. “Everyone, gear up. Wheels up in forty minutes.”
“Twenty,” Axel barked, ignoring the curious glances from his teammates.
He had to get to Nat.
* * *
I hope you enjoyed Brooks and Callie’s story!
Team 52 will continue with Axel’s story, Mission: Her Shield. Find out what happens as he races to save archeologist Natalie in 2020.
For more action-packed romance, and for a peek at Treasure Hunter Security owner Declan Ward’s action-packed story, read on for a preview of Undiscovered.
Don’t miss out! For updates about new releases, action romance info, free books, and other fun stuff, sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances.
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Preview: Undiscovered
She was hot, dusty, and she’d never felt better.
Dr. Layne Rush walked across her dig, her boots sinking into the hot Egyptian sand. Ahead, she saw her team of archeologists and students kneeling over the new section of the dig, dusting sand away with brushes and small spades, methodically uncovering a recently discovered burial ground.
To her left, the yawning hole in the ground where they’d started the dig was like a large mouth, ringed on one side by a wooden scaffold.
In there, below the sands, was a fantastic tomb, and Layne was only beginning to unravel its secrets.
She paused and drew in a breath of warm desert air. To the east lay the Nile, the lifeblood of Egypt. She swiveled and watched the red-orange orb of the sun sinking into the Western Desert sands. All around, the dunes glowed. It made her think of gold.
Excitement was a hit to her bloodstream. Only days ago, they’d discovered some stunning golden artifacts down in the excavation. She’d found the first one—a small ushabti funerary figurine that would have been placed there to serve the tomb’s as-yet-unknown occupant in the afterlife. After that, her team had discovered jewelry, a golden scarab, and a small amulet of a dog-like animal.
Stars started appearing in the sky, like tiny pinpricks of light through velvet. She breathed in again. The most exciting thing was the strange inscriptions carved into the dog amulet.
They had mentioned Zerzura.
Oh, Layne really wanted to believe Zerzura existed—a fabulous lost oasis in the desert, filled with treasure. She smiled as she watched the night darkness shroud the dunes. Her parents had read her bedtime stories of Zerzura as a child.
Thoughts of her parents, and the hard punch of grief that followed, made Layne’s smile disappear. Unfortunately, life had taught her that fairytales didn’t exist.
She shook off the melancholy. She’d made a life for herself, a career, and spent most of her time off on adventures on remote dig sites. She’d held treasures in her hands. She shared her love of history with anyone who’d listen. She hoped that if her mom and dad were still alive, they’d be proud of what she’d achieved.
Layne made her way toward the large square tents set up for dealing with the artifacts. One was for storage and one for study.
“Hey, Dr. Rush.”
Layne spotted her assistant, Piper Ross, trudging up the dune toward her. The young woman was smart, opinionated, and not afraid to speak her mind. Her dark hair was cut short, the tips colored purple.
“Hi, Piper.”
The young woman grinned. “Give you a whip and you’d look like something out of a movie.” Piper swept a palm through the air. “Dr. Rush, dashing female adventurer.”
Layne rolled her eyes. “Don’t start. I still haven’t lived down that last interview I did.” What Layne had thought was a serious article on archeology had morphed into a story that turned her into a damned movie character. They’d even Photoshopped a whip in her hand and a hat on her head. “How’s that new eastern quadrant coming along?”
“Excellent.” Piper stopped, swiping her arm across her sweaty forehead. “I’ve got it all documented and photographed, and the tape laid out. We’re ready to start digging tomorrow morning.”
“Well done.” Layne was hoping the new area would yield some excellent finds.
“Well, I am insanely good at my job—that’s why you hired me, remember?” Piper grinned.
Layne tapped her chin. “Was that it? I thought it was because you kept me in a constant supply of Diet Coke and chocolate.”
Piper snorted. “Here they call it Coke Light, remember?”
Layne screwed up her nose. “I remember. The damn stuff doesn’t taste the same.”
“Yes, you really have to suffer out here on these remote digs.”
“Can the sarcasm, Ross. Or I might forget why I keep you around.”
Piper laughed. “A few of us are heading into Dakhla for the evening. Want to come?”
Dakhla Oasis was a two-hour drive north-east of the dig site. A group of communities, including the main town of Mut, were centered on the oasis. It was also where most of their local workers came from, and where they got their supplies.
Layne shook her head. “No, but thanks for the offer. I want to spend a bit more time on the artifacts we found, and take another look at the tomb plans. The main burial chamber and sarcophagus have to be in there somewhere.”
“Unless grave robbers got to it,” Piper suggested.
Layne shook her head. “When that local boy discovered this place it was clearly undisturbed.” In between the discovery that had made headlines and her university being awarded the right to dig, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities had kept tight security on the place. She knew the Ministry would have preferred to run the dig themselves, but they just didn’t have the funding to run every dig in the country. “I’m going to find out who’s buried here, Piper.”
The younger woman shook her head. “Well, just remember, all work and no play makes Dr. Rush very boring and in need of getting laid.”
Layne rolled her eyes. “I’ll worry about my personal life, thanks for your concern.”
Piper stuck her hand on her hip. “You haven’t dated since Dr. Stevens.”
Ugh. Just hearing her colleague’s name made Layne’s stomach turn over. Dr. Evan Stevens had been a colossal mistake. He was tall and handsome, in a clean-cut way that suited his academic career as a professor of the Classics and History.
He’d been nice, intelligent. They’d liked the same restaurants. The sex hadn’t been stellar, but it was fine. Layne had honestly thought he was someone she could come to love. More than anything, Layne wanted it all—a career, to travel, a husband who loved her, and most importantly, a family of her own. She wanted the love she remembered her parents sharing. She wanted the career they’d only dreamed of for her.
Maybe that had blinded her to the fact that Evan was an asshole hiding in an expensive suit.
Layne waved a hand dismissively. “I’ve told you before, I don�
��t want to hear that man’s name.”
“I know you guys had a bad breakup…”
Ha. Piper didn’t know half of it. Evan had stolen some of Layne’s research and passed it off as his own. And he’d had the gall to tell her she was bad in bed. Moron.
“Look, go,” Layne said. “Head into the oasis, soak in the springs, relax. You’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow in the hot sun.”
Piper groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
But Layne could see the twinkle of excitement in the young woman’s eye. Layne saw it in her own every day. Being on a dig was always like that. Uncovering a piece of history…she could never truly describe how it made her feel. To touch something that someone had made, used, and cherished thousands of years ago. To uncover its secrets and try to piece together where it fit into the story of the world. To see what they could learn from it that might help them understand more about humanity.
She found it endlessly fascinating. Best job in the world.
After waving Piper off, Layne headed to the storage tent. The canvas door was still rolled up and secured at the top. As she stepped inside, the temperature dropped a little. Now that the sun had set, the temperature would drop even more. Nights in the desert, even in spring, could be chilly. She’d need to get to the portable shower they had set up and rinse off before it got too cold.
She’d lost count of the number of digs she’d been on. In the jungle, in the desert, under cities, by the ocean. She didn’t care where they were, she just loved the challenge and thrill of uncovering the past.
Layne flicked on the battery-powered lantern hanging on the side of the tent. Makeshift shelves lined the space. Most were bare, waiting for the treasures they had yet to discover. But the first shelf was lined with shards of pottery, faience amulets, and stone carvings. But it was the locked box at the base of the shelf she was most interested in.
She quickly dialed in the code on the tumbler-style lock and lifted the lid.
Mission: Her Freedom: Team 52 #6 Page 17