by Anna Hackett
“Smith,” Lachlan said. “SUV.”
Seth looked up and saw Smith sprinting away.
“We’ve got a tracker on her.” Lachlan was watching Seth. “We’ll get her back.”
They would. Seth wouldn’t stop until she was safe. And he was going to take great pleasure in slamming his fist into Dr. Douchebag’s square jaw.
A moment later, their SUV jerked to a halt in front of them. The team leaped in, and Seth climbed into the passenger seat.
“Go, go.”
Smith accelerated, and they screeched out of the garage.
“I’m putting up the map with the tracker location on it.” Brooks’ voice came through the SUV’s console. The screen in the center of the dash flashed, Seth stared at the map of Las Vegas, and the glowing, blue dot that indicated January’s location.
They sped through the traffic and onto the main road. They couldn’t fall too far behind, or they’d lose her signal.
“Faster, Smith,” Seth said.
The big man turned his head, smiled, and nodded. Then he put his foot down.
Chapter Eleven
January came awake with a start, propped up in the passenger seat of a car.
What the hell?
She felt groggy and her head was throbbing. She tried to work out what was going on. She turned her head and saw Josh in the driver’s seat.
Shit. She straightened. Now she remembered. “You asshole!”
His hands flexed on the wheel. He was holding it in a death grip.
“What did you do to me? What the hell is going on, Josh?”
He stared straight ahead, sweat beading on his forehead. “I never meant for this to happen.”
She huffed out a breath. Seth and the others were going to be pissed with a capital P. She looked out the window. Sand and rock, with sparse vegetation told her they were heading out of Vegas and into the desert.
“Tell me what’s going on.” She tried to keep her voice calm and rational.
“Where’s the artifact, January?”
Her stomach curdled. “What?”
“They got one and they want the other. Where is it?”
“You sold us out.” Her voice was a harsh whisper. “Sold me out. I almost died.” She leaned over and slapped him.
Josh jerked his head and his jaw tightened. “I didn’t know! I’m in too deep now.”
“With the Knights of Gaia?”
His eyes widened. “You know.”
“I know you’re a damn idiot. They’re dangerous, Josh.”
“I know. Now.” He flicked on the indicator and turned onto a smaller road.
“Why?” she demanded. “Why sell out our dig, your work, your career?”
“I had a chance for my own TV show, January.” His eyes lit up. “Dr. Andelman’s Archeological Adventures.” He grinned. “They told me I’d be famous, a modern-day Indiana Jones.”
Idiot. “You sold out your career to be on TV?”
“To be famous. To share history with the world.”
January was certain he’d practiced that line to help convince himself. She knew this wasn’t about history, it was about him and getting what he wanted.
“How did they contact you?”
“Email. They knew we’d found the jade spheres.”
“How?”
“Um…I may have told a few people.”
Big fucking idiot. Calling colleagues and bragging.
“They told me they had some document of Mayan origin and knew about the spheres.”
January pushed her hair back. Hmm, that was new. “And you sold the spheres out, all for a chance at fame? They almost killed me!” Her voice rose to a shout.
He winced and turned the car again, this time onto a dirt road. They were in the middle of the desert. There wasn’t a single building, road, or vehicle in sight.
“I never meant for this to happen.” He pulled the car to a stop and thrust his hands through his hair. “They have me over a barrel now.”
“They’re blackmailing you.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry, January. Where’s the artifact?”
“Where you’ll never get it.” She shot him a smug smile. “It’s locked up in a top-secret military base.”
Josh’s face blanched. “No.” He pushed the door open and staggered out of the car.
January opened her door and got out, watching him. “No, what, Josh?”
He shook his head, looking sick. “They wanted it. Told me I had to get it for them.”
She threw her hands in the air. “You’ve successfully proved that you aren’t half asshole, you’re one-hundred-percent certified asshole.”
He circled the car, leaned into the passenger side, and reached in to the glove compartment. When he straightened, she saw the handgun.
She stiffened and her mouth went dry.
“They don’t want you alive.” His hand was shaking, and beads of sweat rolled down his temple.
January was beyond pissed now. She thrust her hands on her hips. “Oh, my God, you are so far beyond asshole it isn’t funny. You’re also a coward. And crap in bed.”
His head jerked up, his face tightening. He lifted the gun.
She shook her head. “You don’t have the balls.”
“January.” Brooks’ crackly voice echoed in her ear. She barely controlled a surprised jolt.
“Quit baiting him and hang tight. The team is on the way.”
“I just wanted what I deserved,” Josh whispered.
“Jesus, no one is entitled to anything in this world, Josh. You earn it. And if you don’t like what you have, you work harder and smarter.”
He aimed the gun at her chest. “I can’t go back now.”
Screw this. Anger fueling her, she charged him.
She bent over, her head hitting his stomach. They stumbled back, and the gun went off. She paused for a second and gave her head a quick shake. Damn, that was loud.
Then, she pulled her arm back and punched Josh in the face. He gave a shout and she cradled her fist. Hell, that hurt.
“Dammit,” Josh bit out.
“You’re scum.” She kicked his leg. She heard Brooks’ frantic words, but couldn’t process them.
Josh lurched sideways, and swung out clumsily with one arm. She dodged his swing easily, and charged him again. She careened into him and they both lost their balance. They smashed into the ground.
The gun went off again and Josh dropped it into the dirt.
January scrambled up, and kneed him between the legs. Josh let out a sharp cry, and she darted over him to grab the gun. Her fingers closed on the butt, but Josh’s hand clamped onto her wrist. She gritted her teeth, fighting to push the gun in his direction.
“January—”
“You’re a selfish coward. I can’t believe I ever let you touch me.”
She decided that even though she knew it was going to hurt, she wanted to punch him again. She lifted her left hand and hit his face. His lip split.
He grunted. Then he reared up and tipped her off him. She ended up flat on her back in the dirt, with Josh on top of her. Shit, he was a hell of a lot heavier than her.
He shifted, forcing the gun back in her direction. Dammit. She gritted her teeth and strained. She didn’t want to die here in the dirt with this asshole.
Then, all of a sudden, Josh was jerked off her, and went flying.
Startled, January looked up into Seth’s seriously pissed-off face.
He scanned her once, then turned, and advanced on Josh.
His rage was molten hot.
Seth reached down, gripped the front of Dr. Douchebag’s shirt, and dragged him up.
The man looked at Seth, eyes widening. “You.”
“Me.” Seth landed a hard punch directly to Andelman’s gut.
The man doubled over and groaned. Seth shifted, and aimed a jab at the archeologist’s kidney. Andelman arched his back and let out a pained shout.
The desperate man lifted his head, taking i
n the rest of the team standing around watching.
Callie moved over to January and helped her up.
“You were going to shoot her.” Seth’s voice was low and lethal. “And leave her here to bleed out in the dirt.”
Seth’s tone registered and Andelman’s face blanched. He swallowed audibly. “I…I…”
Seth landed a punch to the man’s other kidney and Andelman howled.
“I never meant for things to get this out of control—”
Another punch to the gut and the man dropped to his knees.
“Seth.” Lachlan’s tone held a warning.
Sensing allies, Andelman looked up. “Help me. Stop him!”
Seth hit him again with a punch to his jaw. Andelman’s head snapped back
“You had her pinned down, ready to kill her.”
“She was fighting me!”
“I beat you up because you were trying to kill me!” January surged forward, but Callie managed to hold her back.
Seth got a good look at January. She was covered in dust and there was blood on her shirt.
“He sold us out to the Knights of Gaia,” January spat. “He told them about the artifacts, and helped them.”
“Fucker,” Smith muttered.
Andelman licked his lips. “I… I…”
“Get this.” January cocked a hip. “They promised him his own TV show.”
Seth shook his head. His team muttered darkly in the background.
Andelman held up his hands. “They told me they had people in Los Angeles—”
“L.A?” Seth crouched. “That where your contact is?”
The man nodded.
Seth looked up at Lachlan and they traded a glance.
“Name?” Seth demanded.
“It was via email. I don’t have a name, just an email address.”
Seth tried to rein in his anger. He kept picturing January struggling in the dirt, fighting for her life.
For good measure, Seth hit Andelman in the face again.
“Stop hitting me.” Andelman looked at Lachlan and the others. “Stop him. You guys are cops or something, right?”
“Or something,” Lachlan answered.
Blair crossed her arms over her chest. “No one’s going to stop him.” She glanced at Seth. “I’ll happily hold your coat while you kick his ass.”
“I’m not wearing a coat,” Seth said.
Blair smiled. “Then carry on.”
Andelman whimpered.
“Stop.” January pushed forward.
She had a faint limp, which pissed Seth off. “January—”
She held up a hand. “Not that I don’t like watching you beat the crap out of him, but—” she turned and slapped Andelman in the face. He fell back on the ground curling into the fetal position “—I want to do it.” She reared her foot back to kick him.
Seth wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her off her feet.
She struggled. “Let me go.”
“I think he’s had enough, hellcat.” Seth watched Lachlan step forward, some zip ties in hand.
January was still vibrating with anger, and what Seth guessed was some shock.
She scowled at him. “So, you get to beat him up, but I can’t?”
“You’re okay now.” Seth ran a hand over her hair. “Any of that blood yours?”
She sniffed. “No. I’m fine.”
“Good.” And then, because he needed her more than anything else, he spun her around, bent her back over his arm, and kissed her.
She fought for a second, then sagged against him and kissed him back. Her arms reached up and wrapped around his neck.
“Wait,” Axel said. “I thought you two seriously hated each other.”
Seth pulled back and cupped January’s jaw. He was so damn glad that she was okay. She leaned into him.
Lachlan made an amused sound, jerking Andelman to his feet. Smith was studying the ground and shaking his head. Blair was grinning like crazy.
Callie smiled. “There’s a fine line between love and hate, Axel.”
“And we still don’t like each other,” January said.
“That’s true,” Seth added.
“He drives me crazy.”
“And she works my last nerve.”
She cocked her hip. “You weren’t complaining back in your room at the base. Or in your bed, or on the desk, or in the shower.”
Callie laughed, Smith muttered a curse, and Axel waggled his eyebrows.
“Damn, I love this.” Blair turned to the others. “Bets.”
“Bets?” Seth frowned. “On what?”
“On how long before you go down, just like Hunter did.”
A small smile tipped Lachlan’s lips. The man didn’t look like he was that upset about being taken down by his woman, Rowan. In fact, from what Seth could tell, his friend loved it.
“I don’t do relationships,” Seth said.
“Me, either.” Suddenly, January’s face turned white.
Seth frowned. “January?”
She staggered, and Seth scooped her off her feet.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Just feeling a bit shaky.” She didn’t look happy admitting it.
Callie appeared, gripping January’s wrist. “She needs rest and fluids. And a shower to clean off her scrapes.”
“Smith and I will take our friend here to the Bunker.” Lachlan shoved Andelman ahead of him, his golden gaze skewering the man. “And you’re going to tell me everything you know about the Knights of Gaia, and give our tech man full access to your emails.”
Andelman looked like he was ready to wet his pants. He nodded.
All Seth wanted was January resting in a bed. Preferably in his bed.
“Let’s move.”
Chapter Twelve
January sat quietly as Seth pulled the SUV up to a gate. They were in an industrial area near the airport. They’d dropped the rest of the team off—Lachlan, Smith, and Josh at the Bunker, and the rest of them at their apartments.
The gate swung open, and she realized he must have some sort of remote device in the vehicle. They drove up a short sweep of driveway, and pulled up in front of a small aircraft hangar. Lights clicked on automatically.
“This is where you live?” she asked.
“I don’t like being surrounded by people.”
Hardly a surprise. “But planes are okay?”
He smiled at her. “Yeah.”
They exited the car, and with a hand at the small of her back, Seth led her up to the small door nestled in the wall beside the massive hangar doors. She watched him punch a code into a pin pad.
January felt drained, and was riding the edge of an adrenaline crash. Seth pushed the door open and urged her inside.
Her footsteps echoed and she got the sense of space. More lights clicked on.
January stopped for a moment to take it all in. The floor was scarred concrete, and a loft area hung above. She gasped. A sleek plane was parked off to one side of the hangar. She wandered closer. The word “Experimental” was stamped above the doors of the plane.
“I put it together myself.”
She spun to face him. “You built it? With your own hands?”
“Yeah.” Another faint smile. “Flies like a dream.”
“There is no way I’d get in an aircraft that I made myself.” January turned, her gaze falling on the car. “Wow. A Shelby Cobra.” It was dark-blue, and in mint condition.
“I restored her.”
“I would never have pegged you as a grease monkey.” She ran a hand over the Cobra’s hood.
“You like cars?”
“My uncle had a 1969 Chevy Camaro when I was younger. He used to drive me to school in it. He always wanted a Cobra, though.”
“You lived with your aunt and uncle?”
“Yeah. My mom died when I was fourteen.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. What about your dad?”
She shook her head. “Never knew him. He go
t my mom pregnant and took off. You have parents, Lynch? Or did you hatch from an egg, gun in hand?”
He chuckled softly. “I have parents. They live on a farm in Idaho.”
She blinked. “Your parents are farmers?” Badass, worldly, former CIA agent Seth Lynch came from small-town farming stock? She couldn’t believe it.
“Yes. I rebuilt tractor engines before cars and planes.”
He grabbed her hand and led her toward the set of black-iron stairs leading up to the loft area.
They stepped into the living space, and she couldn’t help but gasp. The place was gorgeous, all sleek, modern lines. The floor was polished concrete, and there was a comfy-looking, tan suede sectional in front of one wall that held a large television on it. On the other side of the room was a long kitchen with dark, glossy cabinets and lots of stainless steel.
There was a doorway, which she assumed led to the bedroom, but her gaze was drawn to the back wall. It was dominated by huge, arched windows, and beyond them she could see a balcony. Seth had a killer view. Right outside lay the airport, with its tangle of runways. Beyond that was the glitz and multi-colored sparkle of The Strip.
She walked deeper into the room. “I love your place, Seth.”
“Thanks.”
Turning, she saw his wall of framed photographs and stopped. Wow. The pictures were amazing, and all in dramatic black and white. There was a close-up shot of the fountain at the Bellagio. An awesome shot of the Strip with its casinos, billboards, and palm trees. A few pictures she knew were the Grand Canyon—stark and beautiful. An interesting one of Hoover Dam. And another that was a shot of the desert and a lone dirt road leading to nowhere.
They were all haunting without a single person in them.
“Do you like them?” Seth asked.
She flicked her gaze to him, detecting something in his voice. “You took these?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I do a little photography in my very rare spare time.”
He’d taken these lonely, evocative images. She swallowed. For some strange reason, she felt like she was looking into his soul.
“They’re gorgeous, Seth.”
His lips quirked. “Thanks.”
“Do you ever photograph people?”
“No. I don’t find them an interesting subject.” He turned. “Now, first thing is for you to take a shower.”