by Anna Hackett
“No, I haven’t.” January scanned around for the blonde. “But I have been a little preoccupied.”
Blair smiled. “I’ll help you find her, Cal.” Blair gripped January’s arm. “Take good care of him.”
“Absolutely. I’m not taking him away for very long. You’ll get him back soon.”
“Enjoy your honeymoon.”
January laughed. “Oh, don’t worry, I definitely will.”
As the women left, arms wrapped around January from behind. When those familiar long fingers cradled her belly, she smiled. Seth’s heat pressed against her back.
“How’s my son?” Seth murmured in her ear.
“It could be a girl.” By now, they were both over the shock of her pregnancy. Mostly. The surprise had been eclipsed by excitement, mixed with a healthy dose of nerves.
Seth had even gone out and bought them a dozen baby books. The man loved flicking through them.
“And how’s my wife?” He spun her around.
His wife. She loved hearing that. “She’s incandescently happy. I didn’t know I could be this happy.”
His face softened.
“And how’s my husband?” She tilted her head back. Oh yeah, she could tell from his face that he liked her saying that.
“So damn happy.” He lowered his voice. “And looking forward to you in a tiny bikini. I’ve packed my camera and plan to take a lot of naughty photos of you.”
January quivered.
“But right now, I’m ready to have you all to myself.”
“You think we can sneak out?” They had a suite at the casino all to themselves.
“Hell, yes,” he said. “I’m a former spy, remember?”
She slid her arms around his neck. “My own personal spy.”
“Yours forever, hellcat.”
He swept her off her feet and into his arms, kissing her hard. As he walked toward the elevator, their friends and family cheered.
Not very sneaky, but neither of them cared.
Smith
“We’ve got a problem.”
Blair’s murmured statement made Smith look up from his bourbon. She was nearby, talking to Lachlan.
Smith really didn’t like weddings. He was happy for Seth and January, but Smith had tried matrimony once. He’d been young, and stupid enough to let his high-school girlfriend lead him around by his dick.
Best thing he ever did, getting rid of Lila. Now, he stuck to the occasional fuck with like-minded cocktail waitresses or biker babes. Easy. No complications.
“Kinsey never showed for the wedding,” Blair said.
Smith’s muscles tensed and he swiveled. “What?”
Blair met his gaze. “She texted before the ceremony and said she was running late. There was a last-minute delivery scheduled at the Bunker, and she had to be there. She said she’d be here right after. That was hours ago.”
Smith had unconsciously been looking out for Kinsey all night. Hell, he’d actually been relieved that she clearly hadn’t been able to make it.
Watching beautiful, sweet Kinsey Beck swan around with a sunny smile on her gorgeous face was always a form of torture for Smith. Now, his muscles stretched so tight they hurt.
“And she never showed?” Lachlan said.
Blair shook her head, worry clear on her face.
Callie appeared. “No sign of her.”
“Call her,” Smith said.
“I tried,” Blair said. “No answer.”
“I’ll try again.” Callie held her phone to her ear. They all watched her.
Pick up the phone, Kinsey. Smith’s fingers clenched on his glass.
Callie shook her head. “No answer.”
“I’m going to the Bunker to check it out,” Lachlan said. “Maybe she just got held up.”
Smith stood. “I’m coming.”
“Me too,” said Blair.
“And me.” Callie stepped forward.
Axel appeared, joining the group. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m getting bad vibes.”
“Kinsey never showed,” Smith bit out. “Went to the Bunker for a late delivery, but never made it here.”
“Fuck,” Axel breathed.
“What will we tell Seth?” Blair asked.
Lachlan’s jaw firmed. “He just headed out with January. We aren’t ruining his wedding night. This might be nothing. So we aren’t telling him anything right now.” He turned to talk with Rowan, and Smith watched Lachlan’s woman nod, worry in her eyes.
“I’ll see you when you get back,” Rowan said.
“Let’s go. Now.” Smith didn’t want to waste any more time.
It was a tense ride down in the elevator to the garage. At the team’s SUV, Smith claimed the driver’s seat while the others piled in.
Once Smith hit Las Vegas Boulevard, he put his foot down, heading toward the airport. He did twenty over, desperate to get there.
They passed through the gate, showing their IDs. The SUV’s lights cut across the squat building of the Bunker and the attached aircraft hangar.
There were no vehicles outside, but he saw lights on inside. He hoped beyond hope that she was in there, doing some urgent work.
He cut the engine and the team stepped out of the SUV. As they approached the front door, they all scanned their surroundings.
As they got close, Smith saw that the door to the Bunker was ajar.
Dammit. It was always locked. His chest went solid and he reached back, pulling his SIG Sauer from under his jacket.
The others pulled out their handguns—SIGs, except for Axel who swore by his Glock. Even at a wedding, Team 52 was armed.
With a nod from Lachlan, Smith went first. He kicked open the door and moved inside.
Fucking hell. He froze. He couldn’t breathe.
“Damn,” Lachlan said.
The place was a mess. Filing cabinets had been tipped over, Kinsey’s desk was overturned, and books and papers had been flung all over the floor.
“Stay focused,” Lachlan said in a cool, controlled tone. “Clear the building.”
The team moved in formation, fanning out. Smith went with Lachlan, and they cleared the other rooms. Blair, Axel, and Callie moved to the hangar and the holding cells below.
“Clear.”
“Clear.”
“Clear.”
Smith lowered his gun. There was no sign of Kinsey or anyone else. He felt the blood pounding in his veins like a drum.
Kinsey—delicate, sweet Kinsey. When she smiled, it was like a light shone out of her. She’d watched him. Smith had sure as hell noticed. Once, she’d made a super-cute, drunken pass at him.
It had taken all his willpower to gently turn her down.
She’d avoided him for a few weeks after, but it hadn’t been long before her smile had reappeared. But she still watched him.
And when she wasn’t looking, Smith watched her as well. Oh, he’d looked his fill of her—round ass, long legs, shiny, blonde hair. Hell, even her nose was cute, and the pretty sweep of her collarbones, and her delicate wrists.
Fuck.
Blair moved over to straighten the chair near the desk. Kinsey loved that stupid pink, ergonomic chair.
Then Blair went still. “No.”
Gut curdling, Smith pushed forward. There was blood splattered on the floor.
No. He tried to pull in air, feeling dizzy. No.
Callie knelt. “It’s not enough blood to have killed her. If it is hers.”
“Someone took her,” Smith growled. “The fucker is a dead man.”
“Lachlan,” Axel called out from near the door.
There was a small shelf, where Kinsey kept a bowl of candy. She stocked it with all their favorites. Now, there was a cell phone and a note sitting beside it.
They crowded around, and Lachlan lifted it with his gloved left arm.
We have something of yours, and you have something we want. We propose a trade. Wait for our call.
There was a strange logo at the bottom. A circu
lar, bird-like design.
All Smith could hear was a roaring in his ears. Some bastards had Kinsey.
Smith turned and slammed his fist into the wall. It plowed through the drywall with a puff of dust.
“Cool it.” Lachlan’s golden gaze was no longer cool. The man was pissed, but was keeping a tight hold on it.
“We have to find her,” Smith growled.
“We will,” Lachlan said. “Axel, lock up the Bunker. Blair, call Brooks now, and tell him what’s going on. We’ll use my condo as a base of operations.” Lachlan looked at each of them. “We’re going to find her and get her back.” Lachlan’s gaze landed on Smith’s for an extra second. “We’re going to find her.”
And they’d make whoever had done this pay. Smith’s fingers curled, his knuckles cracking.
Wherever you are, Kinsey, hold the fuck on.
I hope you enjoyed January and Seth’s story!
Team 52 continues with Smith’s story, Mission: Her Security, as he sets out to rescue the kidnapped Kinsey. Coming November 13th 2018.
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.
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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.
God. She stroked the ushabti reverently, its gold surface glowing in the lantern-light. Her parents would have loved to have seen this. To know their daughter had been the one to find it.
The necklace was still in pieces, but back in their lab in Cairo, someone would piece it back together. The chunky golden scarab would fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. She carefully lifted the small, dog-like amulet. It was slightly smaller than the scarab, and the canine had a slender body like a greyhound, and a long, stiff tail that was forked at the end. She was sure this was a set-animal, the symbol of the Egyptian god, Seth. She stroked the hieroglyphs on the animal’s body and the symbols that spelled Zerzura.