by Liliana Hart
It was just a kiss. But there was nothing simple about it. She felt stripped bare, as if he were already buried as far inside her as he could possibly be. He invaded her mind, body, and soul, and she was helpless to resist him.
Tremors shook her body and her hands came up and gripped his shoulders, holding on as her equilibrium tilted. The heat of him drew her to him like a moth to flame, and his hands roamed down her body and gripped her hips, jerking her up against him so she could feel the hardness of his cock through the layers of clothing he wore. She arched against him, aching for the kind of release she’d needed in the shower that morning.
It was then she realized both of her feet were suspended in the air, and the mine lay disabled on the ground. She pulled back, her breath coming in short pants and her eyes wide with the shock of whatever had just happened.
“Why’d you do that?” she whispered, though she didn’t think to let go of his shoulders, and he didn’t set her feet on the ground.
“I figured if we were going to die we might as well enjoy ourselves on the way out.” His breath was just as erratic as hers, and she felt the heat of his fingers through the layers of clothes.
“This is a bad idea, Archer.” She pushed against his chest until he sat her back on her feet and then released her. It annoyed her that her legs were just a little unsteady—more so because of the kiss than the threat of the land mine, which was saying something about its potency.
His lips twitched with his normal good humor, but his eyes remained serious. “You have to admit, it was a good kiss. Being naked while doing it would probably be somewhere on the scale of spectacular.”
“The last time I was naked with a man, I ended up with three bullets in the chest. You can understand my hesitancy.”
“It’s a quandary. I’m trying to figure out a way around that so you’re not so skittish. I’ll let you know when I come up with something.”
“Unbelievable,” she said, shaking her head, though she had to laugh at his audacity. “You have a skull harder than rock.”
“Believe it or not, I’ve been told that before. You see this scar here,” he said, running his fingers along the side of his scalp. “It’s from a bullet. Went right in and bounced off my skull. You and me, Sharpe. We live charmed lives.”
“The thing about that is the charm eventually runs out and you die.”
“Which is why we should take life’s pleasures where we find them. I’ve got a little place down in Costa Rica. We should go when this is done. You can wear your bikini.”
“Yes, and horrify all the tourists with my scars. I’ll pass. Maybe we could worry about finding Salt before you start making vacation plans.”
He gave her a curious look and took hold of her arm before she could walk away. “He’s Proteus, isn’t he? Salt? I don’t know why I didn’t put it together before now. But it’s the only thing that makes sense.”
She’d known it wasn’t a secret she’d be able to keep forever, and she would’ve told him. Eventually. When she’d known for sure that she could trust him with that kind of classified information.
“He needs to die,” she said instead. “How many agents lost their lives because of him? How many innocent people?”
“You don’t have to convince me that he needs to die. But it would’ve been nice information to have going in all the same.”
“Now you know. And our goal is still the same.” She moved around him and headed back toward the sled.
“I don’t suppose there are any other pertinent facts you need to pass on,” he called out. “Now’s as good of a time as any.”
“You talk in your sleep,” she shouted back.
He narrowed his eyes and followed after her, and she turned around before he could see her grin. She wondered how long it would take before he asked her what he’d said, but he remained stubbornly silent.
“We’re going to have to go around,” he eventually said. “Salt wouldn’t have booby trapped the entire perimeter. It’s too much land to cover.”
“You realize if we keep going, we’ll be walking right into his trap. There’s no place for cover around here. He’s going to be waiting for us now—watching.”
“Joe marked a spot on the map where another deserted gold mine is located, but it’s at least another fifty miles. It’ll be dark before we get there, and there’s no snow in the forecast to cover our tracks. It’ll protect us from walking into Salt’s trap, but it’ll leave us wide open for the Russians.”
The Russians had been worrying her too. “It’s a chance we’re going to have to take. We’re the Russian’s primary targets. Not Jonah. They see us as the bigger threat, because if we don’t handle this right he could end up detonating every one of those tankers, and that’s the last thing they want.
“They’ll be out for blood. Ours. And they’ll want to make sure we haven’t talked. If word gets out that Russian oil tankers are wired with explosives then the trade routes to every country they do business with will be shut down.”
“The Russians we can handle. I’m not so sure about Salt. I didn’t know what we were getting into when we first started this, but Proteus isn’t an amateur. He’s survived in the darkest parts of underground terrorist organizations for years. We could use some help. MacKenzie Security has a lot of resources. We need to utilize them. There’s no reason for you to think you have to take him out alone other than supreme stubbornness on your part.”
“Are you trying to piss me off?”
“Probably. How am I doing?”
“You’re getting close. And I’m not being stubborn. No one knows Salt and his movements better than I do. He trained me. I’m the best bet we have to find him.”
“No one is disputing that. But we’ve found him. He’s at The End of the fucking World. Now we just need to kill him. And for that, you’re going to need help. How am I doing now?”
“You’ve succeeded.” She crossed her arms over her chest and arched a brow. “Can we go now or are you going to launch into another diatribe?”
“One day you and I will have a normal conversation.”
“I doubt it.”
“Maybe over breakfast,” he said ignoring her. “You seem like the kind of person who’d enjoy breakfast conversation.”
“I’m going to strangle you in your sleep.”
“Strangely enough, you haven’t been the first person to tell me that either.”
Archer checked the compass on his watch and the dogs stood and shook, as if they sensed that he was ready to go.
“I want to find out more about this End of the World and the people who went missing. Maybe Declan has some information. And if not, maybe he has an idea of how we can locate Salt and get past his defenses. Because you’re right. He’ll be ready for us if we go for him now.”
Archer got out the bag of dog treats and gave them to the animals, petting one of the lead dogs behind the ears before he came back to the sled.
“You ready to go?” he asked.
The thought of riding for fifty more miles with her body pressed against him after that kiss sounded like torture, and from his cocky smile, it looked like he knew exactly how torturous it would be.
“Why don’t you take the drive bar this time and I’ll ride behind you?”
The smile disappeared from his face and he looked down at her lips before shaking his head and getting onto the sled.
“It’s probably for the best,” he said soberly. “You’ve got a very bitable neck. I probably wouldn’t be able to restrain myself. I’ll even let you hold onto me instead of the handle bar if you’re nice.”
Audrey snorted out a laugh and stepped up behind him. “You’re a generous soul, Archer. But you’re going to regret making the offer.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her body to his back. He sucked in a deep breath and groaned at the touch.
“Maybe I will,” he said in a strained voice. “But I’ve got you right where I want you. I told you I had some ideas on how to ge
t you to trust me. Though you’d think saving your pretty ass from getting blown into a million pieces would be enough.”
“Just mush, Agent Ryan. You make my head spin.”
“Well, then. Mission accomplished.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Full darkness had fallen by the time they reached the wooden skeleton of the first building of Devil’s Mining Camp. At least that’s what Joe had called it. There wasn’t any reference to the ghost town on the map other than where he’d circled it in bright red marker.
They’d had to take several breaks along the way for the dogs to rest and eat. And when dusk had settled in, they’d had to stop again to strap on headlamps so they could see where they were going. It had been a long and grueling process, and it would be easy for exhaustion to set in, but they had a long journey still in front of them.
Archer put his foot on the brake and stopped the sled. “This would be a great place for an ambush.”
Audrey shivered involuntarily. The town was perfectly preserved under a layer of white, just as it must have looked a hundred years before. It wouldn’t have surprised her at all to see the ghosts of men seeking their fortune walking along the narrow street or saloon girls hanging from the windows, beckoning them to come inside out of the cold and get warm for a price.
She unzipped her jacket and pulled her gun out, holding it down by her thigh. The temperatures had dropped drastically after the sun went down and she flexed her grip around the butt, getting the blood flowing through her hands.
“It’s creepy,” she whispered. She didn’t know why she was whispering. Only that it seemed like the appropriate thing to do.
“There’s no tracks going in that I can see,” Archer said, shining the LED light back and forth across the ground. “If anyone’s been here, it’s been a while. We’re going to have to take our chances that Salt didn’t plan this far out. The dogs need shelter and rest for the night and so do we.”
“Shelter might be overreaching a bit,” Audrey said as he got the dogs going again. “We’ll be lucky if it doesn’t come down on top of us.”
“It’s lasted this long. I figure it can hold another night.”
The town began and ended almost faster than a person could blink. It was just one strip of broken down buildings and nothing else. The structures on the ends were in the worst shape and provided the least amount of protection, so they opted for one of the buildings in the middle. It would at least provide protection from the wind and adequate coverage if anyone tried to sneak up on them.
“I’ll take care of the dogs and get them set up if you want to make base camp,” he told her. “I need to get on the sat phone and get in touch with Declan. Or maybe you should do that.” The look on his face was a little sheepish, and if she wasn’t mistaken his cheeks were turning red. “The last time I called he was—busy.”
“Whatever that means. I’ll call him if you’re scared of your boss.”
“He’s your boss too now. And I don’t need any more ideas popping into my head. The night’s going to be long enough as it is.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know you don’t.” He opened his mouth as if he were going to say something else, but instead breathed out a white puff of air and left her alone in front of what used to be a saloon.
Confused, she decided to ignore him and hefted his pack of supplies over her shoulder along with her own. She imagined the saloon at one time had swinging doors, but they’d long since fallen down, so only black iron hinges were left hanging from the doorframe. She carefully stepped over the threshold, setting her light on wide beam and shining it slowly across the room.
It was a good sized area and seemed sturdy enough. It had wood floors once upon a time, but most of it had rotted, so only the black dirt beneath showed. The rubble of what had probably once been a bar and chairs and tables were scattered throughout, and the staircase that led to the second floor was completely gone, leaving only a gaping hole where it had pulled away from the wall and collapsed in a pile on the ground.
Part of the roof on one side had caved in, so snow had mounded on top of the debris. But she’d camped in worse places, and at least the other half of the room was dry and blocked from the wind.
She dumped both packs in the corner and immediately started taking out their weapons so they were ready in case they needed them in a hurry. She found a warped piece of wood that was still fairly sturdy and lined guns and knives up in a straight line along with extra magazines.
Provisions, maps, and the sat phone came out next, and she found a larger piece of wood so she could lay the map out flat. She almost didn’t set up the tent, but it was insulated and the added protection against the cold would make them less miserable. She wasn’t sure being confined in such close quarters with Archer was the best of ideas, not after the way his kiss had affected her. She wanted him. And it terrified her.
Audrey looked over at the small arsenal of weapons and grabbed the baby Glock, slipping it into the pocket of her jacket. Just having it close by made her relax a little. Her gut told her Archer Ryan was a man she could trust. He’d proven himself by standing next to her while disarming the land mine. But she was afraid there would always be a part of her from now on that held herself back—waiting and watching—to see if he’d betray her. Wanting the physical release he could give her was one thing. Hoping for anything more than that was a whole other problem.
Before she could talk herself out of it she erected the tent and used what materials she could to stuff around the inside perimeter for insolation. Then she laid out the bedrolls, leaving an adequate amount of space between the two. She finished it off by setting one of the flashlights up in the corner so they wouldn’t hurt themselves if they needed to get out quickly. The light only gave it a homey, romantic glow, and she debated turning it off but knew that would be foolish.
“There,” she said, nodding, as if trying to convince herself she was on a normal op with a normal partner.
“Are you talking to yourself?” Archer said from behind her.
She didn’t jump, but it was damned close. He moved like a wraith. With an unnerving silence for a man of his size and strength.
“We’re set up here. I’m going to take a walk around the perimeter while you talk to Declan.”
“Coward.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but he just gave her that insufferable grin. “Last time I checked I haven’t actually received a paycheck from MacKenzie Security. And to be honest, I’m not all that certain it’s where I belong. So until I make that decision, you’re the one who can talk to Declan. I never asked for any help on this job. You’re the one who elbowed your way in.”
He took a step closer and she had to look up to keep eye contact, but she held her ground.
“I would have come for you because that’s what my orders were,” he said, his smile fading. “But I took one look at your picture and I would’ve come even if my orders had been to stay as far away from you as possible.”
She sneered and her words sounded robotic to her ears. “Just like a man to fall in lust with a face and not think past his hard-on to see if there’s anything beneath it. They must have taken out the other pictures from my file. Believe me, my face is the only thing left of beauty on my entire body, and there’s nothing left on the inside except the need for revenge.”
Anger flashed in his eyes, but his voice was barely a whisper. “That’s where you’re wrong. And you don’t give either of us enough credit. I recognized you the second I saw your picture. How does that settle with that logical brain of yours?”
“I’d say you’re living in a fantasy land if you believe in any of that crap.”
“What, you don’t believe there are unexplainable connections between people? You’ve never walked down the street or seen someone in passing and felt you’ve met them before? And be careful before you decide to lie straight to my face.”
Audrey pressed her lips tight to
gether to keep from doing just that. She knew exactly the feeling he was speaking of. She’d felt it the first moment their eyes had connected in that warehouse several days before.
He nodded as if she’d made the right decision to keep quiet. “And you’re wrong, you know. I did see the other pictures. You made a comment earlier when I asked you to come to Costa Rica with me about scaring the tourists with your scars. Do you know what I saw when I looked at those pictures of what the Syrians had done to you?”
He waited for her answer and she finally managed to get a word past her dry throat. “No.”
“I saw unimaginable strength. That’s it,” he said, taking a step back and giving her a little more room to breathe. “I felt sorrow and anger for what had been done to you, but they’re just scars, Audrey. Nothing more. And if you think for a second that I wouldn’t stand proudly on a beach anywhere with you in a bikini, then you haven’t learned anything about me or the kind of man I am at all these last few days.”
Her throat tightened and she felt the burn behind her eyes, but like always, the tears refused to fall. She thanked God for that.
“Go do your perimeter check,” he sat, reaching past her to grab the sat phone off the makeshift table she’d made. “I’ll call Dec and fill him in.”
She nodded and made her escape, feeling like she’d just been given a reprieve.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Archer blew out a slow breath as Audrey left him alone. He’d pushed too hard, too fast. The look on her face had confirmed that. All he could do was give her time, and maybe some day she’d realize she could trust him with not only her life—but with her heart.