Unmapped (Treasure Hunter Security #6)

by Anna Hackett

  Ronin glanced in the rearview mirror, but didn’t see anyone tailing them as they followed the highway up into the Rocky Mountains.

  Five vehicles had headed out of the THS office parking lot with Ronin, Dec, Logan, Cal, and Hale Carter behind the wheels. They’d all taken circuitous routes through Denver to lose anyone who was following them. Peri had stayed hidden until he’d given her the all clear as he’d left Denver behind.

  Now she sat beside him, staring out the window. The road was lined with lush trees bursting with green.

  “So your grandmother lived up here?” he asked. “That why you picked Denver to live?”

  Peri nodded. “Mom and Dad dumped Amber and me on Gram at least once a year. She was a kooky old lady and I loved her. My grandpa died when my mom was little, but she told me Gram made a good life for them.” Peri smiled. “I loved her and the mountains. The scenery, scrambling through the trees with Amber, Gram baking us cookies. I even climbed for the first time up here. There’s just something about the mountains that inspires awe and peace.”

  He stared at the mountain view ahead. It was breathtaking, and he understood what she meant.

  “So, do you miss being a Navy SEAL?” she asked.

  Ronin’s hands flexed on the wheel. “No. Working for THS means less flying bullets.” Usually.

  “When I researched THS, I saw you’d worked for the CIA, as well.”

  “Yes.” When he didn’t say anything else, he felt her looking at him, and he gripped the wheel.

  “Don’t worry, Ronin. You don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”

  When he looked back at her, she was looking out the window again. She didn’t seem upset. He’d had more than a few women get testy when he refused to share his past with them.

  They continued on and passed through the mountain town of Estes Park. He knew it was a base for anyone heading into Rocky Mountain National Park, and its main street was filled with shops, restaurants, and galleries. It was busy all year round.

  Soon, they turned onto a smaller road, and then a smaller dirt track, heading up a hill. When she told him to pull over by a dilapidated gate with peeling white paint, he knew they only had about an hour of sunlight left.

  “We haven’t maintained the road,” she said. “I want to renovate the cabin, but I’ve been busy with my gym and my house.”

  They climbed out and pulled on their backpacks. Ronin followed Peri through the gate and they started the hike up to the cabin. The ground was rough and rutted. The track needed a hell of a lot of maintenance, and Peri was right. This would be a difficult hike in the dark.

  Almost an hour passed, and then they cleared the trees, and the view even made Ronin’s jaded senses pause to take it all in. The golden-orange light of the setting sun drenched the valley. Trees swept down the mountain and he drew in a deep breath, pulling in the scent of the trees.

  “Pretty special, huh?” Peri said.

  He glanced at her and saw her face was the most relaxed it had been since he’d first spotted her across a crowded wedding reception. “Yeah. Very special.”

  A flush of pink heated her cheeks and she looked back at the scenery. “Just being here, breathing in the fresh mountain air, does something to still the soul.”

  Ronin wasn’t sure he wanted to still his soul, or listen to what it had to say. “It’ll be dark soon. Let’s get to the cabin and find this package.”

  She nodded and pointed. That’s when he noticed the cabin nestled among the trees. It was a simple structure made of logs with a deck at the front with a few solid wooden chairs. It had a dilapidated air, but good bones.

  Peri jogged up the steps and pushed open the unlocked door. Inside, the living area wasn’t big, the kitchen was postage-stamp sized, and he saw three doors for the two bedrooms and bathroom.

  “It’s a bit dusty in here.” Peri moved over to a table, dumped her backpack, and pulled an oil lantern into the center of the table. She flicked it on and it cast a golden glow through the room. “Amber came and stayed up here not too long ago. She said she’d stocked up the oil and wood for the fire.”

  Mention of her sister made worry cross Peri’s face. Then she squared her shoulders and marched to the nearest door. When she opened it, Ronin saw a small bedroom with two single beds.

  Peri smiled. “This was our room. Gram always put matching pink covers on our beds, which we both hated.” The hated covers were long gone now, the mattresses stripped bare. She moved to the center of the room and pressed down with her boot.

  The wooden floorboard squeaked.

  She knelt down and pried it up. “Our secret hiding place.” She reached under the board. She pulled her hand out and held up a small, red carabiner. She smiled again. “This was from the first time I went climbing. Gram organized it with the son of a friend of hers. He was in his twenties and had his hands full teaching two teenage girls who were crushing on him.” She set the carabiner aside. Next, she pulled out a folded piece of paper. She flicked it open and pain spasmed on her face.

  He took in the loopy writing and decided it didn’t belong to Peri.

  “Amber’s,” Peri said. “Describing being completely in love with a boy staying in a cabin down the road one summer.” Next, Peri pulled up a small, sealed envelope. Her fingers clenched on it.

  “Peri?”

  “I’m okay.” She tore it open. A small black thumb drive fell onto her palm. “This is it.”

  But what it held exactly would have to wait until they got back to Denver. Unable to stop himself, he reached out and grabbed Peri’s hand. “This is one step closer to finding your sister.”

  Darcy sat in the now-quiet warehouse, enjoying the peace, and checking some deep-level searches she had running. Some of them were…not quite legal.

  Everyone had headed home for the evening. Everyone had someone to head home with except her.

  Ignoring the pang in her chest, Darcy patted the side of her sleek screen. Her computer system was all she needed to keep herself challenged and entertained. Well, that and her well-endowed vibrator at home by her bed.

  With a grin, she pulled out her phone, but her smile turned to a frown. Still no call from Special Agent “I’m in charge and I’ll never let you forget it.” She’d left the man three messages. The asshole was avoiding her.

  She glanced at her slim, silver watch. It was late in DC, but something told her he’d still be at the office. She dragged her chair closer to her computer and got to work, her fingers flying.

  Darcy loved computers. It didn’t mean she didn’t like people, but there was something so right about the programming. Everything was logical and under her control.

  Ah-ha. She studied the information on her screen. She could see a certain FBI agent was still logged on. She paused. This was highly illegal. The FBI really didn’t like people hacking into their system. She pursed her lips. Then again, Burke had hacked her system more than once. She might not have an entire team of tech geniuses at her fingertips like he did, but she was more than capable of hacking into the FBI without anyone noticing.

  Darcy leaned over her keyboard. A moment later, she barely resisted a fist pump. Yes. An image of Special Agent Alastair Burke appeared on her screen.

  He was sitting at his desk, frowning at some paperwork. He hadn’t noticed the camera on his laptop turn on, and she had a second to just look at him. So serious. He had a not-quite handsome face. It was a little too hard and focused to be handsome.

  But damn, the man drew the eye. He might drive her crazy, but add in a body she knew he kept honed to hard precision, and the suit, and the gun holster…

  “Darcy? What the hell?” He was looking right at her, a frown on his face.

  She straightened. “You didn’t return my calls.”

  “So you hacked the FBI?”

  How dare he sound so shocked. “You hack my system all the time!”

  He muttered a curse and rose. She got a good view of a white shirt—still crisp becau
se she was certain Burke intimidated even shirt wrinkles—tucked into dark trousers, and that pistol in its holster. She cleared her throat, and watched him close his office door before he sat again.

  “Don’t get caught,” he growled. “I’m not saving your pretty ass if you end up in a cell.”

  Were FBI agents allowed to say ass? Wait. He’d noticed her ass. Some sensation flicked through Darcy before she stomped down on it. No. Nope. Hell nope. She wasn’t going there.

  “We have a mission.” There, her tone was appropriately business-like. “I was hoping to get some information from you—”

  “I don’t have anything to give you.”

  She narrowed her gaze. “Burke, I’m about to send my brother and friends to Antarctica—”

  “Antarctica?” A muscle in his jaw jumped. “Tell Dec not to go.”

  “Our client’s sister got lured there by Silk Road. She’s missing and her life is in danger. We don’t stand by and let innocent people get hurt and killed by these bastards. And last time I checked, neither do you.”

  “Dammit.” He shoved a hand through his dark hair. “I have no jurisdiction in Antarctica, Darcy. But I’ve heard some chatter about something going on there. There are players involved above my pay grade.”

  Damn. That didn’t sound good. “Can you give me anything?”

  “No.”

  “Please.” Anything could help keep Dec and the others alive. “I’d consider it a personal favor.”

  He stared at her, and she found herself caught by deep green eyes.

  “I’ll owe you,” she added quietly. Dec had just gotten married, and was in love and happy. Logan was head over heels for Sydney. And Ronin watched Peri Butler in a way Darcy had never seen him look at a woman before. She wanted them all home safe from this mission.

  Burke’s gaze sharpened. “You’ll owe me. Not Declan. Not THS.”

  Her heart gave a hard knock. Why did she suddenly feel like she was dancing with the devil and signing her soul over? “Deal.”

  “Tell Dec not to go.” Burke sighed, like he knew that was never going to happen. “There has been lots of Silk Road chatter about a top-secret mission to Antarctica. My team handed everything over…to another team.”

  “The mysterious team in black with drones, who shoot first and ask questions later?”

  “They’re the good guys.”

  “Sure.”

  “Another top Silk Road leader is said to be involved, Darcy. You tell Dec to be prepared for anything.” Burke leaned his forearms on his desk, his gaze intense. “I’ll warn any friendlies involved that THS has a team on the ground.”

  That was something, at least. Allies were always welcome. “See. That wasn’t too hard. You should have just returned my calls.”

  “If you’re looking for a man to be at your beck and call, Darcy, that isn’t me.”

  No, Alastair Burke had bossy, authoritative, and alpha male stamped all over him. He was nothing like the charming, successful businessmen she dated. She gave him a smile. “No man has ever complained.”

  Something flashed in his gaze and his voice lowered. “Don’t push me, Darcy.”

  All of a sudden, she felt like she’d stepped onto boggy ground. “Well, now that you’ve hacked my system and I’ve hacked yours, we’re even. You stay away from my computers and I’ll stay away from yours.”

  A faint smile tilted his firm lips. “We’ll see. Goodnight, Darcy.”

  “Goodnight, Agent Burke.”

  “And don’t forget…you owe me.” The screen went blank.

  Ooh. Darcy poked her tongue out at the empty screen. The man always had to have the last word.

  Chapter Five

  Peri sat in one of the chairs on the deck, her legs tucked up beneath her, munching on her sandwich.

  Night had fallen, and she was enjoying listening to the night-time quiet and looking at the amazing sweep of stars that filled the sky. They were so breathtaking.

  She wondered if Amber was looking up at the stars. Peri felt a spear of pain in her chest. The small thumb drive was a heavy weight in Peri’s pocket and she desperately wanted to know what was on it.

  Beside her, Ronin sat quietly in his chair. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable. She liked that he didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with talk. He had this quiet core of steel she liked a lot.

  “Thank you for helping me,” she said.

  “No need to thank me. It’s my job.”

  His job. Right. “I feel silly now that I spied on you and your friends.”

  “When it comes to Silk Road, it makes sense not to trust.” In the faint light from the window, his eyes looked even darker than usual. “And like I told you, you shouldn’t trust me.”

  He just felt the need to keep warning her off him. “Do you warn all women away?”

  His mouth morphed into a scowl.

  Hmm, Peri didn’t think many women called him on his dark moodiness. They were probably already scared off by the dangerous look on his face. But Peri was made of sterner stuff. She took another bite of her sandwich, chewed, and swallowed. “So you’re too big, bad, and dangerous?”

  He sent her a sharp look and the scowl deepened.

  Peri fought back a smile. “I grew up seeing some of the shadiest, most dangerous backstreets around the world.” Traveling to so many countries meant she’d had a few close shaves. “Sorry, but you aren’t big, bad, and dark, Ronin. You’re barely gray.”

  He blinked.

  “You fought for your country, and dedicated your life to protecting it. I don’t know what you did for the CIA, and I can see it scarred you, but you were fighting for the good guys.”

  “Sometimes the good guys have to do bad things.”

  The buried pain in his voice hurt her heart. “That doesn’t make you bad, though.”

  They sat there in the darkness for a while, the quiet broken by some small animal rustling in the bushes nearby.

  “Are you from Denver?” she asked.

  “No.”

  She stifled a sigh. Clearly, this was another topic that was closed to discussion.

  “New York,” he said abruptly.

  “Really? Do you have family there?”

  “I have no idea. I was abandoned as a newborn in an alley. I was wrapped in a blanket and drug addicted.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath. His tone was monotone, emotionless. “I’m sorry—”

  “Nothing for you to be sorry about.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked a little surprised he was even talking at all. “It’s an ugly story and in the past.”

  Except it wasn’t. Peri could tell it wasn’t.

  He stood abruptly. “I want to do a lap of the cabin before we go to sleep.”

  She sat up. “You think Silk Road could have followed us?”

  “I doubt it. But I never take chances.”

  Of course, he didn’t. He was the man doing security checks in the dark so others could sleep safely. She grabbed her pocket and felt the slight weight of the thumb drive in there.

  Ronin reached out and touched her cheek. A featherlight touch. “Stay strong. Your sister left you a clue so we could find her.”

  Throat tight, Peri nodded. He pulled back and for a second, she missed his touch. She felt such a pull toward this man. He was like a black hole—mysterious, dangerous, and inexorable.

  “Goodnight, Peri.” He turned and disappeared into the darkness.

  Peri woke with a start.

  She almost rolled right off the narrow, single bed before she caught herself. The dark was thick and impenetrable, and it took her a second to remember where she was.

  Gram’s cabin. Amber’s thumb drive. Ronin.

  She heard another noise. A deep masculine growl. She sat up and reached under her pillow, pulling out the thumb drive. She stuck it in the waistband of her yoga leggings, since she was braless under her loose tank top and had no pockets. She climbed out of bed and heard a harsh sound from the neighboring bedroom. />
  She frowned. It sounded like Ronin was having a nightmare.

  She tiptoed toward the other room, glad she knew the cabin layout in her head. When she reached the room, moonlight cast a glow over the double bed. Ronin was shirtless, thrashing under his light sleeping bag.

  “No!” he called out. “Bastards.”

  Peri moved closer to the bed, and wasn’t sure if she should touch him. She saw his muscles were bunched.

  “Ronin—”

  He leaped off the bed and took her down. It happened so fast and as her back hit the floorboards, the air rushed out of her. His heavy weight landed on top of her, pinning her to the floor.

  She looked up and could just make out his glittering, wild eyes.

  She sucked in a breath. “Ronin.” She tried to keep her voice calm. “It’s Peri.”

  He froze. “Peri?”

  “Yes. You were…dreaming.” Or having a hellacious nightmare.

  Some of the tension drained out of him. “Peri.”

  “That’s me.” She reached up and ran a hand over his dark hair. He kept it short, but what was there was thick and silky. “You’re okay now.”

  “Shit, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have come in here. I could have hurt you.”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not scared of you.”

  She felt his gaze move over her face. “You should be.”

  Then he leaned down and shocked her by fusing his mouth to hers.

  Oh. God. Heat flooded Peri and as her mouth parted, he plundered. The hot shock of his tongue thrust into her mouth—taking and tasting. A spear of heat shot through her and she stroked his tongue with hers.

  Moaning, she slid her hands into his hair. His body felt so big and hard against hers. Oh, boy, the man could kiss. He did it with the same focused intensity he did everything else.

  She pushed and they rolled across the floor until they hit the edge of the bed. Ronin groaned and they rolled again. Peri ended up on top and she dug her legs against his hips. She pressed her palms against his bare chest, feeling the heat of his taut skin and the hard muscles beneath.

  He jerked and rolled her again. This time Peri found herself pinned by his body, his lean hips falling into the cradle of hers. A very hard cock covered only by soft gym shorts pressed between her legs. Peri moaned again, her nails digging into his scalp as she deepened the kiss. She wanted more, anything, everything.