Hell, maybe she had.
Frustrated, he tossed the journal against the tent wall. He was letting his emotions get the better of him.
He walked over to the journal and picked it up. Something tucked inside the book had fluttered to the floor.
Travis stared at the folded sheet of yellowed paper for a few seconds before reaching for it.
Slowly he opened the note, almost afraid to see what was on it.
Right away he knew it wasn’t Cedric’s handwriting, but the script looked familiar nonetheless. It was a letter dated September 10, 1990. The year he’d took off on his own. The letter was addressed to “Daddy.”
Travis’s heart sped up. He scanned down to the bottom and saw that the letter was from his mother.
His gaze shot back to the top.
Travis is gone. I feel lost and alone. I came home from a cocktail party to find that he’d left. William wouldn’t tell me why. I knew he was hiding something. Help me, Daddy. I know you have contacts around the world. You have to help me find him. I don’t think he knows how much I love him. How I need him in my life. I want to tell him how sorry I am that I wasn’t the mother I should have been, but I want to be now.
Travis reread the letter once more. She actually sounded as if she hadn’t known what had happened with him and Jackson.
Could she have been that blind? Could she have missed the signs of abuse—or subconsciously suppressed them? If so, did that excuse her from the neglect on her part?
He refolded the letter and tucked it into his pants. Now he had even more to think about.
He’d resented his mother for so long he didn’t think a letter could change that, but he would have liked to know if she’d been aware that William Jackson had abused him. If so, nothing would change. But if she hadn’t known…
He stuffed the journal back into his bag and left the tent. He wanted to see Mattie, hold her in his arms, hoping that would help him forget about what his mother’s letter had brought back—feelings of her betrayal.
* * * *
Mattie slipped out of the tent and glanced around. Travis and Galen were at the table, a bottle of liquor sitting between them. She saw right away that they didn’t look too happy with each other.
What was with that? They were friends. What could have caused a rift between them?
She walked to the table. “Is something wrong?”
They glanced at each other, then looked at her.
“No.” Travis took a long swallow from his tin cup.
Mattie stared at Galen, who rose. “I’m going to bed. Good night.”
“Night.” Mattie watched him enter his tent, then returned her attention to Travis.
“Something’s going on. Tell me what.”
He refused to look at her, which only convinced her that something had happened.
“Please talk to me, Travis.”
His eyes connected with hers, the fire in his gaze fierce. “I don’t want to talk.”
Mattie’s heart hurt. “Why are you so afraid to open up to me?”
“It’s not you, Mattie. I don’t want to talk to anyone about anything.”
The undeniable sadness reflected in his eyes caused her throat to clog. Aside from his reaction when he’d learned of Chaz’s death, this was the only time she’d witnessed any sign of emotion from him. “Is there anything I can do? It’s not good to keep everything bottled up inside.” She wanted so badly to help him if she could.
He shook his head.
She brushed her knuckles across his cheek. “Are you sure?”
He stared up at her, his eyes changing to liquid fire.
Mattie swallowed, amazed at how his mood could change from sadness to passion in a matter of seconds.
When his hand slid around her waist, the tips of his fingers fanning out over her thin T-shirt, her belly quivered. His touch had her body warming, every inch of her skin feeling like pins and needles, her core pulsing with anticipation.
She sucked in a ragged breath as his palms snaked upward and cupped her breasts, causing her nipples to bud. She moaned audibly and moved into his touch, needing to feel his body next to her own.
He rose and kissed her mouth, nibbling at her bottom lip, drawing her closer to his body. His lips left hers and slid to her ear. “We need to find a place more private,” he whispered against her neck, the vibration of each word rocketing to her toes.
“Where?” she asked in a voice she hardly recognized.
He glanced around, then clasped her hand and took off toward the truck bed. Mattie didn’t care where Travis took her as long as they were together, that he made her feel alive again.
At the truck, he clasped her waist and hoisted her onto the bed, then lifted himself up. On her bottom, Mattie slid toward the cab, her eyes not leaving his.
As Travis inched her way, he removed his shirt and unbuttoned his pants.
His eyes turned black as coal when she started to remove her clothes. Before coming to her, he picked up an extra sleeping bag from the supplies and untied the strings keeping it closed.
He laid it down on the bed and reached out for her. Mattie’s heart leapt as she touched his fingers and allowed him to help her down on top of the nylon bag. She lay back, admiring each plane and contour of his body in the moonlight. Only in pictures had Mattie even seen such a perfect specimen of man. Her gaze moved to his belly that was muscled, with not an inch of fat. Her attention inched lower, her eyes widening at his powerful cock, hard as steel.
Mattie’s mouth went dry. She couldn’t believe a man so incredibly perfect wanted her.
He moved to cover her body with his, the warmth and pressure seeping into her being, igniting her passion. She roamed her hands over his back, her nails digging into his flesh when his hand slipped between her legs, his fingers working into her heat.
She moaned and arched up to meet his demand.
He slid half off her, his eyes watching hers as his fingers plunged inside to explore her.
Her breath caught in her throat as her body coiled tight, and as she was about to splinter in two, he withdrew his fingers. He moved on top of her again, his knee working her legs apart.
Without a word, he drove into her, the pressure taking her breath. She’d never felt anything so intense, so fulfilling in her life. He made her feel whole, as if when they were together, they were one.
His pace quickened and Mattie lost all control, her body spiraling upward until a brilliance washed over her and she came, so hard she cried out with its intensity.
He was seconds behind her, one last thrust echoing his release.
He slid to her side again, his breathing erratic.
At that moment Mattie knew she'd do anything for Travis, wanted to share her life with him. But did he feel the same? She doubted it. He had a job that took him to remote areas of the world—a job that spoke of no commitment to anything or anybody.
How could she expect him to change for her? He probably couldn’t. Men like him were never the commitment types. He and Galen were too set in their ways to change now, no matter how much she might want him to.
She turned away, a sense of hopelessness taking hold. She didn’t want Travis to see her cry again, especially since she wasn’t shedding tears of passion.
“Are you okay?” he asked against her ear.
She nodded, angry that she’d gotten so emotional. She had to remember why she’d come to the Amazon. To work. Not to fall in love. Too bad that point had passed. She already loved Travis. But she wasn’t going to tell him. He’d just feel obligated to say he was sorry he didn’t feel the same. She didn’t want his pity—just his love, and she knew he wasn’t capable of that.
With strength she hadn’t known she possessed, she forced a smile and reached for her clothes. Before she had a meltdown, she hurried to dress. She was only moments away from a breakdown and she didn’t want him to witness it. She’d go off to her tent and cry in silence.
When she tried to dress, Travi
s stopped her. He kissed her ear. “Stay with me. We can sleep here tonight.”
She shook her head. “We don’t want anyone to catch us.”
“Why?”
Mattie was taken aback by the question. Wasn’t he the one who wanted to keep their affair a secret? Why the sudden change?
“Well?” he prompted.
She reached for her T-shirt. “Why do you want to suddenly advertise it?”
He shrugged. “I really don’t care either way, but I’d like to be able to touch you when I want. I can’t do that if we’re hiding our relationship.”
“So this is a relationship then?” She watched him closely.
He sat up and reached for his pants, clearly uncomfortable with the question.
“I guess that’s my answer.”
Mattie rose, grabbed her pants, and raced to the edge of the truck bed. “Good night, Travis.”
“Mattie,” he called after her.
She dropped to the ground and sprinted to her tent, tears clouding her vision. She had to get it through her head that Travis wanted her physically and that was all. Once she understood that, it would be easier for her heart to deal with it.
Chapter Seventeen
Travis rubbed his eyes, fatigue taking hold of his body.
He hadn’t slept all night, not one wink. He’d spent hours thinking about what had happened between him and Mattie. He knew he’d upset her and he wanted to kick himself for it. She deserved better. All she’d ever done was make him feel good, and in exchange for that, he’d made her cry.
Then there was the argument with Galen. That worked on his gut as well. He couldn’t help that he was having second thoughts on finding the treasure. His friend would too if he’d had the dreams and read the journal. Travis had been beset with his conscience. Anyone with those dreams would think twice—even Galen Hall.
The whole situation seemed strange. Either someone from beyond the grave was warning him to stop his quest or it was his subconscious, but he knew he had to slow down and think things through before he went any further.
Sara exited her tent and Travis blew out a breath. It was going to be a long day. He had to remember, first and foremost, he was a guide. That three women depended on him to keep his shit together.
After pouring herself some coffee, she sat across from him at the table.
“Morning,” she said unenthusiastically.
Travis nodded in response. She looked about as thrilled as he felt about being there.
“Are we moving out today?”
Her question had him wondering if it wouldn’t be wise to do just that. Maybe distance would help him get some perspective. “I think we will. A half day from here is another falls. I think we could all use a change in scenery.”
His reply seemed to cheer her up some. Good. Having Sara in a bad mood proved to be rough on them all. A happy Sara was much easier to deal with.
“After you finish your coffee, let the others know what’s happening.”
She nodded and rose. “I’ll do it right now. The sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll get to bathe.”
Travis watched her leave, dreading having to tell Galen of their plans. He could already hear his protests. “What about the treasure?”
Maybe if he explained how he was feeling, Galen would understand. Then again, maybe not. His friend had a stubborn streak and wanted more than anything to retire to some beach somewhere to live out the rest of his life.
Travis ducked into the tent. His jaw dropped when he found it empty. Galen hadn’t even slept in his cot. Where the hell had he gone?
The map. Where was it?
Galen had never given it back.
Christ Almighty. Travis would bet money Galen had gone after the treasure.
Now what? It wasn’t like he could tell the ladies why Galen had gone and why he had to find him. Mattie was already angry with him—this could seriously destroy their relationship. But if he allowed Galen to find the Templar relics, wasn’t that just as bad as Travis finding them? After all, he’d been the one to tell him about the map. According to his grandfather, he was to protect the secret.
Travis blew out a ragged breath. He had to stop Galen, or he’d never feel good about himself again. Not that he ever had, really. But he thought he might finally be able to by choosing to do the right thing for once in his life.
He retrieved his bag and exited the tent. The ladies were outside theirs, all looking less than happy.
“Galen’s missing,” he said, walking toward them. “We’re going to have to find him before leaving for the falls.”
Their eyes widened.
“What do you think happened?” Dana asked.
Travis wasn’t telling them the truth. “I’m not sure. But I think we should start looking for him right away. Make sure you all have plenty of water. I don’t know how long we’ll be out.”
Twenty minutes later, they were traipsing through the jungle, Travis taking the lead. He hoped his friend wouldn’t be far from where they’d been two days before.
He’d tried to talk to Mattie a few times but she had given him short replies to his questions, then moved behind the others. She didn’t want to talk to him and that caused his stomach discomfort. She had become important to him and it was scary. He’d never felt like this before. Why, he was afraid to analyze.
A scream from the rear had him whipping around. Both Sara and Dana looked at him in shock.
He glanced beyond them to where Mattie should have been. She was gone.
His heart stopped.
“Where’s Mattie?” He shot sharp glances all around them.
“She was behind me right before I heard her scream,” Dana said, tears clouding in her eyes.
“She couldn’t have just disappeared.” With that thought, Travis raced back through the trail they’d blazed, looking for drop-offs. That could be the only reason she’d vanished. That she’d fallen into a trap of some sort.
Travis searched every downed limb to no avail. She was gone.
Emotion tightened his throat, making it almost impossible to breathe.
She had to be here.
“Mattie,” he called over and over until his voice cracked.
With a sense of urgency, he kicked at vegetation on the trail, hoping that he’d missed something.
Dread took shape in his mind when he found nothing.
She had vanished, just like that.
A sick sense of foreboding made his stomach revolt. He was supposed to have kept her safe, and what had he done instead? She could be dead now because he’d refused to allow Galen to find the treasure. How stupid and irresponsible. He knew better. Hell, he’d been guiding crews through the Amazon for years. He should have been holding up the rear. This was his fault and if she was dead, it was his doing. He’d never be able to live knowing that.
“What are we going to do?” The panic in Dana’s voice echoed his own.
Travis rubbed his forehead, thinking about the question. They couldn’t fan out and search for her. If they did, one or all could end up with the same fate as Mattie.
The only thing he could think to do was find Galen, then they’d all look for Mattie. “Let’s locate Galen. He’s a better tracker than I am.”
“But what if the same person who took Mattie kidnapped Galen?” Dana suggested.
Travis shook his head. No normal person could have nabbed Mattie and disappeared so quickly. Something else happened, but he didn’t want Dana to realize that—not yet. “Let’s hope that didn’t happen. I have reason to believe that Galen is around where we were the other day.”
“Why would he go there?” Sara eyed him suspiciously. He could tell she knew something wasn’t right. That he wasn’t telling them something.
“We don’t have time to argue about this. Every minute we waste could be Mattie’s last.” Just the thought knotted Travis’s stomach.
* * * *
Mattie eased an eye open, her head feeling as if it’d been run over
by a herd of elephants.
Blankness filled her mind. She had no idea where she was, or why her head hurt, but she knew it couldn’t be normal.
As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, her jaw dropped. Two larger than life statues stood centered directly in front of her. They paralleled a stone staircase leading up to what she could only assume was an altar of some sort.
Mattie couldn’t believe what she saw. Where was she? How had she gotten here? Last thing she could remember was trailing Dana in the jungle.
Mattie struggled to recall what had happened next.
She rubbed the back of her head, a sticky substance giving her pause. She brought her hand up to look at it, her eyes growing huge when she saw blood.
She glanced up. All she saw was darkness. Had she fallen into another world?
“Oh God.” She swallowed hard, her heart pumping out of control. How could this be? She glanced around again, her mind racing.
No way could she be alone—not with the torches burning on the altar above. What if she’d found another tribe of Peruvians, hidden in their own world, using the trap above to provide their sacrifices?
She shook her head. She’d obviously seen too many jungle adventure flicks.
One thing she did know. She had to find a way out of this place—find Travis. She was sure he and Dana were worried at this point.
Mattie glanced up at the statues again, her eyes widening as she recognized the symbol on the man’s armor. No way was this altar made by a tribesman of any kind.
Mattie hobbled up the stone stairs. Her only hope was that there was a way out above.
At the top, her heart skipped a beat.
On the other end of the altar was another staircase going down. Beyond that were six cut-in stone entrances leading where, she had no idea. She was almost afraid to find out. This whole experience was like a dream—one she hoped she’d wake from.
With caution, she descended the steps, keeping a sharp eye on all the doorways to make sure no one attacked her.
She chose the first entrance she came to, then slipped inside, a shimmer of light beyond guiding her way. Her heartbeat whooshed in her ears as she closed in on the illumination.
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