MISSION: HER JUSTICE

TEAM 52 #8

ANNA HACKETT

Mission: Her Justice

Published by Anna Hackett

Copyright 2020 by Anna Hackett

Cover by Melody Simmons of BookCoversCre8tive

Cover image by Paul Henry Serres

Edits by Tanya Saari

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-922414-17-5

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-922414-18-2

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

CONTENTS

What readers are saying about Anna’s romances

Anna Hackett Box Set

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Preview: The Investigator

Preview: THS and Hell Squad

Also by Anna Hackett

About the Author

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANNA’S ROMANCES

Heart of Eon - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) winner 2020

Cyborg - PRISM Award Winner 2019

Edge of Eon and Mission: Her Protection - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2019

Unfathomed and Unmapped - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2018

Unexplored – Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) Novella Winner 2017

Return to Dark Earth – One of Library Journal’s Best E-Original Books for 2015 and two-time SFR Galaxy Awards winner

At Star’s End – One of Library Journal’s Best E-Original Romances for 2014

The Phoenix Adventures – SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Most Fun New Series and “Why Isn’t This a Movie?” Series

Hell Squad – SFR Galaxy Award for best Post-Apocalypse for Readers who don’t like Post-Apocalypse

“Like Indiana Jones meets Star Wars. A treasure hunt with a steamy romance.” – SFF Dragon, review of Among Galactic Ruins

“Strap in, enjoy the heat of romance and the daring of this group of space travellers!” – Di, Top 500 Amazon Reviewer, review of At Star’s End

“Action, danger, aliens, romance – yup, it’s another great book from Anna Hackett!” – Book Gannet Reviews, review of Hell Squad: Marcus

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CHAPTER ONE

The bright Nevada sun speared into Jonah Grayson’s eyes. Stepping out of the large aircraft hangar, he slipped on his sunglasses and slid his hands into the pockets of his suit pants.

A hot desert wind made his jacket dance around him. His gaze locked onto the experimental jet-copter that swept into view, preparing to land. For a second, his hands itched, the pilot in him wanting to be the one behind the controls.

As the wide-bodied, twin-rotored X8—able to fly like a jet plane as well as like a helicopter—lowered to the tarmac in front of him, he reminded himself that his flying days were behind him. Ended by the crunch of metal and breaking glass.

Dark thoughts stirred, but he focused on the X8. He had a different job now. Equally as rewarding.

As the jet-copter’s rotors slowed, several tall, fit, black-clad bodies exited from the aircraft.

His team.

Team 52.

He’d selected each and every member himself. Jonah was damn proud of his team, and the work they did.

The tall, powerful team leader strode toward him. That same hot breeze ruffled Lachlan Hunter’s dark hair, and his gold-brown eyes glittered.

Jonah studied the body armor the man wore. Jonah had just approved the expenses for a new version. The team scientist, Dr. Ty Sampson, was in his lab, several stories beneath their feet in the secret Area 52 base, working on a lighter, tougher, more flexible armor.

“Director, only you would voluntarily wear a suit in this heat,” a female voice drawled.

Jonah saw Lachlan’s second-in-command, Blair Mason, grinning at him. Her blonde hair was in a neat braid, resting over one shoulder. His only response to her comment was a brief quirk of his lips.

Both Lachlan and Blair had been former special forces Marines—Force Recon. Both had been injured in the field, and they’d thought their careers were over. Lachlan had lost an arm, and Blair an eye, on a terrifying mission. Then Jonah had recruited them, and offered them a second chance to serve their country…and the world.

They’d also both received high-tech, experimental prosthetics.

In the bright sunlight, Blair’s eye glinted silver. It offered her better vision than the eye she’d lost. Lachlan’s biomechanical arm was hidden under his armor. It was stronger, harder—a weapon all by itself.

“Did you retrieve the gem?” Jonah asked.

Lachlan nodded. Another member of the team—lean, dangerous, former CIA agent Seth Lynch stepped forward, holding a small containment box. A thick, glass panel allowed Jonah to see the large, pale-pink diamond resting inside.

“The recovery in San Francisco went fine.” A faint smile on Lachlan’s lips. “We ran into an old friend of mine. A former Ghost Ops buddy, Vander Norcross. He’s taking care of the cleanup.”

Which no doubt included some dead bodies. Jonah nodded. “Well done. I assume there aren’t any diplomatic issues or authorities for me to deal with?”

Jonah was well versed in defending his team and their actions to the powers that be.

“Not this time,” Lachlan said.

“Good. Get the artifact to Arlo.”

“On it, boss-man,” Seth replied.

Big, former SEAL, Smith Creed, sauntered past with a nod. Behind him followed former Delta Force soldier, Axel Diaz, the team’s medic Callie Kimura, and former MI6 agent, River Elliott-Hall. River was their newest addition to the team, and living with Ty.

Callie smiled, which lit up the angles of her face that showcased her Hawaiian heritage. “I can’t wait to see my sexy geek.”

Jonah shook his head. “He’s in the computer room.”

“Hope you aren’t still keeping him working overtime?”

Inside the pocket of his suit pants, Jonah’s hand curled into a fist. “Brooks hasn’t finished the task yet.”

“Tracking down your mysterious, redheaded intruder.” River’s accent was a crisp, British clip.

“Yes.” Jonah would find her. Whatever it took. He ran a covert black ops team, for God’s sake. He had specialized resources at his disposal.

A few weeks ago, a woman had broken into his Area 52 office and tied him up. She’d managed to infiltrate a secret, highly secure base, without being seen.

And she’d delivered a warning. Protect his team.

Jonah’s teeth clicked together. He would find her, and get the answers he wanted.

Starting with who the hell she was.

With the team, he entered the hangar, appreciating the drop in temperature. Air Force personnel moved around, and several prototype planes rested in the hangar.

While the world was curious about the secrets of Area 51 next door, Area 52 sat quietly, unassumingly, in its shadow, known to the world as Tonopah Test Range.

Below the hangar lay a secret base that only the president and a select few knew about. Team 52 was tasked with finding, securing, and safeguarding pieces of ancient technology. The world and most of its historians were unaware that advanced human civilizations had once thrived. Myths about them carried on in stories of places like Atlantis and Lemuria. During the last ice age, those advanced civilizations had been destroyed by flooding and earthquakes, setting civilization back into a type of dark ages.

Humans had risen again, largely unaware of what their ancestors had achieved before them.

Every now and then, pieces of ancient technology turned up. Often powerful and dangerous ones.

Unfortunately, there was also no end of people who wanted to get their hands on that technology, and use it for the wrong reasons.

Like the priceless pink diamond the team had recovered.

Jonah knew that it was very old, and from the Kollur mine in India, famous for producing large, cursed diamonds. It looked like an invaluable gem—but it had been infused with dangerous power by advanced, ancient scientists.

He followed the team into the elevator. Matte-black walls surrounded them, and Lachlan pressed the button. The elevator descended.

The artifact would be locked away in the secure warehouse, deep in the heart of the Area 52 base.

“What time’s the plane back to Las Vegas?” Smith asked, his voice a deep rumble.

“You just want to get back to Kinsey,” Axel murmured.

“Yep,” Smith confirmed, unfazed.

Kinsey was their logistics manager at their center of operations in Las Vegas. She’d fallen head over heels for Smith, and the man worshiped the ground she walked on.

“I’m pretty keen to get home to my detective, as well,” Blair said.

“Two hours,” Jonah replied. “We’re leaving early today, as I have an event to attend as the president’s special envoy.” That was Jonah’s cover. As the president’s envoy, he had the ear of the president. He attended more Washington meetings than he liked, and wined and dined powerbrokers, as part of his job running and protecting the work Team 52 did.

“Where at?” Blair asked.

“The new Eiffel Tower Restaurant.” Jonah arched a brow. “It’s the grand reopening since the Eiffel Tower was reconstructed.”

On a previous mission, some very bad people had gotten their hands on an incredibly dangerous artifact. The storms generated by the artifact had almost torn Las Vegas apart. The Strip was still rebuilding, but the main pieces were almost back together. Las Vegas didn’t let anything keep it down for long.

“Fancy,” Callie said. “We have to wear body armor and chase bad guys, while you get to wear a tux and drink champagne.”

Jonah crossed his arms. “We could swap.” He would in a heartbeat. “I’m sure Smith would enjoy wearing a tuxedo.”

The man’s grunt indicated his displeasure at that idea.

The elevator slowed and they all stepped out. Grumpy-faced Arlo was waiting for them. The older, grizzled man took care of the warehouse.

“No one’s bleeding.” Arlo sniffed. “That’s a first.” He held out his hands. “Hand it over.”

Seth gave the man the containment box. “We had an easy mission, for a change. I’m happy to get back to my wife and tell her that I didn’t get shot at.”

“I think you’re in more danger from your wife.” Blair grinned at him. “I thought she threw a glass at your head before you left? And vowed never to let you near her again. She’s more dangerous than the bad guys.”

Dr. January Lynch was pregnant with the couple’s first child, and the archeologist wasn’t enjoying the second half of her pregnancy. It had zapped her energy and slowed her down, and one thing January didn’t do well was sit still.

Seth grinned. “She throws things at me all the time, even before she was pregnant.”

“I do remember her beaning you with a pole, once,” Blair said.

Jonah hid a small smile. The pair had always struck sparks off each other. Seth had gone all-out to rescue the woman on a dangerous mission.

The click of heels made Jonah look up. The team’s archeologist, Dr. Natalie Blackwell, appeared. She wore a tight, navy blue skirt, and a crisp, pink shirt. Her long fall of black hair was pinned back at the sides of her head. She smiled.

“You’re back! I can’t wait to see the diamond. I’ve been doing more research on its history and I think I found some more information on it.” Her Australian accent deepened as she got excited.

Axel broke free of the group, lifted the beautiful archeologist off her feet, and laid a deep kiss on her mouth. She struggled for two seconds, then kissed him back.

When she broke free, she was breathless. “Axel, we’re at work.”

“Don’t care.” He kissed her again. “Missed you.”

“You were only gone a few hours.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Nat’s face softened.

The pair had recently fallen in love. When Nat had been attacked and kidnapped, Axel had finally confronted his feelings for her.

A strange sensation, not quite comfortable, moved through Jonah’s chest. All his team had paired up and fallen in love in what felt like a short time. It had started with Lachlan falling for a woman—Dr. Rowan Schafer—they’d rescued in the Arctic. And it hadn’t stopped.

“I’m going to track down my man.” River headed off to the lab to find Ty.

“Me too.” Callie made a beeline to the computer room where Brooks was.

Jonah sighed. He probably should have implemented a no-fraternization policy, at some point.

Still, they were all happy.

Love. It could be good for some, he knew that. But he saw it as a huge risk.

Loving someone, losing them, could destroy. It was a weakness that your enemies could exploit.

His mother’s death had almost shattered a sixteen-year-old Jonah. It had just been the two of them for years, his beautiful mom, with her long, dark hair, high cheekbones, and velvet-brown eyes. She’d been a member of the Chickasaw nation, and raised in Oklahoma. She’d always been smiling.

Until a boyfriend had beaten her to death.

Jonah shook his head. Love had led his mother astray, left her alone, pregnant, and abandoned by her family. Then it had killed her.

Work. Jonah’s only love was serving his country, keeping people safe.

He strode to the computer room—Brooks’ domain.

The doors slid open. Screens covered all the walls, and there was a high work table in the center. It was where Callie was kissing the hell out of Jonah’s tech guru.

Jonah cleared his throat. “Definitely needed a no-fraternization policy.”

Callie broke the kiss, and pushed some of Brooks’ brown hair off his face affectionately. “Too late now.” She winked. “See you later, baby.” She stalked out.

With a goofy grin, Brooks watched Callie’s ass as she left. “Hey, boss-man.”

“Any progress on the search for the woman?”

Brooks’ smile evaporated. “Sorry, Jonah. Nothing yet. The woman is a damn ghost, and clearly good with tech. Somehow, she tampered with the base’s cameras when she got in, but left no sign of it.” Frustration, and reluctant admiration, filled his voice. “Your redhead is good.”

“She’s not mine.” Jonah’s fingers curled into his palm. “Keep searching.”

Brooks nodded.

Jonah was going to find her. Whatever it took.

JONAH STRODE into the sumptuous lobby of the Paris Las Vegas Casino. Large, glittering chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making you feel like you’d stepped into a French palace.

A woman in a little black dress strode past him, her lips parting, and she shot him a flirtatious grin.

He kept moving. Tonight wasn’t about pleasure. He had to keep his cover intact. Hobnob, listen to wealthy and powerful people who wanted him to pass information on to the president. Plus, he kept his ear to the ground for any murmurs about rare or strange artifacts.

He stepped inside the elevator and it whizzed him up the repaired replica Eiffel Tower. Entering the restaurant, he admired the incredible view of the lights of the Strip, and the Bellagio Casino across the road.

From up here, it was impossible to tell that it had been the scene of destruction not that long ago.

The president had not been happy with that mess. Occasionally, Team 52’s missions got messy. Still, they’d beaten the bad guys, secured the artifact, and saved a lot of lives. That was what was important.

All around the elegant room, people dressed in tuxedos and eveningwear sipped champagne, talked, and laughed politely.

Jonah took a flute of champagne from a server and sipped. Mmm. Dom Pérignon.

If only his mom could see him now. In his custom-tailored tuxedo, sipping expensive champagne. She’d been a teenaged Native American girl, kicked out of her home for getting pregnant by an older man who’d used her. But she’d loved Jonah. She’d worked multiple jobs, leaned on her neighbors to babysit him, and even when they’d been penniless, she’d showered him in love.

You’re going to be someone one day, Jonah. My beautiful, smart boy.

After her death, he’d vowed to make her proud.

“Grayson.” A middle-aged man with steel-gray hair and a designer tuxedo moved forward, hand outstretched. “Good to see you.”

“Winkleman.” Jonah shook the wealthy casino owner’s hand.

“There are some people I’d like to introduce you to. Been discussing the redevelopment plans for the Westgate Project.”

Time to start hobnobbing.

Jonah shook hands and talked politely, smiled, and gave vague answers when required. He also turned down several requests to dance, and one more blatant invitation where a woman in a slinky, gold dress slipped her room key into his pocket.

His work kept him too busy for dating. He kept sex simple, without entanglements, when he had the time. He sipped his champagne again. Lately, he had no time, or inclination.

He caught a glimpse of bright aquamarine. A woman with long, long legs in a tight, glittery, blue dress was moving through the crowd.

The partygoers shifted and Jonah found his gaze searching for another glimpse of her.

There. Her back was to him, but he appreciated the view. She had killer legs and a toned ass. His gaze moved up and he stilled. Copper-red hair fell just past her shoulders.

God, he was seeing his redhead everywhere. His fingers tightened on the stem of his glass. Damn, now his team had him calling her his.

The woman turned her head, looking back over a slim shoulder.

Their gazes met.

Jonah stiffened.

It was her.

He took a step forward. The crowd shifted and he lost sight of her.

Dammit. He set his glass down and shoved past people, earning him a few startled exclamations.

There was no sign of her.

He scanned the room. There. A flash of aquamarine heading out through the glass doors onto the restaurant’s new balcony.

Jaw tight, Jonah followed.

You’re not getting away this time.

CHAPTER TWO

Evan Fletcher hurried out onto the balcony, skirting a couple out enjoying the view. A breeze tugged at her hair, but her dress was far too snug for it to move.

She walked quickly, not bothering to look down at the dancing fountains of the Bellagio. She found a shadowed spot and spun into the darkness. She was good at blending, hiding, and disappearing when she needed to. The CIA had taught her well.

Just the thought of the Agency, the place where she’d dedicated her entire life to protecting her country, made her throat tight.

Shrug it off, Evan. You need to focus.

Then he stepped out onto the balcony.

Wow, he really did pack a punch. Evan had seen some handsome men in her life, but Jonah Grayson was in a league of his own. At first glance, he was a typical tall, dark, and handsome male, but it was more than just his very fine looks. There was the lean, muscular body under the perfectly fitted tuxedo. And the way he moved screamed predator. This man knew how to use that body of his. Probably in lots of different ways.

His face was gorgeous and interesting, with coal-black hair that was impeccably cut. His features were rawly masculine, with lots of angles, and high cheekbones. She could see his Native American heritage stamped on that handsome face.

Evan felt a stir of heat in her belly. Yeah, yeah, he’s six-feet-something of delicious, hormone-scrambling male.

But it was more than that. As his gaze scanned the balcony intently, she realized it was his presence. Strength, power, and her catnip, danger, radiated off him. Oh yes, this man was dangerous.

His gaze found her, lingered.

Then he strode toward her. Evan moved to meet him.

“You,” he breathed.

“Me.”

There were only inches between them.

“I hope you tightened security for your team,” she said.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

She tossed her hair back. “That doesn’t matter. You need to listen to me—”

“Vague warnings don’t help. I need to know the source of this alleged threat.”

“There’s nothing alleged about it.” Damn, she couldn’t tell him. The minute she told him about the CIA, or rather the fact that she’d been dragged through the mud and betrayed, he’d stop listening. “Director Grayson—”

He moved closer. A crisp, sexy cologne tickled her nose, making her think of two bodies straining in the dark, desperately stripping off their clothes.

Jesus, get a grip, Evan. Head in the game.

“You know my name.” He gripped her arms. “I want yours.”

His fingers on her skin felt like an electric shock. She sucked in a breath. She saw the echo of that connection in his eyes.

She reached up and gripped his strong wrists, but when she pushed, he didn’t budge. Oh yes, there was strength in that body.

“It’s not important who I am. All you need to know is that someone powerful, with influence, and who should be a good guy, is working toward his own ends. Working with some dangerous people.”

Jonah cocked his head. “Go on.”

“He wants a powerful artifact, and he wants Team 52 out of the way so he can get it.”

“Who?”

Shit, he’d keep pushing. If she spilled, he’d find out who she was, and then he wouldn’t believe her.

“Listen, the danger could come from anywhere—”

“I told you, I need more than nebulous warnings,” he growled. “I can’t do anything with this.”

“He’s devious,” she whispered. “Dangerous.”

She’d trusted Brennan, and he’d destroyed her reputation, her career, everything.

Jonah’s face sharpened, his fingers easing up on her skin. “Did he hurt you?”

Evan turned her head, staring blindly at the view. A morass of rage, helplessness, disbelief, sadness, and disappointment rose in her. It sat like a rock in her throat. She released one of Jonah’s wrists, finding herself strangely reluctant to let him go, and gripped her necklace. She ran her fingers over the blue pendant, trying to find some sense of calm.

She blinked, looking at the blinding lights in the buildings of the Strip. “He’s ruthless. The danger can come from anywhere, when you least expect it.”

“I can help you.”

She met Jonah’s piercing, green eyes in his fascinating face. “It’s too late for me.”

Swallowing, Evan looked over at the Bellagio. Suddenly, she caught a wink of light on the rooftop. Without thinking, she moved, shoving into Jonah.

A bullet whizzed past her ear and hit the plate-glass window behind her. It didn’t shatter, but left a starburst pattern in the bullet’s wake.

She heard Jonah curse.

Evan leaped on him, and they crashed to the ground, her body on top of his. Bullets struck around them, and somewhere, she heard a woman scream.

Jonah’s body tensed beneath her.

“Stay down,” she snapped.

Evan rolled off him and moved quickly. Hunched over, she raced across the balcony and back inside.

Grayson would be safe as long as he kept his head down. She needed to be long gone before the authorities arrived.

She moved through the panicked crowd and glanced back.

An angry Jonah was inside, his gaze sweeping the room. Searching for her.

Evan slipped into the stairwell.

She felt dampness on her face and touched her cheek. Blood. Some glass must have hit her. It wasn’t bad.

She went down several flights, then found the bag that she’d stashed under the stairs. She pulled out a thin, silky, black coat. She slipped it on, and it covered every inch of her aquamarine dress. She kept walking down the stairs, tugging her hair up. Then she pulled on the short, blonde wig.

She’d gone from a redhead in blue, to a blonde in black. When she reached the bottom, cops were already pulling up in front of the casino.

Evan slipped into the gathering crowd of curious onlookers on the sidewalk.

It took a while, but she watched the partygoers starting to appear, looking shaken and shocked. Then she saw Jonah, and she swallowed. He was fine. He was talking with a rugged, attractive police detective.

Jonah’s keen gaze moved over the crowd, and she made herself stay still, relaxed.

His gaze skated over her. He wasn’t looking for a blonde.

She heard the roar of a motorbike, and watched a Ducati pull to a stop nearby. The man who swung off it was built and powerful. He pulled his helmet off and she recognized him. Lachlan Hunter—Team 52’s leader. Evan had dossiers on every team member.

Another man appeared out of the crowd, striding toward Grayson. He had some wicked scars on one side of his face. Seth Lynch. She’d met him once at the CIA, before he’d left and joined Team 52. He hadn’t been a field agent like her, but rather worked for the Special Activities Center—the CIA’s special operations team. He was damn good.

And finally, a tough woman with long, blonde hair in a ponytail strode out of the crowd and joined Hunter. Evan couldn’t see the woman’s face, but she guessed it was Blair Mason. The pair approached the others. The police detective turned, gripped the back of the woman’s neck and pulled her in for a quick kiss.

Yes, that was Mason, and her man, Detective Luke MacKade. The detective was Team 52’s LVMPD contact.

Jonah was definitely safe with his team.

Evan turned, melting into the crowd. Brennan had tried to take Jonah out. It made sense. His death would disrupt Team 52 in a huge way.

Brennan had to be stopped.

I’m coming for you, you asshole.

JONAH PRESSED his card to the reader at the secure gate in the quiet corner of the McCarran International Airport.

He drove his Jaguar F-Type up to a squat, ugly, concrete building, its lights shining in the darkness. It was Team 52’s base of operations in Las Vegas, and they called it the Bunker.

He parked the car and turned off the engine, resting his hands on the steering wheel. He sat for a second. He still wore his tux, although he’d yanked off his bowtie after the debacle at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant.

Dammit. He’d had her. He’d had his hands on her. His fingers flexed on the steering wheel.

He wondered if she’d been hit. He’d found the tiniest drop of blood on the balcony. Not enough for it to have come from a bad wound, but something had hit her, because it wasn’t his blood.

He shoved the car door open and strode toward the Bunker. He pressed his palm to the door lock and waited for it to beep.

Inside, Callie was at the coffee machine. She turned and scowled at him. “You ruined our date night.”

“Sorry.” No one else was at the Bunker at this time of night. This was Kinsey’s domain, and he saw the touches of her in the neatly organized desk, and a vase filled with bright-yellow flowers.

“You don’t sound sorry,” Callie said.

“I need Brooks.”

Callie’s gaze ran over him. “You’re okay? Heard you got shot at.”

Ever the medic. “I’m fine.” There was barely leashed anger in his voice. He shrugged off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

He found Brooks in the conference room, fingers flying over a keyboard. Two large screens covered one wall, one running a search, and the other filled with security footage from the Eiffel Tower Restaurant.

“Hey.” Brooks looked up. His dark-framed glasses dominated his face and he wore a rumpled red T-shirt with two stormtroopers on it, cradling a baby stormtrooper. Brooks’ shirt collection was legendary. “You okay?”

“Fine,” Jonah replied. “I’ll be better when we find her. Have you got anything?”

“I’m going through the security footage from the casino now.”

“That was fast.” Often, casino security was hard to deal with.

Brooks grinned. “I didn’t ask.”

“He hacked.” Callie set a mug of coffee down beside her boyfriend, then handed one to Jonah.

He murmured his thanks and sipped.

“We don’t have more than glimpses of her inside the party.” Brooks pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. “She knew where the cameras were. We didn’t get her face.”

Damn, she was good. Jonah’s fingers tightened on the mug. Who the hell was she?

“The best shot is of the two of you on the balcony,” Brooks said.

“We’ll have to go there for dinner sometime.” Callie leaned against the table.

“You in a sexy dress and heels.” Brooks got a look on his face.

Ignoring them, Jonah studied the image that flashed up.

“You make a striking couple,” Callie murmured.

What the hell? “Brooks, what’s wrong with the image?” The woman’s fantastic body was clear, but her face was just a bright glow. He couldn’t make out her features.

“I know.” The tech guru blew out a breath. “She must have been wearing some sort of tech to distort facial recognition. I know of some devices, but they’re clunky. Whatever she’s using, I haven’t seen it before.”

“She was wearing a necklace. It had a blue stone in the center.”

Brooks nodded. “Some sort of projector, maybe.”

Callie watched the footage. “She lured you out onto the balcony.” Callie arched a dark brow. “Right into position for a sniper to take a shot.”

Had the redhead tried to kill him? The thought had definitely crossed Jonah’s mind on the drive to the Bunker. He wondered if he was letting his own past affect his judgment with this woman. “She pushed me out of the way.”

“So maybe she saved you?” Brooks mused.

“Possibly. She got nicked.” Jonah pulled a small vial containing a Q-tip coated with blood out of his pocket. “There was a tiny drop of blood on the tiles.”

Brooks took it. “I’ll get it to Ty. I highly doubt that with her skills that she’s in a database, but we can try.”

Jonah stared at that blurry face, the same question he’d already asked himself a million times, echoing in his head. Who the hell are you?

“Maybe she still set this up,” Callie said. “The sniper shoots you, the redhead—” Callie made air quotes with her fingers “—saves you. Trying to gain your trust.”

Shit. It wasn’t a bad theory. Right now, Jonah had more questions than he did answers. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “See if you can clean up the image. And if you hear anything on the DNA, then let me know.”

Brooks gave one short nod. “Sure thing.”

“Get some sleep, Jonah,” Callie said. “I know that this woman has been stressing you out.”

“She warned me again that the team is in danger. A powerful man is after an artifact and doesn’t want us to interfere. All I have are vague warnings, nothing concrete.”

Callie and Brooks shared a look. Several members of the team had been targeted in the past. It wasn’t fun for any of them, and now they all had loved ones to protect.

“We’re tough, Jonah,” the medic said. “The best at what we do. It’ll take more than a shadowy bogeyman to take us down.”

“Or a hot redhead,” Brooks added.

Callie elbowed him.

“Not as hot as you, baby.” He grinned. “I’m just stating facts here.”

“You two go home,” Jonah said. “Thanks for coming out. And Callie, I am sorry that I ruined date night.”

“I blame the redhead.”

Soon, Jonah was back in his Jag, driving back to his penthouse. He’d grown up poor, then joined the Army to go to college and learn to fly. As a boy, flying had been his dream. At first, he’d wanted to be an astronaut, or a fighter pilot, but when he’d learned that it was the Army’s elite aviators that flew SEALs and other special forces soldiers into combat, he’d joined the Army.

He’d made a vow to help keep people safe, and another private one to never be poor again.

As an Army pilot, he’d saved all his money and learned everything he could about investing. As a single guy, living on base, he could take a few risks. Some of those had paid off, and now he was well beyond comfortable.

But he never forgot where he came from.

He pulled up at his condo tower, just east of the Strip. A valet raced out to meet him.

“Good evening, Mr. Grayson.”

“Evening, Raj.”

“Hope you had a good night.”

“Not really.” Jonah handed over the keys.

He had an arrangement with his condo building—his car was parked in a secure, locked area of the garage, and only certain, vetted valets had access to the keys. Security also ran several checks for explosives or other tampering daily.

“Woman trouble.” The young valet nodded sagely. “I’ve seen the look before.”

Jonah’s lips twitched. “There is a redhead playing hard to get.”

“Ahh, women. Damn their gorgeous hides.”

Shaking his head, Jonah made his way to his private elevator. He pressed his palm to the panel and headed up. The elevator opened directly into his penthouse.

The open-concept living area had high ceilings and parquet wooden floors. His kitchen and living area were done in elegant shades of brown.

Heading over to his built-in bar, he took out a glass and grabbed his bottle of Hennessey. He scooped some ice into the glass, then poured a generous splash of cognac. He headed to the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.

He didn’t focus on the bright, blinking lights of the Las Vegas Observation Wheel or the casinos. Instead, he looked to the darkness of the mountains on the horizon.

He sipped the cognac, savored the burn, and against his will, his thoughts turned to his quarry.

Flawless face, bold and strong features. Pale, pale skin. All too easily, he remembered the feel of her under his palms. His skin itched like he’d gotten too close to a fire.

The feel of her pressed against him when they’d hit the ground… His cock stirred, desire like flickering flames in his gut.

Jonah knocked back the rest of his drink.

Shit, just what he needed. He was attracted to a woman who might have tried to kill him.

But that wouldn’t save her. If she was a threat to him or his team, Jonah would take her down.

CHAPTER THREE

The day was baking hot as Evan walked down the street in downtown Las Vegas.

She was dressed in old, khaki cargo pants, and a baggy, but comfortable, Star Wars T-shirt that sported Princess Leia’s iconic hairstyle, and said “Rebel princess.” She had a plain, brown wig on that was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, and a pair of cute glasses perched on her nose.

She approached the computer shop, slipping into the role of female computer geek like it was a cloak. She slumped her shoulders a little, her steps losing her usual brisk, determined stride.

Evan stepped inside the shop.

A portly man greeted her. He had “geek” stamped all over him, from his coke-bottle glasses to his sweater vest.

“Welcome.”

“Oh, hi.” She sent him a tentative smile. “I’m new in town, but I’ve heard great things about your store.”

“Excellent. Anything in particular I can help you with?”

She shook her head, scanning the packed shelves. “I’ll just have a look around.”

“Then look all you please. If you have any questions, let me know.”

Evan took her time, pretending to study computers and gadgets with rapt attention. She liked tech just fine, but it didn’t leave her giddy, like some.

The door jangled.

Ahh, right on time.

She glanced over, then made herself blink and blush.

She had to admit, pretending interest in Brooks Jameson wasn’t difficult. The man was very easy to look at, and also the most well-built geek she’d ever seen. Muscled arms were covered in tattoos, and his white shirt clung to his muscular chest. His rugged face was topped with thick, brown hair and black-framed glasses.

Prime-grade geek.

Like her, he wore a Star Wars shirt, his sporting an image of Baby Yoda, and he had a sleek laptop tucked under one arm.

“Hey, Eamon, you got that part I ordered?”

The store owner smiled. “Hi, Brooks. Yup, it arrived. I’ve got to keep my best customer happy.”

Brooks grinned. “How’s your gorgeous wife?”

Eamon grinned back. “Still gorgeous. And your beautiful girlfriend?”

“Still beautiful. Damn, we are lucky.”

The men laughed. Evan circled the store, looking at merchandise. She felt Brooks glance her way and she looked up, then nervously looked away again. When she looked back in his direction, she shot him a shy smile.

One part of her waited nervously for him to recognize her, but he just smiled back.

The shop owner brought out a box and the men cooed over its contents. Okay, she hoped the info she’d paid a crap-ton of money for was good. She didn’t know anything about the innards of a computer, but she was going to pretend she did.

She glanced over Brooks’ broad shoulder. “Oh wow, is that a Pantherware processor?”

Brooks’ eyebrows rose. “It is. You into computers?”

Evan shrugged a shoulder. “I’m into gaming, so I like to have a good machine.”

“Cool. I’m Brooks.” He held out a hand.

“Sarah.” She shook his hand.

“I like your shirt, Sarah.” His grin was sexy as hell.

She laughed. “Yours is great, too.” She eyed his laptop. “Wow, what is that?”

Brooks shrugged. “It’s not available on the market.”

“Brooks builds his own machines,” Eamon said. “With the latest and best components.”

“And the priciest,” Brooks said dryly.

“Man has to make a living.”

The men grinned at each other, clearly good friends.

“And he has a few top-secret pieces he cooks up himself,” Eamon said conspiratorially to Evan.

Brooks winked.

“Can I see?” She made her voice breathless.

Brooks opened the laptop, but didn’t turn it on, careful not to show anything classified.

Evan ran a hand over the shiny, black surface. “Nice.”

“It’s got top-of-the-line graphics, memory, and a processor to make a grown man, or woman, weep.”

And she had a tiny, clear microdot on her fingertip that was top-of-the-line too.

She pressed it to the laptop’s cover. She could barely even feel it. It was a little experimental something the gurus at the CIA had cooked up. She’d snuck a few out when she’d escaped Langley.

“I bet it’s awesome,” she said. “One day, I hope I have something as equally amazing.” She smiled at them. “I’d better get going.”

“Nice to meet you, Sarah,” Brooks said.

“You too. Have a good day.” She gave a cheery wave.

Evan headed out of the store, keeping in character until she was several streets away.

In an alley, she pulled off her wig and yanked her T-shirt off to uncover a black tank top. She dumped the wig and shirt in a dumpster. Then she pulled on a baseball cap.

She walked down the street and stopped beside a plain, old Mustang she’d bought for cash. She got in and drove to the mid-level motel at the edge of the Strip that she’d rented under an alias.

Once she was safely locked inside her room, she pulled a large lockbox out from under the bed. She entered in her security code and the lid opened.

Inside, sat her top-of-the-line laptop, her weapons, money, and ID and passports for all her aliases. Not CIA-created ones. Over the years, with her mother’s encouragement, she’d collected her own aliases.

Just in case.

Evan had never dreamed she’d need them.

An ugly burn filled her gut. She stomped it down and set the laptop on the bed, then strode over to the mini fridge and grabbed a can of Diet Coke.

She popped the top and took a long pull of the fizzy, refreshing goodness. She started up her laptop, then logged in with her fingerprint. She pulled up her program and got to work.

Come on. Come on. There. Evan fist pumped the air. She was in.

She’d just tapped into Team 52’s secure system by piggybacking off Brooks’ computer.

There was so much data. She scanned through some of it. Hmm, it looked like the files on the artifacts weren’t on the network. Probably on a discrete system at the base. Good. That made it harder for Brennan to get the info he wanted.

She tapped a finger against her lips. Next, she sent out her sneaky little program she called a wraith to monitor the system. If Brennan got in, she’d spot him, and see what he was looking for.

She just had to be careful that Brooks Jameson didn’t catch her. She knew he was good.

Evan pulled up some info. Ah. She smiled and took another sip of her Diet Coke.

Jonah Grayson’s private, secure number.

She shouldn’t be taking such delight in one-upping the man. This was dangerous. It wasn’t a game.

But Brennan aside, this felt like a titillating game of cat and mouse. She hadn’t felt this alive in a long time.

She pulled up her tablet, ran her blocking program, then leaned back on the pillows and dialed.

A second later, that impossibly handsome and intimidating face filled the screen.

Seeing her, his dark brows drew together. “How did you get this number?”

She smiled. “I’m very, very good, Director Grayson.”

SITTING at the desk in his home study, Jonah fought back his anger. How the hell had she gotten his secure number?

Reluctant admiration punched through him. If things were different, he’d recruit her for Team 52.

Or maybe not. Staring at her smile and the tumble of her red hair, it would be pure torture to have this woman—who tempted him like Eve with that damned apple—working for him.

“If I can get to you, then the man I warned you about can, too,” she said.

“Tell me who you are. Tell me who he is.”

Frustration filled her face and she drew in a breath. “Please, listen to me.”

“Did you try to kill me?” Jonah asked.

Her extraordinary hazel eyes popped wide. “What? No! I saved your sorry ass.”

“You lured me onto the balcony. You sure the sniper wasn’t yours?”

“No!” She sounded like she was gritting her teeth. “They belong to Br… The man I warned you about.”

She looked sincere, but it could all be an act. “I’m not in the business of trusting blindly. Neither, it seems, are you.”

She made an angry noise.

Jonah was getting to her, and he liked that. “Contact me when you’re ready to talk. I’ve business to attend to.”

He ended the call. Rising, he moved to the jug on the side table and poured himself a cold glass of water. He didn’t doubt her skills, or her persistence. What was her endgame? He drank the water, but it did little to cool him down.

Something brushed his legs and he looked down at his black cat. Kowi wound through Jonah’s legs, then stalked off like he owned the place. Another creature that didn’t ever listen to him.

Sitting back at his desk, he used his tablet to call Brooks.

“Hey, boss-man. I just got back to the Bunker—”

“She contacted me. On my secure line.”

“What?” Brooks exclaimed. “That’s not possible!”

“My secure Team 52 line, Brooks.”

Jonah’s tech expert broke out in a spate of colorful curses.

Jonah raised a brow. “You kiss Callie with that mouth?”

“She can cuss worse than I can when it suits her.” Brooks hunched over his laptop. “I’ll find out how she got in, dammit.”

“Any chance she can access our full system?”

“No!” Then Brooks’ face twisted. “Fuck. I’ll run some scans.”

“Brooks, dig deep. I don’t trust her, and I don’t know what her agenda is yet.”

“Got it. I’m on it, trust me. That dirty nerf herder is not getting away with this.”

Jonah frowned. “Did you just use a Star Wars reference?”

“Maybe. I’ll call you when I know more. Wait.” Brooks held up a hand. “Ty just sent his lab report.”

Jonah leaned forward, excitement licking his veins. “Did he get something?”

“He ran the DNA from the blood.” Brooks’ eyes sparked. “And he got a hit.”

Elation punched through Jonah. “Who is she?”

Brooks shook his head. “Don’t know. Ty hit a very classified wall. The DNA and its owner are protected.”

Jonah leaned back, chair creaking. “She’s government.” High-level, if Team 52 didn’t have high enough clearance. “Probably CIA.”

Brooks nodded. “My guess, too.”

It made sense considering her skills. A CIA agent warning him of a powerful man who should be a good guy? It could be someone else in the CIA, or a politician, or a high-powered businessman. There were still too many options.

And that was if she was telling him the truth.

“We’ll talk soon, Brooks.”

Jonah sat there and found himself doodling on his notepad. He realized that he’d sketched her face. That beautiful face that taunted him.

He had somewhere to look for her now.

His laptop chimed that a call was coming through. He saw that it was one of his contacts at the Department of Defense.

Robert Broderick’s face appeared, with his pointed chin and goatee. “Jonah, you’re looking well.”

“And you look like you need to get back out in the field. Getting soft.”

His friend grinned and patted his stomach. “No, I’ve hung up my fatigues. I do miss the old days sometimes, especially watching you caress the controls of a helo, flying us into hell.”

Jonah missed those days too.

“Remember that mission in Iraq?” Rob shook his head.

“I’ll never forget it,” Jonah said.

Rob’s smile evaporated, his face turning serious. “Look, I had a colleague of mine get in touch. He wants to talk to you about a security issue.”

Jonah raised a brow.

“His name’s David Brennan. He’s an assistant director at CIA.”

Jonah fought the urge to stiffen. “Okay. About?”

Rob shook his head. “Wants to talk to you directly. Can I patch him through?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Thanks, Jonah. Stop by for dinner next time you’re in D.C.”

“I will.” The screen went blank for a second, then a man in his late fifties appeared on screen. He had salt-and-pepper hair and bright-blue eyes. He clearly kept in shape and was sitting in a nondescript-looking office.

“Director Grayson, thanks for talking with me.” The man had a deep voice and a Boston accent.

“Not a problem, Assistant Director Brennan. Robert said it was important.”

The man nodded gravely. “I have reason to believe you’re in danger.”

Jonah cocked his head. “Go on.”

“Several weeks ago, one of my agents went rogue.”

Shit. It was the worst situation. A skilled, highly-trained agent with classified knowledge who either joined the enemy, or went off-grid for their own purposes. A knot formed in Jonah’s gut. He’d had his own run-in with a traitor and it had ended his military career.

“I believe you’ve encountered her,” Brennan continued.

A prickling sensation washed over Jonah’s skin. “Her?”

“Agent Evan Fletcher.” An image popped up on the screen.

Jonah’s pulse spiked. It was his redhead.

Her hair was in a neat ponytail, and she was wearing a sensible pantsuit and not smiling.

“She’s a very experienced field agent, a weapons expert, and a master of disguise. She’s extremely dangerous.” Brennan paused. “And she’s planning to kill you.”

Jonah’s heart skipped a beat, but he kept his face free of emotion. “That is disturbing. Why me?”

“I’m not certain of her plans, or what she’s working toward,” the man replied. “I’m sorry I don’t have more intel.”

“Can you send me her picture and file?”

“You haven’t seen her?” Brennan’s voice was sharp.

“No. I’m sure I’d remember if I had.” There was no way Jonah was showing his cards yet.

Brennan was silent for a moment, something working behind his eyes. “I’ll send you the information. Some of the highly classified information will be redacted.”

“Of course. I’ll alert my security team of a possible risk.”

“I suggest you shoot to kill, Grayson. She’s a convincing liar.”

“Understood.”

The man gave a single nod. “Stay safe.”

Jonah steepled his hands together.

Fuck. A rogue CIA agent.

And it got even worse, because all he could think about was the fact that he now knew her name.

Evan.

A traitor to her country.

CHAPTER FOUR

How could she make the man listen to her?

Evan paused outside the Wynn Casino. She’d needed to get out of her hotel room and, walking the Strip, she was just another anonymous tourist.

The large, brown-gold building loomed over her and inside it, she knew plenty of tourists would be enjoying its impressive offerings, but most would be at the slots and tables. All of them having fun, living their lives.

She hunched her shoulders and pulled her ball cap lower. Without thinking, she walked up to the front entrance and strode inside. She wore her special necklace, so she could avoid the facial recognition system. When was the last time she’d done something for fun? Once upon a time, she’d taken vacations, gone away for weekends between missions. Slowly, the job had consumed her. Then Brennan had ruined her career, smeared her reputation, and shattered her.

No. Evan lifted her chin. She wasn’t going to let Brennan ruin her life.

As always, she was assaulted by the gaudy, bright carpet, blinking lights, and tinny, jaunty music from the slot machines. She crossed the main gaming area. Gambling was not her idea of fun. The odds didn’t stack up for her. She spotted laughing couples, groups of friends, a bachelorette party, and sweaty solo gamblers hoping for a big win.

She enjoyed the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco, when she was wearing a fabulous dress, and hunting bad guys, but not sitting at a slot machine for hours.

There was a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye. A big guy rammed into her and they crashed into the back of the slot machine.

What the hell?

“Hey!” a woman at a slot machine screeched.

“Come quietly,” the man murmured.

Oh, no. Evan didn’t do quiet. Her adrenaline spiked.

She spun and hammered her fist into his face.

The man staggered, and she pressed a finger to a certain, hard-to-find pressure point in his neck. He gagged and dropped like a heavy suitcase.

Her head shot up and she saw several other fit, hard-eyed people closing in.

Fucking Brennan.

Evan turned, half running through the maze of slot machines.

Behind her, gunshots sounded.

Fuck. She ducked. Screams broke out through the casino. The idiots. The place was too crowded to open fire in. They weren’t CIA. Brennan had obviously hired contractors to take her down.

She ran up some steps and into an opulent corridor lined with expensive shops. She rushed along, pulling her ball cap off. Her hair spilled out. She forced herself to walk slower, trying to blend in with the panicked crowd.

She glanced back. A man raced into the corridor, gun in hand.

More screams and someone bumped into her. Evan spun and saw a sunburned family, still in their swimwear and flip-flops. They all froze, staring at the man in horror. The kids were wide-eyed.

Shit. “Move!” Evan cried. She pushed the dad and his towel slid off his shoulder. “Get them out of here.”

Bullets hit the tiles close by. The kids went berserk—their high-pitched screams piercing. The dad snapped into gear and scooped up one of the kids. Evan shoved the mother, her filmy pool wrap coming off in Evan’s hands. The woman pushed her terrified older child ahead of her. They ran into a nearby boutique.

Finally, Evan could get—

A bullet hit her side, blood spraying into the air.

Pain exploded like a searing burn. Fuck. Fuck.

She blinked, then turned and jogged away. She wadded up the pool wrap in her hand and pressed the fabric to her bleeding side.

She joined the crowd, ducking in behind a tall man. She shuffled into an elevator and the doors closed. The other people in the elevator were all revved up, talking too fast and one step away from panicking. She couldn’t assess how bad her wound was yet. She was bleeding a lot, but she wasn’t down. Hopefully, she wasn’t leaving a convenient blood trail behind her.

The elevator opened and sunlight hit her eyes. She shoved past the people in front of her and strode outside. The scent of chlorine hit her.

A long narrow pool dominated the space and the panicked people from the elevator started shouting.

Right, she needed to get out of there.

Guests of all shapes and sizes lay on sun loungers. Kids splashed and squealed in the water. Palm trees in huge pots dotted the space.

Evan hobbled past those on the loungers, limping a little. Screams had alerted those enjoying the pool that something was up. She saw people sitting up and glancing around.

She kept her head down and walked across a bridge over the pool.

More gunshots.

Shit. She glanced back and saw three people moving in, but she knew that there would be more.

Guests leaped up, grabbing kids and running.

“Go!” Evan yelled at some stunned people.

She urged people on, waving her arms. Once her section was clear, she pulled out her Glock from her waistband.

One of the mercs spotted her. She took aim and fired, sending him diving for cover. She fired again and she saw the man fall into the pool.

With a grim smile, she hobbled on.

The burn on her side was worse, and she was sure she’d lost a lot of blood. She felt lightheadedness starting to set in. She was pretty sure the bullet had just winged her, but it must have nicked an artery. Unfortunately, she’d been shot a few times before.

More bullets hit close by, and she ducked. They plowed into some trees and loungers.

Evan kept moving and then slipped. She hit the ground, her bloody handprint dark on the pavers. Shit.

Up, Fletcher. Keep moving, or you die.

She dredged up all the energy she had and pulled herself up. She limped a bit farther.

When she glanced back, she counted six people making their way toward her.

Shit. She wasn’t going to make it out.

She saw some cabanas, now abandoned, and she skirted one before she ducked inside another. The stripey curtains didn’t provide much cover.

She touched her side. Ow, it hurt. The wrap was now soaked with blood. She pushed into the shadows behind the daybed. Maybe if she was quiet and hadn’t left a blood trail, they wouldn’t find her.

She snorted. These people were professionals. They’d find her.

She peeked out and she saw the team systematically searching the pool area. Checking her Glock, she felt her heart sink. She was almost out of ammo.

A raw feeling washed over her. So, this was how it ended.

Her mom would mourn her, but Evan had never taken the time to make good friends, to build anything personal. There would be no star on the wall at Langley to remember her. She was a rogue, a pariah.

She let out a breath. She’d never fallen in love. Never been the center of someone’s world. She closed her eyes. With bloody fingers, she pulled out her phone. Quickly, she texted her mom. I love you.

Then inexplicably, she thumbed another button.

Jonah’s face filled the small screen and strangely, it eased the tight knot inside her. She kept her voice hushed.

“Look—” she licked her lips “—I won’t be able to help you and your team out like I’d hoped. You need to be ready.”

He scowled. “Evan.”

She stilled, the air rushing out of her. “You know who I am.”

Dammit. He knew. He would’ve heard all the ugly lies.

“I’m very good at what I do too,” he said.

She closed her eyes. “Whatever you heard, it’s all bullshit.” She brushed her hand against her face, her head feeling foggy, making it hard to think.

Jonah frowned. “Is that blood on your hand?”

“He found me. I just…wanted to tell you to be careful.”

Jonah straightened, leaning closer. “Evan, where are you?”

“He has a team closing in—”

Bullets ripped into the cabana, shredding the curtains and splintering the wood. She threw an arm up to shield her head.

“Evan!” Jonah’s frantic voice. “Evan, where are you?”

“The Wynn Casino. They’ve got me pinned down in—”

A man stepped into view in front of her cabana, gun up.

Evan lifted her weapon and fired. He dropped with a violent jerk.

“Evan!” Jonah said urgently.

The phone slipped out of her bloody fingers and skittered under the bed. Damn.

She raised her gun. She had to concentrate.

She would go down fighting.

JONAH ACCELERATED, pushing his Jaguar past the speed limit.

“Brooks, can you track her?”

“Yeah.” Brooks’ voice came through the car’s console. “I’ve got her.”

“She said she’s at the Wynn Casino.”

“Yes. The main pool area. Picked up reports of shots fired, and the casino is evacuating. Jonah, it’s chaos.”

“The rest of the team?”

“Seth, Lachlan, Blair, Axel, and Callie are almost there. River is at Area 52 with Ty, and Smith will take too long to come in from his cabin.”

“Acknowledged.” Jonah was going too. He’d grabbed his Beretta M9 as he’d left his penthouse. Be alive, Evan Fletcher. He felt like there was a rock in his gut.

He screeched to a halt in front of the Wynn. It was pandemonium, and he strode toward the front entrance, pushing against the fleeing crowd. No doubt memories of past shootings and the terrifying storms that had destroyed the Strip were fresh in people’s minds.

He spotted Lachlan, and a second later, Seth and Blair appeared. They were dressed in jeans and T-shirts, with light jackets despite the heat, no doubt to conceal their weapons.

Blair looked at Jonah, her eyebrows rising. “Never seen you in jeans, Director. They look good on you.”

He shot her a look. “I’m coming in with you.” He was itching to get in there and find Evan.

“You armed?” Lachlan’s gold gaze was steady and considering.

Jonah nodded. After a beat, Lachlan handed him a tiny earpiece and Jonah slipped it into his ear.

Axel and Callie jogged up to them.

“Let’s go,” Jonah said.

Lachlan stepped forward. Jonah was the director of the team, but Lachlan was the team’s leader. He’d follow Lachlan’s orders.

“Brooks says she’s by the pool area,” Lachlan said. “We go in, and deal with the bogeys first.”

“I’ve accessed the casino cameras,” Brooks’ voice came clearly through the comm line. “Lines of sight suck by the pool, but I count five bad guys.”

Team 52 walked in the front door, careful to avoid the security team members. They were busy evacuating guests.

“There could be more bad guys,” Brooks said. “Be careful.”

“Have you got a visual on Evan?” Jonah asked.

“Evan?” Lachlan’s head whipped around.

“The redhead. Her name is Evan Fletcher.” Jonah paused. “She’s a CIA agent.”

“I knew it!” Brooks said.

“The name sounds familiar,” Seth murmured.

“She’s a rogue CIA agent,” Jonah added.

“Ah, fuck,” Axel muttered.

“She says that it isn’t true,” Jonah said.

“Of course, she does,” Blair drawled.

“Something is going on, and I want answers. Evan Fletcher is the person who has them. We rescue her, but treat her as dangerous.”

They took the stairs and finally moved out to the pool area. Jonah heard gunfire.

If they were firing, that meant she was still alive.

“Fuck!” A voice yelled across the pool. “She killed McDonald. Shot him right between the eyes.”

Lachlan raised his hand, using some hand signals. All the team lifted their weapons, and Blair and Seth broke off, moving left around the pool. Axel and Callie went right.

Lachlan glanced at Jonah. “You’re with me.”

They advanced.

And then Jonah got to see what his team did best, up close and personal.

Lachlan and Jonah waited a beat, then crossed a small bridge across the center of the pool.

Blair and Seth fired, two bad guys dropping to the ground. Jonah saw the mercs clustered around one pool cabana that had a dead body of a man slumped in front of it. The roof of it was a tattered ruin.

Three other mercs whipped around—two male, one female. Jonah fired, and hit one man in the chest.

The other two dived for cover, but they’d missed seeing Callie and Axel creeping closer.

Axel’s kick sent the man flying into a pool lounger, his gun splashing into the pool. Callie punched the woman in the face, then got an arm around her neck and yanked her back.

The woman beat her fist against Callie’s arm. Callie grimaced, but held tight, and eventually the woman slumped, out cold. Callie lowered her to the ground.

“Clear,” Lachlan barked.

“Clear,” Seth confirmed.

“Clear,” Axel said from his side.

As the team spread out to double check and restrain the attackers, Jonah strode toward the cabana.

“Evan, it’s Jonah.”

No response.

Chest tight, he strode into the torn-up space. He shoved the daybed out of the way and saw her sprawled on the ground.

In a pool of blood.

Shit. Pulse spiking, he dropped to his knees. He rolled her over.

She blinked lazily, and when he touched her neck, he felt a pulse. Air shuddered out of him.

“I…almost had them,” she whispered.

“Sure, you did.” She had a gunshot wound to her side. “Callie!”

His medic arrived, took one look at Evan, and slid the black backpack off her shoulder.

Jonah clutched Evan’s hand and leaned over her, heedless of the blood getting all over his shirt. Callie pushed Evan’s shirt up, uncovering a toned stomach and a bloody injury.

As Callie set to work, Evan hissed.

“Bullet clipped her, made a damn mess.” Callie eyed Evan with speculation, and a healthy dose of caution. “I’ll clean it and put on a field dressing.”

Jonah nodded. “Because we need to get out of here fast.”

Evan glanced at Jonah, then looked away.

“I’ll also give you a shot of painkillers and a few other goodies.” Callie looked at Jonah. “Ty’s super-mix.”

Evan tensed. “What is it?”

“Something that will increase your rate of healing.” Jonah kept his gaze locked with hers. “It’s time to start trusting me, Evan.”

For a second, she was motionless, then she nodded.

Callie injected her.

“Guys, LVMPD is arriving,” Brooks said. “MacKade delayed them as long as he could. I’ve tampered with the cameras, but you need to move.”

Callie quickly slapped a bandage on Evan’s side.

Jonah slid his arms beneath her and rose.

She gasped, sliding an arm across his shoulders. He strode out of the damaged cabana.

“Jonah.” Her voice was so quiet only he could hear.

“Yes?”

She was quiet for a second. “Thanks for coming for me.”

He looked into those hazel eyes—a brilliant green, covered with flecks of gold. He nodded.

“Everyone else I know would have left me.” She looked away.

Jonah battled back the confusing, raging emotions inside him. He couldn’t trust this woman. She could be the enemy, but right now, he liked the weight of her in his arms and he was fucking glad she was alive.

CHAPTER FIVE

The painkillers worked miracles.

Evan leaned back on the bed in the windowless room in Team 52’s concrete base at the airport. She was tied to the bed by her wrist.

She was alive. She closed her eyes and swallowed. She’d expected to die.

The door opened and Jonah strode in. She was glad he was alone, because his team did not like her. On the journey over here, she’d copped many a hard, unhappy look.

He’d changed into a black T-shirt, although he still had bloodstains on the jeans that fit him really, really well.

Her traitorous belly warmed.

He sat on the bed, just inches between them. “Callie asked me to put some cream on your wound.” He held up a small tube.

Evan eyed it warily.

“Our scientist created it. It increases your natural rate of healing.”

Her skin felt itchy. She hated being treated for anything. She’d been accused plenty of times of being a crap patient. “Fine.”

He lifted the hem of her borrowed shirt. The medic, Callie, had given her a clean change of clothes when they’d first arrived. Evan’s had been beyond saving.

He gently pulled the bandage off her side. She noticed his long, bronze fingers had several thin white scars across them. They looked old but the white was stark against his darker skin. She wondered what had happened to him.

His fingers brushed her skin and sensation washed over her. She couldn’t stifle her gasp.

His green gaze flicked up to her face.

Evan felt the air change. Like a big storm was brewing. She licked her lips, and saw his gaze drop to her mouth, and something flicker in his eyes.

Then he focused on her wound and rubbed cream along the ragged edges.

“This will scar.”

“I’ll add it to my collection. It’s not the first time I’ve been shot.”

A muscle in his jaw ticked. He finished, and pressed the bandage back in place. “So, your boss at the CIA tells me you’re dangerous, you’ve gone rogue, and you’re trying to kill me.”

“He’s a fucking liar,” she whispered furiously.

“Funny, he told me that you’re a liar.”

She shoved upright, and pain shot through her side. She bit back a cry.

“Easy.” Jonah helped her back down.

“I served my country for years, did my job—” Her voice broke.

“You loved it,” he said quietly.

She nodded. “I thrived on it.” She saw something cross his face and she cocked her head. “You understand?”

“I was an Army pilot. I was injured, and it ended my military career.”

She knew “Army pilot” was an understatement. “You were a Night Stalker.” A member of the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The pilots who flew special forces teams, like the Navy SEALs into combat.

He nodded. “For some of it.”

Yes, she’d seen the redacted sections of his dossier. Jonah Grayson had done something else covert and classified for the Army before his career as a pilot ended.

“And now you serve in another way. I don’t have that choice. My reputation is in tatters and I’ve been labeled a traitor!”

“Tell me,” he urged her.

“Brennan. Fucking Assistant Director David Brennan.” Evan dragged in a breath. “He’s the man I warned you about. I picked up on small things he was doing that seemed off, but I couldn’t believe it of him. I trusted him. Finally, I confronted him and he blew me off with a bogus story. Then suddenly, I was on some very shitty missions, and almost didn’t make it back a few times.” She looked at the wall and battled back the anger. “I broke into his office and hacked his files. He’s working with an accomplice, and they’re after a powerful artifact.”

“What artifact?”

“I don’t know! They use codenames. They call it Codename Leo.”

“And the accomplice?”

“A codename as well. Codename Poseidon. I tried to tail Brennan to a meeting, but I lost him.” She met Jonah’s gaze. “I did intercept an email. He talked about putting Team 52 out of commission in order to achieve their plans.” She hunched her shoulders. “After that, I was declared a rogue. I barely got out of Langley. Brennan fabricated records that made it look like I’ve been selling arms to terrorists.” Her gut churned like it was filled with acid. “Apparently, I have millions in a Cayman bank account.” She let her sarcasm loose.

Jonah was silent, his face serious and unreadable.

She made an annoyed noise. “You don’t believe me.”

“I need to verify your story.”

She scowled. “All you’ll find are more of Brennan’s lies.”

“He contacted me.”

She jerked on her bindings. “If you hand me over to him, I’ll end up in a shallow grave in the desert.”

Without warning, Jonah cupped her cheek, and she gasped. God, she’d gotten so unused to being touched.

“It’s time to start trusting me, Evan.”

His hand was so warm, and she wanted to turn her face into that touch. She had no one to lean on. Hell, she’d never actually wanted to lean before. “I don’t trust anyone.”

“That’s why you thought you’d die at the Wynn. That no one would come for you.”

She closed her eyes.

“Let me look into Brennan—”

Evan grabbed Jonah’s wrist with her free hand. “Jonah, he’s dangerous. Be very careful.”

His white teeth flashed in his handsome face. “Trust me.”

She blew out a breath. “I’ll try.”

He rose.

“Will you untie me?”

“No.” He walked out.

“Hey, trust goes both ways,” she called after him.

Evan sank back against the pillows. With Jonah gone, doubt set in. She and Jonah had some sort of…connection. She felt it, knew he did, too. She blew out a breath. Was it just lust-induced insanity?

Brennan’s reputation was long and spotless. Her stomach tied itself in an uncomfortable knot. Jonah would dig and find Brennan smelling like roses, while she now stank of filth.

She stewed. What if Jonah and his team turned her over to Brennan? She’d be dead, Team 52 would still be in danger, and Brennan could get his hand on a dangerous artifact.

The door opened, but when she looked up, it was Callie, not Jonah. The woman’s face was cool.

“I want to check your wound.”

Evan nodded.

The medic did her thing with brisk, competent hands.

“Thanks,” Evan said. “For helping me.”

Callie’s gray eyes were unreadable. The woman leaned forward. “If you hurt Jonah, or any member of my team, I’ll take you down.”

Ahh. No love lost here. “I’m trying to help your team.”

Callie grunted and rose.

“It’s the truth,” Evan insisted.

“I’m not sure people like you, who’ve learned to lie so well for a living, know the truth. I’m watching you.”

The door closed with a click.

Feelings boiled up inside Evan. Shit. They didn’t trust her, and they probably never would.

As always, she was on her own.

Only this time, that realization hurt.

“BRENNAN HAS a long career with the CIA.” Brooks leaned back in his chair. “If he’s dirty, he’s good at hiding it.”

“He’s veteran CIA.” Jonah paced. “Of course, he can hide it.”

“Fletcher’s rep was shiny, too, until a few weeks ago. She was one of Brennan’s best.”

“I remember her from a training session.” Seth leaned against the wall, his brow creased. “She’s smart, thinks fast, and uses ingenuity. Saw her take down guys far bigger and stronger than her.”

“So, she’s good at her job, risks her life for her country,” Brooks said. “Then, she goes rogue? Selling arms to really nasty dudes?” Brooks shook his head. “It doesn’t add up.”

Blair crossed her arms, her face set. “It happens. She burned out, got sick of the bad guys living in their mansions with their fancy cars, while the good guys struggle to pay their mortgage.”

Lachlan elbowed her. “Thinking of going rogue, Mason?”

Blair sniffed. “I wouldn’t mind a mansion.”

Jonah wasn’t worried. Blair was honorable to the core. She would put her life on the line to save innocent people. She’d done it numerous times before.

“Anything in Evan’s background that raises any red flags?” Jonah asked.

“The opposite.” Brooks looked up from the computer screen. “Her mother raised her. Mother’s retired and lives in Florida. Father was killed when Evan was six. Get this, in a terrorist attack. A bomb blast in Texas.”

Jonah paused, turning to stare at the screen. Evan was raised by a single mom. Like him.

“So, she doesn’t have any motivation to sell weapons to terrorists,” he murmured. “In fact, the opposite.”

“Exactly,” Brooks said. “I’ve set a little bug on Brennan’s system. If he does anything irregular, I’ll pick it up.”

“He can’t detect it?”

Brooks shot Jonah an affronted look. “No.”

“What do we do with our guest in the meantime?” Lachlan asked.

“We’ll keep her here,” Jonah said. “We’ll keep collecting data, and I’ll question her on what this artifact might be.”

“I’m running the codenames she mentioned through some searches.” Brooks shrugged. “Leo and Poseidon have hundreds of meanings. It’s a long shot, but we might get lucky.”

“She’s dangerous and skilled,” Callie said. “And probably feeling helpless and cornered. I think we need to put a guard on her.”

Oh, Evan would love that. Jonah stuck his hands in his pockets. She wouldn’t be very receptive to opening up to them. “I’ll take the first shift.” Gazes were traded between his team. He scowled. “What?”

“We’re worried you can’t be…objective enough,” Lachlan said.

Blair snorted. “You have the hots for her.”

Shit. Jonah’s scowl deepened. “I will do my job. I take any risk to this team seriously.”

“Fine,” Blair muttered.

“Brooks, keep on those searches. I’ll go and ask Evan some more questions.”

Brooks tossed him a casual salute.

“Who needs more coffee?” Axel asked.

“You aren’t making it,” Blair interjected. “It’ll taste like sludge.”

“I like it strong.”

Jonah headed toward the holding room where Evan was, his team’s casual banter fading away behind him.

Damn, Blair was right. He was fiercely attracted to Evan. He paused. She was beautiful, intelligent, cunning, and determined.

And he understood the position she was in. Knew the frustrated helplessness she was feeling.

He opened the door and his chest locked.

Impossible.

The bed was empty, the ties hanging loose.

It took him seconds to check the room. The windowless, locked room.

She was gone.

EVAN LIMPED down a back street in North Las Vegas.

She’d escaped Team 52’s bunker using every bit of her experience and ingenuity. Then she’d gotten clear of the airport as fast as she could. After that, she’d hitched a ride north. Her friendly truck driver had also given her his cap.

She tucked her hair under the hat—that smelled faintly of tobacco and sweat—and tugged it down low over her face. Her painkillers were wearing off and she winced. She ached just about everywhere.

Spotting a payphone, she stopped, dialed the number for a collect call.

“Evan.” Her mother’s smoky voice came on the line.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Shit, doll. I got your text and figured something bad had happened. You still in Vegas? You okay?”

“Yeah. Brennan found me.”

Evan’s mom let loose with a string of impressive curses.

“I’m okay. Bullet winged me.”

“I’m coming to Vegas.”

“No!” The situation was too dangerous, and Evan’s mom could be…unpredictable. “I’m all patched up.”

“I can hear the pain in your voice, Evan Marie. You can’t lie to me.”

“I’ve lied to you loads of times. And you lie to me all the time.”

Her mother made a harrumphing sound. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I just need to regroup.”

“That team helping you?”

Evan paused. “They don’t trust me, yet.”

“Idiots.”

“The director…he might be coming around.” Although she suspected Jonah would be well and truly pissed that she’d given him the slip. Again.

Evan couldn’t help a small smile at the thought of that.

“You like him,” her mom said.

“What? No.” Sometimes it was super annoying that her mother was so spooky observant.

“I know my daughter. What’s he look like?”

“A man. Two arms, two legs.”

“Evan.”

She blew out a breath. “Tall, black hair, some Native American heritage. Wears suits.”

“Hmm, a suit-wearing hottie. The most devastating kind. Although a well-built man in fatigues is pretty hot too.”

“Mom.” Evan didn’t need to know anything about her mom’s love life.

“Personally, I do prefer a bit of grit to pretty.”

“Jonah isn’t pretty.” That word didn’t even begin to describe him.

“Jonah, is it?”

“Mom, while it’s nice chatting, I need to go.”

Her mother laughed. “I know, doll. Look, I have an old cache in Las Vegas. It’s at a storage place. Untraceable. Go, take care of yourself.” Her mom rattled off an address and a code.

A wave of love hit Evan. “Thanks, Mom. And don’t come here.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Mom!”

“Love you, Evan Marie.”

Evan set the phone back in the cradle. Okay. She needed to get to New Space Storage. She pulled up a mental map of Las Vegas. It was a bit of a walk, but not too far away.

By the time she got there, her entire body throbbed with pain. She used an access code to get into the storage place, and then to access the storage unit, itself. She closed herself inside the small unit.

Two large, heavy-duty cases rested against the wall. She pulled one open—cell phones, cash, IDs—for both her and her mom—and a medical kit.

The second case was full of clothes, toiletries, and weapons.

Damn, she loved her mom. Raquel Fletcher had been a legend at the CIA in her time.

First up, Evan swallowed some painkillers. She pulled out a new ID, money, and picked out a Ka-Bar combat knife and a SIG Sauer handgun. She changed into black jeans and pulled a black top on. She wrapped a blue cardigan around her waist. It helped conceal her weapons.

Finally, she pulled on a short, black wig. It was a bob style, with bangs.

Nice. She put everything she needed into a backpack, locked the unit, then headed out.

She hit the street. Right. All she needed now was a place to stay while she formulated her next plan of attack.

She headed down the sidewalk. She’d find a new motel to stay at—

A sleek, dark-green Jaguar pulled up beside her. She tensed.

The window opened and Jonah’s face looked back at her.

Ah, hell.

“Get in,” he said in a clipped tone.

“How did you find me?” He must have put a tracker on her. Damn, he was good.

“Get in or I’ll put you in.”

Her gaze narrowed. “You can try.”

“Evan.”

“Fine.” She slid into the car.

CHAPTER SIX

Wow, Jonah’s penthouse apartment was very nice.

Evan followed him in, taking in the sleek, modern furniture and the views. It didn’t feel cold—just masculine and classy. A gorgeous painting on the wall caught her eye. It was an abstract cityscape that merged into majestic mountain peaks. It suited him.

“I guess being head of a covert black-ops team pays better than my job.”

His green gaze flicked her way. “I’ve made some good investments.” He strode into the big kitchen, with its dark-brown cabinets and island big enough to seat a football team.

Evan wandered past some shelves, and lifted a small hunk of polished rock off the shelf. It was heavier than it looked. Representative of its owner—shiny on the outside, something else underneath.

His place was a hundred times nicer than hers. She had a boring, bland apartment in D.C. that she rarely used. She barely had any furniture. She also had a smaller, crummy place under a different name where she kept a few of her things—clothes, a few photos of her and her mom.

Evan set the rock down. She’d never felt a lack before while she was working, but now that her job was gone… Well, she was reevaluating a few things.

“Sit.” Jonah pulled out a stool at the island.

“I’m fine, I—”

“You’re bleeding again. You were supposed to rest, not run off.” There was a sharp whip to his voice.

Someone wasn’t happy. “All right.” She sat.

She spotted movement out of the corner of her eye and tensed. A sleek, black cat sauntered into view. It studied her like it had already judged her and found her lacking. It had eyes almost as green as Jonah’s.

“You have a cat?”

Jonah cast a glance at the animal. “I’m pretty sure Kowi thinks this is his place, and that I belong to him.”

“Kowi?” She matched his pronunciation that sounded like koi.

“The Chickasaw word for cat. My mother was part of the Chickasaw Nation.”

“You travel a lot. Who feeds him?”

“My housekeeper. And I’m pretty sure Kowi prefers it when I’m gone. I get in his way.”

Jonah shifted closer and jerked the hem of her shirt up.

“Hey.”

“The bandage needs changing.” His jaw was tight.

She looked down and saw he was right. Blood had soaked through it.

He came back with a first aid kit. “Are you in pain?”

She shook her head. “I took some painkillers before.” It was down to a dull throb.

As he changed the bandage, those long fingers touched her skin, and her senses went haywire. She sucked in a breath and looked at his dark head bent over her.

For a second, she imagined him bent over her doing other things.

Crap. She just couldn’t get this desire under control.

“How did you get the scars on your fingers?” she asked.

He stilled for a beat, then kept working. “Helicopter crash. Glass shredded my fingers.”

Darkness bled into his voice and she was sorry she asked.

“There.” He pressed a fresh bandage in place and looked up. “Are you hungry?”

She frowned. “Aren’t you going to lock me up?”

“Not right now.”

“Tie me up?”

His lips quirked. “No.”

She huffed out a breath. “You don’t trust me. I escaped—”

“Not for very long.”

“You have a tracker on me somewhere. I’ll find it.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Grayson—”

“Call me Jonah.”

She shook her head. “I don’t get you.”

“Evan, flying into combat taught me to trust my instincts. Often well before I had data to back them up.” He sat on the stool beside her. “I think you’re trying to help me and my team. I think you’re trying to stop something bad from happening. And I think you could do with some help.”

God. It was like he could reach inside her and touch places she’d kept locked up for years. “You can’t be naïve enough to just trust me.”

He studied her face, something shifting behind his eyes. “After flying with the Night Stalkers for several years, I was recruited into a covert group called the Flight Concepts Division.”

She sucked in a breath. The FCD was whispered about behind closed doors. The best of the best pilots who flew experimental, stealth aircraft. The Navy SEAL team that had taken down Bin Laden had been rumored to be flown by FCD pilots. The stealth helicopter had crashed during the mission and they’d been quick to destroy it before it could fall into enemy hands.

“One of my fellow pilots, a man I’d flown with for years, who I trusted with my life, tried to kill me,” Jonah said.

Pressure built in Evan’s chest.

“He’d been radicalized by the enemy, seen too many shitty things.” Jonah rubbed his jaw, an old sadness on his face. “He brought down our aircraft, killed several good men, and tried to steal classified aircraft designs.”

“What happened?”

“I woke up in the twisted wreck of our helo. I’d broken a leg, my hands were cut up, and I’d broken ribs. I pulled another pilot out.”

He’d saved someone else, with a broken leg and bad injuries.

“We were rescued, and the traitor was caught.” Jonah cocked his head. “He tried to frame me and make it look like I was selling our country’s secrets to the enemy.”

Evan’s throat tightened.

Jonah pressed a warm hand over hers. “I understand, Evan. I know how it feels when everyone turns their back on you, and people you trust betray you.”

“But you were cleared?” she whispered.

He nodded. “It didn’t take long, thankfully. But my combat flying days were over.”

Evan fidgeted a little. This man had been through his own horrible nightmare. “I suck at asking for help. And working with other people. And sometimes I’m not nice.”

He smiled—a killer, gorgeous smile. “So, you’re human, then?”

“Why aren’t you mad at me?”

“I think you’re doing the best you can. Now, how about I cook us some dinner? After, we’ll go over everything you have on Brennan, the artifact, and his accomplice.”

Jonah Grayson believed her. Evan’s throat tightened. She wasn’t alone. “I hate mushrooms.”

“No stroganoff, then.”

Instead, he made fettuccine carbonara. Delicious smells filled the kitchen.

From the island, Evan watched him, sipping on a Diet Coke he’d poured for her. Had she ever watched a man cook before? She wasn’t sure she had. It was sexy as hell.

She watched his hands with those long fingers, his strong wrists. So damn competent. “I like your watch.” It was chunky, but still elegant. It looked expensive. Something else that suited him.

He glanced her way and held out his wrist. He touched a button on the side of the watch, then pulled.

A slim garotte wire slid out.

She raised a brow. “Nice.” Once again, shiny on the outside, deadly underneath.

He finished cooking—draining the pasta and plating the meal.

“Here.” He set down two placemats and cutlery on the island. Then he followed with a plate of delicious pasta. Her stomach grumbled.

“So, Brooks is running the codenames through some searches and hoping he might get a hit that could lead us in the right direction,” Jonah said.

She put a forkful of food in her mouth and stifled a moan. She swallowed. “You won’t find anything. Brennan is smart.”

Jonah ate some of his own meal. “You have the files you took off his computer?”

She nodded. “In the cloud. A private, untraceable account I pay a small fortune for.”

He rose. Then he came back with a sleek, black laptop. “Pull them up. We’ll see if you missed anything.”

“I never miss anything.”

“A fresh set of eyes can always help.”

They finished eating and pored over the files.

Finally, Evan growled. “Nothing. I told you.”

His lips flattened, and she could see he was deep in thought.

“I have a wraith program in his system,” she said. “It’s a stealthy little spider that’s sneaking around. If it finds anything, we might get a lead.”

“So, we wait.”

She wrinkled her nose. “My least favorite thing to do.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

She turned on her stool to face him. “Why aren’t you married? Why no wife or girlfriend in this very nice place of yours? You’re easy on the eyes, and have impeccable manners.”

“I’ve never met the right woman. Never fallen in love.”

She cocked her head. She detected something in his voice. “Do you believe in love, Grayson?”

“Jonah.” He paused. “Do you?”

God, his gaze was like a laser shining right inside her. “Love is a strategic weakness. In my business, loving someone is a risk. It paints a target on someone, and creates a weak spot.”

She’d seen plenty of CIA agents who’d had their loved ones put at risk, or worse, injured and killed.

She’d grown up fatherless because of the consequences of someone in her business falling in love. Her mother’s enemies had come after Brent Fletcher and her father had died a bloody death. Evan knew her mother had never quite forgiven herself and never fallen in love again.

“I agree.” Jonah swiveled, his legs brushing hers. He leaned closer.

“Besides,” she continued, “I’ve never met the right one, either.” The one worth taking the risk for.

Their gazes meshed. Her heart was beating a thousand times a minute. He was so close, and she felt hot all over.

They both knew better than this. They both could weigh the pros and cons of getting involved.

She had no idea who moved, but suddenly she was off the stool and her mouth was pressed against his.

Jonah deepened the kiss, his hands on her ass as she straddled him. His tongue touched hers. Shit. So damn good.

Her hands slid into his silky, black hair. He tasted like a fine, expensive wine. She kissed him deeper, swallowed his growl.

“Fuck,” he muttered against her lips.

“Sounds about right.” She kissed him again because she had to, needed it. She sank her teeth into his bottom lip.

The laptop beside them chimed, and they broke apart. Evan blinked, trying to clear her head.

She felt Jonah’s hand squeeze her ass, then he set her on her feet. “Is your side all right?”

She blinked. “My side?”

His lips quirked. “Never mind.”

She tried to focus on the laptop. She stiffened. “God, my wraith found something.” She dragged the laptop closer, tapping on the keyboard. She tried not to get distracted by the feel and smell of Jonah so close. Desire was alive in her belly.

Then she read the screen. “Oh, no.”

“What?” Jonah crowded closer.

She turned her head and met his gaze. “Brennan isn’t after one artifact, he’s after two.”

Jonah’s brow creased. “Go on.”

“In order to get to the one he calls Leo, he needs a second artifact. It’ll lead the way to Leo.” She dragged in a breath. “He needs a carved stone statue of the god Horus depicted as a falcon wearing an Egyptian crown. An artifact locked in your warehouse at Area 52.”

THE NEXT MORNING, Jonah boarded a jet to Area 52 that was sitting on the tarmac right outside the Bunker.

Evan walked ahead of him, dressed in black jeans and a black shirt. Her red hair gleamed in the morning light, pulled back in a ponytail. Her face was unreadable.

When they’d arrived here and exited his car, she’d put that blank “agent” face on.

Last night, he’d seen glimpses of the real Evan Fletcher. He wanted to see more of her.

He released a slow breath. He’d barely slept a wink last night, knowing that she was one wall away, sleeping in his guest room. When he hadn’t been distracted by Evan, thoughts of this mysterious Leo artifact and the Horus artifact knocked around in his head. And how the hell Brennan thought he’d get the Horus artifact out of Area 52.

Inside the plane, the team was already seated. Heads lifted. Jonah had messaged them all the night before to give them an update, and to tell them that they were heading back to base this morning.

He saw Evan’s spine stiffen and he pressed a hand to her lower back, directing her into a seat.

“Good morning,” he greeted his people. He got replies and chin lifts.

“I see you found our runaway guest,” Seth said.

Evan stood abruptly and spun to face them. “I did not go rogue. I am not a traitor. I don’t care if you believe me or not, but I’m not a danger to you.”

Silence filled the plane. Jonah’s chest tightened.

Then he heard footsteps bounding up the stairs. Blonde-haired Kinsey bounced inside, Smith right behind her like a giant shadow. The pair of them always made Jonah think of Beauty and the Beast. Smith rarely smiled, but he watched Kinsey flit around with hungry intensity. There was no doubting how the man felt about her.

Kinsey spotted Evan. “Oh, hi. You must be Evan. I’m Kinsey.” The blonde grabbed Evan’s hand and pumped it while the CIA agent eyed her like she was a foreign entity. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get to meet you yesterday. Smith and I were at our cabin in the mountains with our dog.” She jerked a thumb at Smith’s chest. “This pile of sweetness is the love of my life.”

Someone snickered. Smith’s face stayed inscrutable and far from sweet.

Evan blinked. “Ah…hi.”

Kinsey patted Evan’s arm and sat. Smith sat beside his woman.

“Sit down, CIA,” Lachlan said. “We aren’t going to jump you, or tie you up.”

Blair snorted. “We’ll leave that to the boss.”

Jonah looked at the ceiling. So much for disciplined, respectful team members.

Toward the back of the plane, Brooks raised his hand.

“We aren’t in school, Brooks,” Jonah growled.

His tech guy grinned. Today, his shirt had a picture of the bounty hunter Boba Fett on it, with the words “I don’t give a flying Fett” written beneath it. “I found some intel last night.” Brooks looked at Evan. “I can’t confirm it was Brennan, but the bank accounts in the Cayman Islands in your name, totally bogus. And the information on your supposed arms dealing is shoddy. It was put together fast, and is clearly fake.”

From across the aisle, Callie smiled at Evan. “Nice to know you can tell the truth.”

“Welcome to the team, CIA.” Axel shot her a sexy grin.

“And we’ll call you CIA until the end of time,” Seth said. “River still gets MI6.”

Blair raised a brow. “Doesn’t your wife call you 007, Lynch?”

Seth winked. “I like it.”

Jonah watched Evan carefully. There was something shifting in her eyes as she processed her welcome.

She was so alone, closed off, and wary. He wanted to pull her into his arms.

She finally nodded and sat. He sat beside her and grabbed her fingers, giving them a quick squeeze. She stilled but didn’t pull her hand away.

It was an uneventful and quick flight to the base. Jonah led her inside the giant, Area 52 hangar, and after they descended in the elevator, they were met by River and Natalie.

After kissing Axel, Natalie turned. “I’ve been up half the night pulling up everything we have on the Horus artifact, and searching for more information.”

Jonah nodded. “Let’s meet in the rec room.”

They all moved inside the large room. A sleek kitchenette lined one wall, and black tables and chairs dotted the space.

After grabbing coffees and energy drinks, they all sat around the tables. Ty arrived, and River introduced the tall African-American scientist to Evan. The pair shook hands.

Then Arlo stomped in, wearing black fatigues. His hard stare landed on Evan.

She lifted her chin. “Problem?”

“Want to know how you got into our base,” the older man grumbled. “No one is getting any of my artifacts, so I need to know how to improve security.”

Evan raised a brow. “Your artifacts?”

Arlo crossed his brawny arms over his chest. “Yeah. I look after them, so they’re mine.”

She gave a slow nod. “There are a few places where you can tighten security. I can tell you that if I was a pound heavier, I wouldn’t have been able to squeeze in.” She glanced at Jonah. “Brennan will use every resource he has to get what he wants.”

“And what he wants is this.” Nat held up a tablet.

The image displayed a beautiful, carved falcon, wings tucked to its sides, wearing a large crown topped with a flat circle, that was inscribed with a second falcon with its wings spread.

“What does it do?” Lachlan asked.

“As far as we know, nothing.” Nat shrugged. “It was collected on an old mission in Egypt, with several other artifacts. One of which was a power generation device. This was deemed of little interest.”

Evan tapped her fingers on the table. “There must be something important about it.”

Nat nodded. “I’m looking into it.”

“I can pull it out?” Arlo said.

“You’d make it less secure,” Jonah mused. “Might be just what Brennan wants.”

Arlo shrugged. “So, we’ll beef up security before we take it out.”

“If Ty can scan it, that would be helpful,” Nat said. “For now, all I can tell you is that it is a Shemsu-Hor artifact.”

“Shemsu-who?” Evan asked.

“They were known as the Followers of Horus. A priesthood that thrived in Heliopolis for thousands of years.” Nat paused. “They were also known as keepers of ancient knowledge.”

Dammit. That didn’t sound good. Brennan knew something about this artifact.

They had to find out what. Fast.

CHAPTER SEVEN

She liked Brooks’ domain. Evan took in all the impossibly thin flat screens and his equally high-tech computers. He was absorbed running searches. Callie, Blair, and River stood to one side talking quietly. Jonah had gone to make some calls, and the rest of the guys were training in the gym.

“Tell me more about this wraith program of yours?” Brooks asked.

“It lies dormant,” Evan said. “It only activates when it needs to, so it’s not easily detected.”

Behind his glasses, Brooks’ eyes lit up. “Nice.”

Evan smiled. “I can give you the details.”

“That would be great. I’m running everything I can on Brennan.”

She frowned. “Be careful.”

“He won’t see me. I’m searching traffic cam footage and analyzing where he’s driven and visited. I’m looking for out-of-the-norm patterns.”

Shifting to look over his shoulder, Evan nodded. Looking at changes in patterns when Brennan thought no one was watching him. Brilliant.

Brooks spun his chair. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you, how did you get the boss-man’s secure line?”

The women all glanced over. Blair was in mid-bite of a cupcake, but her gaze sharpened as she listened.

“It’s been driving him crazy.” Callie reached out and ruffled her boyfriend’s hair.

Evan leaned back against the bench, crossing her ankles. “I actually have a wraith on your system too.”

“What?” Brooks shot straight up, like he’d been electrocuted. “No way. My security is the best.” He stared at her face.

She just raised a brow.

“How?” he demanded.

“I didn’t break your security. I’m piggybacking off your laptop. I slid inside your security. I have a microdot on your machine that taps into your system without triggering your security.”

His mouth dropped open. Frantically, he grabbed his laptop, lifting it to search all over.

Blair laughed, River grinned, and Callie shook her head. Evan took pity on the guy and swiveled the laptop around, then gently lifted the transparent dot off of the laptop lid with her fingernail.

“No way.” He met her gaze. “How did you get it on there?”

Evan hunched her shoulders a little, and shot him a shy smile. “Wow, that’s an amazing laptop. Can I take a look?”

“God,” he breathed. “Sarah the geek gamer in the Star Wars shirt at Eamon’s shop.”

Callie raised a brow. “Have you been flirting with geek girls?”

“What? No!” He wrapped a muscled, tattooed arm around Callie’s hips. “I only have eyes for you, baby.”

The pair kissed and it was pretty obvious that Brooks adored his girlfriend. Evan felt a burn under her heart and realized in shock that it was envy.

“So,” Brooks said. “If you can do this, Brennan could, too.” Brooks scowled, his gaze turning inward.

“Yes. Brennan can do just about anything. He has access to smart people doing cutting-edge stuff.”

“All right. Show me how to detect this.” Brooks held the tiny dot up on his finger. “And how to block it.”

Evan sat on a stool beside him, and they got to work. He was bright, smart, and funny, and she found that she actually enjoyed working with him.

Finally, Brooks looked up and blinked. “I need coffee.”

“I need to stretch my legs.” Evan rose, swiveling her stiff neck. The other women had disappeared over an hour ago.

And Evan wanted to see Jonah.

Pathetic.

She wandered out of Brooks’ computer room and down the hall. She passed Ty’s lab, and then the gym. Inside, she saw the Team 52 members sparring. Blair and Seth were going at it on the mats. The woman slammed her teammate to the floor. Shit, Blair was tough and strong. Evan would have to remember that if the woman ever challenged Evan to a bout.

She headed toward Jonah’s office and paused in the doorway. He was on the phone, but he glanced up at her.

Evan wandered in, past the aquarium filled with brightly colored fish. On the other wall, were a few shelves loaded with books. As he spoke, his deep voice washed over her.

Finally, he finished the call and glanced her way. He leaned back in his chair. “We’re back where we first met.”

“I promise not to tie you to your desk this time.” She walked closer.

“I dreamed about you last night.” He rose from his desk chair.

Her mouth went dry. “Jonah—”

“I imagined you in my bed.” He pressed her against the desk.

“We both know relationships are risky,” she said. “Letting people in…”

He ran his nose along hers.

Evan trembled. She never trembled. Never let desire get out of her control. “This is a bad idea. It goes against everything we’ve been taught.”

But with him, need eclipsed everything else.

She turned her head and bit his lip. He made a hungry sound.

“You finished with the lecture?” he asked.

“We’ve both lost our sanity.”

“Maybe, but we can be crazy together.”

She slid her arms around his shoulders and stopped thinking. Thinking just reminded her that this was reckless, dangerous.

She wanted to feel.

She wanted him.

His mouth was on hers—hungry, possessive, but with a patience that beguiled. He was a man who’d take his time. Who’d do everything very well.

Jonah’s hands skimmed up her body, one molding over her breast. She moaned into his mouth, feeling a growing dampness between her legs. Those clever, skilled pilot hands knew what they were doing.

He drew back, caressed her cheek. Her pulse jumped, unprepared for the unfamiliar sensations rolling through her.

“Jonah…”

“The way you say my name, it drives me crazy, but there’s a hint of fear in your eyes.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“No, just of the way I make you feel.”

“Boss-man, I… Whoops.” Brooks stood in the doorway, grinning at them.

Jonah gave Evan one last look, then stepped back. “What is it, Brooks?”

“We might’ve found something.”

“Get everyone together.” Jonah’s gaze dropped back to Evan.

She sucked in a breath, trying to control the desire roaring inside her.

He ran his finger down her nose. “We’ll return to this later.”

“Jonah—”

He just took her hand and tugged her out of his office.

They all crowded into the computer room. The team was all freshly showered and dressed. Evan let her gaze run over them. They were all fit, muscular, and attractive in different ways. Lachlan was all in-charge ruggedness. Seth was leaner and meaner. Smith was all big, mountain man. Axel was the handsome charmer. Ty the smart, dark-skinned, broad-shouldered hunk. And Brooks, the hot geek.

Objectively, she could see that they were all good-looking men, but she seemed to be only affected by Jonah. She looked at him and the way his suit pants fit him perfectly. His white shirt against his bronze skin.

She blew out a breath and tried to focus on what Brooks was saying.

“I found pictures of Brennan meeting this man.”

A thin man with a head of blond, curly hair. He was probably in his late twenties.

Evan frowned. “I noted him in my surveillance. I dug a little. Unemployed, worked at some church.”

“Not a church exactly.” Brooks tapped his tablet. “His name is Hugh Sprouse. He worked at ARE. The Association for Research and Enlightenment. It was created by a man called Edgar Cayce.”

Jonah straightened.

Evan frowned. That clearly meant something to him. “Who’s Cayce?”

It was Jonah who answered. “Edgar Cayce lived until 1945. He was known as the Sleeping Prophet.” Jonah’s green gaze was like a laser. “He was a clairvoyant whose readings and predictions included extensive information about Atlantis. The main goals of ARE are to explore ancient mysteries and uncover Atlantis’ Hall of Records. A fabulous repository of knowledge the residents of the doomed civilization created before they were destroyed.”

JONAH FELT THAT TINGLE—HIS instincts said they were onto something. ARE spent a lot of time and resources trying to find the mythical Atlantis.

“Atlantis?” Evan said.

“Atlantis never existed,” Nat said, “but numerous advanced civilizations did. Atlantis is just an amalgamation of the myths and legends from all those destroyed cultures.” The archeologist’s eyes lit up. “Cayce believed he was channeling information from people who lived on a landmass that stretched from Mexico to Gibraltar. ARE believe that there aren’t just one, but three Halls of Records,” Nat said. “One in Bimini.”

“Bimini?” Evan said. “In the Bahamas?”

“Yes. The theory being the islands are remnants of the destroyed Atlantean landmass. ARE has funded numerous dives to the Bimini Road. Large rock formations under the sea, that some say are natural formations, while others believe they are man-made.”

“Jesus,” Evan said.

“So, ARE believes one Hall of Records is in Bimini.” Nat turned and nodded at Brooks. Maps flashed up on the screen with locations marked. “Another in Mexico, in the Yucatan. And the main one in Egypt, under the paws of the Sphinx. They say these Halls of Records are vast libraries of information from survivors who came from Atlantis.”

“Most of the Atlantis stories aren’t real,” Jonah said. “They’re a mishmash of real facts and wishful thinking. But, it is possible pre-flood civilizations did store their knowledge somewhere.”

“Or rather, survivors took their knowledge with them and shared it,” Nat said. “There are countless stories of flood survivors, sometimes revered as gods.” She paused. “Or priests.”

“The Shemsu-Hor,” Evan breathed.

Nat nodded. “We know that the Shemsu-Hor were flood survivors and keepers of incredible knowledge.”

“Sprouse was kicked out of ARE,” Brooks said. “Can’t find out why, but it seems that there was some sort of altercation.”

“And now he’s meeting with Brennan.” Evan stared at the images on the screens.

“ARE have an office here in Las Vegas.” Brooks tapped the keyboard. “They have a lecture about Atlantis this afternoon, and it’s open to the public.” He smiled. “Especially if you want to donate to their cause.”

“I could attend.” Evan’s eyes lit. “Ask a few subtle questions about Sprouse.”

Jonah felt a gut response to say no, to not put her in danger. She’d just been shot, for God’s sake.

Shit. She was a trained agent, and she’d been in far more dangerous situations than this. If she realized he was trying to protect her, she’d fight him every step of the way.

“Good idea,” he said. “Take Callie.”

Evan’s brows drew together. “I can do this alone.”

“But you aren’t going to.”

“Why not me?” Blair asked.

“Because you’d punch someone,” River said.

The men all snorted and Blair’s head whipped around to glare at River.

“I could go,” Nat said.

Axel surged forward, looking like he was fighting for control. Nat had been abducted from an archeology conference in Greece recently. It was fresh in her lover’s mind.

“You know too much about the subject,” Jonah said. “It might make people suspicious.”

The archeologist sighed and nodded.

“You and me, CIA,” Callie said.

“I think we’ll go in as best friends with a side interest in Atlantis,” Evan said.

Callie nodded. “Works for me.”

“We’ll be on standby outside,” Lachlan said.

“I want them both wired,” Jonah added. “I want a pin camera on Callie. Let’s see if ARE can shed any light on Hugh Sprouse, and what he and Brennan are up to.”

It was all action after that. Soon, they were all back on the jet heading back to Las Vegas. That included Arlo, who decided to head back with them. Jonah guessed his old friend was keeping an eye on Evan.

Jonah sat beside her. She wasn’t fidgeting, seemingly relaxed about the upcoming recon mission. It was what she did. What she was good at.

“So, this artifact, Codename Leo, that Brennan is after, must be something in the Hall of Records?” she said.

“It’s a strong possibility. If the Hall of Records is this repository of pre-flood, advanced knowledge, there would very likely be dangerous artifacts stored in there.”

Natalie leaned between the seats. “It fits. The Shemsu-Hor come to Egypt, spread the knowledge of farming, science, architecture, writing. And they store their knowledge, perhaps more advanced knowledge the locals aren’t ready for, in the Hall of Records.”

Evan raised a brow. “And this is supposedly all under the Sphinx?”

“Well, traditional archeology dates the Sphinx to the Pharaoh Khafre, around four and a half thousand years ago. But—” Nat smiled “—the Sphinx actually is extremely weathered, compared to the pyramids, and some geologists believe it’s water erosion. The last rainfall in the Sahara region capable of causing that kind of weathering was about ten thousand years ago.”

Evan gasped. “You’re saying the Sphinx is older?”

“And perhaps built by an advanced civilization that buried an ancient library beneath it.” Nat shrugged. “Maybe. Archeologists have searched for the tunnels beneath the Sphinx and pyramids. One team did extensive scans.”

“And?” Evan prompted.

“They never released the results,” Jonah said. “Egypt protects its history and artifacts very carefully.”

Evan nodded. “Their history is important to the country. Important for the tourism industry. They don’t want fringe ideas impacting what they have.”

“Or pseudo-archeologists digging under their national monuments,” Nat added.

Before long, they landed at the Bunker. Inside, Callie and Evan changed, coming out wearing pretty sundresses. Jonah’s mouth went dry, and he only had eyes for Evan. The rich, green dress hugged her body and left her legs bare, floating around her toned thighs. Her red hair was in a messy bun and she looked younger, softer, though he liked her hard edges just fine.

She caught his gaze and winked.

Brooks gave them small earpieces that they pressed into their ears. They were barely bigger than the microdot that Evan had used on Brooks’ laptop, and completely untraceable.

Brooks kissed Callie.

Jonah pulled Evan aside. “Be careful. No risks.”

“I’ve got this, Director.”

He turned so his back was blocking the rest of the team’s view. He ran his thumb along her jaw. “I know you do.”

Her eyes flickered. “Jonah—”

“Okay, let’s move out,” Lachlan called.

Evan pulled away from Jonah. She joined Callie, and Jonah watched them walk out to Callie’s car.

Jonah climbed into the back of the surveillance van with the rest of the team. It looked like a normal van from the outside, but it was full of tech inside. There were swivel chairs running down both sides, in front of consoles and screens.

Brooks was staying at the Bunker to run comms with Arlo.

Smith drove them toward the ARE premises in Spring Valley. They parked the van a block away from the building that housed the office. Jonah pulled a headset on.

“Okay, drone’s up,” Brooks said.

On-screen, Jonah saw the aerial drone footage of Callie and Evan walking up toward the front entrance of the ARE building, laughing together.

“Hello, welcome to ARE,” a male voice said.

Another screen flickered to life, showing footage from Callie’s camera attached to the strap of her dress.

The man smiling at the pair was in his late twenties, with a wide smile and styled, light-brown hair.

“Hi,” Evan gushed. “Kellie and I are huge history buffs. A friend said you guys did great work here. Really fascinating stuff.”

“Your friend is right.” The man gave the women another toothpaste-commercial smile. Then his gaze dropped to Evan’s cleavage.

Jonah fought back a scowl. She could take care of herself. He reached out and picked up a pen, rotating it through his fingers.

“I’m Mitchell,” the man said.

“Evie.” Evan shook the man’s hand, and then he shook Callie’s.

“Come in, I’ll show you around.”

Jonah listened as Mitchell gave Callie and Evan a tour.

“We sponsor archeologists to study and do field digs, and a lot of our budget goes to research.”

“Amazing.” Evan paused. “I’ve always had a huge interest in Atlantis. That’s why we came.”

“Our specialty. Our founder, Edgar Cayce, knew more about Atlantis than anyone. You have to read his books and listen to his prophecies.”

“So cool,” Callie breathed.

Callie wandered away, talking to an older woman. She kept her camera angled toward Evan and Mitchell.

“Do you work here full-time, Mitchell?” Evan asked.

“I do.”

“That’s so exciting. Do you travel?”

“I mainly work here in Las Vegas, but I travel to our other offices and sites as well.”

“Oh, where?”

“Mainly headquarters in Virginia.”

“That’s where my friend is from. She knew someone that worked in your headquarters.” Evan tapped her chin. “Hugh Prouse…no, Sprouse. Do you know him?”

Mitchell’s smile turned into a frown. “Oh, he left recently. A terrible business.”

Evan’s breath hitched, and Jonah saw curiosity on her face. “What happened?”

Mitchell swallowed. “I shouldn’t gossip.”

Evan touched his arm. “You can trust me.”

Beside Jonah, Blair snorted. “Damn, she’s good.”

Evan leaned in. “Oh, I love your cologne, Mitchell. You smell so good.”

The man’s chest puffed up and she let her fingers drift along his shoulder.

As he watched, Jonah’s muscles stiffened.

“Well, Hugh stole from the organization,” Mitchell said.

“How terrible.”

“He was caught digging through old records for—”

“Mitchell.” A well-dressed, older man appeared, his gray hair cut short. “I’m sure you’re sharing the best of what ARE has to offer with the young lady.”

Mitchell’s face went red. “Of course. Evie, this is Ronald Loftin. He runs ARE here in Las Vegas.”

“I’m so happy to be here.” Evan turned up the wattage on her smile. Both men blinked.

The discussion turned to history. Mitchell waxed on about a dig in Mexico for the Hall of Records. Thankfully, Ronald got called away. Mitchell started talking about diving in Bimini.

“I’ve always loved everything I’ve read about the Bimini Road,” Evan gushed.

“Yes.” Mitchell smiled. “You’ll have to come on a dive. I can show you some incredible sites.” He grinned. “Do you have a bikini?”

She shot him a coy smile. “Of course.”

“I bet you look great in it.” The man moved closer. “Evie, I hope you’ll give me your number.”

“Are you flirting with me, Mitchell?”

He reached out and touched her hair. “Yes. I’d love to take you out for dinner. We can talk more about Atlantis.”

The pen in Jonah’s hand snapped in two.

“Okay there, boss-man?” Axel asked, in an amused voice.

“Fine,” Jonah replied.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Evan and Callie walked out of ARE, side by side.

“Well, I don’t think ARE is involved,” Callie said.

“Agreed.” Evan turned and waved at cute, attentive Mitchell, then she shot him a wink. “Sounds like Sprouse was bad news, and they booted him.”

“Careful.”

At the woman’s warning tone, Evan turned to look at her. “What?”

“If you overdo the flirting, you’ll get yourself in trouble.”

Evan scoffed. “I can handle Mitchell.”

“I’m not talking about Mitchell.” Callie strode ahead to the car.

Evan’s heart skipped a beat. Yeah, she could handle Mitchell with her eyes closed. Jonah Grayson was a whole different proposition.

Her belly erupted with butterflies. She followed Callie. When was the last time a man had given her butterflies? She paused. It had probably been Vinnie Antonelli in the fourth grade.

Evan slid into the passenger seat of Callie’s car. The woman pulled into traffic.

“You’re pretty easy to work with.” Evan winced. “That was a compliment, even if it came out sounding lame.”

“Funny how you lie so well, but you’re not so smooth when you tell the truth.”

Evan shifted in her seat. “I’ve gotten rusty dealing with real people.”

Callie shot her a quick look. “It’ll come back to you.”

Evan looked out the window. Is that what she wanted? A chance to forge some real connections in her life, or to clear her name and get back to her job? Go back to the work she loved and help defend her country. She stared at the blur of Las Vegas, passing by outside the window.

Soon, they were back at the Bunker. The van had beaten them back, and was parked out front.

Inside, Brooks claimed Callie for a kiss. “I hope you keep that dress on,” he murmured.

The medic laughed and smacked another kiss to her man’s mouth.

“Nice work in there.” Golden-eyed Lachlan caught Evan’s gaze.

She lifted her chin.

Jonah appeared in the conference room door. He was unsmiling. “Debrief.”

He whirled away.

Hmm, maybe there was a problem?

The team packed into the room. The men stood in line against the wall, arms crossed over their chests. Jonah stood at the head of the table. Just looking at that patch of bronze skin at the open collar of his shirt distracted her.

“I think we can rule out ARE,” he said.

Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement.

“Sprouse’s firing from the organization confirms that he was likely working with Brennan,” Jonah said.

Evan blew out a breath. “But we’re no closer to knowing what they’re after.”

Jonah nodded. “Next, we plan a mission to D.C. to trail Brennan.”

“He knows your team, Jonah,” she warned.

“Then we’ll need some outside assistance.”

Evan leaned against the table. “He’s good. He’ll know.”

Jonah moved closer, and his cologne tickled her senses. “He’s not going to get away with this. We’ll stop him.”

She pulled in a breath. She had to remember that she had help. She wasn’t alone… At least, for now.

She lifted her head and realized Jonah was just inches away. With a start, she noted that everyone else had left the room. Shit, she was messed up if she was missing stuff like that.

She heard the rest of the team talking in the main room. Blair and Axel were arguing about the coffee again.

Jonah’s jaw was tight, his eyes dark and turbulent.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He pressed his hands to the table on either side of her hips, caging her in.

Her pulse spiked and she raised a brow. “Problem, Director?”

“Yes.”

He leaned closer to her. God, the man was too damn good-looking and too tempting.

“Did you enjoy flirting with the helpful Mitchell?” Jonah’s voice was a silky growl.

“Not really. It’s just a job. A means to an end.”

Long bronze fingers gripped her chin and tilted her head back. His green gaze bored into hers.

She recognized the look. “You’re jealous.” Her words were a little breathless.

His dark look deepened.

She slid her hand along his hard jaw. God, to be able to touch this man… What would it be like to have the right to do that all the time?

“The difference is,” she continued quietly, “that I didn’t enjoy flirting with him. I had no interest in touching Mitchell.” She stroked Jonah’s jaw, her thumb touching his lips. “Or kissing him.” She leaned forward and bit Jonah’s full bottom lip. His big body shuddered, and it filled her with a sense of power. “I don’t want to strip him naked and—”

Jonah’s mouth closed over hers. She leaned into his hot body.

She liked pushing him to the edge. It was so amazing, but she was on the edge, too. Riding this all-consuming desire, bigger than anything she’d felt before.

She slid her hands into his hair and kissed him back.

His kiss was hard, with an angry edge. She loved it. She bit his lip hard enough to taste blood.

He pushed against her and she wrapped her legs around his waist, undulating against the rock-hard bulge in his trousers. She shifted. Yes, there. He was pressed right where she wanted him.

“You drive me crazy.” His mouth was on her neck, teeth scraping her skin.

Evan moaned. “Jonah.”

She shimmied her hips and her breath caught in her throat. Shockingly, she felt an orgasm close, just from kissing and rubbing herself against Jonah Grayson.

He pulled back, his eagle-sharp gaze on her face. Then a sexy grin crossed his features.

“You’re close. I’ve barely touched you and you’re ready to come. For me.” There was a possessive edge to his voice.

His hands slid down her body and then under the skirt of her sundress. His clever finger slid between her legs and stroked over her panties.

Pleasure erupted inside Evan, and she cried out. It was like a small explosion went off inside her.

“There. Damn, you’re so beautiful when you come,” he growled.

Evan panted, her pulse racing. Nothing quite so innocent had revved her up this high in years.

Suddenly, she heard a thud in the room next door. Jonah stiffened.

She heard a muffled shout and another thud.

“What the hell?” Jonah spun and moved toward the door.

Evan slid off the table, pulling her dress in place. Dammit, she didn’t have her Sig. She was one step behind him when he wrenched open the conference room door.

The first thing she saw was Brooks, tied to a chair. Callie and Blair were tied together on the floor, both with murderous looks in their eyes.

Another closed door to one of the offices vibrated under several blows. She realized Lachlan and the others were locked in a side room.

A tall, curvy woman faced off with Arlo in the center of the space, her back to Jonah and Evan.

“You look a little more seasoned than the rest of them, but you still can’t take me,” the woman drawled.

Arlo’s faded blue eyes narrowed. “We’ll see.”

“What is going on here?” Jonah snapped.

The woman turned. Curls of bright red hair escaped her knit cap.

Evan groaned. “Mom, what did you do?”

Beside her, she heard Jonah draw in a sharp breath. “Mom?”

THIS LETHAL, attractive, hard-eyed woman was Evan’s mother?

Evan moved past him, but Jonah stuck an arm out and held her back.

The older woman’s gaze narrowed. She had bright-blue eyes, which was the only marked difference between mother and daughter. She reached up and pulled off her knit cap, and red hair, probably helped out by a good hairdresser, spilled out around her shoulders.

Nearby, Arlo watched her like he wasn’t sure what to make of her.

“Are you going to keep my daughter from coming and hugging her mother, Director Grayson?”

“I thought your mother was retired and living in Florida,” he said.

“I have a lovely little condo by the beach,” the woman said.

“She’s retired.” Evan paused. “From the CIA. Mom, this is Jonah and his team. Jonah, this is my mother, Raquel Fletcher.”

Her mother’s smile was bright and welcoming. “It’s a pleasure.”

There was another violent thud against the locked door.

“Mom, let them out,” Evan snapped.

“I’ll do it,” Arlo growled.

Raquel shot him a look. “You do that, hunky.”

Arlo shot her a stone-faced look in return.

Evan untied Blair and Callie. “Sorry.” The women sat up, rubbing their wrists. Callie moved to free Brooks.

Arlo opened the door, and the men of Team 52 rushed into the room. They stumbled to a stop, staring at where Evan’s mother was sitting on Kinsey’s desk, her long, black-clad legs crossed.

“Everyone, this is my mom,” Evan said.

“Mom?” Lachlan looked ready to fight a battalion.

Smith glared at Evan’s mother. River just blinked and stared. Seth and Axel watched the woman like they’d just discovered a snake in their yard.

Their looks bounced right off her.

Evan went to the woman and hugged her. Jonah watched them carefully. He saw the way Raquel held her daughter tightly for a few, brief seconds.

“I see they’re trusting you now?” Raquel said.

“They were starting to, but this might set things back a bit,” Evan said.

The woman cupped Evan’s cheek. “How’s your gunshot wound?”

“Fine.” Evan leaned into her mother. “I told you not to come.”

“I’ve always liked the desert, and I love a bit of blackjack.” Raquel eyed Arlo. “It’s better with a good, strapping man for company.”

Arlo scowled, and Raquel grinned. Jonah saw it was a front. The woman had come to check on her daughter.

“It’s…interesting to meet you, Mrs. Fletcher,” Jonah said.

The woman snorted. “Especially when I see the way you look at my daughter.”

Someone laughed and Jonah shot a look at his team.

“So, bring me up to speed,” Raquel said.

Arlo crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s classified.”

Evan’s mom continued smiling. “I can help. I had a long and varied career with the CIA.”

“Wait, you’re Raquel Fletcher?” Seth’s eyebrows went up. “You’re a legend.”

“I’m a lot of things, gorgeous,” she purred, her gaze running down Seth’s body. “But legend works.”

“Mom.” Evan’s voice was sharp.

Raquel tossed her mane of hair back. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to help my daughter.” The woman’s face hardened, the seasoned agent showing through. “And Brennan is a rotten, traitorous snake. He needs to be taken down.”

Jonah released a breath. “Fine. Arlo, please brief Mrs. Fletcher.”

“Call me Raquel, please.”

“Raquel,” Jonah said. “We’re going back to Area 52. We need to see how Ty and Nat are doing with studying the Horus artifact. Then we need a plan for surveilling Brennan.”

The team got busy prepping, and giving Evan’s mom cautious, wary looks. Evan changed into cargo pants and a gray tank top. She caught Jonah’s arm. “I’m sorry…about my mom showing up like this.”

“And subduing my entire covert, highly trained team single-handedly?”

Evan winced. “I doubt they’ll let her catch them off guard again.”

“She’s a welcome addition.”

Evan smiled, and it lit up her face.

“You look a lot like her,” he said.

Evan’s smile widened. “She taught me everything I know. And she loves me, even when she annoys the hell out of me.”

“You’re lucky to have her.”

Evan tilted her head. “I read your dossier. I’m sorry you lost your mom, Jonah.”

“She loved me, too, and taught me a lot, as well. I’m just sorry she never got to see me reach adulthood. And that I didn’t get the chance to look after her later in life.”

Leaning in, Evan touched his arm. “I bet she’d be damn proud of you.”

He entwined their fingers. Why was he so drawn to this woman? Why did he feel like she understood him so well?

“At least you aren’t listed as a traitor to your country,” Evan said dryly.

“Your mom knows that isn’t true.”

“It still hurts.”

Brennan was going down. He’d pay for what he’d done to her. Jonah would make sure of it. “We’ll clear your name, Evan. I promise.”

She nodded.

“Now, let’s get going. The sooner we get back to base, the sooner we can plan how to bring Brennan’s schemes to a halt.”

Aboard the plane, Jonah settled into one of the roomy seats. Evan was chatting amiably with Callie, River, and Blair on the other side of the plane.

Raquel sauntered aboard and winked at the stone-faced Arlo, before sitting across from Jonah.

“So, you and my daughter.” The woman’s voice was a purr, but there was a glint in her eyes.

“Is there a question in there?” he asked.

“She can take good care of herself, my Evan.” Raquel leaned forward. “But for all her toughness, there is a strong, loyal, and surprisingly soft heart underneath.”

Jonah met Raquel’s gaze. “I’ve no plans to hurt Evan.”

Raquel was silent for a moment. “Not intentionally.” She cocked her head. “I actually think you’d put yourself on the line to keep her safe.” She tapped a nail on the arm of her chair. “But be warned, Director Grayson. If anything happens to her, I’ll come for you.”

“Noted.”

“Mom.” Evan dropped into the seat beside Jonah. “What are you grilling Jonah about?”

“Oh, just making sure that if he hurts my daughter, he knows I can kill him in a hundred and four different ways.”

“Funny.” Evan glanced at him. “She’s joking.”

“No, she’s not.” He touched Evan’s thigh. “But I’m not planning to let you get hurt, so we’re good.”

“Yeah, well, once Brennan knows we’re after him, he won’t play nice.”

Jonah’s heart thumped against his chest. He knew she was telling the truth. But Brennan hurting Evan more than he already had was unacceptable.

And Jonah Grayson was a man who let nothing get in his way.

CHAPTER NINE

Evan stepped through the jet’s door, a wash of desert air hitting her face.

Team 52 was moving down the stairs ahead of her. Her mom was already on the tarmac, talking to Arlo, who did not look receptive at all.

Hmm, the one man on the planet who didn’t fall at her mother’s feet.

Jonah was behind Evan, and gently nudged her to walk down the steps. Thoughts of Brennan, the ARE, and the Shemsu-Hor swirled in her head.

She felt a prickle on the back of her neck and she scanned the hangar ahead. There were several Air Force personnel in gray fatigues wandering around. Pallets and crates were stacked nearby, clearly incoming cargo. A truck was backing in with a large, black shipping container on the back of it. Everyone looked busy. Everything seemed normal. She glanced at Jonah. He looked relaxed, and lost in thought.

At the bottom of the steps, he looked at her. “What?”

Evan shrugged a shoulder. “I’m just tense. I feel like…I don’t know, just a heavy feeling.” An ugly sense of foreboding.

His brows drew together. “I learned a long time ago to trust my instincts.”

“Me too.”

His lips curved into a frown. “Let’s get inside.”

They strode behind the team. Suddenly, Brooks jerked to a stop, yanking out his tablet. Callie frowned at him.

Evan’s sense of wrongness solidified into dread.

“Brooks?” Jonah asked.

The computer expert spun. “Everyone, down! Now!”

Evan crouched, and a faint, buzzing whine caught her ears. She looked up and noticed a tiny, black spot in the sky.

Wait, there was a whole group of them.

“Drones!” Brooks yelled.

The drones whizzed overhead, bullets hitting the tarmac all around them. Jonah slammed into Evan and they hit the pavement. The buzz of the drones intensified, and the barrage of gunfire was deafening.

Jonah covered her with his big body, pinning her down. Protecting her.

“Get off,” she snapped.

“Stay down.”

Bullets hit some stacked pallets nearby and one exploded, flames spiking into the sky.

“Get inside,” Lachlan yelled.

Evan lifted her head, and saw that the rest of the team was all prone, or crouched around her. Her mother was on one knee, scanning the sky.

“Let’s move.” Jonah leaped up and grabbed Evan’s hand.

They ran.

Ahead, Evan saw her mom sprinting toward the hangar, Arlo’s stocky body powering beside her.

Another rain of bullets hit.

Evan swallowed a gasp and slammed into Jonah. She knocked him out of the way of the gunfire, and his arms wrapped around her, yanking her with him.

She heard bullets ping off metal.

“They’re firing on the jet,” Jonah bellowed. “Run!”

Together, they picked up speed, sprinting fast.

Behind them, the plane went up in flames. A fuel tank exploded, and the force of the explosion made her stumble. She only stayed on her feet because of Jonah.

It was like Armageddon.

Panting, they reached the hangar.

“Mom!” Evan yelled.

Raquel was still in the open. Arlo was beside her, gun in hand, firing on the attack drones. Raquel had a gun as well, firing beside him.

“Mom, get inside!” Evan called out.

She saw two sleek black drones circling around the pair.

No. No.

Suddenly, Arlo rammed into Raquel. He knocked Evan’s mom out of the way of the drone fire.

Bullets slammed into Arlo’s chest, his body jerking.

“No!” Jonah yelled.

Arlo went down and Raquel crouched over him. She slid her arms beneath his armpits and slowly dragged him toward the hangar.

“Stay inside,” Jonah yelled at Evan. Then he ran toward Arlo, Lachlan and Smith sprinting with him.

For once, Evan couldn’t find the ice-cold calm she usually had in a situation like this. She heard the sound of rifle fire and spun.

Blair, Callie, River, Axel, and Seth were firing on the drones. Each one held one of their sleek, futuristic weapons in their hands.

One drone exploded, raining hot metal down on the tarmac. Another was clipped by a bullet, and wobbled. It veered crazily out across the desert and crashed.

Lachlan, Smith, and Jonah ran into the hangar, carrying Arlo’s body between them. Raquel jogged beside them, firing behind her.

Inside the hangar, alarms blared. Several armed guards carrying RPGs ran past them.

“Over here.” Callie waved Jonah and the others over. They laid Arlo out on the concrete, and the older man groaned. His chest was covered in blood.

“The idiot shoved me aside like I was a damsel in need of a rescue.” An annoyed Raquel crouched beside Arlo. “Idiot.”

He grunted. “Should… Have let… You get shot.”

“Don’t talk,” Callie snapped as she cut open Arlo’s shirt and vest. His muscled chest was covered in gray hair and blood. Raquel huffed out a breath and took his hand.

Evan glanced at Jonah’s set face. He didn’t take his gaze off Arlo.

“He’s taken several bullets.” Callie’s hands were a blur as she worked on the man. She yanked gauze and patches from her backpack.

Around them, the team looked grim, holding their weapons close.

Arlo coughed, blood on his lips. “I need—”

“To be quiet, you old coot,” Raquel snapped.

Arlo glared at her.

Suddenly, Evan heard metal hit the concrete and roll. They all spun and she frowned. Something was rolling across the floor. She spotted the object and tensed.

“Grenade!”

The team all ducked for cover. Raquel and Callie threw themselves over Arlo. Jonah yanked Evan down behind some crates.

Smoke filled the air.

Another smoke grenade rolled toward them.

“What the fuck?”

She thought it was Axel cursing. The smoke intensified.

The sound of gunfire echoed in the distance.

“Brooks, has the warehouse been breached?” Jonah shouted.

“Not according to my system.”

Evan sucked in a breath. “Brennan is here.”

“Let’s get to the elevator,” Lachlan ordered. “Axel, stay on Callie and Arlo.”

Guns up, the rest of his team moved in behind him.

They’d only taken two steps when gray-clad fighters appeared out of the smoke.

Evan saw Lachlan kick one, and soon, all of Team 52, except for Callie and Axel, was engaged in the fight.

Grunts, and thuds of knuckles on flesh filled the air. A man rushed at Evan and Jonah.

Oh, no, not today.

Evan dropped, then swiped out with her leg. She caught the man and he stumbled.

Then Jonah was on him.

Jonah might wear suits most of the time, but he fought hard, with a graceful power. His hits hammered into the man, then he kicked him to the floor.

After another hard punch from Jonah’s fist, the man slumped.

Another fighter emerged from the smoke.

Channeling her anger, Evan launched into a roundhouse kick. The man’s head snapped back. With a grim smile, she elbowed him, then ducked under his arm and rammed a punch into his kidneys.

He grunted in pain. She whirled, and with another punch and a kick, sent him sprawling on the floor.

The smoke started to clear.

“Okay?” Jonah asked.

She nodded.

“Clear,” Lachlan said.

“Clear,” Smith responded.

“Clear,” Blair said.

Team 52 stood around, guns aimed at the unconscious or groggy fighters on the ground.

Then Evan saw the elevator.

Shit.

The doors had been blown open, the metal bent and twisted.

Curses filled the air all around her. Jonah stepped forward, staring at the doors, his eyes glittering.

JONAH WATCHED Arlo’s stretcher as it was carried towards the X8.

Emotion boiled inside him, but he kept it contained.

Arlo was one of Jonah’s people, and he’d been hurt. The man was like a friend, mentor, and grumpy uncle all rolled into one. He was someone Jonah cared about—and he was injured, cut down.

“He’s stable for now.” Callie’s face was strained. “But he needs to be in the hospital.”

For all his gruff, loner persona, they all cared about Arlo.

“Go,” Jonah said. “Get him settled in the hospital, then I need you back here.”

“He’ll need surgery.” Callie closed her eyes. “I hate the idea of him there alone—”

Jonah’s jaw tightened. “I’d go…”

“But we’re all needed here,” she finished.

“I’ll go with him.” Raquel stepped forward. “The man got injured protecting me.”

Jonah eyed Evan’s mother. She could handle Arlo, and the possibility that anyone could come after Arlo as a way to get to Jonah and Team 52.

“Can…look after myself,” a gruff voice said from the stretcher.

The guards finished loading the stretcher into the jet and Jonah leaned in. “There are several bullets lodged in you.”

Arlo’s face was pale, but his eyes still looked tough and sturdy. “Been shot before, Grayson.”

“Well, so have I.” Raquel climbed into the aircraft. “Your heroics have earned you my undying gratitude, so you get me for company.”

Arlo scowled.

She patted his arm. “We can compare our battle scars later.”

Arlo shot Jonah a pleading look that had a slightly panicked edge to it. Jonah just waved and closed the side door.

Evan was waiting for him near the hangar, the wind making her red hair dance. “Are you all right?”

He nodded.

“Arlo seems tougher than steel,” she said.

“He is.”

She grabbed Jonah’s hand and squeezed.

“This isn’t your fault, Evan.”

She lifted her chin. “Feels like it.”

“I’m putting the blame solely on Brennan.”

“Jonah, we’re ready,” Lachlan called out.

Lifting his head, he saw that the team were in harnesses, ready to rappel down the blown-out elevator shaft.

Brooks stood nearby—his laptop and tablet set up on crates as a makeshift computer station. Around them, Air Force guards were on patrol.

“Our bad guys pulled a Trojan horse,” Brooks said. “They were inside the shipping container that just arrived.”

“Everything is scanned before it gets close to the base,” Jonah said, voice clipped.

“Yeah, but these guys were smart. They had lead-lined compartments built into the container. They never showed up.”

Jonah cursed.

“Ty and Nat are locked in his lab,” Brooks said. “When the hostiles breached, they closed the safe room doors. The director’s office, the computer lab, and Ty’s lab all have reinforced, toughened-steel doors that slammed closed.”

“They’re okay?” Jonah asked.

Brooks nodded. “Fine, but mad as hell.”

“Camera feed?”

Brooks nodded again. “I’ve got it all. An Air Force guard helped them into the elevator. No idea if he was part of their team, or if they blackmailed or threatened him. But they killed him after he got them in.” An image popped up on the screen and Jonah saw the body at the base of the elevator. “They got in and breached the warehouse.”

On-screen, Jonah watched as the gray-clad team used a laser to cut through the warehouse door.

“Arlo will be pissed,” Axel said.

Jonah felt a heavy weight in the air around them. Arlo would be pissed, if he made it out of surgery.

Taking a deep breath, Jonah focused on the screen. The team had entered the warehouse, and came out moments later with a small box.

“That’s the box that contains the Horus artifact,” Brooks said.

“Brennan must have gotten into your system somewhere,” Evan said. “Worked out exactly where to find the artifact.”

The team had gone straight back up the elevator, then blown it behind them. They’d snuck out in the confusion and chaos of the drone attack.

“Fuck.” Lachlan kicked a crate.

Beside him, Seth shoved his hands in his pockets, his scars stark on his face.

“Assholes.” Blair pressed a hand to the back of her neck.

“Bloody hell,” River muttered.

“Let’s go down and assess the damage,” Jonah ordered.

When Lachlan handed him a harness, he started pulling it on. Blair handed one to Evan.

The rest of the team went first, dropping into the elevator shaft and rappelling downward. Jonah clicked on the line and waited for Evan.

They followed.

At the bottom of the shaft, they unclipped and stepped into the base. The rest of the team was waiting for them, and apart from the damaged elevator shaft and the dead body, the rest of the base looked normal.

Except for the circular hole cut into the closed warehouse doors.

“Smith, Axel and Blair, clear the base,” Lachlan said. “Ensure no one stayed behind.”

The three jogged away in different directions.

“They were professionals,” Lachlan said. “They weren’t distracted by the other artifacts, didn’t deviate off the mission objective to head into the labs or offices.”

A sensation of burning anger grew in Jonah’s gut. His base had been violated. His people attacked and hurt.

“Clear,” Blair yelled from the corridor.

Jonah swiveled and touched his ear. “Brooks, free Ty and Nat.”

Jonah had been tasked with the safeguarding of these artifacts and he’d failed. He would stop Brennan. Whatever it took.

Fingers touched his and he looked over to see Evan holding his hand, her face concerned.

For him.

She understood how this felt. Brennan had targeted both of them.

The click of running heels. Nat appeared in the corridor, wearing a black skirt and a red shirt. Axel strode toward her and pulled her into his arms.

A disgruntled Ty appeared behind the archeologist. He looked at the warehouse door. “Fuck.”

River moved toward her man and he slid his arm across her shoulders.

“They got the Horus artifact?” the scientist asked.

“Yes,” Jonah said.

Nat closed her eyes. “Dammit.”

Axel ran a hand down her back.

A dejected air fell over everyone.

“Arlo got shot,” Axel told them.

“No,” Nat breathed.

Axel hugged her closer. “Callie’s taking him to Vegas to the hospital.”

“Fucking fuck,” Ty said.

“We have to work out why they need that artifact,” Evan said. “We need to know what it does, and what the hell Codename Leo is.”

Nat straightened. “Luckily, Ty’s already scanned it.”

“You’ve got the results?” Jonah asked.

The tall scientist nodded.

“Okay. Let me call in an auxiliary security team to help safeguard the base and the warehouse. I don’t want any of our enemies getting any bright ideas to attack us right now. We need that door fixed, and Brooks, I want to know how they got in. I want you to plug the gap in our security systems.”

“I’m already on it.” Across the comm line, Brooks’ voice held a hard edge of promise.

“I’ll meet the rest of you in Ty’s lab shortly.”

In his office, Jonah made his calls. People he trusted would send backup security. He organized for a repair team to fix the elevator and warehouse door. Finally, he was able to meet Evan and his team in Ty’s lab.

Long workbenches filled the bright space. Several artifacts rested on the shiny surfaces, either being scanned or analyzed. Some sort of high-tech, prosthetic hand sat on a clamp at the end of one bench. Some sort of new prototype.

On the screens on the wall were images and scans of the Horus artifact. Jonah took a second to take in the perfect carving of the bird, and the large disc on its head.

“So, does it have any advanced abilities?” River asked.

Nat shook her head. “Not that we can tell.”

“The disc does have a core of metal under the stone exterior,” Ty said.

Jonah could see the metal on the scan. Beside him, Evan frowned.

“There are some engravings,” Nat said. “They are all related to Horus. Nothing unique.”

“What are you thinking?” Jonah asked.

“I’m thinking it looks like some sort of key,” Nat said.

“A key?” Evan prompted.

Ty pointed. “Under the stone, the metal has edges that look like it fits into something. Maybe a locking mechanism?”

“It unlocks something,” Evan mused. “Maybe the elusive Hall of Records where the Leo artifact is stored.”

“Except we don’t know where the Hall of Records is, or how to get in there,” Nat said. “‘Under the Sphinx’ isn’t quite precise enough.”

Jonah pressed his lips together. “We need to know what this does.”

“We need some extra help,” Nat said. “Someone with extra expertise in Egyptian archeology.”

“Who?” Evan said.

“Dr. Layne Ward.” Nat looked at Jonah. “We need Treasure Hunter Security.”

“Make the call,” he ordered.

CHAPTER TEN

In the Bunker, Evan poured herself a coffee. She wasn’t sure about bringing in this Treasure Hunter Security group. More people involved, meant more chances that things got messier than they already were.

She sipped her coffee. “Ugh.” It was as strong as battery acid.

Blair held out a box of cupcakes. “Do not drink Axel’s coffee.”

“It’s good coffee,” the man in question yelled from the conference room.

Evan took a cupcake covered in sprinkles, then dumped creamer in her coffee. Jonah came out of an office, his face grim.

Her heart jumped and beside her, Blair stiffened.

“Arlo?” Evan asked.

“I spoke with your mother. He’s still in surgery.”

She took in the hard set of Jonah’s shoulders. Screw it. She set the coffee down and went to him. She wrapped her arms around his middle, careful to keep the sprinkles off his suit.

After a beat, he closed his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. Over his shoulder, Blair gave her a wink.

“Cupcake?” Evan held the cake up.

He broke a piece off, but she could tell he only ate it for her.

“He’ll be okay,” she said. “Arlo strikes me as too ornery to stay in bed very long.”

A faint flicker of amusement crossed Jonah’s face. “True.”

They joined the others in the conference room. Nat stood at the front of the room, looking stylish, despite the attack on the base. The woman dipped her dark head toward the screens. The detailed images and scans of the Horus artifact appeared on one screen.

“Incoming call from Denver,” Brooks said.

A couple appeared on the second screen. A rugged man with a tanned face stood behind an attractive brunette sitting at a desk.

“Hunter,” the man said.

“Ward,” Lachlan replied.

Evan detected the faintest edge between the men.

“Still attacking innocent people?” the man asked.

“That happened once,” Lachlan said. “We’ve rescued you since then. Remember that?”

Ward’s lips twitched with amusement, and Evan realized they had a history.

Jonah stepped forward. “Mr. Ward, I’m Jonah Grayson.”

“Declan. And this is my wife Layne.”

Pieces clicked in Evan’s head. Evan remembered that Declan Ward and his archeologist wife had discovered a mythical, lost oasis in Egypt—Zerzura.

Layne leaned forward. “Nat, you have something for me to look at?”

Natalie pointed to an image of the Horus artifact. “I emailed you some high-resolution shots.”

Layne pulled a laptop closer and studied the screen. “Got them.” The archeologist made a humming sound. “It’s gorgeous.”

“What is it, Dr. Ward?” Jonah asked.

“Please, call me Layne.” Her gaze sharpened, fascination in her eyes. “It’s a statue of the god Horus made from diorite. A very hard stone. The falcon represents Horus.” She lifted her hand and tapped her nail against her lip.

“It has a core of metal inside the disc.” Nat pressed a key. “Take a look at the scans.”

Layne’s eyes lit up. “Wow. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

“It’s linked to the Shemsu-Hor,” Nat added.

“The Followers of Horus, and possibly survivors of the flood.” Layne straightened. “Wait. Wait. This looks familiar…” She turned to look out of view. “Darcy, I need quick access to my Abydos files.”

A dark-haired woman appeared beside Layne, her sleek bob brushing the line of her jaw. “Hang on.” The woman leaned forward, tapping on Layne’s keyboard. Then she lifted her head to look at the camera. “Hi.” She waved.

“Darcy,” Lachlan murmured.

“Nice to see you guys again. You know, without bullets flying and bad guys around. How’s the Orlov diamond?”

“Safe,” Lachlan said.

Evan glanced at Jonah and he leaned closer, voice low. “The team helped rescue Darcy and her FBI agent fiancé from some black-market thieves a little while back. There were some cursed diamonds involved.”

“Oh, my God,” Layne breathed suddenly.

On-screen, Declan frowned. “What is it, babe?”

“Have you heard of the Osirion?” Layne asked.

“Of course,” Nat replied. “A temple near Abydos, Egypt. Close to the temple of Seti I. Named for the Egyptian god, Osiris. Lord of the dead and rebirth.”

Images of the ruins of a blocky temple with lots of clean lines and large stones appeared. It appeared to be set down in the ground. Evan frowned. It didn’t look like any other Egyptian temples she’d seen in documentaries or photos. It lacked the elegant beauty and hieroglyphs.

“You probably know the speculation about its history.” Layne raised a brow.

Nat smiled. “Of course, that is my area of expertise. It’s unique. Mainstream archeology attach it to Seti, but it’s set below Seti’s temple, and it’s clearly different architecture. It’s in fact older. Antediluvian. Pre-flood.”

Layne nodded. “Here’s the plan of it.” A black-and-white image showing an aerial plan view of the temple appeared on the screen. There were lines of pillars, sunken pools.

“The only other temples like it in Egypt,” Layne continued, “are the Valley Temple and Sphinx Temple, right beside the Sphinx at Giza.”

Evan’s pulse tripped. The Sphinx.

“Take a careful look at the plan.” Layne tapped a key, and the image rotated.

“Holy cow,” Axel said.

“It matches,” Evan breathed.

“The metal inside the Horus artifact matches the layout of the Osirion Temple.” Layne overlayed them. “I agree it’s a key,” the archeologist continued. “Likely to something in the Osirion.”

“Fancy a trip to Egypt?” Jonah asked Evan.

Brooks tapped on his screen. “I found something, as well.” The man’s mouth moved into a flat line. “Hugh Sprouse caught a flight to Rome yesterday, with a connecting flight to Cairo. I can’t find any flights under Brennan’s name, though.”

“Brennan would travel under an alias.” Evan nodded, excitement licking her veins. “But he’ll be there.”

“Want to clue us in, Grayson?” Declan asked.

“A few hours ago, a team attached to a rogue CIA agent breached our base and stole the Horus artifact,” Jonah said.

Layne gasped. “Oh no.”

“I worked for the man,” Evan said. “He framed me, because I uncovered some of his plans.”

“Evan got too close,” Jonah said.

“I discovered that he’s after a dangerous, powerful artifact. Team 52 thinks it’s stored in the Hall of Records, likely beneath the Sphinx.”

Layne glanced at Dec and back again. “The Egyptian authorities deny that there are tunnels under the Sphinx. They claim there are only fissures, and one small tunnel dug by treasure hunters in the past. But there are pictures of archeologists entering shafts and tunnels. The entire Giza plateau is riddled with tunnels. The Osiris Shaft is very well known. It’s located in the causeway linking the Sphinx and the second pyramid. It descends one hundred feet below the plateau, has several levels, and there is crystal-clear water at the bottom of it.”

Shit. It was more and more likely Brennan would find the Hall of Records and whatever he was looking for.

They had to stop him.

“So, the Horus artifact is a key that leads to something hidden in the Osirion, a temple of a similar style to the temples at the Sphinx,” Nat said. “Whatever is in the Osirion must lead the way to the Hall of Records.”

“We’re going to Abydos to stop Brennan.” Jonah looked at Declan on the screen. “Care to join us?”

Dec nodded. “I think we will.”

JONAH LOOKED out the window of the X8, staring in admiration as they flew in over Egypt. It was an amazing view: the Nile, a single ribbon of life-giving water surrounded by strips of green that rapidly gave way to desert sand. It was possible to literally step off grass and onto sand. The river had been the lifeblood of Egypt for millennia.

Soon, they’d be landing in Luxor, gateway to the Valley of the Kings.

“Did you check in?” Evan appeared, disrupting his thoughts and dropping into the seat beside him.

“He’s fine,” Jonah said. “Resting.”

Jonah had visited Arlo before they’d left Las Vegas. The older man had been out of surgery, but sleeping. Raquel had been reading magazines beside him. Jonah had made a few calls on the flight to Egypt, as well. Arlo was currently resting comfortably.

Evan fidgeted.

“Nervous?” he asked.

“Brennan won’t give up without a fight.”

“We’ll stop him.”

Behind them on the jet, the rest of the team was sleeping, reading, or playing cards. Axel, River, Blair and Seth were conducting what appeared to be a vicious game of poker.

The passengers also included Declan and Layne Ward, and two of Dec’s Treasure Hunter Security team—a man called Logan O’Connor, and another named Ronin Cooper.

Jonah was well aware of THS’ capabilities. These men were all former Navy SEALs, and were good at what they did. Cooper had also spent a few years with the CIA. He and Evan had met before.

They had the best of the best here on this aircraft. Even if Brennan put up a fight, he didn’t know they were coming.

Jonah pressed a hand over Evan’s. “We’ll do this together.”

She studied his face, then nodded.

A short while later, they landed in Luxor. As they stepped off the plane, the dry air hit him in the face. It was hotter here than the desert around Area 52. Waiting for them were several, dark-green Jeeps that Kinsey had organized. The team started loading their gear into the vehicles.

Jonah’s phone beeped, and he pulled it out. An incoming call from Brooks. He thumbed the screen.

The tech expert’s face appeared, Kinsey’s blonde head sitting beside him. The pair were back at the Bunker in Las Vegas.

“So, Brennan, Sprouse, and their mercs are holed up at the Sofitel,” Brooks said.

Jonah frowned. He figured Brennan would have headed straight to Abydos, not park himself at a hotel. “Why?”

“Curse of the pharaohs.” Brooks grinned. “They’re all puking. Got some stomach bug.”

Evan grinned. “Karma does exist.”

“I have a bug droid that I gave to Seth. I’ve asked him to slip it in to their hotel so I can monitor them. I hacked into the Sofitel security feed. From what I can gather, they’re all sick and going nowhere for at least twenty-four hours.”

“So, we wait?” Evan said.

Brooks nodded.

Kinsey leaned forward. “I’ve rented a villa on the Nile that’s private, and big enough for all of you. You can get there, recharge and plan your trip to Abydos.”

“And I’ll keep you updated on Brennan’s movements,” Brooks added.

It was a short drive, and soon the villa appeared, most of it hidden behind a large stucco fence. They drove through the gate.

Dec whistled. “I like how you covert guys do things.”

They pulled into the circular driveway.

Terracotta-colored stucco covered the arches and domes. It had Mediterranean and Arabic influences, with large, arched windows, and vines covered in brightly colored flowers dripping down the walls.

As the team carried their gear inside and started assigning bedrooms, Jonah walked outside. Behind the villa was a beautiful pool, with lush greenery covering the stucco fence. He kept moving and reached a fountain that was burbling quietly. Beyond it was a majestic view of the Nile. Long, low cruise ships vied with smaller feluccas, with their white, triangular sails.

He stood at the railing, and imagined Egypt of the past.

Once again, he had to send his team into danger. His hands tightened on the rail. He thought he’d be used to it by now, but it still made his gut tighten. And now he’d be sending Evan into danger as well. Emotions twisted and churned.

It didn’t matter that she was experienced and well-trained, he hated the thought of her at risk. He had the irrational urge to protect her.

He walked back toward the house and found Blair in the arched doorway. “Rooms are all assigned. Yours is the top floor master, since you’re the boss.”

“That wasn’t necessary.”

Blair just smiled. “Kitchen’s stocked. Everyone’s going to nap, rest, be ready to move when Brennan’s team does. I’ll leave a tray of food outside your room.”

“Thanks, Blair.”

“We’ve got this,” she said.

“I know.”

“And we won’t let anything happen to your girl.”

“She’s not mine.”

Blair’s smile widened. “Sure.”

Jonah headed up the stairs. It was much cooler inside the house. The entire place was cool and quiet. Rich, red wall hangings decorated the walls. He passed through a living area with padded seats and large urns. He felt almost as though a sultan was going to appear, lounging with his harem around him.

He headed up the wide, stone stairs. At the top floor, he found the ornate doors to his room, and pushed them open.

It was hard to relax when he wanted to act, to achieve the mission objective. He spotted his duffel bag shoved against the wall. A four-poster, metal-framed bed, with gauzy, white mosquito nets hanging from it, dominated the space.

Then he heard a splash of water coming from the attached bathroom. Frowning, he strode in.

His steps faltered; his chest locked.

A large, sunken tub sat in the center of the room, with a naked Evan in it.

Her wet, red hair fell over one shoulder, her alabaster skin glistening. He had the perfect view of one full, high breast.

Her head swiveled, and her gaze met his.

“What are you doing in my room?” she asked.

“Blair told me that it was my room.”

Evan ran her tongue over her teeth, making no move to cover her breasts. “I think your team is matchmaking for you.”

She was breathtaking. Jagged need cut into his gut. He’d never wanted anything quite this much.

She rose, water streaming off her. So sleek, gorgeous.

“See something you like, Director?”

His hands balled into fists. “No games.” He strode to the edge of the tub and lifted her chin.

“No games,” she agreed.

“I want you,” he confessed. “Desperately.”

Her chest hitched. “I want you, too, even though it scares me.”

He pulled her close, uncaring that she was wet. “You pull something from deep inside me.”

Her lips parted, her eyes darkening with desire, need. “This could be a mistake, Jonah. A big one. Getting involved in the middle of a dangerous mission…”

It could be a mistake that neither of them recovered from.

“I don’t care anymore.” A shocking admission. He’d ruthlessly controlled his life for years. Everything careful and planned.

Not this time.

He wrapped his arms around her, lifted her out of the bath, and captured her mouth with his.

“God.” She kissed him back, her damp body wetting his clothes. She vibrated with desire, and it fired his blood.

Jonah deepened the kiss—hard, hot, almost brutal.

Her hands tore at his shirt, pulling it from his trousers. She ripped it open, buttons flying everywhere. Then she pressed her face to his neck, her teeth on his skin.

He carried her two steps, spinning and pressing her against the wall. Need was a roar in his head.

He pressed one hand to her ass, then slid his other between her thighs, stroking her.

She moaned.

“You push me to the edge of my control,” he growled.

“Good.” Her lips brushed his. “We can’t always be in control, even if we’d like it.”

Jonah felt a violent urge to stake his claim. To make sure this woman thought of no one but him.

Felt no one but him.

He kissed her, tongue stroking hers. He lifted her into his arms and strode into the bedroom.

“Jonah—”

“Quiet.” He shoved the netting aside and laid her on the bed.

Beautiful. Like she’d stepped out of a masterpiece. He wanted to be deep inside her. So deep that neither of them would think of anything or anyone else again.

He pressed his palms to the covers, leaning over her.

“You have too many clothes on,” she complained, letting her legs fall apart.

She wasn’t shy. She opened for him, so sensual and tempting. Jonah ran his fingers through her folds. “Are you wet for me, Evan?”

“Yes.” A red flush moved up her chest and into her cheeks.

“Here?” He rolled her clit between his fingers.

She twisted. “Yes, damn you.”

He lowered his head, kissing her knee, her inner thigh. The scent of her arousal was a siren call. Need was a hard rock in his gut.

He nuzzled her, then closed his mouth on her. Her body surged up.

“Jonah.”

“Mine.”

“Yours. All yours.”

He slid his tongue across her clit. As he licked her, he pressed a finger inside her tight warmth. His other hand kneaded her bottom. “You taste so good, Evan.”

Her hands slid in his hair, tugged hard.

He kept working her, and then felt her body tense. She was close. She was making small, husky cries that urged him on.

With another hard suck, she yanked on his hair and cried out. Her body arched, shaking as her orgasm broke free.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tremors of pleasure still shivered through her. Evan felt hot, sexy, and so damn good.

Jonah was poised over her. All untamed male power. He was a beautiful male creature. His nostrils flared, and she sensed him fighting for control.

Her belly clenched, a flicker of desire growing stronger again. After that orgasm, she should have been satiated, but one look at that lean, bronze chest, and those hard abs, and she was hungry for him again.

Cool, controlled Director Grayson was gone. Hard, hungry Jonah was left behind.

Reaching up, she pushed off his torn shirt. She stroked her nails up his back.

His hands circled her throat, then slid down her body. She bit her lip as he caressed her. The sight of that sexy hand on her pale skin… She shivered.

“What do you want?” she breathed.

“You.” His voice was deep with a sharp edge. “All of you. Will you give it to me?”

“No.”

A fierce scowl crossed his face.

“Take it,” she murmured. “It’s yours.”

He took her hands and slammed them into the bed over her head. Excitement rose in her—dark and edgy.

His mouth captured hers roughly. He ravished, leaving her writhing, pinned beneath him. His mouth swallowed her husky cries.

Then she tore her mouth free. “Jonah. Now. Please.”

That gorgeous body pressed down on hers, the skin of his chest hot against her breasts. The fabric of his trousers rubbed against her thighs, a hard, hot bulge within teasing her.

“Tell me what you want, Evan.”

“You. Inside me.”

He sat up and unfastened his pants, freeing his hard cock.

God. Long and gorgeous. She wrapped her hand around his length. “I want you in me, Jonah.”

His eyes flared. She rocked against him and stroked.

Quickly, he pulled a condom from the pocket of his discarded trousers. He tore the packet open with his teeth, and she watched him roll the latex on. Then he leaned forward and guided his cock to her. The thick head brushed against her, and she moaned.

She slid her hands into his hair, teetering on a burning edge.

He thrust into her with one hard plunge. A sharp cry tore from Evan. She arched, her body stretched and full.

Full of Jonah. Her muscles stretched around his thick cock.

“Evan—” His voice held a tremor.

“Do it,” she breathed.

He pulled out, plunged back in.

“Yes!” Her muscles clenched, her belly full of heat.

His body slammed in and out of hers and she clutched his back. His mouth took hers—hard and deep. He kissed her like she was necessary, like she was everything. His powerful thrusts rocked her closer and closer to the next release.

“Jonah, God—”

“I want to watch you come, Evan. Feel you clench on my cock.”

She moaned. The next hard thrust catapulted her high. As her climax crashed over her, she clawed his back. Light exploded behind her eyes, pleasure a heady, breath-stealing rush.

Jonah was still moving inside her, his thrusts deeper, less controlled.

She turned her head and bit his shoulder.

With a deep groan, his body locked and ground against hers. He shook as he jetted inside her.

Afterward, he stayed sprawled on her, his cock buried deep inside. Evan could stay right here forever. The rush of pleasure finally drained to a languid, lazy feeling. She was aware of the weight of his hot body, the cooling sweat on their skin, the taste of him on her lips.

And the hungry desire already growing again, like embers under a strong breeze.

Damn. Could you become addicted to someone?

Jonah’s mouth pressed to her neck, and glided upward. She shivered.

He lifted his head—his green eyes unreadable. “Are you okay?”

She tugged on the thick silk of his hair. “If you’re asking if I had a brilliant orgasm and feel fabulous, then yes.”

He smiled. God, the sight speared right into her heart.

He shifted, then rose and swept under the mosquito net. He disappeared into the bathroom.

Evan lay there, feeling like a ravaged princess, or a concubine, or something. She heard Jonah cross the room and open the door.

He returned to the bed, still naked. Yum. She drank him in.

He held a small tray that contained several dishes of food, including dates, olives, cheese, and some bread. There were also two glasses of mint tea.

He set it down on the bed and sat beside her. Then he stretched out, looking like a conquering king. No, that wasn’t quite right. Like the king’s sexy spymaster.

“Eat.” He pressed an olive to her lips.

She chewed. “Why?”

“You didn’t eat much on the plane. You need the energy.”

“For the mission?”

The look he gave her made her chest tighten.

“No. For what I plan to do to you next.”

She felt a rush of wetness between her legs and shifted on the sheets. Crap. She was so easy for Jonah Grayson.

He noticed her reaction and smiled. “We have some time before we have to think about the mission.”

A stolen night before they stepped in front of Brennan to stop his plans.

“I want Brennan gone,” she said. “I want my name cleared.” So her life could get back to normal.

“Me, too.”

Evan stared at the sheets. “I have my mom, but no one else. No one stood by me. Agents I considered friends turned their backs on me in the blink of an eye.”

Jonah took her hand, stroked her fingers. “You’ll get your justice, Evan.”

He was a man who’d dedicated his life to getting justice and protecting his country.

“Thanks for believing in me when no one else would,” she said quietly.

He reached out and stroked her jaw. “You’re a smart, talented woman, Evan. You’re more than just a CIA agent.”

Was she? She’d defined herself by her job for so long. Looking at Jonah, confusing urges for other things she couldn’t name rose up.

Shit, she couldn’t think of this now. They were in the middle of a dangerous mission. She and Jonah were both workaholics who worked in the shadows. They were both scarred by the past.

They were bad bets for a successful relationship. She couldn’t let lust cloud her brain.

“It was just you and your mother growing up,” he said.

Evan nodded. “My father was killed by enemies my mother had made.”

Jonah’s head snapped up. “I’m sorry, Evan.”

“I don’t remember much about him. Just flashes I’m not sure are real or imagined. Him carrying me, making me giggle, hugging me. He was a big man.” She sighed. “My mother never got over it. She threw herself into her work, determined to bring those responsible down. She’s a great mom, even if she taught me spy craft instead of baking cookies.”

“It was just me and my mother as well.”

Evan sipped her tea, watching him carefully. There was a stillness to him that worried her. “She was a single mom?”

Jonah nodded. “Age-old story. Young beautiful teenager seduced by an older man just passing through. He left her pregnant, and then her family kicked her out.”

Evan’s chest tightened. “It must have been hard for her.” Terrifying to be so young, and pregnant and alone.

“If it was, she never once complained. We didn’t have much, but I had a wonderful childhood. She worked a lot, but did everything to show her love.” He plucked at the sheets. “Then she met Harvey.” Jonah’s face twisted. “He was big, a heavy drinker, a man’s man.”

Evan took Jonah’s hand. “I have a dossier on you. You don’t have to continue.”

His gaze met hers. “I do. He was so jealous and she was so beautiful. Accused her of affairs with any man who came within view of her. Harvey beat her to death. I avoided our apartment whenever he was there, and I came home to find her dead. Her beautiful face battered beyond recognition.”

The utter lack of emotion in his tone conveyed the depth of his grief. Evan crawled across the bed and wrapped her arms around him.

For a second, he didn’t move, then his arms clamped on her and he pulled in a ragged breath.

“I went into foster care for two years before I turned eighteen. Then I joined the Army.”

After he’d fought tooth and nail to see Harvey Burrow jailed for life.

“As a teen, I was obsessed with planes and helicopters. I knew I wanted to be a pilot. Lived and breathed it.”

Evan smiled. “Your mom would be damn proud of the things you’ve achieved.”

He fingered Evan’s hair, and tucked it behind her ear. “You think?”

“Well, let’s see. You’re gorgeous, wear a suit very well.”

He pinched her and she laughed.

“You were a hell of a pilot, flying combat missions to protect your country, and now you run a covert team and are still serving your country. Oh, not to mention, you’re rich.”

“I’m comfortable.”

“Right.” She cupped his cheek. “She’d be so proud.”

“Sounds like I’m a catch.” His hand cupped Evan’s bottom and squeezed.

“So arrogant,” she said teasingly.

They finished eating and Jonah set the tray on the bedside table. Then he turned and rolled on top of her. Her pulse went haywire.

“Do you want to talk more about the mission, Director?” she drawled.

“No.” His lips captured hers.

Seconds later, she barely remembered her name, let alone the mission.

There was only Jonah.

WHEN JONAH WOKE, he knew it was very early. There was only a murky light outside, and a few ambitious birds singing.

He’d slept well—when he hadn’t been gorging himself on Evan’s sleek, sexy body.

She wasn’t in the bed, but he heard her in the bathroom. He suddenly wished they were on vacation, with nothing to do but indulge in each other. They’d stay in bed, naked.

His gut clenched. He hadn’t been on a vacation in years. And amazing sex aside, this definitely wasn’t one.

Today, they’d have to carry out the mission. Brennan wouldn’t wait much longer.

Jonah would stop him. The asshole wasn’t getting the chance to hurt Evan more than he already had.

But they still had a few hours before they had to get started. Brooks had sent regular messages through the night. Brennan’s team hadn’t moved. Most of his mercs were still sick.

But the Osirion had to be calling Brennan. The man couldn’t resist the lure of power for very long.

Movement caught his gaze through the netting and he saw Evan stride out of the bathroom.

Every single thought flew out of Jonah’s head, and every drop of blood in his body went south.

She’d found a filmy, short robe somewhere. It was white with red, gold, and blue beading on the edges. Her gaze locked with his through the mosquito net.

The way she walked was sensual. He was totally ensnared by her, and he didn’t care.

He moved to the edge of the bed, sliding his legs over the side and sitting up. She stopped in front of him. Only the mosquito net separated them, making it seem like a dream.

“The sun will be up in a few hours,” she murmured.

“Yes.”

They both knew the mission would take priority. They had this moment to themselves before they both ran headlong into danger.

Evan lifted the netting up, then planted a hand to his chest and pushed him back on the bed to lie flat. She made a purring sound, her gaze on his body. The silk of her robe brushed against his legs.

Her gaze was on his swollen cock.

She left the net draped at his neck, so just his body was bared for her.

“You are so damn beautiful, Jonah.” She stroked her hands up his thighs, abs, chest.

At the contact, his cock flexed and he gritted his teeth.

“I’m going to drive you out of your mind.” Her copper-red hair tumbled over her shoulders.

“You already do,” he growled.

She pulled the soft belt of her robe off, then grabbed his hands. He tensed, watching as she tied the silky fabric around his wrists.

“Bring back memories?” A faint smile crept over her lips.

He’d known that day when he’d first met her, and she tied him to his own damn desk, that she’d send shockwaves through his life.

She finished tying the belt and he realized that he could still get loose if he wanted to.

But he didn’t.

He was her willing captive.

Leaning over him, she kissed down his chest, her hair draping over his skin.

Jonah groaned. She nipped one of his stiff nipples, one hand scraping the ridges of his abdomen.

She was drenching all his senses in her. The tips of her breasts grazed his chest, and he groaned. Through the net, he looked at her face. She was biting her lip, focused on the task of tormenting him.

She slid down his body and her hand cupped his cock and balls.

“Evan,” he said through gritted teeth.

She stroked him. “All mine.”

Jonah’s heart hammered, blood a hot roar in his ears. She peppered kisses across his abs and every muscle in his body drew taut. Fuck. Need was a brutal, vicious pound in his veins.

Evan moved lower.

Her tongue flicked the head of his cock, then she sucked him deep.

His groan echoed off the walls. God. Her mouth was hot, wet, and felt so good.

She made a sound that he felt in his gut, sucking him hard and savoring the taste of him. She moaned, and helplessly, his hips bucked upward. She took him, her cheeks hollowing as she sucked him deeper.

“Fuck, Evan.” Jonah was all sensation.

It was too much. Not enough. He snapped.

He yanked the bindings apart, freeing his hands. He sat up and shoved the mosquito net away.

She gasped, his cock sliding free of her mouth. He wrapped an arm around her and yanked her to him so she straddled him.

There was no seduction or patience this time.

Jonah grabbed a condom from the bedside table, dealt with it, then positioned his cock. He gripped her hips, and with one strong thrust, buried himself inside her.

Evan cried out, her back arching.

“Ride me,” he growled.

A sexy light ignited in her eyes. He grabbed the belt he’d torn off his hands and wrapped it around her wrists behind her back.

Being bound didn’t stop her. She was strong and fit. She rose up and down on him, husky cries coming from her every time she took his cock deep.

Jonah let his hot gaze run over her—the tangle of red hair, her bobbing breasts, her flexing stomach.

He ran a hand down her body, his thumb finding her clit.

“Yes, God, please.” She moved faster.

“I want you to come for me, Evan.”

Like she’d been waiting for his command, she splintered apart. She screamed his name, her inner muscles clamping on his cock. He thrust deeper, holding her tight as she rode through her pleasure.

Then his own release blindsided him. He pulled her down, groaning through the intense rush of pleasure. His fingers bit into her skin.

“Shit…Evan.” He kissed her and kept thrusting. She cried out again and he felt her second orgasm hit her.

His heart pounded as he slowed, and finally stilled, with his cock still inside her.

“You won’t get hurt on this mission, Evan.” He tipped her chin up.

Her lips were swollen, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes heavy.

“You won’t take unnecessary risks. And I’ll do everything to keep you safe.”

“Jonah—”

“This isn’t a negotiation. Just say yes.”

Her eyes sparked. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to stop Brennan.”

Dammit. Jonah gripped her hips hard.

“And to keep you safe,” she added. “This goes both ways, Grayson.”

He cupped her cheek. “You’re mine to protect.”

She pressed her face to his neck. “Right back at you.”

He closed his arms around her. No one had protected him since his mother had died.

Now, there was this strong, courageous woman in his life.

Jonah held her tighter. Very soon he’d have to watch her wade into danger.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Evan strode into the large kitchen of the villa. The scent of toast and eggs hit her senses.

Seth stood at the stove stirring something in a frypan. A few people sat at the counter, while the rest of the team and the Treasure Hunter Security guys sat at a large wooden table.

Blair looked at Evan and ran her tongue over her teeth. The woman grinned and fist-bumped Callie. “The boss got laid.”

Around her, all of Team 52 clapped and smiled.

Evan rolled her eyes and headed for the coffee pot, grinning to herself. She didn’t mind the teasing. She sort of liked it, in fact.

A moment later, Jonah came in, looking far too pressed and stylish. He wore khaki cargo pants, with a black T-shirt. Sunglasses hung at his neckline.

“Sleep well, boss-man?” Axel asked with a wide smile.

Jonah shot his team a look.

There were more grins.

He looked at her and she winked. His shirt covered him, but she knew she’d left some decent scratch marks on his back.

His lips quirked. She poured him a coffee and held it out.

At the table, Callie tapped on a tablet. “Seth and I had a lovely drink at the Sofitel last night. We set Brooks’ bug drone loose.”

Sipping her coffee, Evan moved over and looked at the screen.

It showed a suite, and several, tough-looking men lounging around on couches. At a quick glance, she could tell they were all ex-military. A few looked pale-faced and not very well.

She knew the type. Ones who were fine working for an asshole. They didn’t care what the job was, or who they killed, as long as they got paid.

A second later, Brennan strode through a doorway.

Evan’s shoulders tensed. He waved his arm at the mercs, his mouth moving.

“Do we have audio?” she asked.

“Yeah, but the range is limited.” Callie touched the screen.

Evan heard faint murmurs come through the tablet. Damn. “It’s not clear enough.”

“Let’s see if we can get closer.” Seth picked up the tablet, touching the controls. The image on the screen shifted as the bug skittered forward.

Evan’s pulse leaped. If the mercs spotted the drone, Brennan would know that they were on to him.

The small machine stealthily inched closer, and darted under the couch. They had a perfect view of someone’s boot.

Evan held her breath. One wrong move, and someone could step on the damn thing.

“I don’t care if they’re dying of Ebola.” Brennan’s clipped voice came through audibly. “We’ve wasted enough time.”

His voice speared through Evan and she closed her eyes. He’d been her boss, her mentor…hell, her friend.

She’d trusted him, and in her world, she hadn’t trusted many people. Then he’d stabbed her in the back. She’d been so busy being angry, that she hadn’t considered how hurt she was.

A strong hand landed on the back of her neck and squeezed.

She opened her eyes and saw Jonah watching her with patience and understanding.

“Okay?” Jonah asked quietly.

She nodded and blew out a breath. Funny how one small touch and one word could make such a difference.

Brennan was still talking. “Everyone be ready to leave for Abydos in two hours. Take puke bags, if you need to.”

Curses sounded around the suite. Another man spoke in a tough, gritty voice. “You’re the boss.”

“Yes, I am,” Brennan replied. “Everyone be in the SUVs, ready to go, or no one gets paid.”

Evan dragged in a breath. “It’s go time.”

She was ready, but she was now risking not only her own life, but Team 52’s and their friends’ as well.

And Jonah’s.

She fought back a shiver. It was so rare for her to feel fear like this. But she’d learned a lot about Jonah over the last few days—he was a lot tougher than his sleek exterior showed. They’d both been to hell and back more than once.

“All right.” Jonah raised his voice. “We need to get prepped, and then head to Abydos.”

“It’s about a three-hour drive,” Layne said. “The road hugs the curve of the Nile.”

“We need to stop Brennan and his team from getting their hands on whatever they’re after at the Osirion,” Evan said.

“Tourists?” Lachlan asked.

“Abydos is less touristy than Luxor,” Layne said. “The tours that do go up there usually travel with a police escort in convoy, to discourage anyone from attacking lone tourists.”

“I assume they go in the morning?” Jonah said. “To avoid the heat.”

The archeologist nodded. “And the main focus is Seti’s temple, not the Osirion.”

“Okay, get prepped.” Jonah nodded. “We’ll leave in thirty minutes, and get into position before Brennan arrives.”

Almost as one, the team moved. It was clear they’d done this many times before, and soon, they were all loading into the SUVs.

Smith and Lachlan sat in front, Smith behind the wheel. Behind them, Jonah and Evan sat with Callie.

Dec and Layne were in the very back seats of the Jeep. The rest of the team was in the other vehicles.

They left Luxor behind, following the curving line of the Nile. Evan spotted the temple of Karnak rising up out of the desert—majestic and breathtaking.

But soon, it was just the Nile on one side, and sandy, barren desert to the West.

“God, I love Egypt,” Layne murmured.

Evan shook her head with a smile. Archeologists.

Conversation was muted on the trip, anticipation ratcheting up each mile they got closer to Abydos. Evan always felt alive prior to a mission. Like electricity was running in her veins.

Jonah’s thigh brushed hers. She stared at his handsome profile. Having him with her added another dimension to this.

Finally, they drove into the town of Abydos. It was mostly simple buildings and palm trees. Then ahead, she caught sight of Seti’s temple complex.

It was impressive. A single-story temple with a row of imposing, rectangular pillars. In front of it was a field of ruins. Tourists with wide hats and cameras wandered around.

They parked the Jeeps out of view, near a mosque. They separated the vehicles to avoid raising suspicion. Their weapons, equipped with suppressors, were all tucked under their shirts, and Smith and Axel hefted duffel bags that contained rifles, in case they needed them.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t.

“The Osirion is behind the main temple,” Layne said. “This way.” She led the way in her scarred, well-worn boots.

They passed Seti’s main temple. The impressive regular façade was covered in engraved hieroglyphs.

“Welcome to the Temple of Seti I, also known as the Great Temple of Abydos,” Layne said. “It’s a fascinating place, built mainly from limestone. There’s graffiti from visiting Phoenicians. But it’s most famous for the Abydos King list, that lists all the pharaohs in Egypt’s history. Or at least, one version. And of course, it’s also known for the infamous helicopter hieroglyphs.”

“The what?” Smith grunted.

“Glyphs that look like a helicopter, a submarine, and a plane.” She arched a brow. “Maybe thanks to those flood survivors you know so much about. There are loads of conspiracy theories where people speculate that the ancient Egyptians had the technology to build vehicles like that.”

They circled around the temple, and Layne paused, hands on her hips.

“There’s the Osirion.”

Evan stepped forward. The Osirion temple was set far lower than the main temple, dug into the ground itself.

“Well shit,” Logan muttered, the big man crossing his brawny arms over his chest. “I hate getting my boots wet.”

The temple was filled with a foot of greenish water. Someone had erected a modern ramp with railings, down into the temple.

“We need to spread out.” Lachlan scanned the temple and surroundings. “Find good vantage points.”

“Guys.” Brooks’ voice came through their earpieces. “You have company. Brennan and his mercs made good time. They just pulled up at Seti’s temple.”

Jonah muttered under his breath. “I thought we’d have more time. Thanks, Brooks.”

Evan flexed her hands. This was it.

Brennan was here and she would stop him, no matter what.

JONAH CROUCHED behind a huge stone block, the sun hot on his back. He watched the group of mercenaries come into view.

He got his first good look at Brennan. The man was older, with gray at his temples and in his short goatee. He was fit. His cargo pants and T-shirt showed a trim man, still in fighting form.

He was pointing and waving his hands as he gave orders to his team. One of the mercs leaned over and vomited. Hmm, still not well.

Despite their condition, the mercs moved forward. One tall man with shaggy hair leaped down into the Osirion with a splash.

The others followed. Their grumbles echoed off the rocks as they moved deeper into the temple.

“There’s Sprouse,” Evan whispered. She was crouched beside Jonah, her gaze like a laser on Brennan and his men.

Jonah eyed the slim, younger man. He recognized the blond, curly hair. Sprouse was picking his way through the Osirion behind Brennan, a grimace on his face.

Jonah turned back to Evan. She glared at Brennan, a look in her eyes that made Jonah’s chest tight.

She wouldn’t stop until Brennan was down…or until the rogue CIA agent killed her.

No.

Jonah’s body violently rejected that thought. Team 52 would stop the man and his plans. Jonah would keep Evan safe and breathing.

He touched her arm and she blinked. She looked deep into his eyes, and he yanked her forward for a quick kiss.

To remind her that she had more to live for than just revenge.

“Let’s move,” he murmured.

Together, they crept from block to block, keeping out of sight of the mercs below.

Jonah saw them stop at a tall pillar at the end of the temple. The mercs fanned out, and Brennan and Sprouse stood close together, hands pressed to the rock.

Like they were looking for something.

What were they doing? There were no engravings in the mysterious temple. He saw Sprouse glance up at the sky.

Jonah realized the man was looking at the sun.

“He’s lining something up,” Jonah whispered. “Lachlan, you have eyes on them?”

“Yeah. They’re searching the block for something.”

Evan was vibrating, and he knew that she wanted to act.

“I have a drone in the air,” Brooks said.

They’d brought a small drone in the vehicle and Callie had deployed it.

“Don’t let it get spotted,” Jonah warned.

The tech expert snorted. “I’m staying high. The cameras are high-res.”

“Look!” Evan said.

Sprouse touched the pillar, then stepped back, clearly excited.

Jonah watched as a square of rock in the pillar moved inward.

Shit.

Brennan stepped forward and lifted something in his hands.

The Horus artifact.

The CIA agent pressed the artifact into the newly created hole in the center of the pillar. A low, grinding rumble echoed through the entire temple. Evan and Jonah tensed.

Two other pillars descended into the murky, green water, creating small whirlpools. The mercs stumbled back with curses.

“Incredible.” Layne’s excited whisper came through their earpieces.

Another larger pillar rose up out of the pool in the center of the Osirion, water sluicing from it.

Brennan, Sprouse, and the team quickly moved toward it.

“Oh, God,” Evan breathed.

It wasn’t a pillar, it was a pedestal. It stopped at about waist level.

There was something resting on it.

Brennan lifted the object off the pedestal, a smile on his face. Sprouse stood beside him, talking and smiling.

“Team 52,” Jonah murmured. “Let’s move in.”

Brennan would not be leaving with whatever that new artifact was.

“Acknowledged,” Lachlan replied.

Jonah didn’t see his team, but he knew they were close, and closing in on the targets.

Evan moved with him, pulling her SIG out. She’d equipped it with a suppressor—Ty’s special design to quieten the weapons. The handgun fit snugly in her hand.

“Ready?” Jonah asked.

“Hell, yes.”

Brennan and the team started toward the ramp out of the Osirion.

Then someone from Team 52 fired. It was a perfect shot, hitting one merc in the shoulder. He spun, blood spraying.

Evan aimed and fired, too. Curses and shouts filled the air as Brennan and his team splashed through the water and dove for cover. Brennan threw himself behind a pillar.

“You aren’t leaving here, Brennan,” Jonah called out.

Another exchange of muffled gunfire. Brennan’s men were utilizing suppressors as well. No one wanted to bring the Egyptian authorities down on them.

The Team 52 members spread out, weapons aimed into the temple.

“Director Grayson, I presume,” Brennan called out. “I take it you’ve fallen for the pretty lies of my rogue agent. I’m guessing she used her charms to seduce you. She’s very good at that.”

Jonah’s throat tightened. His gut burned in instant denial.

“You aren’t the first man she’s lured into her bed,” Brennan continued.

He turned and saw Evan gasp, color draining from her face. Then it rushed back in, leaving her cheeks red. “Jonah…he’s lying,” she whispered.

Shit, Jonah knew that. He’d never met a woman as wary or as honest as Evan. He realized that Brennan was a master manipulator. He was good at poking where it would hurt, planting seeds of doubt.

“Evan—”

Before Jonah could tell her that he believed her, she jumped up and leaped into the Osirion. She hit the water with a bend of her knees, lifting her gun and firing at Brennan.

Fuck. Jonah pulled out his own weapon and leaped after her.

Gunfire lit up the temple. With his heart in his throat, Jonah watched Evan lunge behind a pillar.

“This ends today, Brennan!” Evan yelled.

Nearby, Lachlan and Seth crept closer. Farther down in the temple, Axel attacked a mercenary, yanking the man backward.

Like smoke, Callie attacked another merc. River appeared out of nowhere and took down another. More gunshots and splashing.

Jonah couldn’t see Smith, Logan, or Ronin, but he knew that they’d be on the other side of the temple, taking care of the rest of the mercs.

He scanned. Where was Evan? He crept closer and saw Hugh Sprouse.

The man turned around and let out a squeak. Jonah punched him, and then followed with an elbow to the man’s face.

With a strangled sound, Sprouse dropped to his knees, holding his bleeding nose.

Leaving him, Jonah rounded a pillar and his stomach clenched into a tight ball.

Evan and Brennan were fighting hand-to-hand, sloshing through the knee-deep water. They were both brutal and vicious, and clearly well-trained. They were also well matched.

He saw the artifact in the man’s pocket. Evan launched into a hard kick. Brennan ducked, but she was already moving into a second kick that connected with the man’s face. His head snapped back and she grinned.

With a roar, Brennan launched himself forward, his brutal punch caught her in the gut.

Evan flew back, and Brennan dived on her.

He landed on top of her, taking her down into the water. Then he wrapped his hands around her neck and pushed her head under the water. Evan thrashed.

Pulse spiking like crazy, Jonah’s rage bloomed. He ran toward them, firing on Brennan.

The CIA agent rolled off Evan, and the artifact fell out of his pocket. For a second, Jonah had a clear view of the stone piece in the water before Brennan snatched it up and ran.

“Evan!” Jonah helped her up.

She coughed and spluttered. “We have to stop him!”

Jonah pulled her up and they sprinted after the man. They ran up the ramp and slowed.

Dammit! A small tour group appeared, stepping between Jonah and Evan, and Brennan. Jonah and Evan quickly hid their guns at their sides. The tourists all wore headsets, listening to some tour information.

“And this is the Osirion.” A lanky tour guide with an American twang raised his voice, completely unaware of the fight going on nearby. “Unique, strange architecture that’s very odd in Egypt. It was likely built by…” a dramatic pause “…aliens.”

The group oohed.

“Ancient aliens who made Earth their home, and taught man the secrets of the stars.”

“Jesus,” Jonah muttered. Clearly this guide had been watching too much of the History Channel.

Through the crowd, he saw Brennan, his gun held against his thigh. He stared at them and jerked his gun toward the oblivious tourists.

Evan cursed and Jonah pressed his teeth together. The man’s message was clear: come after him and he’d fire on the people.

The rogue CIA agent smiled at them, then turned and jogged away.

“Dammit.” Evan kicked the sand. “Dammit, dammit, dammit.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

They regrouped at the vehicles. Some of Brennan’s mercs and Sprouse had escaped. Team 52 had left the other mercenaries tied up for the Egyptian authorities.

“We need to get out of here before the authorities decide to take us in, too.” Jonah opened the back door of one of the Jeeps.

Evan knew that Egypt had a special tourist police—to rigorously protect their monuments and the tourism industry.

Anger closed around her throat, which was still sore from Brennan choking her. He had the artifact. He’d gotten away like the slippery snake he was.

“Hey.” Jonah ran a hand over her damp hair. It was still wet, but drying fast in the hot sun. “We aren’t giving up.” His voice was deep, and laced with promise.

Around them, the others climbed into the vehicles, all of them looking pissed.

Jonah’s fingers shifted, rubbing the red marks on her neck. Something dark swam in his eyes.

“I’m okay.” She cupped his cheek.

“That bastard was trying to drown you.”

“I’m okay,” she repeated. She realized Jonah was to-the-bone mad. “I just don’t understand how he turned like this. He worked for years to protect our country, was a dedicated agent.”

“I wondered the same thing when Pearson betrayed me,” Jonah said. “Lost a lot of sleep over it. Thinking about what I’d missed.”

She saw the sleepless nights and nightmares reflected in his eyes.

“Sometimes, there aren’t clear-cut answers,” he said, “but for Brennan, I’m guessing it’s power. He’s clearly liked it, and enjoyed his powerful position. Then he saw the chance for more.”

They climbed into the Jeep, and soon they were driving back to Luxor. A heavy gloom filled the vehicle.

“I didn’t get a good look at the artifact.” Layne leaned forward from the back. “Mr. Overprotective wouldn’t let me close.” She shot her husband a look.

Dec appeared unfazed. Evan got the impression that the former SEAL didn’t care if Layne got pissed at him, as long as she was safe.

“It was made of stone and had some engravings,” Jonah said. “It looked like it was made from a different kind of rock to the Horus artifact. It was darker.”

Layne looked frustrated.

“Jonah.” Brooks’ voice came from the tablet resting in the pocket of the seat in front of Jonah.

“Go ahead, Brooks.”

“Is everyone okay?”

Jonah spared a dark look at Evan’s red neck. “Yes.”

“Okay, so I got some shots of the artifact from my drone.”

“What?” Layne squeaked. “I need to see them.”

“Hold on, Indiana Jones,” Brooks said. “I also managed to get a scan, but it’s not as good as Ty’s. It might still be helpful.”

“Send the images through,” Jonah said.

They all leaned over Jonah as he held the tablet. Several zoomed-in images of the artifact appeared.

It was a small carved pillar with ridges at the top.

“It’s a djed,” Layne said.

“Explain,” Evan demanded.

“A djed pillar, often associated with the god Osiris. It was said to represent his spine, stability.”

“Looks like a power pole,” Callie said.

Layne nodded. “There are more obscure theories that it was involved in power generation.”

The scan popped up on-screen as well. Evan gripped Jonah’s thigh. “It has a metal core like the Horus artifact.”

“So, it’s another key?” Lachlan asked from the front seat.

“Brooks,” Layne said. “I need you to run the design of the core against plans of Egyptian temples.”

“Already one step ahead of you, Layne. Nat and I have it running now, but be warned, my scan isn’t that clear. It might not be enough to get a hit.”

“Is the bug drone still in place?” Jonah asked.

“Yeah,” Brooks confirmed. “You think Brennan will go back to the hotel?”

“Probably not. He knows we’re coming for him. But if he does, listen in. We need to know where he’s headed next.”

Evan stared out the window at the desert. The sun was heading west, changing the colors of the sand. Brennan would have killed her today. He would have drowned her and not felt a thing about it.

He’d fight to the bitter end to find the Hall of Records, and whatever he was after.

Dread solidified in her belly. Then who knew what he’d do? What havoc and unhappiness he’d wreak?

“I got a hit,” Nat’s excited voice. “The core of the djed matches the Valley Temple beside the Sphinx. Guys, I think this djed key might open the Hall of Records.”

“How the hell did Brennan know this?” Smith muttered from the driver seat.

“He found something,” Evan murmured. “I’ve thought about this a lot. We were on a mission in Libya. It was after that trip that he changed, and became more secretive. We spent days wandering through small shops and meeting informants. Old bookstores, shops filled with artifacts and trinkets.”

“He must have gotten his hands on something that described the Hall of Records and these keys,” Layne said.

“However he did it—” Evan straightened “—we have to end this.”

Back at the villa, they packed up quickly. Brooks confirmed that Brennan hadn’t returned to the Sofitel.

No doubt he was already heading north to Giza, the Sphinx, and the mysterious Valley Temple. She just knew it.

She walked out of the villa, her bag on her shoulder. She looked up at the window of the master bedroom. She was inundated with very vivid memories of exactly what she and Jonah had done on that mosquito-net-draped bed.

She wanted to do it again.

She wanted Brennan locked up and this mission over, not just to get her justice—to clear her name and get her job back—but so she could finally explore…having more.

Jonah was already in the vehicle, his phone to his ear, talking to someone. She tossed her bag in the back, and climbed in beside him. She touched his arm and smiled.

“Yes, Mr. President.” Jonah captured her hand.

Yikes. She jolted. There he was, casually talking to the president. She shook her head and smiled in bemusement.

It was a quick trip to the airport. The X8 sat in a private hangar, and soon they were all aboard, Seth and Blair at the controls.

They swept into the air like a helicopter, and below, Evan saw the Nile, several temples, and the desert. In the distance were the hills where the Valley of the Kings lay hidden, with its magnificent tombs of long-ago pharaohs.

The X8 changed to jet engines, and they zoomed north.

“It’ll be dark by the time we get to Giza,” Jonah said. “We’ll go in as two teams, and sneak into the Valley Temple. We need to avoid the guards that patrol the Giza Plateau. This time, we won’t let Brennan get away.”

Everyone nodded.

“Lachlan will lead the first team, and Blair the second.” Jonah split them into teams.

Less than two hours later, just as night settled over Cairo and the pyramids, Evan—dressed all in black and wearing a light-weight Kevlar vest—ran behind Jonah as they raced toward the Valley Temple. Blair’s team was coming in from the south.

The Sphinx rose up ahead of them, as they approached from the rear of the monument. It was big, but appeared somehow out of proportion. Its head looked too small for its large, leonine body.

“Guards,” Lachlan whispered in their earpieces.

They all stopped—still, silent.

Ahead, Evan spotted the two guards. They were smoking and walking slowly. They had AK-47s on their shoulders and were speaking in Arabic.

Finally, they rounded the Sphinx and disappeared.

“Come on.” Lachlan moved into the lead. River was a dark shadow right behind him.

Then ahead, Evan saw the outline of a ruined temple. She knew that it was the Sphinx Temple, and that the Valley Temple was beside it.

They’d only gone two steps when shouts sounded.

Fuck.

“Guards spotted us!” Jonah growled.

DAMMIT. There was more shouting.

“Go!” Jonah roared.

His team ran alongside the Sphinx. They sprinted past its rocky body and bullets pinged off the rock wall beside them.

Evan spun, went down on one knee and fired her suppressed weapon. It made a muffled phut as it fired.

Jonah grabbed her arm. “Come on!”

“Move it.” Lachlan spun, arm straight as he fired behind them.

“The Sphinx Temple is ahead,” Evan yelled.

Jonah saw the shape of it, although it was mostly ruins. The Sphinx stared straight at it.

“We can lose the guards in there, then move to the Valley Temple beside it,” Evan said.

More gunfire shattered the night.

They ran into the ruined columns of the Sphinx Temple. Suddenly, a guard leaped out of the darkness.

Jonah took the man’s weight and staggered, then spun and rammed his fist into the man’s gut. The guard lurched backward with a groan.

Evan leaped up—and landed a vicious front kick which sent the man flying onto his back. He didn’t get up.

“This way,” Seth called out.

They ran through a gap in the wall, back out on the sand. Jonah turned to look south and saw the big chunky block walls of the Valley Temple. A dense, menacing silence seemed to radiate from it.

The walls of the Valley Temple were in a lot better condition than the Sphinx Temple. “Isn’t this older than the Sphinx Temple?” Evan asked.

“The pre-flood architects knew how to build,” Layne said.

They moved between the giant walls, and melted into the shadows. There were shouts outside in the distance, but no guards entered the Valley Temple.

“Wow,” Evan breathed.

Wow was right. The temple had a stark kind of beauty—with huge blocks of megalithic construction. Jonah admired its straight lines and symmetry.

Then ahead, they heard a noise. A scrape, and the murmur of voices. Lachlan used hand signals and they moved silently, creeping stealthily forward.

Jonah spotted a faint glow of light.

The team stopped behind some pillars.

“Hurry up,” an impatient voice said.

Jonah’s mouth flattened. Brennan.

“I can’t find it…” Sprouse’s voice. “Wait. There!”

Jonah peered around the pillar. There were four mercs, and Brennan and Sprouse.

They were standing in front of a giant stone pillar, Sprouse running his hands over the surface.

“That’s weird,” Evan murmured.

“What?”

“The mercs all have plastic weapons. Like the ones you can make with a 3D printer.”

Suddenly, there was a loud click.

Like at the Osirion, a square of rock in the center of the block retracted.

Evan made a near-soundless gasp.

Brennan lifted the Osirion djed artifact and placed it inside the opening.

Another click, and then the sound of grinding stones echoed through the temple. The floor shook.

Shit. Jonah grabbed Evan as a rain of dust fell down from the lintel above them.

One of Brennan’s mercs fell over. “Fuck.”

A rock slab in the floor slid open, uncovering a dark hole several feet wide.

Sprouse leaned over it. “It’s a shaft. I see handholds cut into the side like a ladder.” The man smiled. “It’s the way to the Hall of Records.”

“Okay, let’s go,” Brennan ordered.

Jonah met Lachlan’s gaze and nodded.

Jonah stepped forward. “Step away from the shaft, Brennan.”

The mercs jolted, jerking their weapons up.

The rest of Lachlan’s team—Seth, River, and Dec—melted out of the shadows, weapons aimed.

Brennan’s gaze fell on Evan.

“You should have known you’d never beat me. You’re good, Evan, but you always were a lost, little girl with no daddy, looking for approval.”

Evan’s SIG never wavered from where she aimed at the man’s chest.

“God, this guy is a douchebag,” Dec muttered.

Brennan flicked Declan a contemptuous look. “So says the man who left the Navy with blood on his hands.”

“My hands are cleaner than yours, Brennan.”

“Put your weapons down,” Jonah ordered. “You’re coming with us.”

“Evan, if you think because you’re taking his cock, that you’re special, then you’re wrong.” Brennan smiled. “Grayson will trade you for a new model once he’s tired of you.”

A gun fired. The bullet hit the rock inches from Brennan’s head.

Jonah was surprised to see the bullet had come from Lachlan’s weapon. He rarely lost his cool.

“Shut your mouth,” Lachlan growled. “On your knees. We have a secondary team as backup, so you can’t escape.”

With a whimper, Sprouse dropped to his knees, his hands behind his head. Brennan shot the man a dirty look.

“So fucking weak.”

Then Brennan grabbed something off his belt and threw it into the air.

Shit. Small, metallic marbles flew toward the Team 52 members. They sailed up, then arced out. One hit Jonah’s gun with a metallic clink. It started heating up, melting his gun.

What the hell? He dropped the handgun. He heard the rest of his team cursing, as well. Lachlan and Evan dropped their melting weapons.

The mercs opened fire.

Dodging, Jonah slammed into Evan, driving her to the ground. He covered her as bullets pinged around them. The mercs’ weapons were suppressed, but the thumps of the weapons still made a lot of noise. He hoped to hell the Egyptian police didn’t run into this mess.

“The fuckers, that’s why they have plastic weapons,” she hissed.

“Brennan has some sort of magnetic mini-grenades.” Jonah pushed off her and together they crawled behind some stone blocks.

Jonah popped his head up, and another rain of bullets hit close by. “We’re pinned down.”

“Shit.”

“Can you see Brennan?” he asked.

She nodded. “He’s barking orders. Wait.” She sucked in a breath. “He’s going into the shaft.”

Jonah ground his teeth together. All of a sudden, Dec and Layne came running in their direction, and leaped in beside them.

“Brennan is in the shaft,” Layne said.

“We saw,” Jonah replied.

“We’ve got to stop them,” Evan said.

More bullets hit the pillars nearby.

“Lachlan, I need you guys to draw their fire,” Jonah said into his earpiece. “Evan and I will go down the shaft after Brennan.”

“Jonah!” Brooks’ frantic voice. “Blair’s team is fighting a new influx of mercenaries. Brennan has a secondary team.”

“Dammit.” Evan hit the stone beside her with her palm.

“Lachlan, give us cover, then help Blair’s team. Follow us when you can.”

“You got it,” the Team 52 leader replied.

Across the temple, Seth lobbed something into the air. Boom.

“My God, he’d better not destroy the Valley Temple!” Layne gasped.

“Let’s move, Doc.” Dec met Jonah’s gaze. “We’re coming with you into the shaft.”

Jonah nodded. He’d take all the help he could get. He grabbed Evan’s hand. “Let’s go take Brennan down.”

She smiled briefly. “I like your style, Director.”

Lachlan and the others intensified their fire.

Evan slapped a quick kiss to Jonah’s mouth, then they jumped up and sprinted toward the shaft.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Evan clung to the handholds carved into the rock wall of the shaft. It was like descending into the blackness of hell. There was only darkness below her.

And Jonah, who’d insisted on going first.

Dec and Layne were climbing above her. They had no idea how deep the shaft went.

None of them were talking. They didn’t want Brennan to hear them coming.

“I’m at the bottom,” Jonah whispered.

A moment later, Evan stepped onto the stone floor. Jonah reached out and steadied her.

“Brennan?” she whispered.

“No sign of him.”

Dec and Layne finished the climb.

“We need to risk a flashlight,” Jonah said. “I can’t see a thing.”

Dec’s weight shifted. “Do it.”

Clearly, the former SEAL was prepared for Brennan. Evan lifted her hands, tensed and ready.

Jonah turned on a flashlight. The beam of light speared into the darkness. It wasn’t a huge chamber. The rock walls were chiseled, with no engravings.

And there was no sign of Brennan.

They fanned out. There were niches cut into the walls, and several large boxes made of a much darker stone than the paler, beige bedrock.

“This is like the Osiris Shaft,” Layne said. “It has the same niches and stone boxes.” Layne ran her hand over one. “Nobody knows what they were for. People speculate that the Osiris Shaft was a tomb, but these boxes are too small to be sarcophagi.”

“Where the fuck is Brennan?” Evan turned in a circle. There was only rock.

“The Osiris Shaft has three levels.” Layne crouched, touching the floor. “There must be another way down to a lower level?”

They searched the floor.

“Here,” Dec said.

There was a stone slab on the floor that looked like it’d been recently shifted. Evan spotted scratch marks on the floor.

Dec and Jonah gripped it and heaved.

They moved it, uncovering another shaft. Evan moved to climb down, but Jonah stopped her with a look.

“Overprotective,” Layne commiserated. “You’d better get used to it.”

There was a faint light at the bottom of the shaft.

Evan’s heart thumped against her ribs. Brennan was down there.

Jonah crouched and climbed down into the hole. Then Dec followed.

“Ladies last, in this case,” Layne said dryly.

Evan climbed in, breathing deeply. They needed to be smart in order to beat Brennan. She counted the handholds as she moved downward, listening to Layne climbing above her.

She wondered if Jonah had reached the bottom. Then she heard a grunt and a scuffle, followed by the sounds of fighting.

Shit.

She picked up speed and dropped the last few feet to the bottom of the shaft. She spun.

Jonah and Dec were fighting Brennan.

The chamber was slightly larger than the one above, with the same niches cut into the wall, containing more of the mysterious, black-stone boxes.

Dec swung a muscular arm, and Brennan ducked, then spun and launched a kick at Jonah. Jonah slammed back into the wall.

Dec rushed in and punched Brennan, but the older man blocked the hit and then swung with his left hand. His punch hammered into Dec’s chest, then his other fist hit Dec’s face.

Beside Evan, Layne sucked in a breath.

The head of Treasure Hunter Security lurched back, blood on his lip. He swiped his hand across his mouth.

Brennan was older, but he was a master of close-quarter combat. Jonah and Dec were younger, stronger, and trained, as well, but Evan knew that Brennan trained every day in a multitude of different tactics.

Jonah launched again. He grabbed Brennan’s arm, and landed a hard blow to the agent’s neck. Brennan gagged, then spun and ducked, coming up fast. He threw a handful of sand into Jonah’s eyes.

Cursing, Jonah swiped at his face.

Dec lunged. Brennan whipped something off his belt.

A thin cord.

Using it like a whip, he snapped his wrist out. The metal cord wrapped around Dec’s arm. He jerked, but the cord held tight.

Brennan smiled and yanked. Dec flew forward and hit his knees. Then Brennan delivered a hard chop to Dec’s back. The former SEAL dropped to the ground.

“Declan!” Layne cried.

Brennan lifted his head.

Evan pushed Layne behind her. “You have nowhere to go, Brennan.”

Her former boss shrugged. “When I get what I came for, it won’t matter. No one will be able to stop me.”

“I will.”

Evan launched herself at him.

They traded kicks and hits, moving across the chamber. They’d fought so many times together and knew each other’s quirks. She blocked the next blow, and swiveled to avoid his kick. She ducked under his arm and rammed her fist against his lower back.

Brennan turned and kicked her. Evan absorbed the blow and landed her own kick.

Then, Brennan whirled away from her.

And rushed toward Layne.

The archeologist froze, then threw her hands up.

Brennan grabbed her, and in a second, he held the woman in front of him with his gun rammed to the underside of her jaw. He pressed in close behind her, Layne’s back to his front.

No. Evan straightened. Jonah shifted beside her, eyes red, his mouth a hard line.

Dec rose, a muscle ticking in his jaw. His gaze was locked on his wife.

Layne didn’t look afraid, just pissed off.

“Now, you’ll do as I say, or Dr. Ward dies.”

Evan released a harsh breath. She felt the tension throbbing off Declan.

“All of you against the far wall, on your knees.”

Jonah and Evan obeyed. His fingers brushed hers in a quick touch of reassurance. Dec hesitated, a murderous look on his face, but he finally knelt.

“Dr. Ward,” Brennan said. “You’re going to help me.”

“Go to hell.”

Brennan rammed the gun harder against her neck, and Layne gasped.

“Do you want your husband to watch you die? To see your brains splattered on the wall?”

Layne’s mouth flattened. “What do you want?”

“One of the stone boxes holds what I’m looking for, but I have to open the correct one. If the wrong one is opened, it’ll trigger something that we do not want.”

Trigger something? Evan didn’t like the sound of that. She didn’t take her gaze off the pair. Brennan shuffled Layne toward the first black stone box.

“Read the engravings,” he said.

“There are only a few symbols.” Layne frowned at the box’s lid. “These aren’t Egyptian hieroglyphs. They’re similar, but different.”

“That’s the language of the Shemsu-Hor,” Brennan said. “The survivors of an advanced civilization that created the Hall of Records. And you will help me uncover the Hall of Records.”

“You don’t deserve to set foot in the Hall of Records,” Layne spat.

Brennan cocked his head. “Oh, you misunderstand, as many do. The Hall of Records isn’t a place.”

Evan frowned and glanced at Jonah. His brow creased.

“It was said to be a repository of ancient knowledge and technology,” Layne said.

“It is, but it’s not a place filled with carvings, artifacts, and scrolls. It’s an object. All the knowledge is stored inside it.” The rogue agent gave them a sharp smile. “Whoever holds it, rules the world.”

AN OBJECT.

Jonah processed the new information. The Hall of Records was an object. A powerful one.

The thought of it in Brennan’s hands was horrifying.

Jonah sensed the tension in Declan. The man was vibrating with the need to rescue his wife.

“Read the glyphs, Dr. Ward.” Brennan nudged Layne toward the box.

“I can’t be a hundred percent certain…”

The man shoved her again.

Dec growled.

Evan put a hand on the man’s arm. “Hold.” She met Jonah’s gaze.

He could almost read her thoughts. They couldn’t afford for Dec to go off half-cocked. They needed to wait for the right moment, their chance.

If Brennan gave them one.

“I think it says water,” Layne said.

“Onto the next one.”

Layne ran her hands over the next box. “I can’t identify this rock. I’ve never seen it before in Egypt. The symbol says air. Or maybe sky.”

“Keep going,” Brennan urged.

“Brennan, you need—”

He didn’t give Layne a chance to finish. He slapped her across the face.

With a sharp gasp, she stumbled, clutching her cheek.

Dec surged forward, and Jonah and Evan grabbed him. He jerked against their hold.

“Easy,” Brennan warned.

“She’s pregnant,” Declan growled quietly. “We just found out.”

Shit. Jonah dragged in a deep breath. If he’d known that, he wouldn’t have let Layne come on this mission. They needed to get the woman safe.

At the next box, the archeologist frowned.

“This one isn’t quite like anything I’ve seen. My best guess is death, or journey of death.”

A crease appeared in Brennan’s brow. “Keep going.”

“So what’s your plan, Brennan?” Jonah called out. “You can’t get out of here. The rest of my team will be waiting for you.”

“Grayson, whoever possesses the Hall of Records can instantly absorb all the stored knowledge of the Shemsu-Hor. I’ll be close to a god.”

“That’s a horrifying thought,” Evan murmured.

“How do you know all of this?” Layne asked quietly.

“I found a copy of an incredible manuscript. The story of a priest called Sepa. He was apprentice to one of the Shemsu-Hor and he passed the knowledge down to a secret group of followers. That included Imhotep.”

Jonah knew of the master architect and vizier to the Pharaoh Djoser. He was famous for designing the Step Pyramid and his knowledge of medicine. He’d been revered after his death.

“You found this manuscript in Libya,” Evan said.

Brennan nodded. “In a cluttered, old shop. The man was as old as dust and had no idea what he had on the shelf. But pieces of it were damaged, and I couldn’t work out the location of the Hall of Records.”

Evan nodded. “Which sent you to ARE and Sprouse.”

“You were always intelligent, Evan,” Brennan said. “Sprouse had the information to fill in the missing pieces. I had no idea that manuscript would be the thing that would change my life.”

“And how will it do that?” Evan spat. “It’s turned you from a patriot to a traitor.”

Brennan shook his head. “Evan, haven’t you learned anything? Nothing ever changes. We spent years dedicated to taking down the bad guys, and for every one we get rid of, a bunch of new ones appear. It’s a fool’s game.”

“So you gave up and became one yourself? Fuck you, Brennan. You’re so wrong. It’s just more incentive to keep fighting, to keep protecting, to do what’s right.” Her voice lowered. “I believed in you.”

Jonah saw a flicker on Brennan’s face, but it was gone quickly. The man’s features hardened, and he shoved Layne toward the next box.

“With the Hall of Records, and all the Shemsu-Hor knowledge, I’ll rule the world. I’ll make it a better place.”

“According to you.” Evan shook her head. “You can’t decide what’s good or bad. What people can do, or say, or think, or believe. Haven’t you realized that life will never be a perfect utopia? It’s about the mess, the color, people free to have different opinions and beliefs. It’s also about fighting for what you believe in, and about caring for others, even if they don’t look like you, think like you, or believe the same things you do.”

“I never took you for naïve, Evan.”

“I assume you’ll sit atop your new world as king,” Jonah said. “With the lion’s share of wealth and power.”

Brennan lifted his chin. “I’ll have earned it.”

“No, you’ll be just another bad guy,” Jonah said.

A flash of anger crossed the man’s face. He turned back to Layne. “The next box, Dr. Ward.”

Jonah kept his eye on Dec. The man was going to break any second now. He’d attack, if he got the chance.

Layne licked her lips. “This box says… Knowledge.”

Brennan straightened. “That’s it! Push the lid off.”

Layne hesitated. She tossed a look at Declan, then gripped the solid, black lid. She pushed and heaved, grunting a little. The lid slid on the base of the box with the grind of stone on stone.

Blue light shone upward, the inside of the box glowing.

Jonah’s fingers curled and Evan gasped.

Grinning, Brennan shoved Layne aside and reached in.

He pulled out a blue, glowing orb that looked almost like a fortuneteller’s crystal ball. It was perfectly round, fit in the palm of his hand, and it had blue light swirling inside it.

“Incredible.” Brennan lifted it up, awe and anticipation on his face.

They had to act soon.

Vibrations started under Jonah’s feet, and dust puffed into the air. The walls shook.

A part of one of the rock walls retracted. In the newly uncovered niche in the wall, lay a mummy.

More grinding noises, and at the other end of the chamber, another rectangular hole opened in the floor. Another shaft.

“Oh, my God,” Layne breathed, staring at the mummy.

The mummy’s body was covered in wrappings and pieces of jewelry, but its head was free. The man was perfectly preserved, like he’d only just recently died. His eyes were closed, his reddish hair tied back from an aristocratic face, and his hands crossed in front of him.

“The leader of the Shemsu-Hor.” Brennan held the orb up. “Thank you.” Then he turned back to Jonah and the others. “And this new shaft is a secondary exit that connects with the Osiris Shaft.” He smiled. “My way out.”

Jonah gritted his teeth. Brennan could slip out, and Lachlan and the others would never know.

Jonah tossed a quick side glance at Dec. And then Evan. He gave them a microscopic nod.

It was now or never.

The three of them exploded at Brennan.

The man took a second to pull the orb to the safety of his chest. Jonah swung out his arm.

The rogue agent blocked his hit, then kicked.

They traded blows, and Jonah gritted his teeth. The man was brutal.

Declan rushed in from the side, and landed two hard punches to Brennan’s back. The man grunted, spun, and jerked his gun up.

The gunfire was loud in the enclosed space. The bullets hit the wall near Layne. With a scream, the archeologist dropped to a crouch.

Declan swiveled and dove for his wife.

Brennan kept firing. Declan wrapped his arms around Layne and yanked her backward into the alcove with the Shemsu-Hor mummy.

Then suddenly, the rock door slid closed, trapping the pair inside.

Dammit. Jonah swiveled, his fists raised. Evan ran at Brennan.

Kick, punch, duck. The two moved in a deadly dance. It was clear that they’d trained together before.

Each hit Evan took made Jonah wince. He moved closer to the fighting pair, ready for anything.

But he had to trust her. To do what she did best. And she knew Brennan better than any of them.

“You’ll never stop me,” Brennan said. “Not now.” He held the orb up.

Blue light flashed out of it, blindingly bright. Jonah blinked and he saw Evan stumble.

Brennan strode to her and landed a powerful front kick to her gut.

She flew backward.

And fell into the open shaft.

“Evan, no!” Jonah yelled.

One second, she was there, and the next, she was gone.

Heart hammering impossibly hard in his chest, he stared at the empty black hole.

“Evan.” Pain and fear ripped at him.

Brennan laughed, his gun swinging around to point at Jonah.

“If my document is correct, the shaft is nearly a hundred feet deep. Evan’s dead, Grayson. A broken mess at the bottom of that hole.”

Darkness whirled inside Jonah, consuming him. A darkness that had claimed him once before. No. He couldn’t lose her. She couldn’t be dead.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Evan gritted her teeth and hung on.

She pressed herself flat against the wall of the shaft. She’d lost a lot of skin off her hands, but she’d managed to eventually grab some handholds and stop her fall.

Her heart was pounding wildly in her ears. She looked up at the rectangle of pale light above. She had a long way to climb. She looked down to the stygian darkness below. She had no idea how deep the shaft went.

She started climbing up.

Her palms burned and she felt sticky blood between her fingers.

But it didn’t matter. You’re alive, Evan.

She had to get back to Jonah.

The harsh report of gunshots echoed from above.

Her heart stopped.

Jonah.

Evan climbed faster. For the first time in her life, she prayed.

Oh, God. She was falling in love with Jonah Grayson. She almost slipped, and licked her lips, her pulse dancing. Don’t panic. Just focus on getting out of here alive.

She kept climbing, one hand in front of the other. Finally, she reached the edge, and the sounds of fighting reached her ears.

She peeked over the rim of the shaft and saw Jonah. Relief was a wild rush inside her. Feeling dizzy, she pressed her face to the rock. He was alive and fighting Brennan.

The men were fighting, hard and dirty.

Now, it was time to help Jonah stop Brennan, once and for all.

She slowly started climbing out of the shaft.

Jonah rammed an elbow into Brennan’s face, and her old boss dropped the orb. It rolled across the floor. She also spotted Brennan’s plastic gun lying on the floor not far away.

With a hard kick, Jonah sent the man slamming into one of the boxes. Jonah’s next kick was right to Brennan’s face, and blood dribbled out of the man’s mouth.

“That’s for Evan,” Jonah snapped.

“She’s dead, Grayson. Nothing will change that.”

Jonah’s face twisted.

Evan pulled herself over the edge. “You have an overinflated sense of your own abilities, Brennan.”

The rogue CIA agent sucked in a shocked breath. Jonah’s head whipped around. His eyes glowed—with relief, happiness, and something else she couldn’t name.

Brennan exploded into action and Evan ran. She leaped into the air, and wound her legs around his neck. With a violent twist of her body, she brought both of them crashing to the ground.

They wrestled across the stone floor and she got him in a choke hold, but he was strong. He shoved her and twisted free.

Jonah rushed in.

But he barely got one blow in, when Brennan rolled away. Evan lunged after the man, following with a hit and a kick.

Brennan rammed against her, tackling her to the ground.

He got on top of her and reached out.

Shit. His gun was lying right beside them. Brennan snatched it up and pressed it to the center of her chest.

“Don’t move, or I’ll kill her.”

He was talking to Jonah, but Brennan stared into Evan’s eyes.

She stared back. “I trusted you, admired you.”

“Then you’re stupid. You should never trust anyone.”

“You’re wrong. Maybe that’s what warped you.” She glanced at Jonah. “That man believed in me from the beginning. Even when he shouldn’t have. He trusts his team, and he’s allowed me to be a part of them. We’re stronger together.” The look on Jonah’s face warmed her insides.

“You’re a fool,” Brennan barked.

“And you’ve become the enemy. You’re just like all those terrorists and criminals that we’ve locked away. You’ve put your own wants and needs ahead of other people’s lives. You’re rotten.”

He slammed a fist into her face, but Evan bit her lip and rode the pain.

“And the best thing about trusting someone, is you know they have your back,” she said.

Jonah had moved silently closer, and suddenly whipped the garrote wire from his watch over Brennan’s head.

The rogue agent thrashed.

Jonah pulled with all his strength, yanking Brennan off Evan.

She leaped up and jumped on his body, pinning him down.

Jonah kept on the pressure and she watched Brennan’s struggle slow. She watched the life drain out of his eyes.

A mix of hot emotion hit her. What a fucking waste.

A moment later, Brennan slumped, staring, unseeing, at the rock ceiling.

Evan sat back on her knees. The emotions left her in a rush, and now, she just felt tired and empty.

“Evan?”

She looked at Jonah, and emotions filled the void. Much, much better ones. Big, scary ones.

She crawled to him.

He yanked her close and she wrapped her arms around his body. He was warm, hard, and solid. Then his mouth was on hers.

She pressed into him, kissing him with everything she had.

“I thought you were dead.” His hands tightened on her. “When you fell…”

She heard the break in his voice.

She pressed her face to his neck and held on tight. “I’m fine.”

Then, muffled thumps came from the alcove where Dec and Layne were trapped. Right nearby, resting on the floor, sat the orb.

“Let’s finish this damn mission and get out of here,” Jonah said.

“I am one hundred percent behind that plan.”

JONAH PULLED Evan to her feet. He couldn’t resist cupping her face, and taking another quick kiss. He was so damn relieved that she was all right.

He saw her scraped hands. They were bloody and raw. He pressed a kiss to an unscathed part of one of her palms.

That earned him a small smile.

Then he crouched and picked up the orb.

He expected it to be warm, but it was strangely cool.

“Wow. It’s pretty incredible,” Evan said.

A blue, smoke-like substance was moving around inside the glass.

“I wonder what incredible secrets are actually in here,” he murmured.

After a moment, they moved to the alcove, Jonah taking a firm hold of the orb.

“Dec, Layne, it’s Jonah. Brennan is dead. Evan and I will try and get you out.”

“Roger that.” Dec’s muffled voice. “Glad you guys are okay.”

“We have the orb.”

“Great. Any sign of the rest of our team?”

Jonah frowned. “Not yet.” He would have expected that at least some of the team would’ve followed, by now. He touched his ear. “Lachlan? Do you read me?”

Nothing.

“I think we must be too deep for the comms to work. Or something is interfering with the signal.” Jonah hoped to hell they were okay.

“There must be a way to open this.” Evan ran her hands over the rock.

Jonah couldn’t spot any mechanism or way to open it. Dammit. Nothing.

He altered his grip on the orb and the light pulsed under his fingers.

“Jonah!” Layne called out. “There’s an amulet on the mummy, and it just glowed blue.”

Evan and Jonah looked at the orb.

“Maybe this can open it?” Jonah ran his hand over the sphere of glass, and then held it closer to the slab.

With a scrape, the alcove opened, and revealed a relieved Dec with his arm around Layne.

“Oh!” The archeologist stared at the orb and reached out a hand.

“No.” Dec grabbed her arm. “We’ve got no idea what effect that could have on you. Or the baby.”

Layne pouted.

Jonah nodded. “He’s right.”

Layne sighed. “There are some interesting engravings in this alcove with the mummy. It warns about opening the wrong box, about the impure disturbing the treasures of the Shemsu-Hor, and for imposters to beware.”

Evan visibly shivered. “Or what?”

“Or death.” Layne’s nose wrinkled. “That’s all it said.”

“How about we get the fuck out of here, and talk about this somewhere else?” Dec suggested.

“No one is going anywhere,” a male voice said.

What the hell? Jonah spun.

Hugh Sprouse stood at the base of the first shaft. His blond hair was disheveled, and he held a handgun, aimed at Jonah.

“Sprouse—”

“I want the orb.” The man’s voice was firm; his gun didn’t waver. “I put up with that asshole’s shit.” He shot an acid look at Brennan’s body. “But I knew his arrogance would get the best of him, then I’d have my chance to get the Hall of Records.”

“All this time, you were playacting,” Evan breathed. “Playing the bumbling, fearful sidekick.”

The man smiled. “Yes.”

She shook her head. “You should join the CIA.”

Sprouse’s smile vanished. “Hand the artifact over.”

“No.” Jonah shook his head. “We can’t do that. Besides, you’re outnumbered.”

“I’m the only one with a gun.”

“But I don’t think you’ll kill anyone. Takes guts to put a bullet in someone. Dec is a former Navy SEAL, Evan’s a CIA agent. And I’m former military, and trained, as well.”

“And I’m an archeologist.” Layne shifted her feet. “Sorry, I was feeling a bit left out of the badassness.” She looked at Sprouse. “I can’t kill you with my pinky finger, but I’m smart. Oh, and they can all kill you with their pinkies.”

Evan snorted.

“Be quiet!” Sprouse waved the gun in the air. “In case you’re stalling, waiting for your team to get here, I blocked the shaft above. I blew up the top, so there’s rubble covering it. Your team can’t get down here quickly. So just do as I say, and no one gets hurt.” He straightened. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

Jonah nodded. “Fine. Catch.” He threw the orb.

Sprouse gasped and jumped forward. Evan and Dec rushed the man. He yelped, missed the orb, which hit the floor with a clink, and the gun went off. A bullet slammed into one of the black boxes. The rock cracked.

“No one move.” Sprouse whipped around and fired at Dec. The former SEAL jerked.

“Dec!” Layne yelled.

He pressed a hand to his arm. “Just grazed me.”

Evan pulled back, standing in a fighting stance, arms up.

Sprouse licked his lips. “Give me the orb!”

Jonah knelt and picked up the Hall of Records orb.

“No more tricks, Grayson,” Sprouse warned.

“We aren’t giving you the orb, Sprouse,” Jonah said.

The man’s face flushed. He fired again.

It was like a punch to Jonah’s lower gut.

He staggered.

“No. No.” Evan’s face turned stark white.

The orb slipped from Jonah’s fingers. He pressed a hand to his gut and blood coated his fingers. He’d taken a bullet just below his vest. He lifted his head and met Evan’s horrified eyes. She mouthed his name, then his legs turned to water and he collapsed.

Pain hit like a sledgehammer.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Evan’s world stopped.

She’d seen people get shot before. She’d even taken a few bullets herself. But the blood on Jonah’s stomach made it impossible for her to breathe.

As he fell, she cried out and lunged for him. She gripped him as he fell to the ground.

“Oh shit. Shit.” Sprouse was pale and glassy-eyed. He stared in horror at the blood on Jonah’s shirt.

Evan pressed a hand to Jonah’s wound and felt warm blood pump into her palm.

“Jonah—” Her voice cracked. “Stay still. We’ll get you help.”

“Evan.”

His voice was still deep and sexy, but she heard his pain.

She met his gaze.

“I’m so grateful I met you,” he said. “That you came into my life.”

Anguish twisted inside her. “No. Don’t you fucking say goodbye.”

Dec moved toward Sprouse, and the man came out of his stupor. He jerked his weapon up. “Stay back!”

Evan ignored Sprouse. All her focus was on Jonah.

He lifted an arm, pressed his hand to her cheek. She felt his blood on her skin.

“You’ve made me feel so damn much these last few days,” he said. “After I lost my mother, my ability to let someone close went into cold storage.” A smile flirted on his lips. “You ripped the doors right off and waltzed right in. Into my heart, Evan. I love you.”

A hiccupping sob broke from her. “Jonah… Please.”

“I’d never lie to you, Evan. But I’m not going to make it before help arrives. We both know it.”

Blood was spreading on the stone beneath him. She pressed harder. She felt like a hand was squeezing her chest. With a sob, she pressed her forehead to his. “You can’t do this. You can’t make me fall in love with you, need you, and then leave!”

“I don’t want to, baby.” He rubbed her hair between his fingers. “But you’re strong.”

“No, I’m not.” Her voice was a broken whisper. “I’m all bravado. When it counts, I’m a coward.”

“No. My Evan, the woman I love, is not a coward. She fights for what’s right. To the bitter end. I’m damn proud of her.”

Tears—hot and scalding—fell down her cheeks. “Losing you will shatter me.”

Jonah pulled her close, his face spasmed with pain.

“Where’s the orb!” Sprouse was sweating. He studiously avoided looking at Jonah.

Evan pressed harder on Jonah’s wound, trying to stop the awful flow of blood. He groaned quietly.

Nearby, Layne pulled in a ragged breath, her sad gaze on Jonah. Dec’s face was hard as he focused on Sprouse.

Anger welled inside Evan. She stared at Jonah, watching his bronze skin turn pale.

Sprouse had done this. He’d hurt Jonah. He was taking away the only man Evan had ever loved.

She looked down and saw that the orb had rolled against her leg. She grabbed it in her blood-slicked hands. Her fingers closed over the cool surface, and her anger swelled and grew claws.

She touched Jonah’s cheek and rose.

“Is this what you want?” She held the orb up.

The young man’s gaze flicked to the orb and back. He licked his lips. Not so confident now.

“Give it to me.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Evan strode toward him. She watched him tense, then she threw the orb right at his head. Hard.

As it connected with his skull, it made a loud crack.

Sprouse howled and dropped his gun.

The orb hit the floor, and Evan scooped it up and attacked. She used the sphere as a weapon, hammering the man with it.

“You shot my man. You hurt him.” You’re stealing him from me.

Sprouse yelped and tried to hit back. She rammed her fist into his side and he groaned.

Evan kept hitting him. All this for power. These fucking selfish, weak men like Sprouse, like Brennan.

Sprouse was alive, while a good, honorable man like Jonah was dying.

Sprouse stumbled and Evan followed him down, still raining blows on him. He whimpered and threw his arms over his head.

“Evan.”

Jonah’s voice made her stop, her chest heaving. Her fingers clenched on the orb. Sprouse was sobbing, and curled into a ball on the ground.

Dec touched Evan’s shoulder. “I’ll deal with Sprouse and get him tied up.”

She swallowed against the lump in her throat and turned. Layne had taken off her shirt, and was now just in a tank top. Her shirt was wadded in a ball against Jonah’s stomach. The pool of blood beneath him had grown.

Pain and grief cut Evan like a knife. Her knees wobbled.

There was nothing she could do. Nothing that would fix this. She was helpless.

Jonah lifted a hand and she knelt beside him. He touched her face.

“It’s okay,” he said.

She shook her head. “No, it’s not.”

“Brennan is dead. The Hall of Records is safe.” Jonah glanced at the orb in her hand. “You won.”

Yet she felt like she’d lost everything. She twined her fingers with his.

“You can clear your name and go back to your job. A job that you’re damn good at.”

“I don’t care about the job! Dammit, Jonah, I’m in love with you.” Her chest hitched. “I want you. For the first time in my life, I want a life. With you.”

She realized it would never happen now. Tears fell, a fast, hot spill. Her heart was tearing apart. When he died, he’d take a part of it with him.

One of her tears fell on the orb. The sphere flashed blue. What the hell? Blinking, she lifted it.

Jonah’s fingers closed over it. “Incredible.”

“It’s just a hunk of glass with its own secrets. Secrets probably best left hidden.” She wished she’d never seen it.

Jonah’s long fingers stroked it.

Then he frowned. “It’s warming up.”

“What?”

A blue light strobed out of the orb, blinding her.

JONAH BLINKED AT THE BRIGHT, blazing light. The pain in his gut made it hard to breathe, move.

He felt the life leaking out of him. His vision cleared and Evan’s devastated face dominated his view.

Blue light pulsed out of the orb again. The Hall of Records was hot in his hand.

“Jonah, let it go,” Evan said.

“I…can’t.” His fingers were stuck to the glass.

“What the hell is happening?” Dec said.

“I don’t know.” Evan gripped Jonah’s arm. She tried to pry the orb away from him, but it was stuck firm.

The blue glow intensified.

Jonah felt energy flow up his arm. It wasn’t hurting him, but it wasn’t pleasant either. He gritted his teeth.

“Dammit.” Evan tugged on the orb again, then she gasped. “Jonah.”

He followed her gaze to his arm. Shit. His veins were all starting to glow bright blue.

The color crept up his arm, rushing out across all his veins.

Evan loosened his Kevlar vest and managed to open the top buttons of his shirt. The blue glow traveled across his chest.

“The Hall of Records has activated,” he said.

Evan’s eyes widened. “Your neck, cheeks. All your veins are glowing.”

Jonah felt a warm tingle, then pain exploded in his head, like a vice had clamped on his brain. He hissed between his teeth.

“Jonah?”

“It’s… I feel a pressure in my head.”

“Declan, help me!” Evan said.

They both tried to get the orb free.

Nothing worked.

The pain in Jonah’s head worsened.

“The Hall of Records is active,” Layne whispered. “It’s trying to download its data into Jonah.”

Images poured through his head in a blinding rush. He sucked in a breath, his eyes flickering. There were diagrams, pictures, instructions, temples. It was all too fast for him to comprehend. The pressure in his head increased, feeling like it was going to burst.

“It’s too much!” Layne cried.

“It’s hurting him.” Evan yanked on the orb unsuccessfully.

Jonah could see all his veins pulsing blue. Energy filled him, lifting him up from the floor.

He heard the others’ shocked exclamations. Sprouse scrambled into the alcove, hiding behind the mummy. Then Jonah’s body floated upright, and his feet left the floor. He held his arms out.

“Jonah.” Evan’s face was etched with fear.

Jonah felt his own emotions draining away. His head still hurt, but his body felt numb now. His feet were a foot above the stone floor. He hung there, orb in hand, knowledge pouring into his brain.

“Your eyes,” Evan whispered. “They’re glowing blue.”

“It’s going to kill him,” Declan said.

Jonah just wanted to drift away. There was no pain, no heartache, no suffering. The Hall of Records offered him power and knowledge, a chance to transcend.

He stared at the others and blinked. Who were they again?

“Jonah, you have to let the orb go,” the redheaded woman said.

“It’s a part of me now,” he replied, slightly bemused by the sound of his voice.

“Come back to me.” She reached up and pressed her hands to his chest. “Please. I love you, Jonah.”

His brow wrinkled. “Who are you?”

The redhead gasped. “No. Dammit. It’s messing with his brain.” Suddenly, she leaped up on Jonah, and climbed up his body.

She stopped when she was face-to-face with him.

“You are Jonah Grayson. I’m Evan Fletcher.”

He cocked his head. The names meant nothing to him.

“Damn you, Jonah. I’m not letting that thing scramble your brain. You’re mine. We’re perfect for each other and I’m in love with you. You make me believe in love, goodness. You believed in me when no one else did. You challenge me, excite me. And you look delicious in a suit.”

“That means nothing to me.” He felt calm emptiness inside.

It was all room to fill with knowledge. He had no memories of this woman.

Her face twisted. “I’m not letting a fucking bullet or a fucking ancient artifact steal you from me.”

She kissed him.

As her lips moved on his, he felt a flicker of heat. Tentatively, he kissed her back. She tasted good, and this felt good. He deepened the kiss, and the pressure in his head eased a little. Her tongue stroked his.

“Mine.” She nipped his lip. “No one else can have you.”

He clamped a hand on her hip and kissed her again. But the pressure in his head fought back. More knowledge and energy poured into him. It hurt.

Then he ripped his mouth off hers, threw his head back, and screamed.

“No!” the redhead cried.

She let him go, dropping back to the floor in a crouch.

Black spots danced in front of his eyes, but he saw her race across the chamber and pick something up. He tried to focus, but his vision was blurring. Then she was running back to him.

Blue light pulsed from his entire body.

“That damn thing can’t have you, Jonah. I don’t share.” She ran at him, her arm up.

She held a chunk of black rock made from one of the broken boxes in her hand.

She slammed it into the orb.

The glass cracked and shattered. Strangely, his hand was protected by the orb’s energy. Blue liquid splattered on the floor, then froze, turning into a glittering blue crystal substance.

The energy holding Jonah died in an instant. He crashed to the ground, his legs going out from under him.

“Jonah. God.” The woman threw her arms around him.

The pressure in his head, that felt like a giant hand squeezing, started to ease.

“Jonah?”

He looked into wide, hazel eyes.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Her heart was fluttering like a trapped bird.

Evan held onto Jonah, hoping and praying that he was free of the orb’s influence.

A hand snaked into her hair and pulled her head back. She looked into Jonah’s eyes, now once again green.

Thank God.

“Jonah?” A sob caught in her chest.

His thumb rubbed over her lips. His gaze was intense. But was he all right? What if his memories were wiped? Or his brain was damaged? His veins still glowed a faint blue, the color slowly fading away.

She gripped his arms tighter.

“Evan,” he murmured. “My Evan.”

With a sob, she kissed him.

He kissed her back, deeply, like he needed the contact to ground himself.

She pressed her hands to his cheeks.

“Are you okay? How do you feel?”

“I’m fine now. I thought my head was going to explode for a while there.”

“We need to treat your gunshot wound.” His color was better, but it was probably from the aftereffects of the orb’s influence. He was bleeding out… But wait.

She blinked. There was still a bloodstain on his shirt, but he didn’t appear to be bleeding anymore.

His brows drew together. “I don’t feel any pain.” He pressed a hand to his stomach.

Evan yanked his shirt up as far as his vest would allow. There was blood smeared on his skin, but no wound. She prodded the bronze skin where he’d been shot.

“It’s healed,” she breathed.

“My God, the orb healed you,” Layne said.

Dec crouched beside them. “Look.”

He picked up an object off the ground. It was a mangled bit of metal, with blood covering it. The bullet.

Evan kissed Jonah again. “Promise me you won’t ever get shot again.”

A faint smile touched his lips. “It’s not something I enjoy doing.”

“And no more artifacts trying to ram info into your brain.”

Jonah glanced at the shattered ruins of the orb. “Well, it isn’t going to happen with the Hall of Records.”

Evan lifted her chin. “I’m not sorry I smashed a priceless, ancient repository of vast advanced knowledge.” Okay, maybe she was a teeny bit sorry. “When it comes to your life, Jonah Grayson, I’ll smash a thousand Halls of Records.”

“I love you.” He yanked her close again.

“So how about we find a way out?” Dec said. “I guess we need to use the second shaft.” He eyed the dark hole dubiously.

“Uh, guys,” Layne said.

That didn’t sound good. Still tucked under Jonah’s arm, Evan turned her head.

The black boxes tucked into the walls were starting to glow blue.

She stiffened, and felt Jonah tense, as well.

“Oh shit,” Evan muttered. “That can’t be good.”

“One of the boxes is damaged,” Layne said. “And the orb is smashed.”

“It triggered the defense mechanism that Brennan mentioned,” Jonah said.

“Some ancient security system,” Layne said.

“Nice.” Dec’s hands flexed. “I suggest we move. Now.”

The sound of slamming rock echoed through the chamber.

Evan jerked. A stone block had slammed down, covering the entrance to the second shaft.

Boom.

Another block slid across the opening of the first shaft, locking them in.

“I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.” Dec pulled Layne close. “After this, I’m wrapping you in bubble wrap, and you’re staying at home until our baby arrives.”

Evan kept her gaze on the boxes.

Suddenly, the tops slid open and rectangular pillars rose out of the boxes.

They were all made from the same black rock, and covered in carved grooves.

Nothing happened.

“Okay,” Dec said. “It doesn’t look too bad.”

With a hum of noise, one pillar glowed brightly and fired a blue beam of light. Dec leaped aside.

The beam hit the wall, cutting into it like a laser.

Another pillar glowed and fired. Then another.

“Down!” Jonah yelled.

Evan hit the floor and started crawling. A beam hit right in front of her, cutting into the floor. “They aren’t fixed! They can aim.”

She jumped up, then leaped over another beam rushing toward her. Shit. There was nothing to use as a weapon. Nothing to hide behind.

She slid under another beam and saw Jonah jump a second one. The rays of light weren’t fast, but they weren’t slow either.

Dec pulled Layne close, and spun them out of the path of another beam of light.

“The alcove!” Layne yelled. “It’s the only place where we can hide.”

“Go!” Jonah roared.

Dec and Layne sprinted. A light beam tracked right behind them, scouring the wall.

“Faster,” Evan yelled.

Dec reached the alcove first, but Layne wasn’t going to outrun the beam.

“Layne, drop,” her husband yelled.

The archeologist hit the floor on her hands and knees. The light cut right above her head.

Then Dec reached out, grabbed her, and yanked her into the alcove. The pair ducked down behind the mummy.

“Go, Evan.” Jonah watched a beam come at them.

Evan ran. She pumped her arms and legs. A pillar glowed and a beam shot out from another box, arcing straight toward her. She jumped into the air, somersaulted the beam, and landed. She raced into the alcove.

Dec patted her on the shoulder. She spun, watched Jonah running toward them.

“Faster!” Evan shouted.

Two beams were coming right at him from different directions.

“Jonah!”

He dropped, sliding feet first into the alcove like a baseball player stealing a base.

The shafts of light hit the wall, but didn’t penetrate into the alcove. Evan released a shaky breath, her pulse racing wildly.

Jonah hugged her, and the four of them huddled in the back of the alcove behind the mummy. Sprouse was curled into a small ball, shivering against the wall.

Evan huffed out a breath. “Now what?”

“WELL, we seem to be safe enough here.” Layne peered over the mummy.

Jonah’s heart was still pounding. “If we had weapons, we could destroy the pillars.”

Dec eyed the boxes. “The light beams are sort of like lasers, but not as intense.”

“Some sort of ancient light technology,” Layne said.

“Team 52 will find a way down here,” Jonah said. “Eventually.”

Evan shoved her hair back. It was tangled, covered in dust and blood, but she still looked beautiful to him.

Dec leaned against the wall. “If we’re safe, let’s wait.”

Just then, a laser cut close to the alcove entrance. It sliced into the rock.

“Oh, God,” Layne breathed.

A huge chunk of the ceiling collapsed in the chamber, sending dust into the alcove. They all coughed.

Jonah stared into the chamber. The lasers were cutting into other parts of the ceiling and walls.

Dread curdled in his veins. “The system is going to collapse the chamber.”

“Hell,” Evan muttered.

“So, scratch the waiting,” Dec said. “We’ve got no weapons, so what we can we do?”

Evan eyed the mummy.

“What?” Jonah asked her.

“Maybe we can find something to use.” She pulled the amulet off the mummy. It was large—covering most of the mummy’s chest. Most of it was bronze metal inset with precious stones.

“Oh, God.” Layne slapped her hands over her eyes.

Despite the situation, Dec grinned, though a bit darkly. “My wife has strong opinions on the treatment of ancient historical artifacts.”

Evan pulled a beaten-metal gauntlet off the mummy’s bandaged-wrapped arm. “Sorry, Layne. This is life or death.” She looked at Jonah. “I’m planning to live.”

Layne pressed a palm to her stomach. “Me too.”

“Okay.” Evan handed the gauntlet to Jonah, then pulled the second one off the mummy to hand to Dec. Then she hefted the amulet.

“What’s the plan?” Jonah asked.

She smiled at him. “You letting me call the shots, Director?”

“I’m letting my smart, experienced woman take the lead in a dangerous situation that she’s the best person to handle. So, yes.”

“God, I love you.”

“You guys are so cute,” Layne said. “Or not cute, I guess. You’re both too beautiful and polished to be cute.”

“Here’s the plan.” Evan leaned forward. “Layne, you stay in the alcove.”

The woman’s face fell. “But—”

“You need to keep your baby safe.”

Layne looked at Declan who nodded. He had a relieved look in his eye.

“You’ll be our spotter,” Evan said. “Before the pillars fire, they glow. We need you to call out where the shots are coming from so we can use these objects to reflect back the beams.”

Jonah’s gut went tight. The objects weren’t very large, so it wouldn’t be easy.

“We need to destroy the pillars,” Evan continued. “We have no weapons to use, so we’ll use the light beams themselves as our weapons.”

Dec nodded and pulled in a deep breath.

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s do it.”

“I’ll go first,” Jonah said.

“You were just shot, and hurt by an ancient artifact,” Evan objected.

“I’m perfectly healed.” He kissed her, then darted out of the alcove.

“To the left,” Evan yelled.

He saw a pillar in a box glow and swivel, and the laser fired.

He held up the gauntlet.

The beam hit the metal and reflected back. It hit the wall.

Dammit, he’d missed.

“To the right!” Layne yelled.

Jonah swiveled. But the beam was too fast and he didn’t have time. He dived and rolled under it.

“We’re coming in,” Evan yelled.

Declan and Evan raced out, holding up their artifacts.

It became like some strange game. The three of them, with Layne acting as spotter, spinning, lunging, and dodging. They managed to reflect the beams back some of the time, and before long, the walls were peppered with strikes.

Finally, luck was on Jonah’s side. His reflected beam hit one of the boxes and the pillar inside.

The pillar shattered.

“Got one!”

Jonah had no time to celebrate. Another ray of light arced through the air and he slammed flat to the ground. Heat washed over his back.

Evan leaped, landed, then bounced a beam off her amulet. The artifact exploded in her hand.

With a cry, she whirled away, clutching her hand to her chest.

“Evan?” Jonah leaped up.

“I’m okay.” She sprinted for the alcove.

Jonah kept deflecting the ancient lasers, but he realized his gauntlet now had holes in it, and the metal was turning soft. It wouldn’t last much longer.

“Dec, how’s your gauntlet holding up?”

“It isn’t going to last much longer.” The other man rolled across the floor, came up on his feet, and deflected a beam.

It hit a box, but not the pillar.

Damn. Jonah spun, skidded, and held his gauntlet up.

“Are there any more objects on the mummy?” he yelled.

“Nothing big enough,” Evan replied.

Well, if they couldn’t destroy the pillars, they could at least keep them busy until Team 52 arrived.

He and Declan kept dancing and dodging until Declan’s gauntlet shattered.

“Fuck, I’m out.” Dec sprinted for the alcove.

“Jonah, we’ll take turns,” Evan called out.

He was already feeling tired. This would wear them down, and he had no idea how long they could keep it up.

They needed a rescue. Now.

Jonah dodged more beams and reflected one laser back, cutting into the wall.

“Jonah!” Evan yelled. “Switch.”

He raced toward the alcove and slid in. Evan took the gauntlet and sprinted out with a wink.

He turned and watched her move. Pure beauty. Her body was so strong and fluid. But he saw the constant movement and precision needed was tiring.

“Change,” Declan yelled.

Evan ran back to the alcove, breathing heavily. Dec took the battered gauntlet.

“We can’t keep this up much longer,” Jonah said.

The next deflection hit a pillar, destroying it.

Dec whooped.

Then there was a grinding sound and a new pillar rose up from beneath the shattered one.

Sucking in a breath, Jonah glanced at the box he’d destroyed earlier, and saw another pillar rising up.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Evan said.

“Oh no,” Layne breathed.

Two beams cut close and Declan jumped, but landed on some rubble. He stumbled and lost his balance.

Shit.

“Dec!” Layne cried.

A light beam was moving right toward the fallen man.

Evan and Jonah acted at the same time. They darted out, grabbed Dec’s arms, and heaved him up.

The three of them sprinted to the alcove. They slid inside, just as a barrage of beams hit.

Chunks of rock flew everywhere, and Layne screamed.

The beams resumed trying to destroy and collapse the chamber.

“Shit.” Evan pressed a hand to her forehead. A chip of rock had nicked her. “I’m out of ideas. We need a miracle.”

Suddenly, a large explosion rocked the chamber. Dec threw himself over Layne. Jonah did the same to Evan, and they hit the floor beside the mummy. Curled in a tight ball in the corner, Sprouse whimpered.

“Hey, I don’t need saving,” Evan muttered.

“I know, but it won’t stop me from trying to protect you,” Jonah replied.

Her face softened. “I wish we weren’t stuck in a collapsing chamber right now. We really need that miracle.”

Jonah raised his head and spotted movement in the chamber.

Then he grinned. “I think you just got one.”

Several black-clad bodies climbed out of the bottom of the now-clear first shaft.

Evan’s head lifted. “Team 52.”

“Better late than never,” Jonah said.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The members of Team 52, plus Ronin and Logan, dropped into the chamber. Evan was damn glad to see them.

“Form up,” Lachlan yelled, his gold gaze assessing.

“Lachlan,” Jonah yelled. “Each box has a light weapon. They need to be destroyed.”

The pillars glowed and light beams blasted out of the boxes. The team all ducked and dodged.

“Omega five formation,” Lachlan bellowed.

The team split into pairs: Axel and Smith shifted, Smith in front with his weapon up, while Axel crouched behind him.

The pair advanced on the closest black box, Smith firing his CXM rifle. When the weapon clicked, Smith whirled. Axel came up and took the lead, firing his weapon.

The box and pillar exploded.

“Woo!” Evan grinned at Jonah.

He smiled back.

Blair and Callie leaped and rolled, dodging several light beams. Callie fired at one pillar, while Blair jumped onto a second box. Then the blonde brought her large, combat knife down and jammed it into the grooves in the pillar. She worked the knife in, her face set in concentration.

The glow on the pillar died, and Blair kicked it. It snapped off and shattered. Callie continued firing on the other box, until the stone pillar cracked.

Seth and River worked together, their CXMs firing as they both concentrated their fire on a single box. Logan and Ronin charged another box. Ronin kept firing, distracting the beam. With a roar, Logan collided with the box and pushed. It crashed off the ledge, and smashed to the ground.

Lachlan stayed near the shaft, surveying the chamber, his CXM rifle cradled in his hands. “Targets destroyed.”

“Fuck yeah.” Dec kissed Layne enthusiastically. The archeologist let out a delighted laugh.

Jonah grabbed Evan and she leaped on him, wrapping her long legs around his waist. She kissed him like her life depended on it.

He was alive.

They were both alive.

And he loved her.

She broke the kiss and rubbed their noses together. “I’ve never been this happy.”

“Sounds like a challenge,” he said.

She cocked her head.

“To see if I can make you even happier,” he added.

Her belly filled with warmth.

“Hey, boss-man.” Callie appeared. “You’re covered in a lot of blood.” She eyed his shirt.

“I’m fine, Callie.”

“He was shot.” Evan’s voice trembled and she saw sympathy in Callie’s eyes. “The artifact healed him, then also tried to kill him.” Evan blew out a breath and leaned into Jonah. “It’s a long story.”

“Evan’s hands need attention,” Jonah said.

Callie looked at Evan’s palms and winced. “Ouch.”

They were scraped raw and bloody, with skin missing and burn marks. “It’s been a long day.”

Callie pulled off her backpack and set to work.

The Treasure Hunter Security guys were slapping Dec’s back and hugging Layne.

“Fuck, I hate being underground,” Logan muttered.

“You’re just missing your wife,” Ronin said.

“And he dislikes most things, except his wife,” Layne said.

“So, you found the Hall of Records?” Lachlan’s brows drew together as he scanned the plain chamber. “This can’t be it.”

“It’s not a place,” Jonah said. “It was an artifact containing all the knowledge of an advanced race.”

Seth whistled. “Where is it?”

“Um, there.” Evan pointed.

The team all looked at the wet patch, the shattered glass, and crystallized substance on the ground.

Silence.

Blair arched a brow. “You broke it?”

Evan straightened. “It was killing Jonah, so yes, I broke it.”

Blair smiled. “Good choice.”

“Collect the pieces,” Jonah said. “I want them placed in a containment box, and Callie, see if you can get some samples of the crystalline substance.”

The medic nodded. “Sure thing.” She finished with the bandages on Evan’s hands. “You’re all set, CIA.”

“Thanks.”

Lachlan glanced dispassionately at Brennan’s body by the far wall, partially covered in collapsed rock. “Callie, can you and Smith bag that body?”

“On it,” Callie replied.

Sprouse was cowering in the alcove behind the mummy.

“What about him?” Lachlan asked.

“We’ll take him with us,” Jonah replied. “Perhaps hand him over to the Egyptian authorities. Tell them that he was looting.”

Lachlan gave the man a flat stare. Sprouse whimpered.

“Egyptian prisons aren’t nice places,” Lachlan drawled.

Sprouse’s chin dropped to his chest.

As the team collected the shards of the Hall of Records orb, Jonah slid an arm around Evan. He lifted her bandaged palms and kissed them gently.

“We’ll have a lot of details to sort out once we get back. I’ll contact the CIA and inform them about Brennan. Get your name cleared.”

She nodded.

“You’ll have your justice, Evan.”

She smiled. “The funny thing is that I’m not sure I care that much anymore. I mean, I’ll be glad not to be called a criminal.” She rested her palms against his chest. “I think I might want a fresh start. To explore other opportunities.”

She saw something flare in his eyes. “Sounds like a good plan. Why don’t you visit Las Vegas, while you assess your options?”

“I might do that. There are so many casinos. Can you recommend a good one for me to stay at?”

He rested his hands over hers gently. “Actually, I know a place. Penthouse apartment with great views. Snobby cat as well. The landlord would let you stay free of charge.”

She nipped his lip. “Sounds like a good deal.”

“Now,” Declan said. “I’m not going to say ‘let’s get out of here’ because every time I do, something bad happens. So, I’m just going to leave.”

Evan and Jonah smiled.

“Let’s go,” Jonah said.

The group climbed up the shaft. Smith carried Brennan’s body, while Callie and Blair bullied Sprouse to climb. They moved past where Team 52 had blown through the rubble Sprouse had used to block the access.

As they crept out of the Valley Temple, the desert air was fresh, ruffling Evan’s hair. To the east, the sun was starting to rise.

Nearby, the Sphinx stared at the morning sun—mysterious and all-knowing—with the majestic pyramids behind it.

Her chest filled, her skin tingled. All a tribute to the ingenuity and dedication of long-gone human civilizations. A symbol of all that humans could achieve when they weren’t trying to destroy and tear down.

Jonah kissed her hair. “Time to go.”

JONAH WOKE to the familiar hum of plane engines. He was reclined back in a seat on the X8. He glanced at his watch. Damn, he’d slept most of the flight home. There was a hushed quiet in the aircraft. All the team was resting or sleeping.

Evan was asleep beside him, her head resting on his shoulder.

His heart squeezed. She was so beautiful. They’d showered and changed before the flight home, and she’d tamed her hair into a braid. Her long lashes rested against her cheeks.

He knew her well enough now to know that her sleeping on him like this signified how much she trusted him.

His. His to love, cherish, spoil. They’d laugh together, fight together. She’d make him angry sometimes, and the rest of the time she’d make him laugh.

Jonah hadn’t done a lot of laughing for a long time.

He knew she was still skittish about them being together. He’d need to spend time convincing her that they could make a beautiful life together.

But what if she decided she missed her work at the CIA? She was a brilliant agent. He’d seen her work and watched her fight. He knew she was good.

No. He’d offer her so much more so that she wouldn’t ever want to leave.

Her eyelashes fluttered and her eyes opened. A lazy smile curved her lips. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

She straightened and cupped his jaw, then she pressed her lips to his. “Why so serious, Director?”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

Her face softened. “I’m right here. With no plans to go anywhere else. I’m right where I want to be, Jonah.”

He slid his hand up and caught her braid. “And when you miss your work at the CIA?”

She snorted. “I don’t want to work for an organization that tossed me out at the first sign of trouble. Nor do I want to work alongside people who didn’t trust me. Hell, some probably tried to take me out on Brennan’s orders.” She shook her head. “I…can’t go back. I have no interest in it.”

“So perhaps you’d consider working for a black ops team that collects dangerous artifacts?”

She smiled. “Perhaps. I want to take some time to evaluate my options.” She nibbled his lips. “Especially since I’m very happily sleeping with the director of said black ops team.”

“Hmm.”

“And I plan to do a lot more of that, very soon.”

The teasing kiss turned serious and he pulled her closer. Then she climbed into his lap. She moaned quietly as they devoured each other.

“Really happy the boss is finally getting laid,” a male voice drawled. “But I don’t need to see it with my own eyes.”

They broke the kiss and Evan looked up. Axel grinned at them.

Jonah shook his head, and Evan threw her head back and laughed.

The rest of the team stirred. When Jonah glanced out the window, he saw desert below. They’d be home soon.

Axel and Callie passed out some food. A sleepy-eyed Layne appeared, Declan behind her. His bullet graze was bandaged.

“I think once we’re home, I’m going to sleep for three months,” Layne said.

“Thank you. Both of you.” Jonah said. “Without your help, we would never have found the Hall of Records. And we definitely wouldn’t have made it out of that chamber alive.”

The couple smiled.

“So, you’ll study the remnants of the Hall of Records?” Layne asked.

“Yes, our scientist, Ty, and Nat will try to piece it back together.”

Evan leaned back in her seat. “Still not sorry I smashed it.”

Jonah tugged on her braid. “We’ll see if we can recover any data, although part of me wonders if it’s better this way. If the secrets of the Shemsu-Hor should stay secret.”

Layne nodded. “Some lessons we have to learn for ourselves. Live them, breathe them, make the mistakes, revel in our own successes.”

Jonah met Evan’s gaze. “That’s true.”

She leaned past him. “Look.”

Outside the window, sunlight was glinting off Las Vegas in the distance. Soon, the glitz of the Strip became visible.

Dec shuddered. “I can’t wait to get back to Denver.”

“If you ever need our help,” Jonah said, “you just have to call.”

The men shook hands.

“Same goes, Jonah.”

“We’ll be landing soon,” Seth called back from the cockpit. “Blair’s fighting for an early landing spot with air traffic control. Someone’s eager to see her police detective.”

A loud snort came from the cockpit. “You mean someone’s keen to see his pregnant wife.”

“Hell, yeah,” Seth said.

“I’m going to call and check on Arlo.” Jonah pulled out his sat phone.

He put it on speaker. The call rang and rang. He frowned, then finally, Raquel answered.

“Hello?”

Evan leaned forward. “Mom, it’s Evan and Jonah.”

“Oh, you guys are back?”

“We’re landing soon,” Evan said.

“You’re okay?” Raquel’s voice was breathless.

“Yes.” Evan raised a brow. “Why are you out of breath?”

“Had to run for the phone. Arlo was released from the hospital, so I’m playing nursemaid at his place. Keeping the old coot in bed is proving tough.”

Jonah smiled. He was damn glad the man was home. “That sounds like Arlo.”

“Yes, well, he’s learning to appreciate redheaded determination.”

“Oh, God,” Evan muttered. “They’ll kill each other.”

“He’s recovering well. That hunk of deliciousness, Ty, stopped by.” Raquel made a humming sound.

“Mom, focus,” Evan said.

“Right. Ty had some gel to use on Arlo’s wounds. The rate of healing is amazing.”

“Tell Arlo hi from us,” Jonah said. “After we’ve cleaned up and rested, we’ll come around to see him.”

“You guys must be exhausted. I remember post-mission adrenaline crashes very well. Come around tomorrow. Arlo needs his rest, too.”

“Raquel, thanks for looking after him.”

“Oh, it’s been my pleasure. Thanks for looking after my girl.”

Jonah looked at Evan and love swelled inside him. “She can look after herself, but I’ll try to always have her back.”

Evan smiled. “I love you.”

Over the phone line, Raquel gasped. “I knew it! I knew from the instant I saw that man that he was yours.”

“Well, you were right, Mom. See you tomorrow.”

“Love you, baby girl.”

Jonah pulled Evan in for a kiss as the X8 flew in over Las Vegas.

“Well, I think you’ve got my mother’s stamp of approval,” she said.

Jonah hugged her. “And I think you’d have my mother’s as well.”

Evan tilted her head up. “Really?”

“She would have admired your confidence and independence. And she would have approved of how much you love me.”

Evan shot him a sexy grin, and lowered her voice. “When we get home, I’ll show you just how much I love you.”

“I’m one hundred percent behind that idea, Agent Fletcher.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Evan woke and, for a second, was a little disoriented. She glanced out the window and saw that night was falling and the lights of Vegas were taking over.

They’d slept all afternoon. After they’d landed in Las Vegas, they’d said goodbye to the others, and headed for Jonah’s penthouse. After a quick shower, he’d made several calls while she’d puttered around his place, then they’d fallen straight into a deep sleep. She’d spent the afternoon curled around Jonah, and right now, all she wore was one of his T-shirts.

She stretched out on Jonah’s big bed. There was no sign of him.

She turned her head and jolted. Kowi was sitting on the bed, staring at her with judgmental eyes. Like she was in his spot and totally screwing up his life.

“We’re going to have to become friends, dude,” she said. “I’m planning to stick around.”

The black cat blinked at her, then rose, swiveled and aimed his butt her way before jumping off the bed.

Evan grinned. She liked him.

She flopped back on the pillows. There was no worry, no spurt of adrenaline, no desperate need to get out of there and stop Brennan.

Brennan was dead.

The remnants of the Hall of Records were locked away at the Bunker, and would be headed to Area 52. She was alive and breathing, and so was Jonah.

Those moments where she’d almost lost him tore into her mind. Her belly clenched.

It would take a long time for those memories to fade.

He was fine. And she was going to spend a long time appreciating that fact.

The bedroom door opened and Jonah strode in, wearing only a pair of tight, navy-blue boxer briefs. He held a tray.

Every cell in Evan’s body flared to life. Instant desire ignited in her belly. She rolled onto her side, propping a hand under her head.

He smiled, his teeth white against his bronze skin. “You’re awake. I took a chance and figured that you’d be hungry.” He set the tray down on the bedside table.

She watched the muscles in his back flex. All that gorgeous, bronze skin, and that lean, muscular body.

“Oh, I’m definitely hungry,” she drawled.

He turned and raised a brow. His own gaze traveled over her, sprawled in the center of his bed.

“You are so damn beautiful, Evan.”

Warmth bloomed. She’d always known she was attractive, and it had been a tool she’d used in her work numerous times.

But the way Jonah said it made her feel beautiful.

He moved closer to the bed. “I’m very, very happy the mission is over, and very happy we’re both alive and healthy.”

“Me too.”

“Take off the shirt, Evan.” His voice was commanding. His director voice.

She quickly pulled the shirt off. She watched flames spark in his eyes.

“You are so sexy.” He pressed a knee to the bed. “And also smart, strong, ridiculously capable.”

“Jonah…” He was making her heart melt.

He nudged her legs apart, taking his time to kiss her ankle, calf, behind her knee, her inner thighs. God, the man liked to take his time.

She writhed, and cupped her breasts with her own hands.

“Yes.” His breath was hot on her skin. “Touch those beautiful breasts.” He looked up her body. “I know you’re tough, that you don’t need me, but I’ll make you want me.”

“I need you, Jonah. Here.” She pressed her palm flat over her heart. “More than you’ll ever know.”

“I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.” He lowered his head and licked between her legs.

With a cry, Evan bucked her hips up.

“I’ve never let anyone in the way I’ve let you in,” he said against her skin.

“Jonah.”

His mouth pressed to her core, and he licked and sucked, and soon she was a mindless mess of need.

It didn’t take long and she came, crying out his name.

He quickly shucked off his boxers and moved up her body. He lowered his head to her breasts, sucking one nipple into his mouth.

“Oh.” She felt his touch everywhere. Her skin was over sensitized, pleasure drenching her. Jonah ignited a need that never seemed to go away.

She shoved her hands into his hair, holding him against her. His teeth nipped her taut nipple, then moved to the other breast. He sucked on that peak as well.

Evan needed more. Needed him. She slid her hand between their bodies and pumped his cock.

She was rewarded with a deep groan.

“I need to fuck you, Evan.”

The raw words, the harsh tone, they set her belly alive. Need was stamped on his handsome face.

“I need you to take me,” he said. “All of me.”

Blood roared through her ears. “Do it.”

He reared back, and flipped her over on her hands and knees. “Look at you.” His voice was a growl. His hand stroked over her ass, between her cheeks. Then he plunged two fingers into her.

Evan moaned and rocked against his hand.

“So wet. I want to slide in. I want to hear every sweet sound you make as you take me.”

“God, yes.” She couldn’t think, could only want.

He shifted behind her. “I don’t want to use a condom. I’m clean. Is that okay?”

She didn’t want any barriers between them, either. “I’m clean too, and protected.” It was a requirement for her work.

He made a hungry sound and the head of his cock nudged her.

Yes. Her hands twisted in the sheets. With one heavy thrust, he filled her.

Evan screamed. He was deep, and her body stretched to accommodate him. Then he started thrusting. They rocked together, flesh slapping against flesh as his hips hammered against her.

One of his hands slid underneath her, strumming her swollen clit.

Evan’s cries filled the room. So good. So perfect.

Her orgasm smashed into her. She tossed her head back against his shoulder. “Jonah!”

He plunged into her once, twice, then groaned as his climax hit. She felt him spill inside her, and her own pleasure hit a second peak.

Finally, they collapsed, both shaking and breathing heavily.

“Hell.” He kissed the back of her neck, shifting part of his weight off her.

She smiled. “Actually, I was thinking heaven.”

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “I think you’re right.”

THE NEXT MORNING, Jonah finished putting on his watch. He walked into the living area, going through his To Do list for the day.

Team 52 had a few, well-deserved days off.

And for the first time in a very long time, so did Jonah.

He and Evan had managed to watch a movie the evening before, and then they’d made love several more times during the night. They’d christened his shower, tub, the hallway floor, and his couch a couple of times.

Evan was sitting at his kitchen island, drinking coffee. She was dressed like him, in jeans, with her red hair pulled into a ponytail.

Jonah’s heart stuttered. He loved seeing her in his space.

Looking at him, she arched a brow over the rim of her mug. “You just going to stare at me?”

“Yes.” He strode to her. He tugged her head back and dropped a kiss to her mouth. “I could stare at you all day.”

Color bloomed in her cheeks. “You look good in casual, Grayson. Those jeans—” She kissed her fingertips.

He touched her nose. “Okay, let’s head over to Arlo’s. I want to see how he’s doing, and make sure he and your mother haven’t murdered each other.”

“Sorry, if my mother did him in, you’ll never find the body.”

They headed down to the parking garage and were almost at his Jaguar when his cell phone rang.

“Jonah Grayson.”

“Director Grayson, my name is Miranda Kauffman. We haven’t had the pleasure.”

“Director Kauffman.” Jonah’s good mood plummeted. Kauffman was the Director of the CIA. “You received my report.”

“Yes. Thank you for taking care of our problem. We were dismayed to learn of Brennan’s actions and the extent of his deception.”

“My team, along with Agent Fletcher, dealt with it.”

Evan stilled and watched him.

“I was told you might be able to help me get in touch with Agent Fletcher,” the woman asked.

Jonah dragged in a breath. “Yes. She’s right here.” He held up the phone. “It’s for you.”

Muscles rigid, he watched her talk into the phone. He saw her eyebrows shoot up. “Director Kauffman. Yes. Thank you.”

She wandered away and Jonah watched her. The CIA could offer her more of the job she’d loved for so long. It was in her blood.

Jonah leaned against the Jag and waited.

Finally, she ended the call and walked back to him.

She got close and slid the phone into the pocket of his jeans, then went up on her toes and kissed him.

“I’m not going back to the CIA.”

He blew out a breath. “I know you want to consider your options—”

“The only thing I know I want, Jonah, is you.”

He yanked her to his chest.

“I want to consider my job options, but I’m not in a rush.”

He knew she thrived on challenge. She wouldn’t stay idle for long. “Join Team 52.”

She lifted her head. “You can’t be my boss. You’d have to send me out on dangerous missions, and what about when I bend the rules?” She grinned. “It’s been known to happen. I don’t want to muddy our relationship like that. Team 52 needs your steady, guiding hand. Right now, all I know for sure, is that I want you.”

“Move in with me?”

She grinned again. “I do like your pad. And your TV. And your bed.”

He kissed her.

“Your cat doesn’t like me, though.”

“He doesn’t like anybody.”

“Okay, I’ll move in.” She rubbed her nose against his. “Come on. Let’s go check on your grumpy friend.”

They drove to Huntridge and pulled up in front of a neat, older house. In defiance of Las Vegas’ love of xeriscaping and saving water, Arlo had a patch of green grass that he kept cut, watered, and weeded with military precision.

Holding hands, Evan and Jonah walked up the path. Jonah knocked on the door.

They waited. No answer.

He knocked again.

Jonah tensed.

Evan frowned. “You think one of Brennan’s team is still in play?”

“Maybe.” Jonah ran his hand along the front of the house, stopped in a certain spot on the siding and pressed. A small compartment opened, a key nestled inside.

“Of course, Arlo wouldn’t keep his spare key under a pot or mat,” Evan muttered, as she pulled a SIG from the back of her jeans.

Jonah eyed the handgun. “Where did you get that from?”

“A girl never goes anywhere without a good weapon.”

Or at least, his girl didn’t. He opened the door and stealthily they moved inside. There were no signs of a disturbance or a fight. Arlo’s living room was neat and tidy.

Evan pointed to the hall and they moved silently.

Then Jonah heard a sound. A grunt and a thud from behind the closed bedroom door.

He nodded, then pushed the door open. Evan raced through, gun up. Jonah hurried in behind her.

“What the hell?” Arlo growled.

There was a flurry of movement on the bed.

“Evan!” Raquel cried.

Evan blinked. “Mom?”

Jonah stared. Arlo was busy hiding Raquel and her cloud of mussed red hair under the sheet.

Arlo sat up, his bare, barrel chest covered in a smattering of gray hair and white bandages. “Why the hell didn’t you knock?”

Jonah fought to hide a smile and failed. “We did. Twice.”

Raquel’s head popped up. “Evan, you can’t just run into people’s houses with a gun.”

Evan’s mother had flushed cheeks and swollen lips.

“Mom!” Evan screeched. “You were supposed to nurse Arlo as he recovered, not sleep with him.”

Raquel sniffed. “He’s recovered.” The woman winked. “I can totally vouch for that.”

“Quiet, woman.” Whatever Arlo did under the sheet made Raquel squeal and swat his shoulder.

The older man smiled at her, clearly besotted.

Jonah didn’t know what to think. Arlo didn’t smile much, nor had he had a woman in his life for…well, for as long as Jonah had known him. Arlo had never married, and Jonah had assumed the crusty man was married to his work.

However, he was clearly enjoying Raquel’s company.

But what was this for Raquel?

“Mom, I can’t believe you,” Evan continued.

“What? You get to gallivant around having hot sex with a hot guy, but I can’t?”

Evan groaned.

“Arlo, I take it you’re feeling better?” Jonah asked dryly.

“Never better.” Arlo slid an arm around Raquel and she snuggled into him. “You find the artifact?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I want it. I’ll ensure it gets locked away safely.”

Evan looked at the wall.

“Well,” Jonah said. “Evan smashed it.”

“What?” Arlo growled.

Evan flung out an arm. “To save his life.”

Arlo pinned her with a hard stare, and her cheeks flushed. Then she went on the attack.

“So, what are your intentions where my mother is concerned?”

“Well…” Arlo drawled.

“Actually.” Raquel held up a hand. “We got married yesterday!”

There was a big ring on her finger.

“Oh. My. God.” Evan’s face was covered in blank shock.

Jonah smiled at Arlo. The man smiled back. “You find a good one, Grayson, you keep her happy and close.”

“I hear you, Arlo,” Jonah replied. He put an arm around Evan and tugged her to his side.

“Oh, my God,” she said again.

“Evan, come and give your mama a kiss. Then I’m planning to kiss your man.” Raquel winked.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Five months later

Evan sipped her beer and turned. They were at Griffin’s Sports Bar, Team 52’s favorite hangout.

Blair and Luke were playing pool. Seeing the tough woman smile and laugh at her man was a little like looking in the mirror. Evan smiled over her glass. She’d smiled and laughed more with Jonah these last few months than she had in years.

Axel was teasing a skirt-clad Nat. The woman’s cheeks were pink, so Evan guessed the man was being naughty.

Smith sat on a stool, with pretty, smiling Kinsey in his lap. Opposites attracted there, but the way the man watched the blonde left no doubt that his world started and ended with his woman.

Ty was beside them, with his arm around River. They made a striking couple. River said something that pulled a smile from the grumpy, handsome scientist. The couple were talking with Lachlan, and his fiancée, Rowan. The redhead looked at Lachlan like she’d won the lottery. Evan watched Lachlan’s gaze soften, then he dropped a quick kiss to his woman’s mouth. Evan and Jonah had just received an invitation to the couple’s wedding.

Evan took another sip of her beer. All these tough operators, so clearly in love and making it work. It gave her hope.

Not that she needed it.

She turned to find her own man. He wore suit pants and a white shirt, but he’d ditched the jacket. He was talking with Brooks and Callie. The tattooed tech man had both muscular arms wrapped around the medic.

God, Jonah was gorgeous. Evan couldn’t believe he was hers.

She never, ever got tired of her own personal suit porn. Watching the man dress, put in cufflinks, button a shirt, or better yet, unbutton a shirt, never failed to turn her on.

A full-throated, feminine laugh made Evan stiffen. She turned to watch her mom, with Arlo’s brawny arm wrapped around her, head Evan’s way.

She took another hasty sip of beer. “I’m not talking to you.”

“Come on, baby girl. I’m home now.”

Evan looked into her mother’s face. She was glowing. Only a few weeks after their whirlwind Las Vegas wedding, Raquel and Arlo had rented a yacht and headed off to sail the Pacific. They’d only been back a few days.

Evan released a breath and speared Arlo with a look. “If you hurt her, I’ll hurt you.”

The older man’s lips twitched. “I like her, Raquel.”

“She’s a chip off the old block,” Raquel said proudly.

“I don’t plan to hurt your mother, Evan,” Arlo said. “I’m in love with her.”

Evan wanted to argue that it was way too quick, but since she was head over heels in love with Jonah, she’d just look like a hypocrite.

“I’ve never been in love before,” Arlo said. “So this took me by surprise.” He stared into Raquel’s eyes. “I’ll probably screw up sometimes, but I’ll continue to do everything I can to make her happy.”

Evan watched her tough, battle-hardened mother melt.

Evan sighed. “I can see you love her, but she’s my mom. And you whisked her away from me for months.”

“Well, we’re home now,” Arlo said. “And you and I can keep her out of trouble together, since you both call Las Vegas home now.”

Evan snorted. “Keeping her out of trouble is impossible.”

But she watched the way her mother leaned into Arlo’s stocky body. Damn, the way they looked at each other made it clear that they were happy.

“Okay, Arlo, you have my blessing.” Evan paused. “Do we need to hug or something?”

He scowled. “I don’t hug.”

“Except with me.” Raquel winked.

Evan hugged her mom. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, doll. You be happy, too. That man of yours looks up to the task.”

Arlo met her gaze. “And you take care of Jonah. The man needs some color in his life.”

“Stop hovering,” a voice snapped.

Seth ushered his pregnant wife into the group.

Wow, January was really pregnant. Evan eyed her swollen belly with horrified interest.

“Should you be out, January?” Callie asked.

“I’m pregnant, not recovering from a hip replacement.” The archeologist tossed her head back, one hand on her belly. “I still have a few weeks until my due date.”

“She’s tired, and aches all over,” Seth said.

“Because our daughter is compressing all my organs.”

Seth winced. Evan winced as well.

“Which is normal.” Callie pulled out a chair. “Sit.”

Jonah appeared beside Evan, sliding an arm around her waist.

“You know, I read the dossiers on your team members,” she said. “Their military careers were ended by injuries and bad situations. Things could have turned out very different for all of them. You gave them purpose, a second chance, and now all of them have gone on to find love.”

He hugged her tighter. “Watching them all take a chance and risk their hearts, helped me risk mine.”

She leaned into him and nipped his jaw. “I’ll protect it fiercely, Jonah. I promise it’s safe with me.”

He kissed her.

“Nice, boss-man,” Brooks called out, then whistled.

Evan and Jonah pulled apart, smiling.

“Axel, what are you doing?”

They spun. Axel was down on one knee beside a shocked Nat.

“Natalie, I love you. I have for a long time, although it took me a while to figure that out.”

“Because of your hard head,” Seth called out.

“That monster kidnapping Nat helped sort you out,” Blair added.

Axel shot them a look, then focused back on Nat.

“I love you. You make me laugh, you inspire me to be a better man. You’re beautiful, kind, smart, and you wear the hell out of your sexy librarian skirts.” He flashed her a sexy grin. That got a few chuckles from the team.

“I want to love and protect you for the rest of our lives.” He held up a small open box with a ring nestled inside. “I never imagined asking a woman to marry me, but you changed everything. So, Natalie Blackwell, would you be mine forever, one day have our babies, and let me love you until we’re old and gray?”

Tears glistened in the woman’s dark eyes, a huge smile on her pretty face. “Yes, Axel Diaz. I’ll marry you.”

With a whoop, Axel slid the ring on her finger. Then he rose and scooped her off the stool and kissed the hell out of her.

The bar erupted in cheers.

Evan leaned into Jonah and smiled.

JONAH NODDED AT LACHLAN. “I had a call from the Egyptian authorities today. They’ve finally sealed off the Hall of Records chamber.”

“Good.” Lachlan sipped his beer. “Stop some other assholes from breaking in there looking for trouble.”

“There will be more artifacts, more assholes, and more trouble,” Jonah said.

“Yeah,” Lachlan agreed. “And Team 52 will always be there, ready to stop them.” He took another sip of beer. “That said, I have a week off, so don’t call me if trouble hits this week.” His hot gaze rested on Rowan. “Rowan has some time off from the university too.”

“For wedding planning?”

The former Marine smiled. “It’s pretty much done. I was in charge of the honeymoon.”

“Canada?” Jonah asked with a smile.

Lachlan snorted. “Hell, no. Somewhere with sun, sand, and bikinis for my soon-to-be wife.”

“Axel and Nat will be busy with wedding planning next.”

The newly engaged couple were nuzzling each other at the bar.

“So,” Lachlan drawled, “you going to take the plunge with your dangerous redhead?”

Evan was laughing with Blair and River. A man approached the trio, a wide, friendly smile on his face and an interested look in his eyes.

Jonah’s gaze narrowed.

The man said something. Evan responded and winked at him.

The man’s smile dissolved, and he hightailed it away. The women laughed.

“When we’re ready,” Jonah said. “I need to warm Evan up to the idea.” His plan was to get firmly entrenched in her life, then discuss marriage. They’d been happily living together, falling into a rhythm as a couple. He loved it.

He saw she was now talking with Luke MacKade. Her boss.

When Evan had first told Jonah that she was going to join the LVMPD, he’d been shocked. He remembered the conversation at his kitchen island, just a few weeks after the Egypt mission, as clear as if it had happened yesterday.

“So, I’ve decided what I want to do for work.”

Jonah looked up, his heart skipping a beat. “Oh?”

“I spoke with Luke about opportunities at LVMPD.”

Jonah raised his eyebrows. “You? A cop?”

She grinned. “Detective Fletcher. It has a nice ring to it.”

“Police work would bore you to tears.”

“Not homicide, or gang crime. And they could use some help liaising with a certain black ops team that leaves big messes for MacKade to clean up.”

Hmm. As Jonah had turned it over in his head, the more he could see it. “As long as you sleep in my bed every night, I don’t care what you do.”

Coming back to the present, he sipped his wine. He and Director Kauffman had pulled a few strings. Evan had entered a specialized training program at the LVMPD to get up to speed on local police work, but they took into account her experience with the CIA. She was now Officer Evan Fletcher, assigned to MacKade’s team, and on a fast track to getting her detective badge.

A part of Jonah was still disappointed not to have someone with her skills on Team 52, but she’d told him that he was more important to her. That their relationship came first, and she wouldn’t jeopardize it by working together.

Jonah focused back on Lachlan. “So what have you got planned for your week off?”

“I might rent a suite at a casino for a few days,” Lachlan mused. “Convince Rowan to wear a sexy dress, and hit the gaming tables.”

Jonah ran his tongue along his teeth. “If it’s the Aurora Casino, keep Rowan away from the roof terrace.”

That earned him a flat stare from Lachlan. The mission that had brought the pair together had involved them taking a tumble off the glass roof of the Aurora, into the casino pool.

“Oh, my God!”

January’s exclamation made Jonah swivel.

The woman was standing, cradling her belly, a puddle beneath her on the floor.

The normally cool Seth was staring at her, white faced.

“My water broke.”

“What?” Seth blinked and looked like he’d prefer to face down an armed gang of terrorists. “But we have three weeks left.”

“Tell that to our baby, 007.”

“Stay calm,” Callie said.

“Babies take a while to come, right?” Seth rubbed January’s back. “We have loads of time.”

“Ow.” January doubled over.

“Breathe,” Callie said.

“My God, it hurts,” January hissed.

“Callie, do something,” Seth said.

January groaned, then lifted her hand. It was smeared with blood.

Jonah realized that the fluid under January wasn’t just whatever the hell a baby floated in. She was bleeding.

Seth went sheet-white.

“We need to get her to the hospital,” Callie said. “Now.”

“I’ll drive,” MacKade said.

There was a flurry of activity as the entire team prepared to head to the Desert Springs Hospital. Blair attempted to keep a panicked Seth calm, while Callie helped January. Once they were safely loaded into MacKade’s SUV, Jonah led Evan to his Jag.

“Well, this isn’t how we envisioned tonight going,” she said.

Jonah merged into traffic, his hands tight on the wheel.

“Hey.” She touched his arm. “It’ll be fine. The baby will be fine. They do this kind of thing all the time.”

“You have lots of experience with childbirth and babies?”

She shuddered. “No.”

He was quiet for second. “You want one?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “A baby?” Her voice rose to a squeak.

“Yes, a baby. One we’d make together.”

Her cheeks turned white.

Jonah fought a smile. “After we get married, of course.”

Her eyes widened more.

He squeezed her hand. “I’m not talking today, or tomorrow, or even next week.”

She released a long breath. “Right.” A pause. “Yeah, I want one. If it’s ours.”

He smiled.

At the hospital, Team 52 and their partners filled the waiting room. Seth and January had been whisked away by the hospital staff.

Raquel sorted out coffees for everyone. Jonah was worried about Seth. The man had been through a lot. January had helped him fight some of those demons, but if something went wrong with her or the baby…

“Here.” Evan pushed a takeout coffee cup into Jonah’s hand. “Have some really mediocre brown water.”

He sipped and grimaced. She wasn’t joking.

Everyone was tense. Lachlan was pacing, Blair looked like she wanted to hit someone.

A man dressed as Elvis poked his head into the room, looked around, then backed out. Only in Vegas.

A door opened. Seth, looking dapper in blue scrubs, appeared. The man had a wide smile on his face and a blanket-wrapped bundle in his arms.

Relief shot through Jonah.

The bundle let out a loud, angry cry.

“January’s fine. Amazing.” Seth beamed. “And so is my daughter.”

Everyone mobbed him, and the baby continued to wail.

“Nothing wrong with her lungs,” Blair noted.

“What’s her name?” Kinsey asked.

“No idea. January and I have been arguing over names for weeks.” Seth smiled down at his daughter. “We’ll work it out.”

“Congratulations, Daddy,” Jonah said.

Seth blinked. “I’m a daddy.”

Jonah lifted his coffee cup. “Here’s to the next generation of Team 52.”

Cheers and whistles filled the room.

With Evan tucked under his arm, Jonah watched his team members and the people they loved ooh and aah over the new baby.

These men and women would risk their lives to protect their country, the innocent, the world. And they’d risk everything for the people they loved.

“I love you, Jonah Grayson,” Evan murmured.

He pressed his mouth to hers, holding the woman he loved close. “I love you, too.”

I hope you enjoyed Evan and Jonah’s story!

I have absolutely loved writing the high-octane adventures of Team 52. It’s allowed me to mix in my love of ancient history, and spend time with these amazing, tough characters. The series might be over, but I have no doubt, Team 52 will continue to keep the world safe.

For more action-packed romance, and maybe a few cameos from Team 52, take a look at the Norcross Security series starring Vander Norcross and his team. Read on for a preview of The Investigator.

Don’t miss out! For updates about new releases, free books, and other fun stuff, sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances.

Visit here to get started: www.annahackett.com

PREVIEW: THE INVESTIGATOR

There was a glass of chardonnay with her name on it waiting for her at home.

Haven McKinney smiled. The museum was closed, and she was done for the day.

As she walked across the East gallery of the Hutton Museum, her heels clicked on the marble floor.

God, she loved the place. The creamy marble that made up the flooring and wrapped around the grand pillars was gorgeous. It had that hushed air of grandeur that made her heart squeeze a little every time she stepped inside. But more than that, the amazing art the Hutton housed sang to the art lover in her blood.

Snagging a job here as the curator six months ago had been a dream come true. She’d been at a low point in her life. Very low. Haven swallowed a snort and circled a stunning white-marble sculpture of a naked, reclining woman with the most perfect resting bitch face. She’d never guessed that her life would come crashing down at age twenty-nine.

She lifted her chin. Miami was her past. The Hutton and San Francisco were her future. No more throwing caution to the wind. She had a plan, and she was sticking to it.

She paused in front of a stunning exhibit of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy. It was one of their newer exhibits, and had been Haven’s brainchild. Nearby, an interactive display was partially assembled. Over the next few days, her staff would finish the installation. Excitement zipped through Haven. She couldn’t wait to have the touchscreens operational. It was her passion to make art more accessible, especially to children. To help them be a part of it, not just look at it. To learn, to feel, to enjoy.

Art had helped her through some of the toughest times in her life, and she wanted to share that with others.

She looked at the gorgeous old paintings again. One portrayed a mountainous landscape with beautiful maple trees. It soothed her nerves.

Wine would soothe her nerves, as well. Right. She needed to get upstairs to her office and grab her handbag, then get an Uber home.

Her cell phone rang and she unclipped it from the lanyard she wore at the museum. “Hello?”

“Change of plans, girlfriend,” a smoky female voice said. “Let’s go out and celebrate being gorgeous, successful, and single. I’m done at the office, and believe me, it has been a grueling day.”

Haven smiled at her new best friend. She’d met Gia Norcross when she joined the Hutton. Gia’s wealthy brother, Easton Norcross, owned the museum, and was Haven’s boss. The museum was just a small asset in the businessman’s empire. Haven suspected Easton owned at least a third of San Francisco. Maybe half.

She liked and respected her boss. Easton could be tough, but he valued her opinions. And she loved his bossy, take-charge, energetic sister. Gia ran a highly successful PR firm in the city, and did all the PR and advertising for the Hutton. They’d met not long after Haven had started work at the museum.

After their first meeting, Gia had dragged Haven out to her favorite restaurant and bar, and the rest was history.

“I guess making people’s Instagram look pretty and not staged is hard work,” Haven said with a grin.

“Bitch.” Gia laughed. “God, I had a meeting with a businessman caught in…well, let’s just say he and his assistant were not taking notes on the boardroom table.”

Haven felt an old, unwelcome memory rise up. She mentally stomped it down. “I don’t feel sorry for the cheating asshole, I feel sorry for whatever poor shmuck got more than they were paid for when they walked into the boardroom.”

“Actually, it was the cheating businessman’s wife.”

“Uh-oh.”

“And the assistant was male,” Gia added.

“Double uh-oh.”

“Then said cheater comes to my PR firm, telling me to clean up his mess, because he’s thinking he might run for governor one day. I mean, I’m good, but I can’t wrangle miracles.”

Haven suspected that Gia had verbally eviscerated the man and sent him on his way. Gia Norcross had a sharp tongue, and wasn’t afraid to use it.

“So, grueling day and I need alcohol. I’ll meet you at ONE65, and the first drink is on me.”

“I’m pretty wiped, Gia—”

“Uh-uh, no excuses. I’ll see you in an hour.” And with that, Gia was gone.

Haven clipped her phone to her lanyard. Well, it looked like she was having that chardonnay at ONE65, the six-story, French dining experience Gia loved. Each level offered something different, from patisserie, to bistro and grill, to bar and lounge.

Haven walked into the museum’s main gallery, and her blood pressure dropped to a more normal level. It was her favorite space in the museum. The smell of wood, the gorgeous lights gleaming overhead, and the amazing paintings combined to create a soothing room. She smoothed her hands down her fitted, black skirt. Haven was tall, at five foot eight, and curvy, just like her mom had been. Her boobs, currently covered by a cute, white blouse with a tie around her neck, weren’t much to write home about, but she had to buy her skirts one size bigger. She sighed. No matter how much she walked or jogged—blergh, okay, she didn’t jog much—she still had an ass.

Even in her last couple of months in Miami, when stress had caused her to lose a bunch of weight due to everything going on, her ass hadn’t budged.

Memories of Miami—and her douchebag-of-epic-proportions-ex—threatened, churning like storm clouds on the horizon.

Nope. She locked those thoughts down. She was not going there.

She had a plan, and the number one thing for taking back and rebuilding her life was no men. She’d sworn off anyone with a Y chromosome.

She didn’t need one, didn’t want one, she was D-O-N-E, done.

She stopped in front of the museum’s star attraction. Claude Monet’s Water Lilies.

Haven loved the impressionist’s work. She loved the colors, the delicate strokes. This one depicted water lilies and lily pads floating on a gentle pond. His paintings always made an impact, and had a haunting, yet soothing feel to them.

It was also worth just over a hundred million dollars.

The price tag still made her heart flutter. She’d put a business case to Easton, and they’d purchased the painting three weeks ago at auction. Haven had planned out the display down to the rivets used on the wood. She’d thrown herself into the project.

Gia had put together a killer marketing campaign, and Haven had reluctantly been interviewed by the local paper. But it had paid off. Ticket sales to the museum were up, and everyone wanted to see Water Lilies.

Footsteps echoed through the empty museum, and she turned to see a uniformed security guard appear in the doorway.

“Ms. McKinney?”

“Yes, David? I was just getting ready to leave.”

“Sorry to delay you. There’s a delivery truck at the back entrance. They say they have a delivery of a Zadkine bronze.”

Haven frowned, running through the next day’s schedule in her head. “That’s due tomorrow.”

“It sounds like they had some other deliveries nearby and thought they’d squeeze it in.”

She glanced at her slim, silver wristwatch, fighting back annoyance. She’d had a long day, and now she’d be late to meet Gia. “Fine. Have them bring it in.”

With a nod, David disappeared. Haven pulled out her phone and quickly fired off a text to warn Gia that she’d be late. Then Haven headed up to her office, and checked her notes for tomorrow. She had several calls to make to chase down some pieces for a new exhibit she wanted to launch in the winter. There were some restoration quotes to go over, and a charity gala for her art charity to plan. She needed to get down into the storage rooms and see if there was anything they could cycle out and put on display.

God, she loved her job. Not many people would get excited about digging around in dusty storage rooms, but Haven couldn’t wait.

She made sure her laptop was off and grabbed her handbag. She slipped her lanyard off and stuffed her phone in her bag.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard a strange noise from the gallery. A muffled pop, then a thump.

Frowning, she took one step toward the gallery.

Suddenly, David staggered through the doorway, a splotch of red on his shirt.

Haven’s pulse spiked. Oh God, was that blood? “David—”

“Run.” He collapsed to the floor.

Fear choking her, she kicked off her heels and spun. She had to get help.

But she’d only taken two steps when a hand sank into her hair, pulling her neat twist loose, and sending her brown hair cascading over her shoulders.

“Let me go!”

She was dragged into the main gallery, and when she lifted her head, her gut churned.

Five men dressed in black, all wearing balaclavas, stood in a small group.

No…oh, no.

Their other guard, Gus, stood with his hands in the air. He was older, former military. She was shoved closer toward him.

“Ms. McKinney, you okay?” Gus asked.

She managed a nod. “They shot David.”

“I kn—”

“No talking,” one man growled.

Haven lifted her chin. “What do you want?” There was a slight quaver in her voice.

The man who’d grabbed her glared. His cold, blue eyes glittered through the slits in his balaclava. Then he ignored her, and with the others, they turned to face the Water Lilies.

Haven’s stomach dropped. No. This couldn’t be happening.

A thin man moved forward, studying the painting’s gilt frame with gloved hands. “It’s wired to an alarm.”

Blue Eyes, clearly the group’s leader, turned and aimed the gun at Gus’ barrel chest. “Disconnect it.”

“No,” the guard said belligerently.

“I’m not asking.”

Haven held up her hands. “Please—”

The gun fired. Gus dropped to one knee, pressing a hand to his shoulder.

“No!” she cried.

The leader stepped forward and pressed the gun to the older man’s head.

“No.” Haven fought back her fear and panic. “Don’t hurt him. I’ll disconnect it.”

Slowly, she inched toward the painting, carefully avoiding the thin man still standing close to it. She touched the security panel built in beside the frame, pressing her palm to the small pad.

A second later, there was a discreet beep.

Two other men came forward and grabbed the frame.

She glanced around at them. “You’re making a mistake. If you know who owns this museum, then you know you won’t get away with this.” Who would go up against the Norcross family? Easton, rich as sin, had a lot of connections, but his brother, Vander… Haven suppressed a shiver. Gia’s middle brother might be hot, but he scared the bejesus out of Haven.

Vander Norcross, former military badass, owned Norcross Security and Investigations. His team had put in the high-tech security for the museum.

No one in their right mind wanted to go up against Vander, or the third Norcross brother who also worked with Vander, or the rest of Vander’s team of badasses.

“Look, if you just—”

The blow to her head made her stagger. She blinked, pain radiating through her face. Blue Eyes had backhanded her.

He moved in and hit her again, and Haven cried out, clutching her face. It wasn’t the first time she’d been hit. Her douchebag ex had hit her once. That was the day she’d left him for good.

But this was worse. Way worse.

“Shut up, you stupid bitch.”

The next blow sent her to the floor. She thought she heard someone chuckle. He followed with a kick to her ribs, and Haven curled into a ball, a sob in her throat.

Her vision wavered and she blinked. Blue Eyes crouched down, putting his hand to the tiles right in front of her. Dizziness hit her, and she vaguely took in the freckles on the man’s hand. They formed a spiral pattern.

“No one talks back to me,” the man growled. “Especially a woman.” He moved away.

She saw the men were busy maneuvering the painting off the wall. It was easy for two people to move. She knew its exact dimensions—eighty by one hundred centimeters.

No one was paying any attention to her. Fighting through the nausea and dizziness, she dragged herself a few inches across the floor, closer to the nearby pillar. A pillar that had one of several hidden, high-tech panic buttons built into it.

When the men were turned away, she reached up and pressed the button.

Then blackness sucked her under.

HAVEN SAT on one of the lovely wooden benches she’d had installed around the museum. She’d wanted somewhere for guests to sit and take in the art.

She’d never expected to be sitting on one, holding a melting ice pack to her throbbing face, and staring at the empty wall where a multi-million-dollar masterpiece should be hanging. And she definitely didn’t expect to be doing it with police dusting black powder all over the museum’s walls.

Tears pricked her eyes. She was alive, her guards were hurt but alive, and that was what mattered. The police had questioned her and she’d told them everything she could remember. The paramedics had checked her over and given her the ice pack. Nothing was broken, but she’d been told to expect swelling and bruising.

David and Gus had been taken to the hospital. She’d been assured the men would be okay. Last she’d heard, David was in surgery. Her throat tightened. Oh, God.

What was she going to tell Easton?

Haven bit her lip and a tear fell down her cheek. She hadn’t cried in months. She’d shed more than enough tears over Leo after he’d gone crazy and hit her. She’d left Miami the next day. She’d needed to get away from her ex and, unfortunately, despite loving her job at a classy Miami art gallery, Leo’s cousin had owned it. Alyssa had been the one who had introduced them.

Haven had learned a painful lesson to not mix business and pleasure.

She’d been done with Leo’s growing moodiness, outbursts, and cheating on her and hitting her had been the last straw. Asshole.

She wiped the tear away. San Francisco was as far from Miami as she could get and still be in the continental US. This was supposed to be her fresh new start.

She heard footsteps—solid, quick, and purposeful. Easton strode in.

He was a tall man, with dark hair that curled at the collar of his perfectly fitted suit. Haven had sworn off men, but she was still woman enough to appreciate her boss’ good looks. His mother was Italian-American, and she’d passed down her very good genes to her children.

Like his brothers, Easton had been in the military, too, although he’d joined the Army Rangers. It showed in his muscled body. Once, she’d seen his shirt sleeves rolled up when they’d had a late meeting. He had some interesting ink that was totally at odds with his sophisticated-businessman persona.

His gaze swept the room, his jaw tight. It settled on her and he strode over.

“Haven—”

“Oh God, Easton. I’m so sorry.”

He sat beside her and took her free hand. He squeezed her cold fingers, then he looked at her face and cursed.

She hadn’t been brave enough to look in the mirror, but she guessed it was bad.

“They took the Water Lilies,” she said.

“Okay, don’t worry about it just now.”

She gave a hiccupping laugh. “Don’t worry? It’s worth a hundred and ten million dollars.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “You’re okay, and that’s the main thing. And the guards are in serious but stable condition at the hospital.”

She nodded numbly. “It’s all my fault.”

Easton’s gaze went to the police, and then moved back to her. “That’s not true.”

“I let them in.” Her voice broke. God, she wanted the marble floor to crack and swallow her.

“Don’t worry.” Easton’s face turned very serious. “Vander and Rhys will find the painting.”

Her boss’ tone made her shiver. Something made her suspect that Easton wanted his brothers to find the men who’d stolen the painting more than recovering the priceless piece of art.

She licked her lips, and felt the skin on her cheek tug. She’d have some spectacular bruises later. Great. Thanks, universe.

Then Easton’s head jerked up, and Haven followed his gaze.

A man stood in the doorway. She hadn’t heard him coming. Nope, Vander Norcross moved silently, like a ghost.

He was a few inches over six feet, had a powerful body, and radiated authority. His suit didn’t do much to tone down the sense that a predator had stalked into the room. While Easton was handsome, Vander wasn’t. His face was too rugged, and while both he and Easton had blue eyes, Vander’s were dark indigo, and as cold as the deepest ocean depths.

He didn’t look happy. She fought back a shiver.

Then another man stepped up beside Vander.

Haven’s chest locked. Oh, no. No, no, no.

She should have known. He was Vander’s top investigator. Rhys Matteo Norcross, the youngest of the Norcross brothers.

At first glance, he looked like his brothers—similar build, muscular body, dark hair and bronze skin. But Rhys was the youngest, and he had a charming edge his brothers didn’t share. He smiled more frequently, and his shaggy, thick hair always made her imagine him as a rock star, holding a guitar and making girls scream.

Haven was also totally, one hundred percent in lust with him. Any time he got near, he made her body flare to life, her heart beat faster, and made her brain freeze up. She could barely talk around the man.

She did not want Rhys Norcross to notice her. Or talk to her. Or turn his soulful, brown eyes her way.

Nuh-uh. No way. She’d sworn off men. This one should have a giant warning sign hanging on him. Watch out, heartbreak waiting to happen.

Rhys had been in the military with Vander. Some hush-hush special unit that no one talked about. Now he worked at Norcross Security—apparently finding anything and anyone.

He also raced cars and boats in his free time. The man liked to go fast. Oh, and he bedded women. His reputation was legendary. Rhys liked a variety of adventures and experiences.

It was lucky Haven had sworn off men.

Especially when they happened to be her boss’ brother.

And especially, especially when they were also her best friend’s brother.

Off limits.

She saw the pair turn to look her and Easton’s way.

Crap. Pulse racing, she looked at her bare feet and red toenails, which made her realize she hadn’t recovered her shoes yet. They were her favorites.

She felt the men looking at her, and like she was drawn by a magnet, she looked up. Vander was scowling. Rhys’ dark gaze was locked on her.

Haven’s traitorous heart did a little tango in her chest.

Before she knew what was happening, Rhys went down on one knee in front of her.

She saw rage twist his handsome features. Then he shocked her by cupping her jaw, and pushing the ice pack away.

They’d never talked much. At Gia’s parties, Haven purposely avoided him. He’d never touched her before, and she felt the warmth of him singe through her.

His eyes flashed. “It’s going to be okay, baby.”

Baby?

He stroked her cheekbone, those long fingers gentle.

Fighting for some control, Haven closed her hand over his wrist. She swallowed. “I—”

“Don’t worry, Haven. I’m going to find the man who did this to you and make him regret it.”

Her belly tightened. Oh, God. When was the last time anyone had looked out for her like this? She was certain no one had ever promised to hunt anyone down for her. Her gaze dropped to his lips.

He had amazingly shaped lips, a little fuller than such a tough man should have, framed by dark stubble.

There was a shift in his eyes and his face warmed. His fingers kept stroking her skin and she felt that caress all over.

Then she heard the click of heels moving at speed. Gia burst into the room.

“What the hell is going on?”

Haven jerked back from Rhys and his hypnotic touch. Damn, she’d been proven right—she was so weak where this man was concerned.

Gia hurried toward them. She was five-foot-four, with a curvy, little body, and a mass of dark, curly hair. As usual, she wore one of her power suits—short skirt, fitted jacket, and sky-high heels.

“Out of my way.” Gia shouldered Rhys aside. When her friend got a look at Haven, her mouth twisted. “I’m going to kill them.”

“Gia,” Vander said. “The place is filled with cops. Maybe keep your plans for murder and vengeance quiet.”

“Fix this.” She pointed at Vander’s chest, then at Rhys. Then she turned and hugged Haven. “You’re coming home with me.”

“Gia—”

“No. No arguments.” Gia held up her palm like a traffic cop. Haven had seen “the hand” before. It was pointless arguing.

Besides, she realized she didn’t want to be alone. And the quicker she got away from Rhys’ dark, far-too-perceptive gaze, the better.

Norcross Security

The Investigator

The Troubleshooter

PREVIEW: THS AND HELL SQUAD

Want to learn more about Treasure Hunter Security? Check out the first book in the series, Undiscovered, Declan Ward’s action-packed story.

One former Navy SEAL. One dedicated archeologist. One secret map to a fabulous lost oasis.

Finding undiscovered treasures is always daring, dangerous, and deadly. Perfect for the men of Treasure Hunter Security. Former Navy SEAL Declan Ward is haunted by the demons of his past and throws everything he has into his security business—Treasure Hunter Security. Dangerous archeological digs – no problem. Daring expeditions – sure thing. Museum security for invaluable exhibits – easy. But on a simple dig in the Egyptian desert, he collides with a stubborn, smart archeologist, Dr. Layne Rush, and together they get swept into a deadly treasure hunt for a mythical lost oasis. When an evil from his past reappears, Declan vows to do anything to protect Layne.

Dr. Layne Rush is dedicated to building a successful career—a promise to the parents she lost far too young. But when her dig is plagued by strange accidents, targeted by a lethal black market antiquities ring, and artifacts are stolen, she is forced to turn to Treasure Hunter Security, and to the tough, sexy, and too-used-to-giving-orders Declan. Soon her organized dig morphs into a wild treasure hunt across the desert dunes.

Danger is hunting them every step of the way, and Layne and Declan must find a way to work together…to not only find the treasure but to survive.

Treasure Hunter Security

Undiscovered

Uncharted

Unexplored

Unfathomed

Untraveled

Unmapped

Unidentified

Undetected

Also Available as Audiobooks!

For some action-packed post-apocalyptic romance with tough military heroes, don’t miss the Hell Squad series. Check out the first book, Marcus.

In the aftermath of a deadly alien invasion, a band of survivors fights on…

In a world gone to hell, Elle Milton—once the darling of the Sydney social scene—has carved a role for herself as the communications officer for the toughest commando team fighting for humanity’s survival—Hell Squad. It’s her chance to make a difference and make up for horrible past mistakes…despite the fact that its battle-hardened commander never wanted her on his team.

When Hell Squad is tasked with destroying a strategic alien facility, Elle knows they need her skills in the field. But first she must go head to head with Marcus Steele and convince him she won’t be a liability.

Marcus Steele is a warrior through and through. He fights to protect the innocent and give the human race a chance to survive. And that includes the beautiful, gutsy Elle who twists him up inside with a single look. The last thing he wants is to take her into a warzone, but soon they are thrown together battling both the alien invaders and their overwhelming attraction. And Marcus will learn just how much he’ll sacrifice to keep her safe.

Hell Squad

Marcus

Cruz

Gabe

Reed

Roth

Noah

Shaw

Holmes

Niko

Finn

Theron

Hemi

Ash

Levi

Manu

Griff

Dom

Survivors

Tane

Also Available as Audiobooks!

ALSO BY ANNA HACKETT

Norcross Security

The Investigator

The Troubleshooter

Team 52

Mission: Her Protection

Mission: Her Rescue

Mission: Her Security

Mission: Her Defense

Mission: Her Safety

Mission: Her Freedom

Mission: Her Shield

Mission: Her Justice

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Treasure Hunter Security

Undiscovered

Uncharted

Unexplored

Unfathomed

Untraveled

Unmapped

Unidentified

Undetected

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Eon Warriors

Edge of Eon

Touch of Eon

Heart of Eon

Kiss of Eon

Mark of Eon

Claim of Eon

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone

Sentinel

Defender

Centurion

Paladin

Guard

Weapons Master

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Galactic Gladiators

Gladiator

Warrior

Hero

Protector

Champion

Barbarian

Beast

Rogue

Guardian

Cyborg

Imperator

Hunter

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Hell Squad

Marcus

Cruz

Gabe

Reed

Roth

Noah

Shaw

Holmes

Niko

Finn

Theron

Hemi

Ash

Levi

Manu

Griff

Dom

Survivors

Tane

Also Available as Audiobooks!

The Anomaly Series

Time Thief

Mind Raider

Soul Stealer

Salvation

Anomaly Series Box Set

The Phoenix Adventures

Among Galactic Ruins

At Star’s End

In the Devil’s Nebula

On a Rogue Planet

Beneath a Trojan Moon

Beyond Galaxy’s Edge

On a Cyborg Planet

Return to Dark Earth

On a Barbarian World

Lost in Barbarian Space

Through Uncharted Space

Crashed on an Ice World

Perma Series

Winter Fusion

A Galactic Holiday

Warriors of the Wind

Tempest

Storm & Seduction

Fury & Darkness

Standalone Titles

Savage Dragon

Hunter’s Surrender

One Night with the Wolf

For more information visit www.annahackett.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’m a USA Today bestselling romance author who’s passionate about fast-paced, emotion-filled contemporary and science fiction romance. I love writing about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. I like to believe it’s possible for all of us to do the same.

I live in Australia with my own personal hero and two very busy, always-on-the-move sons.

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Website: www.annahackett.com