“Not a chance,” I shouted back, grinning as it echoed. Not a chance. Not a chance. Not a chance.
“Aw, young love,” Fabian quipped.
A breath of relief broke from me as we exited the canyon. In the distance lights beckoned. I pointed. “Vegas?”
“Si, I booked you into Sable’s. You definitely need her magic touch and a little pampering to make up for that barbarian manhandling you.”
Some spa time did sound heavenly. “I’m pretty sure he tagged me again.”
He patted a device on his belt. “Not a problem any longer.”
“Uncle Aldo new debugger?”
“Si.”
“He does make the best gadgets.”
Eyes glowed in the darkness.
“Cows! Look out for the cows!”
“I see them,” my cousin answered.
In a shower of dust and rocks, the dune buggy veered wildly, missing a cow by inches, blasted through a bush and bounced out onto a highway.
Horns blaring, a semi-truck barreled straight at us. At the last second Fabian swerved into the other lane.
I sucked in a shuddering breath and sagged against the seat. Why did I want the gold again? Oh yeah, no job, no money and to spite the Tomb Raider.
I woke up sprawled across a warm, masculine chest. My body was limp, sated and well loved. I rubbed my cheek against firm muscles. Yum. What a great way to wake up. I bet he tasted good, too.
I went to lick a nipple covered with a smattering of hair and froze in utter horror. Holy Jesus! What was I doing?
Who was he?
Where was I?
Had I lost my mind?
I took a quick peek at the man’s face. Phew! It was Derek.
Derek!
Holy Mother of God! How had he found me?
Shit. My brain had done gone on vacation. Think.
Think.
I remember Fabian taking me to Sable’s. My dear, sweet, jerk of a cousin failed to mention that she or was it he? Oh whatever, Sable turned out to be a flamboyant drag queen who would give RuPaul a run for his money.
I’ll admit Sable’s one hell of a miracle worker.
She covered me head-to-toe in this gooey green mineral stuff and my bruises had just faded away.
Rubbing my aching forehead, I struggled to make sense of my fuzzy memories. I know I got my hair and nails done.
Champagne. There had been lots and lots of champagne and I think a glass of wine or two.
Sable’s is definitely a party spa. To celebrate my escape from Asmoday and Derek, I had overindulged just a bit.
Okay, who was I kidding? I got blitzed out of my tiny little mind. What had I been thinking?
Obviously, not a whole hell of a lot or I wouldn’t be draped over Derek like a street whore.
I shifted as something hard poked my stomach.
Derek moved and it was now poking me in the crotch.
I went to grab the pesky thing and the image of a fat Elvis wearing a white jumpsuit flashed across my mind.
Whoa! Where had that come from? I concentrated and vaguely remembered standing in front of Elvis in a chapel. He had a bible in one hand and holy guacamole! Derek put a ring on my finger and said…
I gaped at the narrow gold ring on my left hand. “We’re… We’re…
“Married,” Derek supplied helpfully, obviously wide awake.
“The hell we are!”
My husband grabbed a paper off the end table and handed it to me. “We most definitely are.”
My eyes didn’t want to focus properly but, dammit, that was my signature on a marriage license. “Did you drug me?”
“Nope, didn’t have to. You are one frisky drunk; you couldn’t keep your hands to yourself.”
Images of me grabbing his butt and crotch danced through my head. I cringed in horror. I was never, ever drinking again.
“Why did you marry me?”
“Seemed like the right thing to do.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me? You don’t even like me.”
“Oh, I like you well enough.”
“Be still my heart. I don’t think I can handle such flattery.”
The big jerk just laughed. “You’re one of a kind, Angel.”
I doubted that he meant that in a good way.
“Gee, thanks. I’m outta here.”
Derek’s hard corded muscles tensed beneath me and his arm suddenly clamped around my waist, holding me in place. “Not a chance. You’re not leaving my side. We eat together, sleep together, shower together and shit together.”
Shit together? How utterly romantic, instead of Prince Charming I got stuck with Conan the Barbarian. I shoved at his chest. “I’m getting an annulment.”
“And leave me horny and hurting for all eternity? Not happening. I like sex regularly and I
know you will, too.” He trailed a seductive finger down my backside.
A jolt of electricity sizzled through me. “You know we’re mated?”
“Yes.” Derek suckled my right nipple and my thought process ground to a complete and utter stop as pleasure cascaded through me.
Trying desperately to ignore my growing arousal, I grabbed a handful of his thick black hair and yanked. “Stop it! When did you find…?” His finger circled my clit, rubbing it until I wanted to scream. I smacked at that naughty, naughty finger.
“Who told you that?”
“Granny Annabel.”
God, she was such a narc. “When…?” I gasped as two marauding fingers slid deep inside me while his thumb continued to lazily circle my clit.
He nuzzled my neck. “She told me when Asmoday had you.”
My eyes rolled back in my head as his fingers pumped into me hard and deep. I took a long, shuddering breath. “And you still had sex with me?”
“Yes.” His hot mouth consumed mine.
I broke the kiss. “Why?”
“You belong to me.” Derek flipped me over and his fingers were abruptly replaced by his thick cock.
He drove into me so deeply I climaxed. A scream tore from my throat as a mind melting cataclysm of sensation flooded me.
“You’re my mate. Say it.” Derek ground his hips in circles against my bottom, pumping into me with forceful strokes.
The bombardment of pleasure had me twisting beneath him. My breath came in fast, shallow pants. “Your… mate.”
His possessive hands were everywhere, stroking me, claiming me. “I’ll never let you go.”
A brain-melting climax hit me.
A scant second later, the Tomb Raider came deep inside me with a shout of pure triumph. “My mate!”
I was in so much trouble.
Derek slumped on top of me, his breath coming in ragged gasps. “You fit me perfectly. It’s almost as if you were made for me.”
“The Fates have brought you together,” Granny Annabel announced and got an eyeful of Derek’s hard warrior’s body. “It was destiny.”
I yanked wildly at the sheets. “Our bedroom is off limits.”
“I told you he knew how to fuck and was hung like a stallion.”
“You also said that about Dixon. You know when he had me on the jet?”
Derek let out a low rumbling growl. “You wanted her to have sex with Dixon?”
Granny shrugged and floated around the bed for a better look at Derek’s butt. “No, I wanted my stubborn granddaughter to stop running and face her destiny.”
“Destiny? Oh pleeze. I’m not a virgin anymore and after Asmoday skinned her, how can Aunt Sophie still be a threat?”
“She’s no longer human and she blames you for Asmoday torturing her.”
“Then I’ll hunt her down and kill her,” Derek stated calmly.
“You cannot. Only Zelda can destroy her,”
Granny answered, trailing her ghostly fingers across his rump.
Derek gave a startled jerk. “Granny Annabel, you are a wicked old woman.”
“Horny is more like it,” I added, frowning at her. “Get out of our bedroom. Now!”
With a huff, Granny vanished.
“How’d you find me anyway? Fabian disabled your trackers.”
“I don’t need a tracker to find you anymore.”
He kissed my neck. “With our mating bond, I can find you anytime, anyplace.”
That totally sucked.
“What’s the frown for? I’ll take good care of you.”
“I’m not a mindless doll, sugar. I don’t need to be taken care of.”
He raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Angel, you’re a trouble magnet. Someone is always trying to kill you.”
“That’s not true!”
“How many people have tried to kill you in the last two days?”
Damn male logic could only be counteracted by brilliant female logic. “You’re trying to turn this into some kind of big deal and its not.”
“Nine homicidal maniacs and two demons aren’t a big deal?”
Okay, it kinda was, so I smiled brightly and lied through my teeth. “It has never happened before.”
“I find that hard to believe. Why don’t I call your uncle and ask him.”
“No! That won’t be necessary.”
“I bet you drive every member of your family nuts with your crazy stunts.”
Had he been talking to Granny? Sucking in a determined breath, I tried again. “I can take care of myself.”
Derek snorted.
“I can! I don’t need a keeper; I want a partner, someone who will actually listen to me.”
“Angel, you’re a talented thief and one of the most resourceful women I’ve ever met. You’re always thinking, always plotting. You keep me on my toes and you never bore me. I like the fact that you aren’t intimidated easily and you don’t hesitate to voice your opinions. But you never enter enemy territory without the proper training, equipment and backup.”
“I had backup.”
“Granny can’t stop a bullet. You need me and my expertise.”
“Oh, right. You’re Superman and bullets bounce off your chest.”
“It’s not up for debate. You will do things my way.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Whether you like it or not, I’m in charge.”
Derek clamped a hand over my mouth before I could say anything. “I’ll listen to what you have to say but the final decision is mine. Except for the demons and woo-woo shit, then you have the final say. Fair?”
It was a really big concession from the ultimate alpha male. I nodded and Derek removed his hand.
“I want the option to renegotiate our agreement.”
The bossy jerk quickly shook my hand. “Deal.”
That’s when I noticed his battered knuckles and the new bruises on his face. “Omigod! What did you do to Fabian?”
“We came to an understanding.”
“Did
you
hurt
him?
What
kind
of
understanding?”
“He’s a bit banged up but there’s no permanent damage.” Derek grabbed my hands before I could smack the crap out of him. “I made it very clear that if he tries to take you from me again, I’ll kill him.”
I parroted incredulously, “Kill him?”
“Yes.”
“But… he’s family.”
“It doesn’t matter. You belong with me.”
I gave him the evil eye. “This possessive shit has to stop.”
That nasty little predator’s smile curved Derek’s mouth. “I don’t share well.”
“Hello? I was a virgin. I didn’t share at all.”
“True but your family needs to understand my position.”
A frustrated growl broke from me. “Where is he? I want to see him.”
“He’s safe. I’ll take you to him in a bit.”
Derek probably had my cousin chained spread-eagle to a wall. Opening my mind, I reached out and found Fabian. He was close by, furious but not seriously hurt.
“I’ve been thinking of offering Fabian a spot on my team. He has excellent combat skills and one hell of a cover.”
“News flash. My family makes the CIA look like incompetent boobs.”
“Do they now?”
I could almost see the wheels turning in Derek’s head. Why was he so determined to get his hands on my gold?
Placing a hand on my husband’s muscular thigh, I opened my psychic eye and concentrated.
The image of a gaunt man chained to a wall flashed across my mind. His name was… Caleb.
Caleb Stone and someone had almost beaten him to death. Only his iron determination kept him breathing and that was fading. He knew Derek was his only hope of survival. I felt some kind of animosity between them; a fierce rivalry and a weird kind of friendship.
Caleb had found the Scythain’s Tribal burial site and he was willing to die to keep its location from some creepy looking Taliban dude. I flinched as his agony became mine. The asshole was torturing him.
Another image spun into my mind. Derek, Ed and Sam decked out like Taliban fighters crawled down a rocky mountainside. Explosions suddenly lit up the night sky and bullets buzzed overhead like angry bees. Derek yelled, “Fall back. Fall back.”
Hoorah! Color me proud, my Derek was a highly decorated Naval Commander who had run Seal Team until he had retired.
No, not retired. He still held his Naval commission as a Reserve Officer. He had been granted special status to continue doing some covert operations. That status gave him access to all those nifty gadgets, weapons and helicopters.
Unfortunately, the military assets he had commandeered in Afghanistan had gotten blown all to hell in his attempt to rescue Caleb and his access had been cut off. Bummer.
Derek yanked my hand off his thigh. “Invading my privacy, Angel?”
“Caleb Stone’s alive.”
He stiffened and the predator inside him looked out at me with cold silver eyes. “Is he now?”
“A Taliban warlord named Abdul Hassan captured him.”
“Did Granny tell you that?”
Bristling, I snapped, “No, I made it all up for shits and giggles.”
“Not funny.”
“No it isn’t. Hassan has been torturing Caleb for the location of the Scythain’s Tribal burial site.”
“Damn, the rat bastard actually found it,”
Derek said, genuine respect in his voice.
A light bulb went off in my head. “You want my treasure to mount your own expedition.”
“It’s the archaeological find of the century and worth over a hundred million dollars.”
“Is your archaeologist gig for real or just a CIA cover?”
He gave me an unrepentant grin. “I have a Master’s degree in archaeology and I also have a Doctor of Philosophy in archaeology. My field work allows me to do the occasional odd job for the Navy or CIA.”
Hmmm. Kinda like Fabian doing the occasional odd jobs for Uncle Aldo. “So, it’s all about the fame and glory?”
Derek eyed me speculatively and smiled. The kinda of smile that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “It’s how I make my living.”