Unexplored (Treasure Hunter Security Book 3) (11 page)

“On your stomach, hands behind your head.” The blunt words were delivered in a lethal tone that sent a chill through Sydney.

Logan grabbed the Silk Road man, yanking him to his feet. He patted him down, tossing a handgun to Hale. Then Logan shook the man viciously.

Sydney pushed up to sit. She saw Hale and Morgan calming the horses, and Declan striding forward.

“Logan,” Declan said. “That’s enough. We need to question him.”

Logan dropped the man and he fell in a pile on the ground. Declan stepped forward, zip ties in hand, and wrenched the man’s wrists together behind his back. The Silk Road man cursed and struggled against his bonds.

Then her view of him was blocked by Logan’s broad form. He knelt in front of her, staring into her face. “Did he hurt you?”

She looked into those fierce lion eyes and shook her head. What must he be thinking? What she’d said to him back at the bridge…he had to hate her.

“Logan…” When he just kept staring, she cleared her throat. “He had a small explosive, he put it on me back at the bridge.”

Logan went still. Scary still. “He had an explosive on you.”

She swallowed and saw fake Piero’s eyes go wide.

“Don’t let him near me,” the Silk Road man spat out.

“Morgan.” Declan jerked his head toward the horses. “You and Hale check for an explosive.”

Sydney swallowed again. She felt like she had a rock in her throat. “Logan, I’m sorry. I was so afraid he’d hurt you and the others. I did what he told me to do, and I’m sorry.”

Logan’s brow creased. “You were trying to protect me?”

“Is that so hard to believe? I really am sorry about what I said.”

Logan muttered a curse and then yanked her into his arms. He tugged her head back and his mouth touched hers. Sydney leaned into the kiss, a small sound escaping her.

His lips cruised across her cheek. “I see you, Sydney. The real you. I knew you were lying, and I knew something was wrong.”

The heavy weight in her chest lifted, and something else rushed in, filling the space. Behind them, she heard Declan and the others talking about disposing of the explosive device. “Logan?”

“Yeah.”

“Will you kiss me again?”

He pulled her back, his lips taking hers. The kiss was hot and hungry. His hands slid over her body, a firm, bold claim. She greedily kissed him back, the taste of him flooding her.

Sydney stopped thinking and just lost herself in Logan.

Chapter Nine

Logan took his time kissing Sydney. She was back in his arms and safe.

The sound of a clearing throat interrupted. Very reluctantly, Logan lifted his head and glared at Declan. His friend was grinning down at him.

Pulling Sydney closer, Logan absorbed the feel of her, liking when she snuggled into him. She fit perfectly in his arms.

“I want you guys to continue on to the lake,” Dec said. “I’m going to stay here with our…friend. I have a few questions for him.”

“And then what will you do with him?” Sydney asked.

Dec shrugged. “Tie him to a tree and leave him for the jaguars.”

“Kill him,” Logan added.

He saw the Silk Road man’s eyes go wide, and he struggled against his ties. Logan let the bastard see that he was very serious.

Dec stepped in front of the man, blocking Logan’s view. “Get Sydney to the lake. Find the cabins, and I’ll catch up as soon as I can.”

Sydney leaned forward. “He said other Silk Road members would meet us at the lake. In the morning.”

Dec’s face hardened. “Good.”

“I’ll stay with Declan,” Morgan said.

Hale rolled his eyes. “Great. I get to be the third wheel.”

Logan grabbed Sydney’s hand and pulled her up. “Come on, let’s get moving.” He grabbed the lead of her horse, and with Hale leading the other animal, they headed off down the track.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked her.

A faint smile. “Yes.”

She was so damn beautiful. Logan had never really cared too much what a woman’s face looked like. He’d always been a legs and breasts man. And while he had no trouble looking at Sydney’s long legs, and high, firm breasts, he could look at her face all day.

Jeez, soon he’d start spouting poetry. He’d never been a hand-holder either, but here he was, with her slender fingers tangled with his. And he liked it.

“Logan, I really am sorry—”

He pulled her to a stop. “Don’t be. You did what you had to do. You survived.” He knew her work with the CIA hadn’t fully prepared her for this kind of situation. Slowly, he lowered his head, and kissed her again.

Whistling cheerfully, Hale walked past them.

“Tonight—” Logan whispered “—you’re mine.”

He saw a flicker of something move in her eyes.

They kept trekking through the forest. He could see she was starting to tire, and finally Logan suggested she ride the horse again. It felt like the forest was getting thicker, closing in around them.

“We should be getting close,” Hale called back.

Logan hoped so. About twenty minutes later, Declan and Morgan jogged up behind them.

Dec slowed to a walk. “Our fake Piero confirmed that the rest of the Silk Road group he’s working with are arriving tomorrow morning. His job was to keep Sydney captive until they arrived.”

Logan barely resisted the urge to growl. “I don’t trust him. We can’t trust a word he says.”

“Take it easy. I don’t disagree, but I was fairly persuasive.” Dec grinned. “I threatened to set you loose on him.” Then Dec’s face turned serious. “But I think we should set up a watch for tonight, just in case anyone tries to sneak up on us.”

“I was hoping we’d get to see the ruins today,” Sydney said.

Dec shook his head. “We won’t have time. It’ll be dark by the time we get there, and the chullpas are across the lake and up a steep cliff. There are some rustic cabins there that are used by the tourists. We’ll get some rest, and then tomorrow, we’ll explore the lake ruins.”

“After we take down Silk Road,” Logan added. Let the bastards come, he’d be ready for them.

“Even if you defeat them, more will come.” Sydney’s voice was harsh. “Silk Road seems unstoppable. You cut off a limb, but it grows right back.”

“It won’t grow back if you cut off its head,” Logan said darkly.

“I don’t think the Silk Road bosses are out here to do the dirty work,” Declan said. “Hell, we don’t even know who runs the damn group. Silk Road is seriously becoming a thorn in our side.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to find my brother,” Sydney said. “And then I’ll do whatever I can to expose Silk Road to the world. They like the shadows, so I think it’s time to shine some light on them.”

Dec smiled. “I like you, Sydney.”

Logan felt something ugly burn in his gut. He heard the admiration in Dec’s voice. Declan was handsome, and far smoother than Logan. And before he’d fallen for Layne, he’d been popular with the ladies. Logan touched Sydney’s arm. “You have your own woman.”

Dec held up his hands. “So I do. And my friend, so do you. Doesn’t mean I can’t admire someone who is so beautiful and smart.”

As his friend’s words hit home, Logan waited for that feeling of acid that Annika had left in him. The panic at the thought of a woman belonging to him.

Nothing. Just a savage satisfaction and desire that was growing with every step.

His hand tightened on Sydney’s.

He had to have her.

Soon.

***

Feeling tired and beat up, Sydney couldn’t believe her eyes when they stepped out of the forest and crested a hilltop.

They all stopped.

Nestled like a dark jewel between steep hills was Laguna de los Condores.

The tangled forest vegetation grew right down to the lakeside, and, across it, in the dying light of day, she could see cliff faces. She strained to see if she could make out the burial chullpas, but too many shadows filled the view. She couldn’t spot them.

Her gaze fell to the dark waters of the lake. It was so still, so quiet. She took a deep breath. After the action and adventure of the day, the calm peace of the place was amazing. It almost felt mystical. She could understand why the Warriors of the Clouds had chosen to bury their dead here.

“There are the huts,” Morgan said, pointing.

Nearby, nestled on the side of the hill, were three very basic structures. Made of wood logs, and in a simple square shape, rustic was a generous label for them.

Hale took the leads of both horses. “I’ll get these guys sorted out for the evening.”

“Look at you go, cowboy,” Morgan said.

Hale made a rude noise.

“Hide them,” Declan said. “If Silk Road turns up unexpectedly, we don’t want to announce our presence.” He spun, with his hands on his hips, studying the area. “And no fire. We’ll have to eat the MREs we brought with us.”

Sydney watched them all move into action—checking out the huts, talking about defensive options, handing out the ready-to-eat meals, and determining the safest way down to the lake. They were such a tight group. A family.

It suddenly made her feel very alone. She loved Drew, but they didn’t spend a lot of time together. She had good friends back in D.C., but they didn’t anticipate each other like Declan and Logan did. She didn’t have anyone who teased her, offered advice, and bumped their shoulder into hers like this group did.

Logan walked toward her and the tension in her eased. The look in his eyes told her that, at least for now, she wasn’t alone.

Anticipation licked through her. This big, tough man wanted her. She’d kissed him, tasted him, and had his big cock in her hand. Oh, it was so easy to imagine how it would feel inside her, stretching her.

As darkness deepened, the shadows were growing, and she knew it was going to be incredibly dark through the night. Everyone dropped their backpacks in their designated huts, and soon they all sat together in Declan’s. Inside, each hut was virtually bare, with a dirt-packed floor and some simple beds made of wooden frames and canvas.

Sydney listened as the THS team fought over the watch schedule for the night. Logan had the first few hours and Hale was putting up a fight about having the early morning. She munched on her bland meal. She was tired and hungry enough that it really didn’t taste too bad.

“Okay, Hale, you’re with me,” Declan said, nodding at some empty plastic buckets they’d found in the huts. “We’re going to head down to the lake and bring some water back.”

Hale groaned, but followed his boss.

Logan walked Sydney to her hut next door. In the doorway, he tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “Get into bed and get some rest.”

She nodded, stepping inside. He’d pushed two of the simple beds together, unzipped their sleeping bags, and had them laid out on top.

“And make sure you’re naked.”

She froze. Desire was a rapid one-two punch to her belly.

Logan didn’t move from the doorway. He didn’t say anything else, just stared at her for a long, humming second, then stepped back. He disappeared out the door and into the darkness.

Sydney shivered and untied her hair. She pulled her boots off and set about untangling her hair.

Not long later, Declan brought her a bucket of water and said good night.

She pulled a cloth out of her backpack, stripped her clothes off, and washed up as best she could. Despite the cool air, the cold water felt great on her skin. She wiped the grime of the day away. As she moved the cloth over her belly, her breasts, her thighs, she felt a little trail of goosebumps. And a shimmer of arousal.

Closing her eyes, she imagined Logan skimming the damp cloth over her skin. The last time she’d had sex, her lover had taken her to an art gallery opening, followed by dinner at a restaurant with a three-month waiting list, and then they’d ended the night in a suite at one of D.C.’s fanciest hotels. And despite the extravagant build-up, the night had ended with more of a whimper than a bang.

Sydney opened her eyes and looked around the rustic hut. She grinned. Apparently the location and ambience didn’t matter so much, since she’d never felt such desire for a man. She was trembling with anticipation, hungry for Logan’s touch.

She climbed onto the bed and slid naked under the shiny fabric of the sleeping bag, certain she’d stay awake until he got back.

But as she stretched out, thinking about Logan, the strain and exertion of the day dragged her into sleep.

***

When Sydney woke, she wasn’t sure where she was.

It was dark, but there was a low glow of light from a small lantern resting on the dirt floor. She blinked, as memories came rushing back. Laguna de los Condores.

The cobwebs of sleep disappeared.

She was lying on her belly, and suddenly very aware of the lips trailing down her back.

Logan kissed each knob of her spine, his rough hands kneading her back. She moaned. It felt so good. Without a word, he kept touching, stroking, and caressing her skin. He pressed his fingers deep into her sore muscles. He moved lower, reaching her buttocks and thighs. The man had very talented hands. She moaned again—it was so, so good.

He pressed his mouth to the top of her bottom, then cruised down one cheek. She writhed against the sleeping bag and looked back over her shoulder. A gasp escaped her. Logan looked rough and wild, desire etched starkly on his shadowed face. He lowered his head again, sprinkling kisses across the skin at the back of her thighs. When he nipped gently, she felt a rush of dampness between her legs.

As his lips moved closer to where she wanted them, she squirmed. His palms kneaded the globes of her ass and his mouth nipped her again.

“Logan.”

He gripped her hips and urged her up on her hands and knees. She barely even noticed the cool night air on her skin—she was completely focused on Logan. She heard him make a hungry sound and he parted her with his fingers. Then his mouth was on her, moving between her legs.

Sydney jerked and cried out. His tongue lapped at her, all of it firm, ruthless strokes. He licked and sucked, his tongue stabbing inside her. She gripped the fabric beneath her in her hands, his name spilling from her lips.