Untraveled (Treasure Hunter Security Book 5)

by Anna Hackett

  “Hale Carter takes the fall.” Morgan came up and slapped a hand against Hale’s back. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

  “Nice work, buddy.” Coop watched them with a small smile.

  From beside Dec, Cal gave Hale a thumbs-up.

  “I’ll find work in France,” Hale told Elin. “I’m sure there are security firms who’d take me and—”

  She smiled at him. “Well, I hear they have the FBI in Denver, too. And the Eiffel Tower isn’t going anywhere.”

  He took her mouth with his and kissed her again.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ronin Cooper watched the beautiful bride walk down the aisle.

  She wore a simple V-necked ivory gown that skimmed slim curves, her dark hair was pulled up in an elegant twist, and her face was radiant. She stared down the red carpet at her groom.

  Ronin looked at Dec waiting for his bride.

  The man looked happy. Really happy.

  Dec and Layne were getting married on the lawn just outside the Denver Museum of Nature and Science at City Park. White chairs had been set out, and the backdrop for the ceremony was a perfect view of the Denver city skyline and the magnificent Rocky Mountains.

  But the bride and groom only had eyes for each other.

  In the Denver sunlight, Ronin sat beside Sydney. Logan was standing up with Dec as best man. They watched their friends exchange their vows and pledge their lives to each other.

  He’d known Dec a long time, and knew the man had come home with scars. Dark scars. Ronin’s hand curled into a fist on his knee. Dec was one of the lucky ones, who’d found a way out of the darkness, and into the arms of a smart, sexy woman who loved him completely.

  Ronin knew there was no light for him.

  Later, he found himself surrounded by his THS friends at the reception inside the museum. Everyone was laughing and drinking. Morgan’s killer legs were on display in her short dress, and she was leaning against Zach. The man was keeping a tight arm around his woman, smiling down at her.

  Ronin lifted his beer and took a sip. Layne, Dani, and Sydney were on the dance floor, shimmying to the music. Dec, Logan, and Cal were standing nearby, scowling at any men who dared get too close to their women. Professor Ward and Penelope Ward were dancing together, the tiny woman leaning into her husband. They moved smoothly across the floor, putting most of the younger couples to shame. They moved in a way that showed the years they’d had together.

  Hale’s deep laugh drew Ronin’s gaze back to the table. Across from him, Elin and Hale were sitting side-by-side, gazing at each other. They looked like they were the only two people in the room. Ronin could hardly believe that Hale had gone and fallen in love with an FBI agent. But they looked right. They clicked.

  Suddenly, Darcy dropped down beside Ronin and snatched up a glass of champagne. Her glossy hair swung as she tilted the glass back and she looked as polished as ever in her aquamarine bridesmaid gown. “Having fun?” she said.

  Ronin just grunted.

  “I know that’s Ronin-speak for you’re just waiting for the right time to find a dark shadow you can slip away into,” she said.

  “Weddings aren’t really my thing.”

  “Right, and with all these loved-up couples around, it makes you feel like a third wheel?” She wrinkled her nose.

  “Something like that.” He was just hoping it wasn’t contagious.

  “You look mighty fine in your suit.” She sipped her champagne. “I can’t believe Sydney got Logan in a suit. And it looks like he had a haircut.”

  “She promised him sexual favors.”

  Darcy snorted. “Figures.” Her gaze fell on Elin and Hale across the table. “Sounds like Elin is settling well into Denver. God, they had a spectacular argument about whether they were moving to Lyon in France or Denver, right in the middle of the office.” Darcy shook her head. “I was ready to start taking bets. Anyway, she convinced Hale she wanted to stay stateside, and not run off after something that was in the past. She wanted something real, and she wanted them to make a home.” Darcy sighed. “Hale’s planning to teach her to snowboard in the winter.”

  “The man is a machine on the snow.”

  “You aren’t too shabby yourself,” Darcy said. Then she sniffed. “Me, I prefer a hot drink by the fireplace in the lodge.”

  He smiled. Darcy did like her creature comforts. “So, any jobs on the horizon?”

  “There’s always something. We’ve got one coming up doing some security with Zach right here at the museum. Some new exhibit.”

  Ronin didn’t love museum security work. It was generally slow and uneventful. He liked action, and preferred to be in the field. He didn’t like to stop in one place for too long. If you did that, the past could catch up to you.

  He looked up to see Darcy’s far-too-perceptive blue-gray gaze on him. “Do you miss the SEALs?”

  His hands clenched on his beer bottle. “No.”

  “The CIA?”

  “No.”

  She sighed. “I know that’s macho man speak for you don’t want to talk about it.”

  “You’re a smart lady, Darcy Ward.” Around them, their friends were laughing, and Ronin tried to relax. The past was the past. He knew it was possible to escape it, he’d seen the way the dark shadows in Hale’s eyes were slowly melting away, and in Declan’s today. But Ronin’s shadows were etched in his bones, in his soul. His were going nowhere.

  Dec appeared. “Quit flirting with my sister.”

  Darcy made a scoffing sound. “All the men you hire end up being like brothers to me, Dec.” Then she stiffened, her gaze on the other side of the room. “I cannot believe you invited Agent Arrogant and Annoying to your wedding, Dec.” Her tone was disgruntled.

  “My wedding, so I get to invite whoever I like,” Dec said.

  Ronin did his best to hide his amusement and spotted a suit-clad Agent Burke chatting with Zach and Morgan.

  Darcy made a huffing sound. “I don’t know how anyone could be friends with that man.” Her eyes widened and she hissed. “He’s coming this way. He was threatening to corner me for a dance.” She turned and disappeared into the crowd.

  Dec was looking at Burke. “Poor guy’s been dealing with the media frenzy about the famous John Drift turning out to be a murdering antiquities thief.”

  Everyone was very interested in how John Drift had died in an ancient mine in the middle of the Kalahari Desert. Thankfully, Burke had been keeping most of the details out of the press.

  “He tell you what he did with the Seal of Solomon?” Ronin asked.

  “Nope.” Dec took a sip of his drink. “And I didn’t ask.”

  Layne arrived in a cloud of pretty perfume. “I fancy a dance with my new husband.”

  Dec groaned, but Ronin saw the light in his eyes. The man would do anything for his woman.

  After Layne had coaxed Dec onto the dance floor, Ronin continued to sip his beer. It felt good to be around his friends, to absorb some of their happiness. Maybe a little bit of it would rub off on him.

  A flash of color near the bar caught his eye. A woman was watching him.

  She was sitting on a stool, deep in the shadows, and her red hair glinted in the low light. No, not red. More of a deep copper.

  Instincts flaring, Ronin set his beer down and stood. The way she was watching their group wasn’t casual. It was sharp, and far too interested.

  As soon as she noticed that he was watching her, she stood. Their gazes clashed for a second across the crowded room. Blunt bangs fell almost to eyes that were too far away for him to see their color.

  Then she spun and slipped away.

  She was heading toward the restrooms. Ronin picked up speed, dodging around people. He’d honed his instincts over his various careers, and right now they were telling him something wasn’t right.

  He reached the restrooms, but the hall was empty. He slammed into the women’s restroom and checked all the stalls. Empty.

  When he stepped into the
men’s room, one middle-aged man was at the sink, washing his hands.

  “Did you see a woman come in here? Redhead?”

  The man’s eyes widened. “No. It’s the men’s room.”

  Ronin ducked out and strode down the hall. There was a side door leading outside. He pushed it open and looked around.

  It opened to the museum parking lot. Except for parked cars, it was empty.

  She was gone.

  He frowned, stepping back inside. Who the hell was this mystery woman? And why had she crashed a wedding to watch them?

  There was one thing that Ronin hated more than anything—mysteries. He always felt an overriding compulsion to solve them, especially when it came to protecting the few people in the world he cared about most.

  ***

  Hale led Elin out onto the museum’s rooftop deck. They leaned against the railing, looking out at the lights of Denver. A cool breeze brushed over them, and he wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her in close.

  “Have I told you how good you look tonight?” he said.

  “No.” There was a smile in her voice.

  He leaned down, pressing his lips to the side of her neck. “Well, Special Agent Alexander, you are going to get very lucky later.”

  She laughed, spinning in his arms. Then she went up on her toes and kissed him.

  Just the taste of her was enough to have desire pulsing through him. Something told him it would always be like that with her, even when they were old and gray and surrounded by grandkids.

  “Let’s go home,” she whispered.

  Home. They could walk there from the museum. Hale had sold his one-bedroom bachelor pad, and together, they’d just purchased a two-bedroom condo only a few blocks away from City Park. It was theirs, and it was home.

  “You’re happy here?” he asked.

  “I love Denver,” she answered. “And I love you.”

  “The job in Europe—”

  Her hands gripped his shirt and she shook him. “I’m happy. No regrets.”

  God, he’d gotten so lucky finding her. Hell, he was almost thankful to Silk Road. “I love you, too. I have something for you.”

  He led her over to a nearby chair and urged her to sit down. Then, he pulled a small box from his pocket and went down on one knee.

  Her eyes went wide. “Hale…”

  He held up the box.

  She stared at it, then him, her mouth falling open.

  “Have I made you speechless again?” he teased.

  She didn’t look like she was breathing. He wrapped her hand around the box and she gingerly opened it.

  A tiny charm of the Eiffel Tower was nestled in the center.

  The air rushed out of her and she smiled. “It’s gorgeous. Thank you.” She lifted the charm from the silk and then she gasped.

  Hale felt a rush of nerves.

  “Oh, my God, Hale,” she breathed. “It’s enormous.”

  The large diamond nestled on the platinum band sparkled in the light.

  “It’s the size of an ice-skating rink.” She lifted her gaze to his.

  “Marry me, Elin. I’m already yours, but I want the world to know.”

  “How can you afford something like this?” She lifted the ring out.

  “Well, you’ll be the first woman in the world with an engagement ring that contains a diamond from King Solomon’s Mines.”

  She froze. “You stole a diamond from Ophir?” Her voice turned high-pitched at the end.

  “It just happened to be in my pocket when we got back. I thought it was pretty fitting.” He lowered his voice. “Every time I look at it, I’ll remember exactly where I was when I fell in love with the smartest, toughest, sexiest woman I’ve ever met.”

  Her face softened.

  “And…ah, I can actually afford it,” he told her.

  Her brow wrinkled. “What?”

  “I only found out today, and haven’t had a chance to tell you…but thanks to Dec’s contacts, it looks like I have a contract with the Navy to purchase my grappling gun design.”

  “What?” she said again.

  “And there are millions involved.” He still couldn’t quite believe it.

  “Oh, my God, Hale.” She threw her arms around him. “Congratulations!”

  “Thanks.”

  “So, looks like I’m going to marry a millionaire.” She held her hand up.

  Exhilaration burst through Hale. He took the ring and slid it onto her finger. Damn, it looked good there. He was much happier about the fact that Elin was his than any contract for millions of dollars.

  “Do you want a big, splashy wedding, or something small and intimate?” He didn’t care what they did, as long as she was by his side.

  “As long as you’re there, I don’t mind.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. “How about we shoot for something in the middle?”

  “Sounds perfect.” He lifted up the Eiffel Tower charm. “And this is where we’re going to have our honeymoon.”

  She grinned at him. “Sounds perfect to me.”

  ---

  I hope you enjoyed Elin and Hale’s story!

  There are more Treasure Hunter Security adventures on the way! The series will continue with UNMAPPED, starring Ronin and his mystery woman coming in September 2017. Read on for a sneak peek of Unmapped.

  For more action-packed romance, read on for a preview of the first chapter of Among Galactic Ruins, the first book in my award-winning Phoenix Adventures series. This is action, adventure, romance and treasure hunting in space!

  Don’t miss out! For updates about new releases, action romance info, free books, and other fun stuff, sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances.

  Click here to get started: www.annahackettbooks.com

  Sneak Peek: Unmapped

  (Please note this an unedited snippet from Unmapped and there may be slight changes in the final version)

  He’d been conned.

  Ronin Cooper stepped out of the warehouse. Somehow, Darcy Ward had tricked him into doing the coffee run for the entire Treasure Hunter Security team. He jogged down the front steps of the building that housed the THS offices and shook his head. As a former Navy SEAL and CIA agent, he should have seen it coming. Still, Darcy could get pretty mean and sneaky when it came to her caffeine.

  As he walked down the sidewalk, he pulled in a deep breath of air. Spring had hit Denver and all around, the trees were bursting with green leaves and the last chill of winter had left the air. The renovated warehouse that housed THS was on the edge of LoDo, not far from Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. Ronin wasn’t a huge baseball fan, but when he wasn’t off guarding some archeological dig or museum exhibition, he and the gang sometimes caught a game.

  As he turned, he saw the city of Denver rising up ahead of him. Overhead, the sun shone as it always did here. It was nice to be in the light.

  His thoughts turned dark, and Ronin stuck his hands in the pockets of his cargo pants. He’d spent so long working in the dark—on his SEAL missions, for the CIA. Hell, he’d been born in the dark.

  He set his shoulders back. He’d gotten out—and maybe he was missing a few chunks of his soul—but he worked for THS now. He worked with people he liked, and most of the time, he enjoyed the job. He even liked Denver. He could cycle in the summer and snowboard in the winter. Many a weekend, he went climbing with Callum Ward, one of the owners of THS. He liked his life just the way it was.

  As he approached the baseball park, the traffic got a little busier. It didn’t take him long to realize he was being followed.

  Ronin felt the muscles in his shoulders tense, but kept his stride and body relaxed. He didn’t want to alert his prey.

  He wondered who the hell it was. THS had royally pissed off Silk Road on their last mission in Africa. They’d even finally managed to take down one of the top people in the dangerous, black-market antiquities group. Declan Ward had warned
them all that Silk Road would be out for payback.

  Ronin paused at some stop lights, waiting to cross the street. He casually turned his head and spotted a flash of color. Hair that was a deep copper that made him think of the rising sun.

  It was her.

  He’d spied her three times before. Once, at Dec and Layne’s wedding. Mystery Woman had gatecrashed the reception and had been watching the THS gang. When Ronin had spotted her, she’d taken off. Another time, he’d seen her watching him cycling on one of the bike paths he used a lot. The third time, he’d seen at the bar where he and his friends sometimes grabbed a beer after work. Once again, she’d disappeared before he’d reached her.

  Who the hell was she?

  Ronin strode across the street. Now he was in the heart of LoDo, with its brick buildings and renovated warehouses. Ahead, he saw a narrow entrance to an alley and turned into it. Brick walls rose up either side. There were a few doorways and puddles on the ground, but other than that, the alley was empty.

  He walked deeper into the shadows that he knew so well. Then he quickly moved into a doorway, crouching so he was hidden by darkness.

  Moments later he heard footsteps—light and quick. Definitely a woman. Then he heard a feminine curse and he raised a brow. That wasn’t very ladylike.

  He let out a slow breath, his heartbeat calm and controlled. He charged out of his hiding place and grabbed the woman.

  He saw wide blue eyes and blunt copper-colored bangs above them.

  As he tightened his hold on her, she cursed like a sailor again. Before he could speak, she landed a sharp kick to his knee.

  Surprised, he stumbled. Hell, no one surprised him.

  But the time he righted himself, the woman was running out of the alley.

  No, you don’t. Ronin broke into sprint.

  Preview: Among Galactic Ruins

  As the descending starship hit turbulence, Dr. Alexa Carter gasped, her stomach jumping.

  But she didn’t feel sick, she felt exhilarated.

  She stared out the window at the sand dunes of the planet below. Zerzura. The legendary planet packed with danger, mystery and history.