by Liliana Hart
His blood had started to tingle the moment he saw the mention of the Book of Souls. It had always been more myth than historical fact, but myths had to get their start from somewhere. The book was said to have great power—a way to unite the living with those who’d already passed into the spirit world. It was a book that breathed life between loved ones for a small moment in time, but also brought danger to those who had it in their possession.
His gut was telling him the book was somewhere inside the tomb, tucked away in some secret corridor. He was experienced enough to know that traps lurked in the narrow passageways that led deeper into the tomb. They’d navigated many of them already, but it was a slow process and time was running out.
The ancient Egyptians were engineers like none other he’d ever seen—hidden corridors and locked doors that could only be passed through with deciphered codes or the correct answer to a puzzle. And failure often meant death. These tombs weren’t meant to be breached, and they’d taken the steps to ensure whatever was buried within stayed safe and secure.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket, but knew it was useless even as he tried to check his text messages and email. He was in the middle of nowhere, and cell service was only good closer to the city. His focus had been split since the beginning of the dig, and his thoughts kept going back to the text Maggie had sent the day after he’d arrived in Egypt.
Looks like we’re not pregnant again. Looking forward to trying again. Miss you and love you always.
They’d had the same results for more than a year now, and he knew without being there how painful that message must have been for her to type. Each month had been a little more difficult than the previous, and watching the disappointment and heartbreak on her face tore him in two.
Somehow, over the course of the last several months, making love had turned into a mission to get pregnant. Not that he didn’t enjoy those intimacies with his wife. Maggie was an adventuress in and out of the bedroom. But being intimate with each other should never feel like a chore. And fitting in sex between their hectic schedules and when Maggie was ovulating made it feel like nothing but.
What they needed was to get back to the basics. To take some time away where it was just the two of them—no work and no worries. Where they could play and laugh and experiment. Where they could spend twenty-four hours a day secluded and naked, exploring each other’s bodies and satisfying only each other.
The thought of Maggie naked—that lean, supple body stretched out before him—her breasts rosy tipped and begging for his mouth to suckle them and her wrists cuffed and fastened to the headboard, had his cock swelling behind the zipper of his cargo pants. He couldn’t remember the last time they “played” with the various toys and restraints in their collection.
He’d always had a varied and unusual sexual appetite. Not as unusual as his brother Cooper, but enough that not all women were comfortable with the things he enjoyed. He’d respected that choice of his partners before he found Maggie, but he hadn’t always been satisfied. But Maggie was his sexual match in every way.
Riley took a long sip of water from the canteen slung at his hip and then poured some on the back of his neck to cool his heated skin. He had the urge to say to hell with the dig and get on the first flight out of Cairo. He could have Maggie naked and trussed up in the restraints attached to their bed, her pussy spasming around his cock as she cried out in release, in less than twenty-four hours.
“Dr. MacKenzie.”
Riley blew out a sigh of frustration and willed his body back under control before he turned around to see who was calling him. He took his glasses out of his shirt pocket and slipped them on.
A young woman of nineteen or twenty sashayed from the covered area she’d been working under and stopped just in front of him, so their bodies were almost touching. Riley took an automatic step back.
She was a pretty girl. Not overly bright. But she at least had good hands and didn’t damage the artifacts. Her white blond hair was pulled in a loose bun on top of her head and strands of hair fluttered around her heart-shaped face. Unlike the others on his team, she didn’t bother with long pants and the light cotton shirts that acted as a natural cooling system for the body. He’d tried to tell her the benefits, but she’d been determined to wear the tiny shorts and halter-tops. At least she’d gotten a great tan out of it.
She was one of his newer interns. Rachel. Or maybe Rebecca. He had a tendency to go through interns like water, so he never bothered to learn their names unless they proved they could make it through an entire dig without crying or messing something vital up. He didn’t tolerate incompetence. Too much was at stake.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“Oh, no, Dr. MacKenzie.” She batted big blue eyes at him and he looked down at his watch, wondering if he could make it back to the city in time to call Maggie before she left for work. She was Director of the Museum of Antiquities and was staying at their Seattle home while he was away.
“Umm…Dr. MacKenzie?”
Riley grunted and started making his way toward the equipment table. There was only another hour of daylight and then they’d have to shut things down until the next day. It wasn’t safe navigating the tomb in the dark. And there were too many superstitions floating around to convince anyone that it was a good idea.
She followed behind him, her bun bobbing with every step. “It’s just that Walker and I are finishing up quadrant four, and I was wondering if it would be okay to take a little break. It’s pretty hot today, and we’ve made a lot of progress.”
Her eyes widened as he unbuckled the gun belt from around his waist and laid it on the table. The desert wasn’t a place to go unarmed. There were too many deadly snakes or other poisonous creatures. And the occasional thief as well.
“Umm…and you see, it’s almost dark anyway, and we’ve been working non-stop since we got here. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to make it an early night for a little fun. There’s that little bar in Cairo.” She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes again. “We could grab a drink.”
Riley refrained from rolling his eyes and instead looked over her shoulder to where Walker—who was finishing up his doctoral studies and had worked with Riley on digs for almost four years—worked diligently at cataloging the objects they’d found inside the tomb. Walker looked up and shook his head, clearly aggravated with Rachel—or Rebecca—whatever her name was.
Ten years ago he would’ve given the girl a dressing down that would either shame her back to work or send her packing. Both options most likely resulting in tears. But he was a different man now. Marriage had mellowed him—a little.
“Listen, Rachel,” he said.
“It’s actually Roxanne, Dr. MacKenzie.” Her lips pursed in aggravation and she crossed her arms over her ample chest.
Riley sighed and felt every bit of his thirty-six years. He reminded himself how difficult it was to find interns and that it didn’t matter that the only reason she was probably there was to pad her dating resume. At least ninety percent of his female interns had been looking for Indiana Jones to take home with them. And a hundred percent of them had gone home disappointed every time.
The movies were one thing, but this was reality. Archaeology was a competitive field and growing smaller, as major discoveries were few and far between. It wasn’t non-stop adventure and danger lurking around every corner. It was hours of research and lab time.
Roxanne hadn’t been there two days before she’d been sharing one of the other interns’ sleeping bags. Riley looked over to the other quadrant where the intern in question—Jay Dexter—was working. His head was down and he was going through the pictures of the hieroglyphs they’d discovered, sketching them into a notebook for Riley to go through later. But Jay’s cheeks were flushed red with embarrassment, meaning he’d overheard her not so subtle proposition. It looked like she’d have to find another sleeping bag to sleep in.
Romantic entanglements were always a pain in the ass. Why c
ouldn’t people leave their raging hormones at home?
“Right. Roxanne.” Riley didn’t make eye contact with the girl, and he almost grinned as he saw her irritation was growing rapidly. He crossed his arms over his chest, making sure she saw the glint of the gold ring on his left hand.
A cloud of dust plumed up in the distance—several miles away—catching his attention out of the corner of his eye. He watched in curiosity as it drew closer. With any luck it was the supplies they needed for the rest of the week. That was best case scenario. Worst case scenario, the government had pulled their clearance and planned on escorting them out of the country at gunpoint. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. It had happened to him on more than one dig.
“How old are you, Roxanne?”
“Old enough to have a good time and enjoy a few drinks,” she said, eyeing the ring on his hand with a glint of calculation in her eyes. She was going to be trouble.
“Uh-huh.” The plume of dust grew bigger and he could see a covered Jeep as it came over a dune. And then another followed closely behind it. He only had a six-member team. And they’d agreed to not disclose their location to the media or do any kind of digital recordings of the find. This was a top-secret operation. At least until all the work was done and the Egyptian government could announce that they’d made the discovery and take all the credit.
He looked over at his second in command, Dr. Sam Nigel, and saw that he’d also become aware of the convoy traveling in their direction. Sam was built like a boxer and had spent a lot of time on digs in third world jungles where the only law was one of survival. His hair was dark and curly and his nose ridged where it had been broken on more than one occasion.
Riley nodded to Sam and Sam wiped his dusty hands on his pants, coming to his feet. He lifted a tarp and pulled out his own pistol, sticking it in the pocket of his cargos. Satisfied Sam was on alert, Riley turned back to Roxanne. He decided the best way to deal with her was to be blunt.
“We have less than a week to salvage as much of this site as we possibly can. Believe me when I tell you that the Egyptian government doesn’t give leeway for water breaks because it’s hot or time off for partying because you want to pretend you’re an adult. This is my dig. Either work or leave. It’s your choice.”
She gasped in outrage, but he didn’t let her get a word in. “When our time here is up, they’ll meet us with armored cars. They’ll search our belongings and our pockets, and then escort us from the property to the airport. So you tell me if you think it’s a good idea to take a short break.”
Her cheeks flushed red and he was surprised smoke didn’t curl from her ears. His wife had always said he had a special way with women. That was true. Just not on a dig.
“Everyone said you were the best, but I can see they were wrong about that.” Her voice had escalated into a higher pitch and she took a step forward into his space. He wasn’t about to let her make him back down so he stood his ground and checked his watch again. “You’re nothing but a pompous prick.”
Riley arched a brown and his lips twitched. She really was a child throwing a temper tantrum.
“Careful, Roxanne. The heat has addled your brain. Walk it off and then get back to work.”
“I don’t know who you think you are, but you can’t treat people like this. There are laws for workers. You have to give us adequate breaks. You’re looking for a lawsuit.”
“If you don’t get back to work in thirty seconds you’ll be looking for a ride back into Cairo so you can catch the next plane. You’re an intern. A volunteer. You chose to be here. If you need a drink, get one. And then get back to work. I won’t say it again.” His voice had never changed in volume. It never did when he lost his temper or became irritated. The more irritated he was the softer and more even his voice became.
Sam looked at the girl and shook his head in disbelief. Sam was one of the few people who’d ever seen Riley really lose his temper. There was a reason he kept such a tight rein on it. His brothers could all testify to that.
Riley strapped his gun belt back on and picked up two of the knives on the table, slipping them into his pocket. Then he made his way toward Walker to see what his progress was.
“Don’t turn your back on me when I’m speaking to you.” Roxanne followed behind him, kicking up sand in her wake, and he put out an arm to hold her back so she wouldn’t cover up what Walker was cataloging. She jerked back from his arm.
“Don’t you put your hands on me,” she screeched. “Do you always bully women like that? No wonder you can’t keep interns on the job. How much hush money do you have to pay to keep women quiet?”
“Is there anything inside your tent you want to keep?” Riley asked casually.
“I’m trying to have a conversation with you. What does my tent have to do with anything?”
“I just figured you might want to grab anything that’s important to you before I put you inside one of those vehicles that’s heading in our direction. If we’re lucky they’ll have duct tape in the glove box.”
She gasped and kicked at another pile of sand, her fists going to her hips. “My father is going to hear about this. You’re rude and insufferable.”
“Oddly enough, I’ve been told that before.”
“He’ll have your job before you can blink. He’s a United States Senator.”
“Oh, yeah? What did you say your last name was?”
“Keller. Roxanne Keller.” She smiled at him smugly.
Riley pulled one of the knives out of his pocket and scratched the whiskers on his cheek with the edge of it.
“I’ve met your dad a time or two. I can see the resemblance now. He likes to throw tantrums too.”
Walker snickered out loud and turned it into a cough, and Riley flipped over the knife so he could hand it over to Walker handle first. The younger man wasn’t comfortable with a gun, but Riley hated for any of his people to be in a situation where they didn’t have something to fight back with if necessary.
Walker looked at the two Jeeps that were almost upon them and sighed, taking the knife.
“Go ahead and lay tarps over everything we’re working on just to be safe. And then why don’t you, Jay, and Roxanne head into one of the tents.”
Walker’s eyes rolled up to a fuming Roxanne and then back to Riley. “I’d rather deal with the bandits if it’s all the same to you.”
“Bandits?” Roxanne screeched, finally noticing that everyone was focused on the incoming vehicles.
Sam came over to stand beside them just in time to hear her declaration, and he winced at the decibel of her voice. “Damn, woman. If they didn’t know you were here before they sure as hell do now.”
Sam had never been one for holding back his thoughts, and to say he wasn’t always politically correct—even when there was a lady present—was an understatement.
“I told you to go pack your things,” Riley said, shrugging. “If you’d listened you could’ve stayed hidden. Too late now though.”
“I want a weapon,” she said. “I can shoot. Dealing with bandits wasn’t part of the deal. I’m not standing around here while you morons get us all killed.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “I hate to break it to you, little girl, but not every place is as safe and cozy as daddy’s mansion on the hill. I guess you’re about to find out how parts of the rest of the world work.”
“I’ll pay you if you keep me safe.” Her eyes grew larger the closer the vehicles came. “I have lots of money. Anything you want.”
The lead Jeep had gotten close enough that Riley was able to recognize Dr. Bekhit in the passenger seat. He was the director of the museum in Cairo, and someone Riley had worked with on several occasions. He was the key reason Riley had been selected for the dig in the first place.
“I’m good, thanks,” Sam said, shrugging. “I’ve got plenty of money. And you’re kind of a headache. I’m sure you’ll make some man very miserable soon. You should’ve listened to the Doc when he told you to
go to the tent. That bleached hair of yours is like a beacon. You’ll probably be kidnapped. They’ll either ask for ransom—you are a Senator’s daughter after all—or they’ll sell you to the highest bidder. And you’re wearing those skimpy clothes. You probably could’ve bought more time if you’d worn the long pants and shirt we advised you to wear.”
Roxanne’s mouth opened, but nothing more than a squeak came out, and her face paled of all color.
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
All three men moved at rapid speed, pushing her away from the work areas and into an open area of sand. Stomach acid wasn’t the best thing for artifacts that were thousands of years old.
The Jeeps came to a halt and Dr. Bekhit jumped out of the passenger seat and onto the sand, waving enthusiastically to Riley. He was tiny, a few inches over five feet and delicately boned—built more like a bird than a man. He was somewhere in his late fifties, but his dark hair was still thick, though liberally sprinkled with gray.
“Dr. Bekhit,” Riley said, returning the wave and moving in to shake the other man’s hand. “What brings you out so late in the day?” Cairo had placed a curfew on the city and outer areas to keep people inside after dark because of the escalating crime in the city.
“I bring many deliveries, my friend,” he said, taking Riley’s hand and then slapping him once on the shoulder. “Water and provisions for the next week.”
“I’m glad to hear it. We’re low on everything. I was hoping you hadn’t forgotten us out here.”
“Never, my friend. You know how it is,” Bekhit said, waving his hand in front of him. “So much red tape. Even for something so simple as water. There are still many who’d rather see the water poisoned than let you and your team put your hands on our artifacts.”
