Unidentified

by Anna Hackett

  “Help me.” He thrashed, one hand grabbing at Percy, the other hand scrabbling for a hold on the cliff edge.

  “Percy, get back—” Oliver yelled.

  Acton pulled her over the edge. She grabbed the ledge with one hand, stopping her fall. She hung there, still linked to Acton where they both clutched the emerald. He was holding onto the edge with his other hand, his knuckles white.

  Cursing, Oliver grabbed a nearby vine. He tested it, and when it held, he moved closer to the edge. He had to get Percy.

  She yanked, pulling the emerald away from Acton. “This is not yours.”

  “You’ll never stop us,” Acton screamed. “There are others in my organization.”

  Oliver managed to get a grip on the collar of Percy’s shirt. He twisted it, holding on hard.

  Acton swung at Percy, trying to dislodge her hold on the emerald or knock her loose. Oliver couldn’t tell. She swung wildly and kicked at him.

  Then the man lost his grip on the ledge and fell with a scream.

  He kicked and flailed all the way down, hitting the water below with a splash. A moment later, several dark shapes slid off the banks.

  “Oh, God,” Percy murmured.

  Oliver shook his head. “Don’t look.” It was hard to feel sorry for the man, but it was a horrible way to go.

  Then Oliver felt Percy’s shirt start to slide through his grip. His heart knocked against his ribs. “Percy, you need to climb back up.”

  She looked up at him, her gray eyes solemn. Their gazes locked.

  He sucked in a breath. There was such sadness on her face.

  “Percy—”

  “You can do much better than me, Oliver.”

  He gritted his teeth. “I can do better than a feisty, spirited, intelligent woman? One who lights me up and makes me feel alive?”

  She squeezed her eyes closed. “You’re not making this easy. I’m doing this for you.”

  “You seriously thought I’d make it easy for you to leave me?” Oliver shook his head. “I told you, I’m falling for you, Percy. I want to make a life with you. Marriage, kids, house, the whole shebang.”

  Her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Deadly.”

  “Why?” She looked at him with such naked longing on her face that it broke his heart.

  “Because I’m falling in love with you, and you’re falling in love with me, too.”

  Her face spasmed. “I come from two people who can’t settle down. A thief and a traveler. That’s my blood.”

  “Bullshit. We aren’t the people we come from. We’re the decisions we make, the actions we take. It’s your choice who you are, Percy. What you make of yourself.”

  Damn, he could feel her shirt slipping farther through his fingers.

  Her gaze traced his face. “You’re a handsome devil, Oliver Ward. And you need to learn that people will always betray you.”

  He was losing her. She was right there in front of him, but slipping from his grasp in more ways than one. He dragged in a breath. He always knew that taming Persephone Blake’s heart was going to be a tough war. But he was in for the long haul, no matter how much each battle hurt.

  “I trust you, Percy. And I’m going to love you, no matter what. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  They stared at each other for another long moment, her fingers clenched on the Emerald Tear.

  Then she pressed her boots to the rock wall and pushed. She broke out of his grasp and arched back out into the air, as graceful as a diver.

  Then she arrowed down to the river below.

  Oliver stayed where he was, clenching the vines. He saw her hit the water, then swim fast toward the far bank. He watched her pull herself out and disappear into the jungle, and fought back the pain in his heart.

  I’ll be waiting, Percy.

  Oliver opened the door to his condo and flicked on the lights.

  He sighed. He was tired and hungry, and had spent the day at the university lecturing on the Rio Napo mine.

  Every time he talked about it, he thought of Percy and their adventure in the jungle.

  A month had passed since he’d returned from Ecuador. Four weeks without her. Hell, he’d been without her longer than he’d known her.

  And yet, he thought of her every day.

  He dumped his bag on the floor in the entry. He knew his parents were worried. His mother kept inviting him over for dinner, multiple times a week, and the last time, there was the pretty, well-dressed daughter of a friend who’d joined them.

  Oliver scrubbed his hands over his face. He was starting to wonder if he’d misjudged things with Percy. Maybe she didn’t feel the same way he did? His fingers curled into a fist. What would he do if he never saw her again? The sharp pain in his chest hurt like hell.

  Then he froze. A lamp was on in his living room.

  He hadn’t left any lights on.

  He walked in and the gleam of something green shone on his coffee table. His chest tightened. The Emerald Tear rested on the smooth wood.

  Scanning the room, he ignored the jewel. He didn’t give a damn about the emerald. Percy stepped out of the shadows at the edge of the room.

  She looked tired, but still vibrant and brilliantly alive.

  Everything in him roared to life, pushing his own weariness aside.

  “You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” she said.

  “Hello, Percy.”

  She threw her arms out. “You planned this! You made me miss you. Every hour of every damn day.”

  Elation filled him. Persephone Blake had missed him. “Is that what happened?”

  She strode closer, determination etched on her face. “I’m not going to let you go now. I’m not going to let you find some silk-suited, coiffed, professor’s wife. You lost the chance.” She fisted a hand in his shirt and pulled him closer. “You’re mine, now.”

  “I love you, Persephone.”

  “God help us, I think I love you, too.”

  And then her sweet mouth was pressed to his. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up on her toes and kissing her hard. He was so hungry for her.

  Her hands tangled in his hair and she moaned into his mouth.

  He nipped her lip. “Missed you.” He moved his mouth down her neck, backing her toward his bedroom.

  “I missed you, too,” she said. “You know I’ll drive you crazy. We’ll fight and argue.”

  He smiled. “I can’t wait.”

  Then they were tearing each other’s clothes off, and falling onto his bed.

  “Wait,” he said. “I have something for you.” He reached out, grabbing what had been resting on his bedside table from the first day he’d arrived back in Denver.

  As she stared at the ring on his palm, her jaw dropped. “You don’t do slow, do you, professor?”

  “It’s not an emerald from Ecuador,” he said. “But it’s wild and vibrant, like you.”

  She stared at the oval emerald surrounded by diamonds, then her gaze met his. “You’re sure this is what you want?”

  “Yes.” He lifted her left hand. “A hundred times yes, Percy.” He slid the ring on her finger. “You’re going to be my greatest adventure.”

  “God, I love you.” Her eyes glimmered with tears, but she was smiling.

  Then her mouth was on his again and there were only moans and sighs.

  One year later

  “Where are you taking me, Ward?” Persephone asked. God, the curiosity was killing her. He’d been acting weird all day.

  Oliver pulled the car into a parking space between two others on the residential Denver street.

  He smiled at her. “I have a surprise for you.”

  God, a year later and he was still the most beautiful man she knew. A year later, and she was completely in love with the man who was now her husband.

  His parents had hidden their initial dismay pretty well when he’d first introduced her to them. But they’d slowly warmed to her, especially when they’d
seen that Oliver was happy. Besides, Persephone was darn good at making the Wards laugh—deep, belly laughs for Mr. Ward, and polite tinkling titters from Mrs. Ward. They weren’t as stuffy as Persephone had feared. And Oliver’s brother Isaac was awesome.

  At first, Oliver and Persephone’s relationship had scandalized the university. When a university bigwig had politely warned Oliver that marrying an infamous treasure hunter would jeopardize his career, he’d threatened to quit.

  “If it’s my job or my wife, the university loses,” he told them. “Every time.”

  God, her man. She climbed out of the car, still unable to believe he was hers and that life was so good.

  They’d been back in Ecuador several times to help with the dig at the mine site. She’d been a special consultant on the expedition. She winced. Persephone Blake—now Ward—special consultant. She’d never admit just how much she’d enjoyed helping the archeologists.

  Oliver had also accompanied her on a few treasure hunts as well, although he preferred to call them artifact acquisition trips. All he’d asked was that she sold the artifacts to reputable dealers and museums.

  She smiled. Yes, life was sweet. She fiddled with her emerald ring and wedding band on her finger. And things were about to get more interesting when she finally found the courage to tell him her secret.

  He took her hand and pulled her to stand in front of a beautiful Victorian house. She gasped. It was incredibly similar to the picture of the house she’d carried around for years. It was made from warm, red brick, with lots of decorative trim, and it even had a turret.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  Bemused, she looked at him. “It’s gorgeous.” But one thing Oliver had taught her over the last year was that home wasn’t about the walls you lived within.

  “It’s ours,” he said.

  She went still. “Say again?”

  “Ours. I bought it. It’s our new home.”

  Her mouth dropped open and shockingly, she felt tears well. “Really?”

  He cupped her cheeks. “Really. When we aren’t traveling, this will be home.”

  She cleared her throat. “How many bedrooms does it have?”

  “Five.” He tilted his head. “Why?”

  She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her belly. “Because we’ll have an extra occupant in about seven months.”

  His blue eyes flared, and then he was kissing her. Before she could say anything, he dropped to his knees right there on the path, and spread both hands over her belly. The look of wonder on his face made her breath catch.

  “A baby?” He looked up. “I want four.”

  Four. Her brain went blank. That was insane. “Two.”

  “Four.”

  “I’m not giving birth four times.”

  “Three.”

  She huffed out a breath. “We’ll see.”

  “I love you, Percy Ward.” He shot her that gorgeous smile that still took away her ability to think. “My life is better with you in it.”

  “And you’re my best adventure, Oliver Ward.”

  He rose and kissed her in front of the house that would be their home, and the home of the family they’d make together.

  I hope you enjoyed Oliver and Percy’s story! Read on for The Emerald Butterfly featuring ex-SEAL Diego Torres and DEA agent Sloan McBride on the action-packed hunt for the Emerald Butterfly.

  The Emerald Butterfly

  Anna Hackett

  Chapter One

  He stepped out onto the deck and pulled in a deep breath of sea air. It filled him like a drug, racing through his veins. The Florida sun was warm on Diego Torres’ skin, and since he was on vacation for the next two weeks, he was a happy man.

  Smiling, he crossed the deck of his ship. Pride filled him. The Storm Nymph was all his. Well, his and the bank’s—he had the mortgage to prove it.

  She was a research and salvage vessel. Not the biggest ship out there, but to him she was perfect. He hadn’t wanted something that needed a huge crew. The Nymph had a large working deck, with an A-frame crane at the back for heavy lifting. A secondary crane was tucked away, one that was used for lifting his collection of ROVs into the water. The remotely operated underwater vehicles were all tucked securely into racks and locked down. Another rack contained scuba tanks, and other compartments were filled with wet suits, buoyancy control device jackets, masks, and fins.

  Diego swiveled. The cabins sat belowdecks, and on the main level, he had research labs that would make any scientist happy. There was also a tidy galley and dining room, and the topmost level, ringed by a balcony, contained his bridge. The roof of the bridge bristled with the antennae that made up his high-tech communications systems.

  And it was all his. The Nymph was the only woman he needed. He crossed the deck to check on some of the gear he wanted to repair and replace over the next few weeks. His crew—a father and son team—were also on vacation, and had gone hunting for a few weeks. Diego was blissfully alone.

  He planned to sleep late, do some maintenance jobs on the Nymph, drink Coronas while he watched the sunsets, and dodge his nosy family for as long as he could. If his mama or one of his siblings found out he was docked in the harbor, they’d pester him relentlessly. Come for dinner, cariño. Meet my friend’s lovely daughter, mi hijo. Talk to me, mi hermano.

  Diego loved them, but in the two years since he’d left the Navy, they’d honed pestering into a fine art.

  He glanced down at the scars on his arm. His family didn’t understand. Didn’t have the first clue about the things he’d done and seen, and the friends he’d lost.

  Dragging in a breath, he set his hands on his hips. He knew he’d never forget and would never be the man he’d been before. He wanted to shield his family from that. Protecting his family, his country—that was the reason he’d signed up to be a SEAL in the first place.

  His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. For a moment, he considered ignoring it, but then he flicked it open. “Torres.”

  “Diego. Thank God, I got you.”

  He recognized the female voice instantly. Darcy Ward, co-owner of Treasure Hunter Security along with her brothers. Declan and Cal were former SEAL buddies of Diego’s. He often did work with THS and their clients when it involved underwater expeditions.

  “Hey, Darcy.”

  “I’ve got a job for you,” she said.

  He frowned. “I—”

  “I know, I know, I’m disrupting your time off,” she hurried on. Darcy’s energy vibrated through the line. He suspected she was sitting behind her beloved computers. She was especially energetic when she had her fingers on a keyboard. “I wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t important.”

  Diego heard a deep voice rumble in the background.

  “Hang on a sec.” Darcy’s voice turned muffled, like she was covering the phone. “I’m on the phone.” A pause. “None of your business.” Another pause, and then a huff of breath. “Keep your socks on, I just need a few minutes. I’m working with you, not for you. I didn’t sign a contract to be your slave.” Pause. “I’ll be there in a minute. Diego? I’m back.”

  “You okay?”

  She let out a hiss. “I’m working on a job in DC. An arrogant and annoying job.”

  “Okay. Look, Darce—”

  “Right.” She barreled over him. “Where was I? I have a friend. A close friend from college. Her grandfather is dying of cancer and doesn’t have long left.”

  Diego frowned. What the hell did this have to do with him? “That sucks.”

  “It does, especially since he’s all the family she has left. When her parents died, her grandfather took her in. He worked with my dad years ago. Ben was my dad’s mentor, and all his life, Ben’s been searching for an Incan jewel called the Emerald Butterfly. Have you heard of it?”

  “Some lost emerald,” Diego said. “Didn’t your parents find one like it?”

  “They did.” Darcy’s voice softened. “Mom and Dad met in Ecuador on a treasure hunt
to find the Emerald Tear.”

  Diego was well aware that the feisty Persephone Ward had been an infamous treasure hunter, and Oliver Ward had been an up-and-coming archeologist. They’d collided in the Ecuadorian jungle, and discovered a lost Incan emerald mine and a famous jewel.

  “While they were down there, they found evidence of a second giant emerald called the Emerald Butterfly,” Darcy continued. “Ben looked for it for years. All the stories said that it had been taken by the Spanish. He found evidence that it was aboard a galleon that was bound for Spain.”

  Diego felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. “What ship?”

  “The Nuestra Señora de Atocha.”

  Diego sat down on the steps leading up to the bridge. “Darcy, you know that treasure hunters found the wreck of the Atocha in 1985. You can see the artifacts in a museum right here in Key West.”

  “Diego, we both know that the treasure hunters only found half of the Atocha. They never found the sterncastle. The back of the ship would have housed the captain’s cabin, where the most valuable items, like a giant emerald, would have been stored for safekeeping. It’s still out there, somewhere, unidentified and waiting to be found.”

  “People have searched for the Atocha’s sterncastle for decades. No one’s found it.”

  “My friend thinks she has. She wants her grandfather to hold the Emerald Butterfly before he dies.”

  Diego closed his eyes. Hell. His plans for late mornings and drinking beer were rapidly evaporating.

  “She needs a ship and someone to help her bring up the emerald.”

  “Darcy—”

  “There’s an extra bonus in it for you.” Her voice turned cajoling. “Enough for you to buy more equipment for your ship. I know you’ve had your eye on some fancy diving gear. Those rebreather units, and the full-face masks with the underwater radio-communications system.”

  “You’re mean.”

  She laughed. “I just like getting my own way. The best thing is that the wreck is right off Key West. You don’t have to venture very far, and it might only take a few days.” Darcy’s tone turned pleading. “Please.”