Mission: Her Protection (Team 52 #1)(32)

Blair made a noise. “God, you are the least trusting person I know.”

“Hazard of the job.”

“Just because you waded through shark-infested, dirty waters for the CIA for too long doesn’t mean everyone is out to bite you in the ass, Lynch.”

Seth lifted a shoulder.

Blair met Lachlan’s gaze. “She looks at you like she can’t quite believe you’re real.”

“She deserves better,” Lachlan said.

Blair’s face twisted in anger. “You stop that right now. You aren’t your fucking father, Lachlan.”

Seth was quiet a second. “You’re one of the best men I know.”

Emotions rose in Lachlan and he ground his teeth together. He knew better than anyone that he could turn into what his father had been.

Axel appeared beside Lachlan. “She’s pretty and smart. If you’re not interested, Hunter, I’ll ask her out.” Axel shot them all a lazy smile.

Lachlan felt a nasty twist in his gut and glared at Axel. When they all laughed, Lachlan was done.

“We have a job to do,” he said. “How about we focus on that?”

Blair touched the controls. “Message from Brooks. He’s identified the guys who attacked Rowan. They work for the Red Wolves. Some sort of paramilitary group out to save the country from politicians.”

Lachlan shifted. “Never heard of them.”

“Real whack-jobs,” Blair said. “Capable of killing. They took some people hostage in Texas last year and made a real mess. Two civilians were killed.”

Great. Mess was the last thing they needed. It meant innocent people would get hurt.

“Looks like Treasure Hunter Security had a run in with some of the Red Wolves when they were doing security for an Ancestral Puebloan dig in New Mexico last year. Brooks thinks THS might have more info.”

Treasure Hunter Security was a security company out of Denver specializing in providing security for archeological digs and expeditions. It was owned by the Ward family and they’d crossed paths with Team 52 a couple of times. While they weren’t enemies, they weren’t exactly friends either.

“I’ll give Declan Ward a call later,” Lachlan said.

“Brooks also said the Red Wolves have an online following, and like making a lot of noise and big gestures,” Blair added.

Lachlan frowned, something niggling at him. “Blackmailing the mother of a sick kid doesn’t sound like them. Too subtle.”

“Could be they’re branching out?” Seth suggested. “And once they have the artifact, they’ll make a mess.”

Maybe. Lachlan needed more intel on the Red Wolves. But right now, his first priority was recovering the artifact.





Chapter Ten





As the plane touched down on the tarmac, Rowan jerked awake. She turned her head and looked out the window.

They were back in Las Vegas.

She stared at the distinctive line of garishly lit casinos. She had the absurd thought that the Team 52 guys had the oddest commute.

“Ready?” Natalie leaned forward in the seat beside Rowan. She was smiling, but looked tense. There had been no update before they’d left the base.

Since the artifact had been stolen and Team 52 had left, the vibe around the base had not been good—and that was putting it mildly. When the plane finished taxiing and stopped, she followed Natalie down the steps and onto the tarmac. She straightened at the sight of Lachlan and Callie standing by a black SUV, wearing civilian clothes.

The change of outfit didn’t soften them a single bit. They still radiated badass vibes.

Rowan’s gaze locked on Lachlan. He looked so good in his faded jeans and, this time, a tight, gray T-shirt. He also looked really unhappy.

“Did you get the artifact?” Rowan asked.

Lachlan’s mouth flattened. “No.”

Her chest tightened. “What?”

“We intercepted the plane just as it landed, but Airman Kowalski got away.”

“How?” Nat asked.

“We found an emergency door open at the back of the plane,” Callie said. “She somehow snuck off.”

“Oh, no.” All Rowan could think about was that the artifact was out there, somewhere. And that someone with very bad intentions wanted to use it.

For a second, she was back at the research base, the horror of the attack shuddering through her. Right at this moment, she better understood the importance of the work Team 52 did.

“The others are out searching,” Lachlan continued. “Smith is a hell of a tracker, and Seth is good at asking questions and finding things.”

Rowan nodded. “So, if the bad guys have the artifact, they won’t be interested in me, right?”

Lachlan straightened. “I’m not taking any risks with your life.”

His deep voice had warmth igniting in her belly. No one had really cared for her before. Her parents had made sure she was fed and educated, but that was about it. She’d bandaged her own skinned knees since she’d started school.

“Okay,” she said.

He leaned down, cupping her jaw. “Likely the focus is off you, but I’m not taking any chances. Now, I need to get back out there with the team. You’re staying with Natalie.”