hours ago. No one’s hurt…except the attackers. They were trying to look like thieves out to rob us, but I knew there was something off about them.”
“Cal, you need to be careful.” He could hear his sister tapping on a keyboard. “Have your archeologists mentioned any valuable artifacts? Silk Road doesn’t go for stone statues and ruined temples. They want rare, unique, and priceless.”
“Nothing like that. An old temple that’s probably falling to pieces.”
“You need help.” More tapping. “I’m contacting Logan and Morgan now. I’ll have them there as soon as I can.”
Other than Declan, Cal couldn’t think of two people he’d prefer to have at his back in a fight. “Okay. Hopefully it’ll be nothing, and we’ll have blown money on flights for nothing.”
“Hopefully,” Darcy said, doubt coloring her voice.
“Okay, my darling D. I have to go.”
“Take care of yourself, Callum. And don’t miss your next scheduled check-in. If you’re even a minute late, I’m sending in an army.”
“Roger that.”
A short while later, he stood, his back against a tree, munching on a pre-packed meal, and listening to the archeologists talking. They had a small, battery-powered lantern set up, and they were huddled around it. They seemed to be recovering from the attack.
Dani moved out of the darkness. “Wow, it is really dark in the jungle.”
Cal nodded. “You did well today, when we were attacked.”
“Thanks.”
He grabbed her arm. “But you shouldn’t have argued with me. You should have listened and stayed safe.”
In the dim light, he saw her stubborn chin lift. “You may as well save your breath.”
Yeah, he figured she was going to say something like that. “I don’t want you hurt.”
He felt the tension in her muscles ease a little. “Did your sister have any news?”
“Yes. Several Silk Road mercenaries are in the country and looking for an artifact in the jungle. They’re thieves who are known to stop at nothing to get their hands on valuable artifacts.”
She was quiet for a second. “What would they want with a ruined temple?”
“That’s the question of the day.” He straightened. “You should get some rest. We have another big day tomorrow.”
“And you? Are you going to rest?”
“I’ll catch a few hours. Goodnight, Dani. Sleep well.” He watched her walk away. He wasn’t planning to sleep. He was going to stay on guard through the night.
If Silk Road was out here and after his group, they were going to have to go through him to get to them.
Chapter Six
Logan O’Connor sat at the bar, nursing a beer, the clack of balls on the pool tables behind him.
Someone moved up beside him.
“Hey there. Looking for some company?”
He turned and looked at the woman. Generous curves, a cloud of brown hair, and a wide smile.
“Nope.” He lifted his beer.
The woman regrouped and leaned against the bar. “Oh, come on. Everyone likes to have some fun.”
Yeah, once he had. Once he’d been dumb enough to fall for a pretty face and a lush body. It had almost cost him his life and had cost a good man the ability to walk.
“I said no,” he growled.
The woman made a sound. “No need to be rude.” She stormed off.
“Another one bites the dust.” Morgan slid onto the stool beside him.
“Not interested.”
“You know, beneath all your wild and shaggy, there’s a good man in there somewhere. A good woman might smooth out those rough edges of yours.”
Logan took another long drag of his beer. He was grateful he didn’t have any sisters. Between Morgan and Darcy, he had all the meddling women he could handle.
“We could get started on you not having a man.”
Morgan sniffed. “I haven’t found one who can keep up with me.”
Logan grunted. He felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket a second before it started ringing. He pulled it out. “O’Connor.”
“Logan, thank God.” Darcy’s worried voice.
Logan pushed his beer away and