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W ith a frown, Chaz pulled the reading glasses he hated out of his pocket and slid them on his nose. He picked up the paper and studied it closely. Lottie was right about it looking like a treasure map. There were symbols, strange markings and even an “X” which marked…what?

“I didn’t know you had glasses,” Lottie said.

He looked up, feeling self-conscious. “That’s because I don’t ever wear them.”

“Why not?” She tilted her head, blue eyes darkening, a slow smile tilting her lips. “I think they’re sexy.”

“You do?” He’d been about to pull them off, but hesitated.

“Very. I think you should wear them more often. Although…” Her words trailed off.

“Although what?” he asked, searching her face.

“Although they’re a little too distracting.” When he didn’t respond, she toyed with her shirt collar, then began fanning herself. “In a let’s-get-naked kind of way.”

Dumbfounded, he kept the glasses on. Maybe they weren’t so bad after all. “Hold that thought for later.”

“Oh, I will,” she assured him with a wicked grin.

Unable to resist, he stole a quick kiss. When they pulled apart, she asked what he knew they were both thinking. “Do you think these are really directions to some kind of treasure? You said those men last night were talking about gems.”

“Yeah, they were. I think we need to call in reinforcements.”

“A treasure hunt with the Motley Crew?”

“Exactly.”

She nodded. “Sounds like an adventure.”

“It’s always an adventure with those guys,” he said dryly, pulling off his readers and tucking them back into the front pocket of his flannel shirt.

Lottie put the map in her purse and he closed the safety deposit box. They left the bank and the moment they were back in the car, Chaz called Brandon, putting him on speaker.

“Hey, Chaz,” Brandon answered. “Hi, Lottie. I hope Madden is behaving himself and taking good care of you.”

They exchanged a heated look and she cleared her throat. “Hi, Brand. Yes, he’s been very attentive.”

“Good. So what’s up? Did you find anything out?”

“Sure did,” Chaz said. “Any chance you and the crew want to go on a treasure hunt?”

“Treasure hunt?” he echoed. “I’m all ears.”

Chaz filled him in about how a couple of thugs showed up and, after scaring them off, they’d searched the cabin and found the key.

“We drove down to the city, opened the safety deposit box and there was a map inside,” he finished.

“Hmm, this is getting stranger and stranger. You think the men who tried to break in last night were the same ones who trashed Lottie’s place?”

“It makes sense,” Chaz said thoughtfully. “If they’re after this map, they might think her ex sent it to her. There aren’t any implicit directions on it, but there are numbers. Maybe it leads to these supposed gems.”

“What makes you think it leads to something of value?” Brand asked.

“Well, why put it in a safety deposit box if it’s worthless?” Lottie asked.

“Good point,” Brand said.

“That’s why I want to see if we can figure it out. Corey likes shit like this. He’s good at puzzles. Pry him away from that wolf and get his ass out here.”

“Roger that. Let me talk to the other guys, put a call in to Mitch, and I’ll get back to you.”

“Thanks, Brand.” He disconnected the call and turned to Lottie. “Any idea where he might’ve gotten this map?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “He liked collecting valuable things—coins, special edition books, rare stamps, that kind of thing. He’d go to auctions or find stuff online and bid. But this map doesn’t look old.”

“No, it doesn’t at all. It’s not yellowed or tattered. It actually looks almost brand new.”

“What’re you thinking?” she asked.

“Honestly? I’m wondering how someone ‘accidentally’ falls off a thirty-story balcony.”

“You think he was pushed.” It wasn’t a question.

“I’m entertaining the idea, yeah. Especially if someone came looking for gems or this map, and he didn’t have it.”

“God, if they think I have it…”

“I won’t let anything happen to you or Reya. We’re going to figure this out and keep you safe, okay?”

She pulled in a shaky breath. “Okay. At least Reya is safe with Wes and Ellie.”

“She’s in good hands and no one knows she’s there.”

“But people know I’m at Andy’s cabin now. What if they come back?”

“Then I’ll take care of it,” he said in a calm, no nonsense voice. “I’m good at handling problems, Sunshine. Trust me, okay?”

“I do,” she said. “I trust you with my life, Chaz.”

Her faith in him felt good. But he hoped it didn’t come to that. Although he excelled in life or death situations, he didn’t want Lottie in that kind of danger. No fucking way.

◆◆◆

Chaz and Lottie ate lunch in the city and Brand called back within the hour. He’d spoken to Mitch Evans who cleared them from duty for the foreseeable future. Then he’d called an emergency meeting with the team. They’d decided Wes and Ellie would continue to watch and protect Reya while Brand, Jayson, Lex and Corey would fly to New York and join the treasure hunt. He was glad the lure of adventure had gotten Cor to put down his blades and leave his cabin. Xander was unavailable—apparently out of town again—and Chaz wondered what the hell the other man was up to. But he didn’t have time to worry about Hawke. He had more important things to figure out.

Like where the hell he and Lottie stood after all this was over. Thinking back, he remembered what she’d told him about Andy saying he wasn’t ready to be a dad. Hadn’t Chaz basically said the same thing? He didn’t want to be a husband or a father? Shit. He was as big of an asshole as the guy who’d abandoned her.

But was that still the case? Or was that Chaz of the past? He’d definitely changed. He’d always been drawn to Lottie, always cared about her, but ever since she’d moved into his house, planting her little seeds of optimism, his feelings had shifted and increased exponentially. Knowing she might be in trouble because of her douchebag ex only elevated the rage he felt for the guy. And glancing over at her in the passenger seat of the SUV, he knew there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Nothing he wouldn’t do or risk to keep her safe. Those weren’t the thoughts of an asshole bent on abandoning her. He wasn’t going fucking anywhere.

They were almost back to the cabin when Chaz noticed the same car had been following them for miles. His hackles raised and he glanced over to make sure Lottie was buckled in securely.

“Hang on, Sunshine,” he murmured. “I think we might have company.”

She froze, looking in her side mirror. “That black car?”

“Yeah. They’ve been following us for a while now.” She let out a curse and he smirked. “Do you know how adorable you sound muttering bad words?”

“Me? Why?” Her gaze was glued to the vehicle beginning to gain on them, no longer hiding the fact they were following them.

Good. Bring it, fuckwits. Chaz was ready to take them down. He just wished Lottie wasn’t in the car. The further away from danger she was, the better. Besides, she’d already been hit and run off the road once. He refused to let it happen again.

“I just don’t expect anything dirty to come out of your sweet mouth.”

“I’m not that sweet.”

“You’re the perfect contradiction. A Disney princess who likes to get down and dirty.”

“Can we have this conversation later because they’re getting really close.”

She sounded worried and he didn’t like it.

“Hold on,” Chaz warned her, then slowed down, spun the wheel and pulled a complete one-eighty. The other car roared past them, slammed on the brakes and pulled the same maneuver. Tires squealing, he yanked the wheel hard, turning them around again.

Head-on with the other car, Chaz pulled his Glock from the holster beneath his shirt.

“Get down, Lottie,” he growled and hit the gas. She dropped forward, covering her head, as he drove straight toward the sedan.

They were in a much bigger car and Chaz had experience with evasive driving courses. If it weren’t for Delta, he’d considered being a stunt driver once upon a time. But that hadn’t seemed like a reliable career choice. Plus, he liked shooting guns way more than driving cars.

The other driver had no desire to play chicken and immediately squealed away from their oncoming SUV. Exactly what he’d hoped for because he didn’t plan to be reckless with Lottie in the car. He just wanted to let these jackasses know exactly who they were dealing with, and it wasn’t someone who ran him—or her—off the road and got away with it. Because he had a feeling these were the same assholes who’d forced Lottie off the road back in Cielo Springs.

Knowing they’d scared her made his blood boil.

Chaz easily caught up to them and clipped their bumper in a perfectly executed pit maneuver, sending the car spinning sideways and into a ditch. If he were alone, he would’ve rammed the other car and gotten out to see who exactly he was dealing with.

But not with Lottie. No way. His number one priority was to keep her safe. He did slow down, though, and caught a quick glimpse of the men inside—the same ones who’d attempted to break into the cabin last night.

Forcing himself to keep driving, he reholstered his weapon and laid a hand on Lottie’s back. “You can sit up now. Everything is okay.”

She popped up and looked around, neck craning. “Where are they?”

“Back in a ditch.”

“Where’d you learn to drive like that? I’m impressed.”

“Way back when, I took some stunt driving courses.”

She arched a brow. “Aren’t you full of surprises?”

They exchanged a smile.

“Not really. I’m pretty much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda guy.”

“Well, I like what I see, Charles Madden,” she said, voice low and suggestive. “What time is everyone arriving?”

“I’m thinking we’ll have some time to kill.”

“Good. I don’t want to waste a second of it.”

Definitely not. He was a man on a mission and he had a few goals on this trip. One of which involved using every last condom in that big box.