Page 33

Chapter Thirty-Two

T he water levels rose at a rapid speed. Andrew yelled something to Richard and jerked his head indicating they had to move. A whirlpool developed near the hole Brie and I had crawled out of and into the cavern. That wasn’t good. If Andrew got sucked in, he would either drown or die when the flow spat him into the ravine at the other end.

Andrew and Richard edged in our direction, water beating down on their bodies. Andrew slipped, losing his hat, but he held on to the wall. When they neared the passage, I leaned out, throwing my arm to Andrew. William held on to my belt.

“Grab on, Andy.” Brie also stuck out her hand while holding on to Brandon.

Ignoring her, Andrew grasped my outstretched arm, and I pulled him to safety. He brought me to him, and I shivered in his embrace. He cocooned me in his warmth, sheltering me from the devastation we’d most likely caused. Andrew kept whispering everything would be okay. I wanted to believe him.

The ground shook again, and the corridor crumbled several yards from us, blocking the passage. We were trapped wet rats.

“How do we get out of here?” I cried.

“That’s our way out,” Andrew shouted over the noise, pointing at a hole in the cavern ceiling where a fallen tree was sprawled across, the ends of four thick hanging vines swaying and writhing like snakes in chaotic waters.

The cold drops hit my head and face. I looked up to discover a large crack over our heads. We had to move.

I wiped my damped face with my arm. “What about William’s foot?”

“I’ll be fine,” William said.

We’d have to climb up fifty feet to reach the opening. Fragility and hunger drained my adrenaline. I touched my aching shoulder. “I don’t think I can do it. My arm is too weak.”

Andrew’s eyebrows pinched, and his eyes searched the space. He glanced at my brother and then at Brandon and Richard. “Take off your belts.” He began unbuckling his own. “You too, Adriana.”

Andrew took the belt out of his pants and secured it tight around his waist, then he collected our belts. Looping the first belt over his, he fastened it to the next one, then tied them in one knot to ensure they stayed together. He repeated the steps with the others.

“Raise your arms,” Andrew told me, then circled the end of the assembled strap around my chest. “It will hurt, but I’ll haul you up this way.”

The water level was thigh-high now, and treading through the rotating flow would take some strength which I didn’t have.

Gold glimmered in the turbulent water. Here. There. Then, more and more, the pieces of treasure bubbled up. Dickhead jumped into the water and began snatching coins.

“Leave it. It isn’t worth it,” Andrew yelled, waving his hand.

Richard lost his footing. He tried to get up just to fall again. I watched in horror as an undertow dragged his body toward the dangerous vortex, his arms flapping in all directions, searching for something to grasp. At the last moment, he caught a stalagmite and held on to it, sheer panic on his face.

“Bloody asshole.” Andrew undid his belt and leaped into the water. Panic ceased my breathing.

Battling the current, Andrew dug his fingers into the wall, his knuckles white. He waded close to Richard and stretched his long arm. He couldn’t reach him.

I picked up the end of the belt cord and shoved it into Brandon’s hands. “Put it on.”

“Adriana, no,” William cried into my ear, grabbing my arm.

“I need to help.”

Brandon secured the other end of the belts around his waist. “I’m ready.”

“You’re crazy!” William let go of me.

I stepped into the water, the undercurrent rapidly pulling at my feet.

“Adriana, get back,” Andrew commanded.

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

Digging my nails into the wall, I strained my leg muscles and edged towards Andrew.

“Grip the belt and reach for the dumbass,” I said, fighting not to lose my footing and slam into Andrew.

He shook his head. “Go. Back.”

“Not without you.” I braced my boot on a rock.

Andrew’s nostrils flared, and his jaw clenched. With another shake of his head, his fingers curled around the belt near my breastbone. He completely let go of the wall, yanking me slightly forward. His body slid closer to Richard. They grasped hands.

The pull on my back strained, and we moved slowly backward until we reached the corridor. Brandon and William helped us get back in. Five of us slumped against the wall and slid to the floor, our chests heaving. Brandon disconnected himself from me and passed the belt to Andrew.

Brie was missing. My stomach clutched at the thought she’d fallen into the swell, but then I saw her. Like a monkey, Brie had climbed up the vine, reached the top, and was slipping through the tree branches. The skinny jerk didn’t even try to rescue her husband.

Giving ourselves a moment to catch our breath, we crossed the water one by one and began ascending using different vines. Andrew climbed, tugging me with him. Each time I had to use my right arm to pull up, a hot pain sliced like a blade through my shoulder. I clenched my teeth and pushed down a scream.

William and Brandon reached the top first and helped Andrew and me to get out. Richard was the last one to climb out of the hellhole. Crawling several yards from the gaping hole, we crashed on the soft grassy ground.

I unbuckled the belt from around my chest and took a deep breath, letting my lungs expand, staring up at the glorious blue sky. It was beautiful. From now on it was my favorite hue.

Thank you, Lord. We were out. I would cry, but I was too tired.

Andrew’s hand found mine and tugged on it. I rolled on my left side and rested my head in the crook of his shoulder.

“We’re okay,” he breathed out. His arm circled my waist. “We’re okay now,” he repeated.

In the distance, the thrum of a helicopter thudded through the air. Andrew cursed under his breath. Even I knew that the only person involved in all of this with enough money to have a helicopter was Nicolai Kolesnikov. Of course, he would sweep in to claim his victory. My heart sank. All of our trouble had been for nothing.

Two large green helicopters flew over us. The treetops swayed from the gust the machines created. Brandon stood up and slogged to an open area, waving his hands.

The helicopters made another loop before settling down, flattening ferns and grass. The door opened in one of them, and a tall man, resembling a young Denzel Washington, dressed in a navy suit appeared. Ducking his head, the man jogged in our direction. He didn’t look like a Russian oligarch at all.

Andrew cursed again, but then the corners of his lips curled up. He loosened his grip on me and got to his feet.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Richard mumbled, dropping his head on the ground.

“Good to see you, Dr. Jones.” The handsome man grinned and took off his sunglasses. He looked to be in his mid-fifties.

“Dr. Evans, glad to see you again.” Andrew stretched out his arm to the man. Dr. Evans shook it, placing his hand on Andrew’s shoulder.

“You look like you’ve been through hell,” Dr. Evans said, then his brown eyes cut to me. “Miss Jones.” He gave me a curt nod.

What was going on? I ran sweaty palms over my hair, slightly embarrassed by my appearance. Who was this man, and why did he know me?

“How did you find us?” Andrew asked.

“Yesterday, we received a phone call from Mr. Pines providing us with the coordinates of Augustine Pérez’s palace.” Dr. Evans looked at Brandon. “He also urged us to bring a medical expert.” He scrutinized Andrew and the rest of us. “And I can see why.”

With a low grunt, Andrew turned to Brandon. “How did you know who to call?”

“I know Richard’s phone passcode and found Dr. Evans in his contacts.” Brandon shrugged one shoulder. “When William disclosed the location, I made a call before Richard went after you two.”

A blond woman dressed in a black jumpsuit and carrying a red medical kit approached us.

“I’m Dr. Tiffany Yates,” she said, stopping beside me. “Can you tell me where you hurt?”

“Do you mind checking on my brother first?” I pointed at William, Brandon kneeling at his side, holding William’s hand, their foreheads pressed together. A swell of appreciation for Brandon’s thoughtfulness towards my brother expanded inside me. I had a good feeling about them. A feeling that William might finally have found The One.

I dropped back down on the ground, grinned, and took a deep breath. We were finally safe. And the treasure was too. As the tension drained out of me, a sudden regret that our escapade had ended crashed upon me. What next? How could I go back to my boring, ordinary life?

Turning my head, I caught Andrew regarding me tenderly, the corners of his lips turned up. The way he looked at me set off an explosion in my chest. I had nothing to worry about. We had closed the chapter on the Colombian adventure, but our adventure had just begun.

jou·is·sance | ZHo?oē?s?ns |

NOUN: Physical or intellectual pleasure; chips and salsa; jeans that make an ass look great; Outlander, Season 1 Episode 7; Andrew’s lips; sex; sex with Andrew; building a life with Andrew; Andrew.

ORIGIN: The Triton bar, Costa Rica, the moment I laid my eyes on Dr. Andrew Oliver Jones.

Later that day, wearing a white towel around his hips, Andrew came out of the bathroom, his face clean-shaven and his hair wet. Droplets of water clung to his chest and left a happy trail between his defined abs. Bruises and red marks covered his torso and arms, but he looked sexier than ever.

And now I was wet.

I was also loopy from a painkiller Dr. Yates had given me to help with my strained shoulder.

For the next couple of days, while we waited on Octavian to help replace our lost passports, the Four Seasons in Bogotá was our residence. Brandon and William were also staying in the same hotel. Richard and Brie? I had no idea where they’d gone, nor did I care. When I asked Andrew what would happen to them, he said they would lick their wounds and continue working for anyone hiring them to find artifacts to stock the black market or someone’s private collection. That was if Kolesnikov didn't turn them into fish food first for not getting him what he’d asked for.

Leaning my back against the headboard, I watched Andrew amble to the room service cart with the leftovers of our dinner. He plucked a green grape, popped it in his mouth, and then his hand went for a strawberry. His lips curved upward, and the tiny lines at the corners of his eyes deepened.

“You’re staring.” Andrew caught my gaze in the mirror.

“Yes, I am.” I loosened my robe at my waist. I was sleep-deprived, and my right arm was in a sling—not super sexy—but I was up for a quickie. “I wouldn’t mind if you gave me some of your tender loving.”

Andrew sat on the edge of the bed next to me, and excitement buzzed all over me. He bit the tip of the strawberry and brought the berry to my lips. I opened my mouth but he gently brushed it over my lips instead. His beautiful eyes held mine while his fingers nudged my robe open, exposing my left breast. He rubbed the strawberry over my nipple, hardening it. Then he leaned in and drew my nipple into his mouth. He sucked on it until it was swollen, then he bit it, arousing me to the point of madness.

A cold droplet let go of his hair and dripped on my breast. He brought his face to mine. His hand cradled the back of my neck, his fingers sliding into my hair.

“I love you, Adriana Jones,” he said, his lips brushing mine.

“I love you, Andrew Jones.” I nudged his nose with mine, smiling.

Andrew’s eyes searched mine, a question burning in them. “I need to ask you something.”

My heart stuttered, and a warm sensation flooded me. He wasn’t about to ask me what I thought he was going to ask me, was he? Too soon. What would I say? Oh my god, should we pick late spring or early fall next year? England, for sure. It had spectacular venues. I always wanted to get married at a palace.

“Yes, I will,” I whispered.

Andrew’s eyebrow went up. “I didn’t ask you a question yet.”

“Oh.” I breathed. “Sorry. Go ahead.”

“Would you like to take a trip to Iceland this June?”

Huh?

“That was not what I was expecting.”

Andrew leaned back with a confused expression. “What did you expect?”

Christ, of course. It was stupid to assume Andrew would ask me to marry him. We met ten days ago. What was I thinking? It was the drugs. I wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Nothing. Why Iceland?”

“Dr. Evans mentioned new information has been found about a legendary Viking ship, and they want to make sure the right people find it first, and since you and I make an outstanding pair… we could…”

Now, it was my turn to pull away and narrow my eyes. “I thought you were done with treasure quests.”

“Come on, just one last time…” Andrew smiled sheepishly.

“What about my store?” I peered at him, my lips tugging up at the corners.

“The trip should take a few days. A week tops.”

I hated to admit it, but I had enjoyed the thrill of this trip—except for the pain, the fear of dying in a crypt, Richard, Brie, and having guns pointed at me. “As long as we can stay away from caves. And preferably avoid Dickhead, too.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes.” I kissed the word into his lips. And then I got my tender loving.

Twice.