Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
He gave his stepdad a big old bear hug. For a moment Sean stood there as though that was the last thing he’d expected, but then his arms enveloped David, and a shuddering sigh of obvious relief went through his stepdad’s body.
“I’m good, thanks to Tessa,” David said, taking a step back. “Thank you for coming for us, though.”
“We brought a sat phone to contact your mom.” Sean patted his backpack. “She’s so worried about you, and Carys overheard us talking so she’s freaked out, too.”
It was good to have a family.
“Your cat scratched me,” Kyle groused as he hobbled over. “He’s irritated that you’re not home.”
“Santiago, you leave any of them alive?” Ian was asking.
“Why would I do that?” Tessa replied. “Then we would have paperwork, and you know I hate that.”
“Good.” Ian looked up at the big house. “This place have some food? All that flying made me hungry.”
“There’s a nice buffet if you don’t mind some dead bodies,” Tessa offered. “Axl Rose?”
Big Tag shrugged. “I have a certain style.”
Kyle frowned. “Seriously? I came all this way to save you and Santiago already took them out?”
“There were only seven,” Tessa said with a huff. “Don’t act like it was some big deal.” Tessa came around and slid her hand in David’s. “I couldn’t let those assholes get away with scaring my man.”
Everyone was suddenly staring at them, but David didn’t care. His fingers twined with hers, and he drew her close. “Thanks for the save, baby. I knew you would do it.”
“Well, I didn’t,” Eddie said with a huff.
Ian settled his pack over his shoulder. “Montez, before we took off I gave my people the go-ahead to extract Camila Lopez and your son. The police already have her kidnappers in custody thanks to your cook. I’ve arranged for transportation for your people. They should be on their way here by now.”
Eddie’s head fell forward. “Thank you.”
“Thank me when you get my bill, buddy,” Ian said, walking up the steps. “It’s not going to be cheap. You look familiar.”
Ian was standing in front of Marta, who simply raised a brow. “You probably watched my pornographic movies. You look like the type.”
She turned and walked away.
Ian shrugged. “Probably did. All right, then, let’s get some lunch and debrief. I was serious about the bill.”
“I could eat.” Kyle started to hop up the stairs.
Sean shook his head and went to lend Kyle some balance. “You’re going to kill me, son.”
“Apparently Santiago is the only one doing the killing,” Kyle announced. He glanced back. “And I called this whole romance thing. You always needed a badass chick to balance you. Hope you like cats, Tessa.”
“I like you.” Tessa went on her toes as they found themselves alone again. “But next time I want a beach vacay, we’re going to Hawaii.”
He grinned at her, his heart filled for the first time in forever. “Promise.”
He kissed her. She was his heart.
His heart. The heart of the house.
“Shit. I know where the treasure is.” David took her hand, and they ran back in the house.
Chapter Eleven
Tessa stood in front of the big mural and studied it carefully. “You think there’s something behind this?”
David was running his hands where the mural met with the wall. “Yes. I looked at the blueprints again. The lounge should be behind this wall, but the square footage doesn’t add up.”
“There’s really treasure?” Ian was standing to the side with a sandwich in his big hand. He hadn’t minded all the dead bodies. The man was hungry.
He’d also taken the whole “she was now with his nephew” news with pure Taggart calm. He’d patted her on the back and told her to make sure David wore a condom, and now she was part of the family. The man was seriously into safe sex.
“David thinks so.” Eddie stood to the side. He’d used the satellite phone to talk to Camila after Sean had gotten Grace on the phone with David.
Tessa had been the one to tell him his treasure hunt could wait long enough for him to assure his mom he was okay. He could be single-minded when he was working. She would be the one to drag her gorgeous professor back into the real world.
“You think the poem refers to the heart on the mural.” Sean stood in front of the mural, considering it. “Where the river flows.”
That got David’s attention. “You’ve read it?”
Sean nodded. “Yeah, I looked up Ricardo Montez because you’re so fascinated with him. I read up on him, and it led to the legends about the treasure.”
“Huh, that’s nice,” David said with a smile. “It’s nice that someone in my family knows about my work.”
She got the feeling Sean had done that so he could talk to his stepson.
Kyle was sitting on a chair with his leg up. “It wasn’t going to be me. That stuff is boring.”