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Chapter 55
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Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 56
The Hadrian's Wall Trail, just outside Chollerford - Northumberland, EnglandSomeone was following her.Sloane felt it like a tickle on the back of her head, like a shiver at the base of her spine. It had been with her for some time now - that creeping sensation of someone watching her, that dancing little awareness of some other presence, always just beyond her sight.You're paranoid, she told herself as she trekked across a muddy pasture, her shoes sinking into the damp earth. It's probably just a cow.She'd seen dozens - no, hundreds - of cows over the past few days, and just as many sheep. In fact, there were at least five cows watching her right now, their jaws working in hypnotic, circular motions as they chewed and stared. Beyond them, the crumbling ruins of Hadrian's Wall rose from the crest of the hill, silent and still.One of the cows gave a low, almost-annoyed moooooo.What did you expect? she thought, hiking past their dull-eyed gazes. You're intruding on their break
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 57
Donovan hurried down the slope. After all the weeks - the months - of searching, Sloane was finally in front of him. Finally within reach, and he was afraid that if he blinked she'd disappear again, proving herself simply a phantom of his fevered imagination.But Sloane didn't disappear, though her face went as white as a ghost. She'd been nearly that pale the first time he'd ever seen her - like she'd never been out in the sun before, like Roth had found her buried in the corner of some dusty old library. Which probably wasn't that far from the truth.She'd looked so delicate, so timid that first day - a young girl with mousy hair tied in a messy bun, her hazel eyes hidden behind a pair of tortoiseshell reading glasses. In fact, she'd looked almost frightened to find herself among the Devil's Set, and more than one of them had questioned why Roth had brought her on.That was a far cry from the woman who stood below him now. Her hair probably hadn't changed much, and even her glasse
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 58
"I'm sorry, miss, but we're booked up for the night." The gray-haired woman behind the desk adjusted the lavender acrylic glasses perched on the end of her nose. "But there's a settee in your room. Perhaps he can sleep there." The elderly woman's eyes traveled up Donovan's body, and she gave an appreciative nod before adding, "I can bring you some extra blankets and pillows."Sloane frowned. The last thing she wanted was to spend the night in the same room with Donovan - she knew better - but she'd promised him he could stay here at the inn tonight. Her plan had been to get up well before dawn and sneak back onto the trail before he'd even tumbled out of his blankets, but that was going to be impossible now."There's another inn about ten minutes down the road," the innkeeper told them. "I can call over and see if they have something for you.""That would be great," Sloane blurted, just as Donovan said, "That won't be necessary."She glared up at him. He returned her stare with one
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 59
You've done your job, Donovan reminded himself when they were back in their room later. You've found Sloane and she's agreed to come back to the Set. Tomorrow, they'd be heading back to London. He'd done what he'd set out to do - so why did it feel like the battle was still ahead of him?Because you're still thinking with your knob, you bloody idiot. Because having Sloane here, close enough to touch, made it impossible to ignore the urges that she inspired in him. He'd already risked everything once to act on that hunger. If Roth or the rest of the team ever found out what they'd done, that he'd broken the oath they'd all taken, then he'd be on his own again. He refused to let everything be stripped away from him like it had before. He had a life with this team - one that actually gave him purpose and meaning again - and the risk was too great.If only his body would remember it. He'd felt like a rutting stag from the moment he'd laid eyes on her, and with every minute he spent in he
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 60
Heat.That was the first thing that entered her awareness when she woke - the warm embrace of heat all around her.The second thing that hit her was an all-too-familiar scent, one that pulsed through her senses like a shooting star.And then the hard, muscled body wrapped against her back, the legs twisted through hers, and the arm slung across her shoulder, holding her close.Oh, and the hard, unmistakable shape pressed against the curve of her bottom, reminding her of the night she'd been desperately trying to forget.Her first reaction was panic. Then outrage. Then confusion when she realized she hadn't pulled away yet, that a part of her didn't want to pull away.Where's the pillow? she thought desperately. She'd put up the barrier for this exact reason - because she didn't trust him not to move toward her in his sleep.No, she corrected in her mind, I didn't trust myself. I knew that if I invited him into this bed we'd end up like this. She'd always been a snuggler, and she
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 61
Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island, AzoresThe wind whipped at Donovan's jacket as he stepped out of the taxi. Having grown up in London, he was used to gray, blustery weather, but this was something else entirely. The sky was the color of slate, the wind coming off the sea as sharp as a blade. But they were essentially in the middle of the Atlantic, so he wasn't surprised to find the climate so tempestuous.He reached back to help Sloane out of the car. She was still a little green in the cheeks - their plane had hit some turbulence on the landing - but behind her glasses her eyes were eagerly drinking everything in. Between the two of them, they'd visited over eighty countries and dozens of territories, but neither of them had ever been here before.Neither had that damned cat of hers, who seemed less than pleased by his new surroundings. The furry demon sniffed at the air before burying itself in the folds of Sloane's jacket, out of the wind and misty rain."This is where we're me
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 62
If Sloane was being honest, she'd always been a little intimidated by women like Alyssa Berry - beautiful women who never seemed to have a hair out of place or a wrinkle in their clothes. Women who knew how to command men with the flash of a smile or a practiced giggle. It was some sort of sorcery that Sloane had never understood, and there was a time in her life she would have given anything to know its secrets. Women like Alyssa felt like an entirely different species.Which is why, when Alyssa declared that she was tired of waiting and marched toward the doors of the hotel - not even wobbling the slightest bit on her tall heels - Sloane had no idea what to do.Toshi had tried to stop her. But Alyssa had simply batted him away. So Sloane had gone after her, catching her right as the woman had managed to hail a taxi."You can't go," Sloane said."I can and I will. I'm a free woman, aren't I?" Alyssa paused with her hand on the taxi door. "I don't wait around for men, love, and nei
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 63
Donovan watched Sloane flee, rubbing his bottom lip.He'd told himself he'd heed Cruz's advice and control himself around her. This was not the time to indulge his carnal urges, not when the fate of the Set was at stake. Not when it might push Sloane away again. And yet when she'd looked at him, when she'd caressed his cheek with such tenderness, he'd been unable to stop himself from tasting her again.He didn't drink. He'd never been interested in alcohol, not after what had happened to his parents and sister. He'd often bitterly prided himself on his sobriety; how anyone could willingly partake of something that destroyed so many lives was beyond him. But he'd heard people speak of addiction - of that incessant, agonizing yearning, of that craving that was impossible to deny, no matter how much you knew you'd regret it in the end.That's what he felt around Sloane. He'd spent his entire life avoiding addiction, and he'd stumbled into it anyway. Thrown himself into it, consequences
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Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 70
Sloane wanted to die of humiliation.She'd been willing to let Donovan tell the Set about them, but this was not the way she'd expected this news to come out.Donovan climbed off the bed, grabbing her bra and bringing it over to her."Thanks," she said, cheeks blazing. At least he looked as embarrassed as she felt. Whatever happened, at least they were in this together - in this and everything.There was something amazingly beautiful about that realization.She released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She still felt shaken, and physically weak, and she knew the gaping, gnawing pit in her stomach - with two holes, one for each of the children she'd never meet - would never truly go away. But there was something else there now, too. Something that made her feel stronger. She was no longer alone.Still trying to make sense of this strange new feeling, she finished dressing. Then Donovan held his hand out to her. "Shall we?"She would have much rather have hidden he
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 69
When they reached the hotel, Donovan took Sloane to her room."I need to check your back," he told her as he laid her gently on her side on the bed.The moment she touched the mattress, a gray-and-white hairball bounced up out of nowhere, and Donovan bit back a curse of surprise. He'd forgotten all about the little furry demon.The cat hardly spared Donovan a glance. Instead, it went straight to Sloane and rubbed itself against her arm, then curled up against her belly, snuggling in as if the only reason she was here at all was to provide the little beast with a warm place to sleep.Donovan shook his head, chasing away the insults he wanted to hurl at the little beast."If the wound isn't deep, we can treat it here," he told her. "Otherwise, I'm taking you to a hospital.""Wouldn't it look suspicious, walking into the hospital with a knife wound?" Sloane asked, gently stroking her cat's fur.He frowned. "You think I care about that when your wellbeing is on the line?"That sile
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 68
It all happened so fast that Sloane didn't have time to think. Just react.She was still reeling from her emotional confession to Donovan when she saw the glint of metal behind him. Her mind had only had a split second to scream, "Blade!" before she saw the knife arcing down toward Donovan's shoulder. She cried out, giving Donovan a hard shove out of the weapon's path.If she'd been a little stronger - or Donovan a little smaller - he might have avoided the knife completely. Instead, it caught the edge of his sleeve, slicing down his arm as he twisted out of the way.But despite the injury, Donovan was fast. His instincts took over quickly, and he sent his fist flying back toward his attacker.It was the tourist Donovan had nearly attacked earlier. But no ordinary tourist would carry a knife like that, let alone swing it at a stranger.But apparently he hadn't expected Donovan to fight back. Or maybe he'd thought that if he'd hit his mark Donovan would not have been able to defend
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 67
"This is it," Toshi said, rubbing his hands together as they stood in front of the Alcazaba. "The final stretch, you guys!"Donovan wished he felt as enthusiastic as his teammate. Instead, he found himself fighting a lump of unease.It's this damn city, he thought. Malaga was a beautiful place, but it twisted his judgment around until he could no longer tell up from down.He hadn't slept at all last night. He'd just kept thinking of Sloane in the next room. Even Toshi's snoring on the other side hadn't been able to drown out the heat of his desire. And it certainly hadn't eased the fire in his loins.But that wasn't the only thing bothering him. He'd been on edge ever since their near-miss with the suspected arms dealer back in Ponta Delgada. They'd escaped, but something about that scenario still niggled at him. Why hadn't Alyssa warned them? For that matter, why would Vincent Rinaldi hide a clue on the property of a man like that? Had he truly been as naive as Alyssa claimed? Or
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 66
Malaga, Spain - The Next DayIs this some sort of punishment? Sloane wondered, stepping out onto the balcony of her hotel room. A reminder of my past sins? Yesterday had shaken her in more ways than one, but returning here, to Malaga, was unsettling in a different way. This couldn't be simply a bad coincidence - the universe had to be testing her. Why else would it bring her back here? Now?She hummed a reassuring song to herself as she stepped out onto the balcony of her room, trying to ease the wild restlessness that had taken up residence in her heart ever since they'd arrived here last night. This balcony was larger than the one where she'd stood the last time she was here. Below her, the mid-morning sun cast the street in bright light, and the buzz of voices floated up as locals and tourists went about their day.She held Valiant in her arms, and the cat purred and snuggled closer to her chest, clearly enjoying the cuddles and the soft singing. He was becoming quite the wandere
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 65
Donovan held Sloane tightly against his chest, trying to keep her from making too much noise as she wriggled and twisted in his arms."Sloane," he rumbled in a low voice, "it's just me."She stopped struggling, and he released her mouth, then her arms. She twisted around, looking up at him in surprise."Way to give a girl a heart attack," she whispered back."I didn't want you to scream and draw attention to us.""Have you ever heard me scream?" she asked. She didn't look angry, though - just concerned. "What's going on? You guys didn't give me very much of a warning.""A man came out of the house," Donovan told her in a low voice. "Carrying a rifle. I think you were spotted." Beneath the surface, he was fuming. He knew they shouldn't have let her take this risk on her own. When that man had come stalking out with that big gun...something inside him had snapped. He still wasn't entirely sure how he'd managed to keep himself from attacking the man on sight.He angled himself to t
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 64
Sloane dropped into a crouch behind one of the large, manicured shrubs. Then she wiped the raindrops off her glasses, taking stock of her surroundings.The coast was clear, and her path was straightforward enough. If she hugged the wall, the shrubs would cover her nearly all the way to the pohutukawa tree. Then she could hide herself among the tree's large, twisted branches until she'd found her prize.She could still feel the imprint of Donovan's fingers on her sides, as if his touch had burned her through her T-shirt. But she couldn't think about that right now, just as she couldn't think about that intense look in his eyes as he'd watched her slip away. Or the fact that, not two hours ago, he'd kissed her. And she'd kissed him back.She had a mission.It should be easy, she told herself, creeping along through the mulch and damp soil along the wall, humming under her breath. She kept one eye on the house, just in case. It still didn't look like this Mr. Beaufort was even home, a
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 63
Donovan watched Sloane flee, rubbing his bottom lip.He'd told himself he'd heed Cruz's advice and control himself around her. This was not the time to indulge his carnal urges, not when the fate of the Set was at stake. Not when it might push Sloane away again. And yet when she'd looked at him, when she'd caressed his cheek with such tenderness, he'd been unable to stop himself from tasting her again.He didn't drink. He'd never been interested in alcohol, not after what had happened to his parents and sister. He'd often bitterly prided himself on his sobriety; how anyone could willingly partake of something that destroyed so many lives was beyond him. But he'd heard people speak of addiction - of that incessant, agonizing yearning, of that craving that was impossible to deny, no matter how much you knew you'd regret it in the end.That's what he felt around Sloane. He'd spent his entire life avoiding addiction, and he'd stumbled into it anyway. Thrown himself into it, consequences
Claiming His Treasure series Chapter 62
If Sloane was being honest, she'd always been a little intimidated by women like Alyssa Berry - beautiful women who never seemed to have a hair out of place or a wrinkle in their clothes. Women who knew how to command men with the flash of a smile or a practiced giggle. It was some sort of sorcery that Sloane had never understood, and there was a time in her life she would have given anything to know its secrets. Women like Alyssa felt like an entirely different species.Which is why, when Alyssa declared that she was tired of waiting and marched toward the doors of the hotel - not even wobbling the slightest bit on her tall heels - Sloane had no idea what to do.Toshi had tried to stop her. But Alyssa had simply batted him away. So Sloane had gone after her, catching her right as the woman had managed to hail a taxi."You can't go," Sloane said."I can and I will. I'm a free woman, aren't I?" Alyssa paused with her hand on the taxi door. "I don't wait around for men, love, and nei
