Page 4 of Wolf Queen Ruin
The growing thrum of helicopter blades saved me from having to respond.As the sound grew louder, Cross stepped closer, his expression shifting to something more serious.
“Ms.Rookwood, I’m prepared to offer you an exclusive contract for a job that would pay more than your current assignment.Enough to cover your expenses for at least a year, possibly more.”
“What makes you think I have expenses?”
Not my most thought-out question ever.Everyone who’d ever lived had expenses, but mine were high.Extraordinarily high.
His gaze was steady, those too-blue eyes seeming to look straight through my practiced nonchalance.“I think you know which expenses I’m talking about.”
Ice slid down my spine, settling in a cold knot at the base.How did he know?That wasn’t information I shared with anyone, and Theo knew better than to open his big fat mouth.
The helicopter appeared above the tree line, drowning out any response I might have made.As it descended, whipping the clearing into a frenzy of dust and leaves, Cross leaned close enough that I could smell the subtle, expensive scent of his spicy cologne and cold mountain air.
“Think about it, Ms.Rookwood.One job.The resources you need.No more scrambling for whatever scraps Theo throws your way.”
The helicopter touched down, its side door sliding open to reveal Theo’s assistant, a nervous dude who probably should have chosen a less stressful career path.
I should tell Cross to go to hell.Should hand over the ruby to Theo, collect my payment, and never see Cross again.That would be the smart play.Every instinct honed by years of navigating deadly traps told me to run, not walk, in the opposite direction.
But then I thought about the latest update back home—that we might be running out of time.
As we walked to the helicopter, I made a decision I hoped wouldn’t be my latest in a long series of mistakes.
“One hour,” I said, loud enough to be heard over the rotors.“You get one hour to make your pitch.If I’m not impressed, I walk.”
Cross nodded once and gestured for me to board first.
I shook my head.“First, I pee.”
He grimaced.“Thanks for the info.”
I turned my back on him to look for privacy sans poison ivy or a wild animal who might bite my ass.
Whatever game he was playing, I was about to find out the rules.And if there was one thing that my years of tomb raiding had taught me, it was that games with mysterious, too-handsome strangers rarely ended well for anyone involved.
Especially when they knew more about you than they should.
And especially when they might be your only hope.
Chapter two
Luna
Ihateditwhenimpossibly attractive people ordered me coffee exactly how I liked it.
The café Damien had chosen for us to meet sat on the edge of the French Quarter—just touristy enough to avoid attention, just off the beaten path enough to avoid eavesdroppers.I’d arrived home from Japan an hour ago and changed from my expedition gear into jeans and a torn AC-DC T-shirt, my version of business casual.My hair was still damp from the world’s fastest shower, pulled back into a messy bun.
Damien, of course, looked like he’d stepped out of some supernaturalEsquireissue.Dark tailored slacks, crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled to reveal muscular forearms.Not a single loose curl out of place despite the Louisiana humidity that turned most people into walking frizz disasters.I resented him for that alone.
“I took the liberty of ordering,” he said as I settled into the chair across from him.
A steaming cup of coffee—black, no sugar or cream—sat waiting.
I narrowed my eyes.“Let me guess.Theo told you how I take my coffee?”
One corner of his mouth lifted slightly.“Would you believe intuition?”
“I would not.”I took a deliberate sip, maintaining eye contact over the rim.Damn him, it was perfect.Still hot, too.“So, Mr.Cross, your hour starts now.Impress me with this job offer that’s supposedly worth my exclusive attention.”
