Most of all, he saw bright intelligence in those golden eyes. God save him from smart women. They were so much trouble, but oh so irresistible.
But his hunting instincts were humming.
She had die-hard archeologist written all over her, even if she did manage to drag herself out from behind a desk occasionally. He sensed her disdain a quadrant away. He doubted the righteous doctor would be happy with him auctioning off any treasure they found.
And what the hell was a woman like her doing bargaining with him rather than leading some Institute expedition? What was really driving her?
“Imagine if we found Star’s End?” Zayn said.
Dathan shook his head. Zayn was always willing to dive into the craziest of hunts. He hadn’t learned yet that you could never outrun old ghosts. “This is a complication we don’t need.”
Niklas stood. “I think we should check it out.”
Dathan spun. His conservative older brother was the last person he expected to agree to this. Nik was usually the sensible Phoenix brother. Then Dathan realized. “You’re willing to risk our resources on a harebrained scheme all so you can give themiddle finger to those Institute bastards who tossed you out like garbage?”
Eos gasped. “I thought you resigned?”
They ignored her. Nik’s darker blue eyes narrowed. “I thought you’d be all over this. Given your little fetish.”
Sometimes it sucked having brothers who knew you too well. Dathan felt Eos’ scrutiny but didn’t look at her. “You don’t know shit, Nik. And I think the doctor has her own agenda.” He looked at her now. “Something makes me think the doc isn’t going to let us take a share of the treasure.”
Her lips pressed into a flat line but she didn’t say anything.
“Well, Doc? You going to hand over theMona Lisafragment if I find it?”
She sucked in a quick breath. “Of course not?—”
Niklas stood. “We can negotiate salvage rights. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Dathan had had a shitty day. Today’s treasure hunt had gone spectacularly wrong and he’d lost the Terran timepiece he’d wanted. His father had dreamed of acquiring a Terran timepiece. Of course Brocken Phoenix had also dreamed of finding the famed last fragment of theMona Lisa. Dathan’s jaw clenched. His father had done a whole lot of dreaming and not a lot of doing.
What Dathan didn’t need right now was his brothers turning on him. He’d had enough. “All I want is the timepiece back. We know where it is and what it’s worth.”
“What timepiece?” Eos asked.
“The Terran timepiece I risked my ass to get off Lumina before it was stolen.”
Eos’ mouth dropped open. “You went to a planet that turns to molten lava during the day? That’s crazy.”
Yeah, he’d had enough. Especially of beautiful women who screamed trouble.
He flexed his hands. “It needs all three of us to agree to take a job—” he speared Eos with his gaze “—and I vote no.”
Zayn groaned. “Dath?—”
“I’m not going to let Darc get away with electrocuting me with a Tase stunner and leaving me to fry on Lumina.” He shot his brothers a look.
Eos cleared her throat. “Who’s Darc?”
“A cunning, unfeeling treasure hunter who works for anyone who has enough e-creds.”
Niklas raised a brow. “Darc won’t make it easy to get the timepiece back.”
Dathan smiled. “Good.” He turned back to Eos. “Like I said, Star’s End is a no.”
Disappointment cutthrough Eos like a laser blade.
The Phoenix brothers had been her last chance.
