So, not Jamison. “Hawthorne?” I ask as I climb the steps and grab the seat next to him. When he nods, I sift through the conversation in my head again. It doesn’t look good. “How is he?”
“Hurt,” he says, his voice gruff. “It took a long time for him to adjust to this world. The loneliness he experienced was brutal. Give him time.” He flicks a glance at the jewelry in my hand. “Is that for Hera?”
The scent of him calms me. I hold the piece up to show him. “Beautiful, isn’t it? My research revealed her preference forpeacocks, cuckoos, and cows, but I refuse to sacrifice an animal. This will have to do.”
He whistles at the expensive pin. “Nice piece. So, what do we need to do again? Sorry, Hawthorne’s better at this type of stuff.”
I wave off his apology. “Five objects, five temples, five prayers,” I repeat for him. “I think I’ve settled on four of the five objects. The rest shouldn’t take me long to finalize.”
“Is that one of the objects?” he asks. When I nod, he continues. “What are the other four?” His body shifts toward me, waiting for an answer.
For a second, I’m caught up in his golden stare. He really is beautiful. His bone structure is superb, with his strong jawline and masculine features. “Umm…a pomegranate, lotus, scepter, and crown,” I tell him. “The fruit and flower should be delivered today, which is great, but I still have to find the scepter and crown.”
His intelligent eyes narrow. “Where are they?”
“Not sure yet. I need to figure those out. They can’t be run-of-the-mill items,” I explain to him. “They have to be spectacular.” The words ring out, and I bite my lip as a thought occurs. Maybe I need to find something better for the pomegranate and lotus. My simple interpretation probably isn’t going to do it. I sigh and roll my shoulders as the tension creeps up on me again. This added quest is taking a toll.
He nods. “So, once you locate the scepter and crown, we’ll need to grab them, then head to her temples?”
“Yes,” I reply, leaning back against the cushions and resting my head. “Are you sure you want to go with me? I won’t hold it against you if you want to back out.”
He gives me an incredulous look. “You’re not going anywhere alone. Have I not made that clear?” Curling his body closer, he wraps his hand across the back of my neck and starts kneading the tight muscles. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t like theidea of him teaching you instead of me. It was stupid. I don’t know why I reacted that way.”
Completely boneless from his massage, I slowly smile. “I liked it.” He might not be able to admit he was jealous, but I’ve been a woman for a long time. “Up until that point, I felt like I was a burden or a job to you.”
His eyes widen. “That’s honest.” He takes a deep breath. “You’re definitely not a burden. You’re a part of us. And I take care of the people in our circle. It’s what I do.”
His statement sparks something within me. “Why are you so protective?” I hold up a hand. “Not that I’m complaining. I feel utterly spoiled.” And falling into him more every day. “I’m only trying to understand you better.”
A gleam of satisfaction flares in his eyes. “It’s how I was designed. The magi created us to fight and protect. I don’t know any other way.” He shrugs almost defensively. “I like taking care of others.”
There’s a note in voice that makes me tilt my head back and study him. “You don’t like to be alone. Do you?”
A small shake of his head is all I get in response.
I totally understand. All those years I spent alone; I thought of it as penance, not a choice. The only time I was content was on a dig. I burrow into his warmth.
“Thank you for protecting me. For coming to find me. I won’t let you down.”
“I hope not.”
His answer stings, but I have a lot to prove to him and the others. Starting with some honesty.
“Every minute I spent at the archaeological sites the last three weeks was lonely. I never felt that way in the past. Normally, a dig is heaven to me, a chance to dive into the world I left behind, but it didn’t feel the same this time. I kept wishingfor the four of you.” I stop and take a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is I’m happy you’re coming with me. So, thank you.”
Gatlin’s hand slips from my neck to my shoulders, and as he pulls me in closer, I inhale deeply, absorbing his strength.
“I might not be a nerd like Hawthorne or technologically talented like Mathias, but I’m damn good at protection. I’ve got your back.”
I smile and lift my head, placing a kiss on his cheek. “And I’ve got yours.” Not wanting to push his boundaries, I reluctantly get up and head inside to do some more research.
7
GATLIN
“You want to fucking do what?” I shout. She raises an eyebrow as if I’m being overly dramatic. I take a deep breath and lower my voice. “Did you just say you intend to steal the Kritonios Crown from the museum in Munich, Germany?” My voice is strangled as the words catch in my throat. This woman is going to be the death of me.
“Unless you know of any other way to get it?” she asks while she packs her gear.
