Gunshots waken Ian Tunbridge, an assistant curator of classical antiquities at the British Museum, on his first day on a dig in California. The only way to save his life is to run for it, but luck is not on his side. At least, not until he meets Lucas Arpini, the brash American photographer who seems to have some sort of clue what’s going on. Together, they’re supposed to be the tools in finding an artifact nobody believes is real -- nobody, that is, except Lucas and the man kidnaps them both.<br><br>Ian doesn’t know what to believe. His colleagues are dead, he’s injured, and he has no choice but to put his faith in a gorgeous stranger. Their escape should lead them straight to the police, but when Lucas shows him pieces of the puzzle they were meant to solve, Ian is too intrigued to walk away. He wants to solve the riddle as badly as Lucas does.<br><br>Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones ...

Riddle Me Wicked

Ian held his breath as Lucas tensed his leg. He braced against the wall, utilizing the new grip as a virtual step, and let go of the root with one of his hands to reach for the other one. His body splayed against the wall, and for several terrifying moments, hung there with almost no support. Ian lurched forward. The light jumped with him. For the blink of an eye, Lucas disappeared in the shadows.


When Ian scrambled to turn it back on him, he was already swinging in the opposite direction onto the ledge.


Ian exhaled as Lucas stood up and turned around to look down at him.


“You heard me.” He laid down on his stomach and held his arm down over the edge. “Climb up. I’ll help you the last bit so you won’t have to do what I did.”


“Are you barking mad?” Ian hadn’t considered he’d have to join Lucas, though he should have realized that was where their escape would end up. “There is no way you can do that. I’m bigger than you.”


Chapter 8