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

All he had to do was survive long enough to do it.


He slammed the heel of his hand into the exit to open it, sending sharp pains radiating up his arm and into his shoulder. The ache didn’t matter, though. There was Ian and the rental, the engine purring, Ian stretching across the seat to open the door for him even before he reached it.


“Go, go!” Lucas said as soon as his butt hit the seat.


With the duffel on his shoulder and his left arm full, his position was awkward as he tried to shut the door. He had to lean forward to make room for the bag, and Ian was taking him at his order, hitting the accelerator so hard the car lurched. Lucas slammed back. His spine jarred, and his teeth rattled, but the door was closed, and Ian had both hands tight on the wheel.


Chapter 24