Search Me (31 page)

“I think he’s a little more than a guardian angel for Lane,” Dad said, an amused smile on his face.

Mom appeared momentarily puzzled before her eyes widened when she got Dad’s meaning. “Oh, well, we might have to discuss this a little.”

“Mom!” I protested at the same time Maddox blurted, “What, am I not good enough to date Lane?”

“Oh honey, it’s nothing like that. It’s just she’s not yet twenty, and you’re twenty four.”

“No, I’m twenty. Today is my birthday, remember?”

Dad cleared his throat. “And I was twenty-two and you were eighteen. What’s your point?” The mischievous glint in his eyes brought a smile to Mom’s face, and she wagged a finger at him. Normally, it would have been enough to make me gag, but after all we’d been through, I could let them be a little flirty.

Thankfully they were interrupted by the sound of a phone going off. Maddox sat straighter in his seat at the sound of the ring tone. “Hey, that’s mine.”

Officer Greenburg pulled a phone out of his coat pocket. “Yes, we found this on one of Jensen’s men.”

Maddox jerked it from Greenburg’s hands and then grimaced at the ID. “Oh shit, it’s Neely. She’s probably caught the news and is ready to ream me a new one.”

He hesitated answering it, so I smacked his arm. “Hurry up. She’s just going to freak out more if you don’t take her call.”

Maddox grumbled, but then brought the phone to his ear. “Okay, I know you’re pissed, but—” He sucked in a breath and then glanced up at us. A wide grin spread across his face. “Maudie’s awake?”

Three
Months Later

“Would you hold still?” I demanded, trying desperately to straighten Maddox’s tie.

He fidgeted like a little boy and made a horrible face. “Do I seriously have to wear this?” He gestured at the electric pink tie. “I look like an absolute tool.”

“You do not.” I stepped back—letting Maddox get a view of himself in the full-length mirror. “See? You look very handsome and distinguished.”

He snorted. “Like I need to look distinguished. It’s just a party for Maudie returning to work, not dinner at the White House.”

“You better not let Maudie hear you say that. She’s gone all out—there’s even a tent on the lawn and a band.” I eyed myself in the mirror, smoothing down my deep pink chiffon dress with its sequined and beaded bodice. “Besides, it’s not just about her going back to work. She’s going to present her share of the gold to Dr. Bretsky for the new educational facility at New Echota.”

“If you ask me, it’s a waste of a perfectly good Friday night. Especially now that you’re back in school, and I only get to see you on the weekends.” Standing behind me, he wrapped his arms around my waist before nuzzling my ear. Immediately, my pulse began to race as the warmth and power of his body overtook me. “We could be cruising the lake on my boat—you wearing that sexy bikini of yours.”

I giggled and pushed his hands away. “It’s too cold for a bikini, silly.”

“Then you could be wearing nothing at all, and I could be keeping you very, very warm out on the water.” His mouth hovered over my ear. “I promise to use my hands, my mouth, my tongue, and my dick to get you very hot.”

At the mental picture his words invoked, I fought to catch my breath. Finally, when I could form words again, I replied, “Tempting, but no.”

Maddox’s one and only impulse buy with his share of the gold had been a boat. Me? I had yet to make an impulse purchase, but I was leaning towards a car. Luckily, I had all the time in the world to decide and a pretty hefty amount to work with.

Once Pretty Fawn’s gold had been appraised, it came to one and a half million dollars after taxes. You could say we were more than a little surprised—flabbergasted was more like it. Maudie insisted on dividing it three ways, although Maddox and I argued it was rightfully hers for buying the painting. But she wouldn’t have it. From the moment she saw the gold in the hospital, she made it clear we’d certainly earned our shares after all we’d been through. So we decided to humor her and accept it.

Maddox started to fidget with his tie again. “I haven’t had to wear one of these since my Army dress green uniform.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and cocked my head at him. “If I promised to rip that tie off of you later when we’re alone, will you stop whining?”

A slow grin slunk across his face. “Are you serious?”

“Maybe. But only if you’re a good boy.”

“You’re such a tease.”

“Hmm, you have no idea just what kind of tease I’m going to be.”

“Oh really?”

Tugging the end of his tie, I replied, “After I tear this off of you, I plan to use it to bind your hands to where you’re my total and complete prisoner.”

Maddox’s dark eyes bulged. “Fuck me.”

“Yes, that’s what I plan on doing after you’ve begged and pleaded with me enough.”

His hand smacked against my backside. “Who knew I had such a naughty girl?”

“So you like what I have in store for you?”

“Oh yes, very much.” He then leaned over and brought his lips to mine.

Just as he deepened the kiss, someone cleared her throat behind me. I whirled around to find Maudie grinning at us. “Okay lovebirds, can you manage to tear yourselves away from each other for a few minutes for the check presentation?”

“Sorry. I was fixing Maddox’s tie,” I replied.

A mischievous glint flickered in Maudie’s eyes. “Oh, is
that
what you were doing?”

I giggled. “Yes, it was.”

“Well, now it appears that you’re finished, so come on outside. Your father needs rescuing in the worst way. He’s been ambushed by reporters and Dr. Bretsky most of the night.”

“Lead away,” Maddox said.

Maudie’s cane clunked along the floorboards—her slight limp was a daily reminder of her personal ordeal with Jensen. She had spent the past three months in extensive therapy, learning how to walk again. She’d made great strides, but she still wasn’t a hundred percent back to her old self, which is one reason why she’d waited to go back to work.

We were all riding on an emotional high when Jensen and his merry band of henchmen were put behind bars for a long, long time. I was equally thrilled to learn that West was also going to be doing some time for attempted robbery. With all the bad guys out of sight and out of mind, we were able to truly move forward and start the healing process.

As we passed the study, Maddox abruptly stopped. “Did you get a new desk?”

I followed his gaze to a mahogany monstrosity taking up the study’s back wall. It looked like a politician’s desk or some VIP. I couldn’t imagine why Maudie would want it.

Maudie’s eyes lit up. “Oh, yes, it’s my latest auction treasure. It’s over two hundred years old. The hand carving is gorgeous, not to mention some of the bells and whistles with interlocking drawers. I swear, it’s just like Queen Victoria’s desk in the second
National Treasure
movie
!
”

“That’s cool,” Maddox said, ambling over to it. He fiddled with some of the handles, causing a hidden side drawer to pop out. A yellowed piece of paper fluttered to the floor. “Hey, what’s this?” he asked picking it up.

Maudie gasped. “Don’t tell me it could be another treasure map?”

I shook my head wildly. “Oh no. Put it right back where you found it! I don’t want to
ever
see another treasure map again in my life.”

Maddox laughed. “Why not?”

“Don’t tell me you’d want a repeat of what we went through?”

He shrugged. “Some parts weren’t bad.”

“No, but at the same time, I just want to graduate college and live a normal life. I don’t want some evil twin of Jensen’s after me and reporters hounding me night and day.”

“I think we’re safe for now,” he replied, flipping the paper over to reveal an old newspaper clipping.

I swept my hand to my heart and sighed with relief. “Thank goodness.”

Maddox chuckled. He appeared at my side and took my hand in his. “You’re way too gullible.”

“And you’re so aggravating to tease me like that.”

“So we both like to tease each other. Worse things can happen.” He tugged my hand. “Come on, Princess. Let’s go make the rounds.”

I smiled and let him lead me out into the hallway. When we got outside, music floated back to us. Dad had ditched Dr. Bretsky and the reporters and was dancing with Mom. Byron Sutton, the mountain man who had given us a ride into town, was out of his overalls and into a suit. He was taking a turn with Maudie on the dance floor, and her face was flushed with excitement. I wrapped my arm around Maddox’s waist and smiled up at him. I couldn’t remember when I had been happier.

Even though we’d almost died, Maudie had been shot, and Dad had been kidnapped, the map and treasure hunt would always be one of the best things that ever happened to me. It had brought Maddox and me back together in ways I never could have imagined. Each and every day I’m grateful for his love, his truly compassionate heart, his giving soul, and his ability to give me mind-blowing orgasms.

I knew that the future looked bright with Maddox by my side.

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

To the people of Georgia and the Cherokee Nation: Thank you for letting me use a little ‘poetic license’ when it came to geography and New Echota. To my Cherokee ancestors who hid out in the mountains and caves of Gilmer and Union Counties to escape the removal, I hope I did justice to the honor and integrity of our people.

Marion Archer: How can I adequately thank you for your amazing eyes as a critique partner? I’m not sure where
Search Me
would be without your tireless efforts on numerous drafts. Besides your gift of plot and character enhancement, I’m truly blessed to call you a friend and prayer warrior. One day, my love, we shall meet ‘down under’, and I’ll get to finally give you a hug for all you’ve meant to me.

Rachel Simon: I cannot thank you enough for your love and appreciation of this novel—well, when it comes down to it, for all of my books! Even in its infancy, you loved the history, the characters, and the action/adventure. You pushed me to make it more and not give up on it. Your enthusiasm meant so very, very much, just as our friendship did. It took us four years to meet, but I’m so glad we finally got to! Love ya, girlie. And I hope and pray that all your writing dreams come true.