Chapter 10
Ten
Teague couldn’t decide which was more dangerous—the unstable caves they were about to climb into or the way Eden smiled at him now.
Both had the potential to wreck him completely.
The sky was pale gray when he led the team out of camp—predawn light that turned everything muted gray. His ribs ached with each step, a reminder of yesterday’s fall.
But the pain was manageable. Nothing that would stop him from climbing.
Nothing that would stop him from watching Eden move ahead of him on the trail, blonde braid swinging with each stride, confidence back in her step.
Last night had changed something. Not fixed everything—one climb couldn’t undo two years of grief—but it had cracked open a door.
And that kiss.
His lips still remembered the feel of hers. The way she’d leaned into him instead of pulling away.
He wanted to do that again. Soon. Often.
But first—Roosevelt gold to find. Then maybe they could have more than a few minutes to themselves.
“How much farther?” Marcus’s voice came from behind, breathless despite the moderate pace.
“Quarter mile.” Teague glanced back. “You doing okay?”
“Fine. Just ready to get there.”
Marcus didn’t look fine. Brown hair uncombed. Face pale and drawn. His hands kept fidgeting with his pack straps, and his wiry frame practically vibrated with nervous energy.
Eden had been right from the beginning. Something was off about this guy.
“You’re staring.” Eden had dropped back to walk beside him, her voice low.
“At Marcus.”
“That’s what I said.”
“You thought I was staring at you.”
“Were you?”
“Earlier. Definitely earlier.” He kept his voice light. “Hard not to, after last night.”
Color touched her cheeks. “We’re not talking about last night.”
“We’re definitely talking about last night. Maybe not right now, with witnesses. But soon.”
“Focus, Hamilton.”
“I am focused. I can multitask.” He nodded toward Marcus. “What do you think his deal is?”
Eden’s expression sobered. “I don’t know. But he’s getting worse. Yesterday he was nervous. Today he’s…”
“Desperate.”
“Yeah.” She met his eyes. “You finally see it.”
“I should have listened to you from the start.”
“Yes, you should have.” But the corner of her mouth curved. “Though I have to admit, I’m enjoying this new version of Teague Hamilton who admits when he’s wrong.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“Too late.”
They arrived at their destination—another cliff face, another cave entrance about a hundred and fifty feet up.
This one looked more promising than yesterday’s shallow depression.
Maybe fifteen to twenty feet deep. Just enough protection to hide two million dollars in Roosevelt gold for several decades without it being found.
Teague pulled Xander aside while the team organized gear. “I need you to help me watch Marcus.”
“He’s acting odd, all right. Worse today.” Xander’s eyes flicked toward Marcus, then back. “What’s the plan?”
“I’ll stay between Marcus and Eden on the wall. You bring up the rear, keep him in sight. If he does anything suspicious, we abort and get everyone down.”
“You think he’d actually do something dangerous?”
“I think desperate people make bad calls.” Teague watched Marcus stare up at the cave with unnerving intensity. “And I’m not taking chances.”
Xander nodded. “Got it.”
Teague found Eden sorting through the rope, checking for damage with methodical attention.
“How are you feeling?” He kept his voice low. “And I want an honest answer, not the ‘I’m fine’ version.”
She glanced up, and that new warmth flickered in her eyes. “Good. Actually good. Not ‘I’m pretending to be fine’ good.”
“Just good?” He moved closer. “I was hoping for ‘great.’ Maybe ‘fantastic.’ Possibly ‘best I’ve felt in years thanks to a certain ruggedly handsome team leader.’”
“Your ego is exhausting.”
“And yet you kissed me anyway.”
“Temporary insanity.” But she was fighting a smile. “You want me to lead this one?”
“Yes. You set the route. I’ll climb between you and Marcus. Xander brings up the rear.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Putting yourself between me and potential trouble?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Very chivalrous.”
“I have my moments.”
“Don’t get yourself killed trying to protect me.” Her voice softened. “I’d be very annoyed.”
“Just annoyed?”
“Extremely annoyed.”
“Noted.”
They geared up as the sun began peeking over the rim of the canyon. Marcus kept checking his watch. Kept looking up at that cave entrance like it held all the answers.
The sun crested the canyon rim as Eden started up the first pitch. Golden light flooded the limestone.
She climbed beautifully. Each placement of hand and foot deliberate and confident, the doubt from yesterday nowhere in evidence.
Teague watched in admiration. This may have started as attraction, but somewhere it had become something deeper, stronger, something he didn’t have words for yet.
“Safe! Send Teague up.”
“I should go second.” Marcus stepped forward, reaching for the rope.
Teague blocked him. “Eden leads. I’m second. You’re third. That’s the order.”
“But I—”
“My call, Marcus.”
Something flickered behind Marcus’s gaze—frustration, or something darker. But he stepped back.
Teague tied in and started up. His ribs protested the first few moves before settling into a manageable ache. He reached Eden’s anchor station and clipped in beside her.
“Marcus tried to go second?” Her voice was barely audible.
“Yup.”
“And?”
“And that’s why he’s not.” Teague positioned himself to watch the route below. “Send him up.”
Marcus climbed with jerky intensity, his focus scattered between the rock and the cave entrance above.
Eyes on the rock, not on the prize. Basic rule.
He reached the anchor breathing hard. “How much farther?”
“One more pitch. Xander, you’re up.”
Eden led the final pitch. They clustered on the narrow ledge outside the cave entrance, the dark opening yawning before them.
“I’ll check it out.” Marcus moved toward the entrance.
“Hold on.” Eden put a hand on his arm. “Someone more experienced should go first. See that crack running down the south side? And notice what’s missing?”
Teague scanned the entrance. No nests. No droppings. No sign that anything lived here. “Animals have good instincts,” he said.
“Exactly. And after last month’s earthquake, this whole formation could be unstable.” Eden’s voice was calm but firm.
Marcus’s jaw tightened. “It’s fine. I can see it from here—”
“I’ll go.” Teague stepped forward.
Eden caught his arm. “Teague—”
“I’ll be careful.”
“You don’t know how to be careful. We’ve established this.”
“Then I’ll be quick.” He squeezed her hand briefly. “Quick, I can definitely do.”
He pulled out a flashlight and stepped inside. The temperature dropped slightly, and he gave his eyes a moment to adjust. The cave opened up but wasn’t deep—maybe twenty feet, twelve feet wide. He swept the area with his light. Then again.
Empty.
“Nothing,” he called back. “Just like yesterday. But it seems stable.”
“I want to look.” Marcus was already moving.
“At what?” Eden walked deeper into the cave. “There’s nothing here.”
But Marcus didn’t seem deterred as he rushed past Teague. He ran his hands along the walls, checking every crack with frantic intensity.
“Marcus.” Teague kept his voice calm. “What are you doing? If the chest is anything like the others, it would be obvious.”
“But what if—”
Marcus’s hand found something. A crack he could just get his fingers into.
“Here.”
He pulled a rock hammer from his pack—when had he brought that?—and before anyone could stop him, he wedged it into the crack and pried.
Limestone gave way with a grinding sound. A chunk fell, revealing a deeper crack.
“No, no, no—” Marcus wedged the pick under a rock and pulled.
The rock shifted. Slid free. A hole opening to the outside.
“Stop!” Xander grabbed him. “There’s nothing there—”
A trail of pebbles fell from inside the wall out through the hole.
Slow at first.
Then more.
A pop.
Those rocks had been supporting something, and they were about to find out what. And all he could see was Eden, ten feet deeper in the cave. “Eden, walk back this way.”
She took a step toward him, and another pop filled the air as a crack appeared by the opening Marcus had created. It spread up the side of the cave and across the ceiling. A large section breaking free.
“Get out!” Teague rushed toward Eden as another chunk of ceiling crashed onto the cave floor. Dust filled the air. The fracture began to spread across the stone like lightning.
He grabbed Eden’s hand, tugged her toward daylight, a sizable rock glancing off his shoulder.
Xander was already dragging Marcus out, the man still reaching toward that empty crack as if it might give up secrets.
They burst onto the ledge as the right side of the cave collapsed behind them.
For a moment, no one moved.
They stood pressed against the cliff face, breathing hard, staring at rubble where a cave had been. Dust coated everything.
Eden grabbed Teague’s arm. “Are you okay?”
He eyed the torn shoulder of his shirt. The skin was raw, but the injury was surface-level. “Define okay.”
“Alive. Unbroken. Not currently being crushed by several tons of limestone.”
“Then yes. Barely.” He met her eyes. “You?”
“Alive. Furious.” She wiped dust from her face. “I told you that if you got yourself killed—”
He stepped closer, placing a hand on each side of her face. “Hey, I’m not dead.”
“But you ran to me instead of running out. You could have…”
“I made sure you were safe. I won’t apologize for that. Ever.” His thumb trailed across her cheek.
“Sorry.” Marcus’s voice shattered the moment, and they both turned to face him.
He stood with his back against the wall, still clutching the hammer. Face white. Eyes glassy. His whole body trembled.
“You nearly killed us all.” Teague’s voice came out sharp.
He didn’t care.
“I just—there was something—I saw—” Marcus’s words tumbled over each other.
“You weren’t thinking.” Eden’s voice cut through. “You were reckless and you put everyone in danger.”
“The whole structure was unstable.” Xander assessed the damage. “Last month’s earthquake must have weakened it.”