Sunny McAdams would be worth the risk.
* * *
Rayad hadn't been kidding about the lack of rain. For the past twenty minutes, Sunny had yet to see any water whatsoever. The landscape had flattened into desert, the ground covered mostly in sand as far as the eye could see. Aside from one scant patch of grass supporting a small herd of sheep, the route they were taking showed few signs of population. And the farther they drove, the more desolate the surroundings became.
She adjusted in the seat to get a better look at Rayad and marveled at the perfection of his profile. The fit of his dark green T-shirt. She even sneaked a peek at his extremely masculine legs exposed because today he wore a pair of khaki cargo shorts and hiking boots. She also couldn't help but ponder the possibility of a real kiss later today-provided he actually cooperated. If she accomplished nothing else, she vowed to convince him she wasn't some broken, needy female who had to be treated with kid gloves. Okay, maybe she was a bit broken, but she felt as if she might be on the mend, thanks to him.
"So exactly where does your land begin?" she asked to disrupt the silence that had gone on way too long.
"We passed the property's boundary twenty miles ago."
"Wow." All she could think to say in light of the revelation. "You obviously own half of Bajul."
"Not quite half."
"How did you manage to wrangle the property away from the royal family?"
"A portion of the land was willed to me upon my aunt's death. The rest I purchased since the area is not conducive for development."
"I can understand that. Most people don't care to live in the middle of nowhere."
"I am not most people."
That personal assessment wasn't remotely up for debate. "Is that why you haven't built your own palace?"
"I have no need for a palace," he said, his tone surprisingly serious. "I travel much of the time."
"I assume you have no need for a wife and kids, either."
"Not presently."
She would have sworn she heard a touch of wistfulness in his voice. "How much longer until we get where we're going?"
A split second after Sunny posed the query, Rayad took a sharp right turn and stopped the Mercedes in front of a fortress-like entrance, complete with barbed, ten-foot fencing. He then lifted the console, took out a remote control and pointed it at the heavy steel gate that opened wide to allow them entry.
She felt as if she were entering a prison and that resurrected memories she was hard-pressed to ignore. "What is this place? Some kind of military compound or maybe a sheikh commune?"
"You will see soon enough," he said as he drove forward.
If she wasn't so darned inquisitive, she might have demanded a better explanation before she allowed him to proceed. But crazy as it seemed, she didn't consider him threatening. "I'm looking forward to it."
They traveled down an afterthought dirt road that narrowed between two large stone formations. After threading the rocky needle, they finally reached a wider spot next to one of the behemoth boulders.
Rayad put the Mercedes in Park, turned off the ignition and shifted to face her. "Before we enter, you must promise me you will never speak of this place to anyone."
Sunny did a quick visual search but found nothing that even remotely resembled a structure. "I don't even see a place."
"Promise me."
Rayad's stern tone said he meant business. "All right," she conceded. "I promise to keep my mouth shut, like I do when I'm protecting an anonymous source. But if you want me to climb that wall, you should know I didn't bring any spikes or rappelling equipment."
"No climbing will be involved at this juncture." He opened the SUV door and told her, "Come with me."
When Rayad walked to the back of the Mercedes and retrieved what looked like a cooler, Sunny reached back to grab her own bag. She slid out of the seat and retraced his path, her mind caught in a web of confusion when he stopped in front of the mini-mountain. That confusion turned to blatant curiosity when he set the cooler down and opened a hidden panel set in the red-orange rock face, revealing a hi-tech keypad. While she looked on, he punched in a series of numbers, and just like that, the seemingly smooth stone parted. Definitely the stuff spy movies were made of. She wouldn't be a bit surprised to find a houseman greeting them with a tray of martinis.
After Rayad stepped aside, Sunny moved forward to find no servants, but she did discover another set of narrow stairs descending into darkness. Fortunately, this time she'd had enough sense to wear sneakers, not stilettos. Unfortunately, her heart began to beat at an accelerated clip when she noticed the narrow walls. "You seriously want me to go in there?"
"I promise it is safe."
She shifted the bag's strap to her shoulder. "No bats?"
"No. Or asps."
She could use some oxygen after hearing the reference to reptiles. "Thank goodness for small favors."
Rayad put the cooler down again, picked up a torch leaning against the wall, retrieved a lighter from his pocket and transferred the flame to a pair of sconces on either side of the steps. Then he turned and pressed a button to his left, closing the door behind him. "Follow me, and take care with your footing."
He certainly didn't have to worry about that. She'd take care all day long if necessary. While she followed behind him, Rayad lit more sconces as they traveled downward into the abyss. The scent of earth and a slight chill assaulted her. Luckily, she didn't smell fire and brimstone, although right now she wouldn't be surprised if they came across Hades.
Much to Sunny's relief, they eventually reached the final stair where she exhaled slowly when her feet hit the dirt floor.
Rayad paused and flipped a switch that illuminated several overhead lights, revealing a lengthy corridor. "A generator provides electricity, but I use it sparingly."
Sunny joined him and did a quick survey of the room to her right that held no real furnishings but a lot of electronics. "What is all this?"
"My means to communicate with the outside world."
Awareness began to dawn. "Is this a covert military installation?"
"In a manner of speaking," he said. "It's a natural bunker available for the royal family should Bajul come under attack. I discovered it several years ago."
"And that's when you found the artifacts."
"Yes. I have spent many days here exploring the surroundings and modifying the caverns to house occupants. I come here often when I am not on duty."
Now it all made sense. "So this is also your own personal hideout."
"Perhaps some would view it as such."
Including her. She couldn't help but wonder exactly what he might be hiding from. Granted, he'd claimed to be involved in military intelligence, but she sensed there might be more to the story. "Is this all there is to it?"
"No. I will show you the rest."
And he did, beginning with one room that held several bunks and what appeared to be an adjoining latrine. "This is huge. Do you sleep here?"
"I have my own private quarters that you will soon see, and you may leave your bag here."
She really didn't see much of anything other than a long, narrow hallway. "Can't wait," she said as she set her duffel on the dirt floor by the door.
They continued on to a stockroom with rows of shelves holding what appeared to be military K-rations. A self-contained, primitive hostel. "I take it you don't have a refrigerator."
He placed the cooler on a table in the corner then faced her again. "No, but since the cave holds steady at fifty-eight degrees, spoilage is not an issue when I have fresh fruit delivered."
"All the way out here? That must cost a pretty penny."
"Money is not a concern when comfort is involved."
Of course it wasn't. The man probably had a fortune holed up in a wall somewhere. "Did you bring some fruit with you today?"
"Yes, and some other supplies," he said as he rejoined her in the corridor. "Should we require more, several outlying villages are not far away."
"Since we're only going to be here today, I'm sure we have enough to get us by."
"Perhaps," he said. "Let us now continue the tour."
After they traveled a few more feet, the hallway hit a dead end at another stone wall. Sunny assumed the tour was over, until once again Rayad revealed a keypad much like the one at the entry.