Malia’s eyes fluttered open as something wet hit her forehead. She swiped a hand at the liquid and blinked again as she took in her surroundings. The last thing she remembered was being on the train to Laos and a group of men attacking the women’s only car. Details sharpened in her mind as she focused on the moments before she blacked out and her heart hammered, jolting her up.

Kamon.

He’d been in the car along with her, fending off the attackers. Worry knotted her stomach as she glanced around. Was he still alive?

Hazy white light seeped in through a crack in the ceiling, providing just enough clarity to discern the ragged edges of the walls. Water plinked against a puddle somewhere in the distance, echoing through the dark cave. A thick odor of must and mold hung in the air, choking each breath. Malia glanced at the ground beneath her, running her fingertips along the grainy stone slab, like some kind of alter. She must be in an underground temple.

A moan rang out through the hollows of the cavern and her heart skidded to her stomach. Darkness shrouded the cave, but the little bit of light from the cracks allowed her to focus on what looked like a body sprawled on the floor below her. Following the noise, she crawled along the stone slab until she found a steep incline of stairs. With ginger movements, she crept down the steps and slid next to the person.

He rolled over with another groan, clutching his ribs.

A gasp ripped from her throat. “Kamon!”

She hovered over him, cupping the side of his face with her hand. Strumming her thumb along his cheek, she studied the bruise along his face. They must have beaten him when she passed out. Her heart sunk even more as regret filled her. She tried so hard to not involve him in her life, yet somehow he still managed to get hurt because of her. What were the chances they would end up on the same train?

She glanced around the cave as Kamon stirred beneath her. Malia had no idea where they might be, as they’d only been maybe a couple hours outside of Bangkok when the attack happened. They’d somehow gotten off the train and could be anywhere by now since daylight had broken. She didn’t recognize any of the attackers, but if she had to guess, she’d put money on it that they worked for Yaza. Whether they knew she worked for him or if they just happened to pick random people on the train, she hadn’t a clue yet. But they could have just been a street gang looking to score drugs or rape the women on the train, which unfortunately had happened in the past. It was the reason for the guarded women’s only car to begin with. A fat lot of good that ended up doing to prevent another attack.

“Malia?” Kamon whispered, drawing her out of her thoughts.

“Kamon,” she whispered back, running her hand through his hair before cradling his face once more. “Are you injured?”

“I’ll be okay. I thought they might have broken a rib, but I think it’s just bruised. Are you okay? You hit your head pretty hard.” He reached up and slid his hand along the back of her head with tender strokes.

“I’m okay. I’m so sorry you got involved in this. Why did you try and take them on yourself?” Anger pushed down the worry gnawing at her. He should never have tried to play the hero. That’s how people get killed.

“They drugged everyone in the cars. I don’t know why I wasn’t, or if I was, it didn’t last long. I remember passing on some drink they were handing out. Then drifted to sleep for the ride. But woke up when they entered the car and ransacked the passengers, stealing wallets and shit. I saw them head to the women’s car and heard a scream. I couldn’t let them rape her. So I followed and took down a couple, but there were just too many. Then you … you were incredible. You moved like a ninja or something.”

Shit. Had she blown her cover? “I watch a lot of YouTube videos on self defense.” She bit her lip and hoped he’d buy the lame lie.

He quirked a brow and she needed to change the subject.

“You were pretty wonderful yourself. That knife shot was quite impressive.” A smile broke on her lips as she remembered him trying to rescue her. She’d never had anyone who risked their life to save her before. Warmth bloomed in her belly and she longed to thank him properly for his efforts. “I appreciate what you did to try and save me. But now you’re stuck here with me, god knows where.”

“No idea. They knocked me out as soon as they threw us off the train and onto some truck. Looks like some kind of temple or something?” He rolled his head and looked around.

“There’s a ton of temples and caves in Thailand. We could be anywhere. I have no idea who they were.”

“They seemed pretty interested in my medallion. I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but they took notice of it and it seemed to piss them off even more.” Kamon eased himself to a seated position next to her.

Malia closed her eyes and fear bubbled up inside her. Yaza’s men for sure. They probably saw Kamon’s medallion from his father and thought he ripped it off one of Yaza’s men, especially since he couldn’t speak Thai to defend himself. But how could she tell Kamon what was going on and not break protocol? She had to remain undercover. If Yaza’s men tried to get info out of Kamon, the less he knew, the better for his safety.

Kamon rubbed a hand along his mid-section and exhaled a long breath. Her stomach knotted even more as the wince of pain washed over his face.

“Lay back down and rest. I’ll look for a way out of here.” She pushed herself up, but Kamon wrapped a hand along her wrist and tugged her back to him.

“Too dangerous. I’ll look for a way out. I don’t need you taking another hit to the head. Your safety is my priority.” Kamon stumbled his way to standing and Malia shot up beside him.

She grit her teeth at his placating comment, as if she couldn’t take care of herself. Okay, yes, she had gotten herself captured, but she was trained for this. He wasn’t. She didn’t need some macho civilian with a misogyny complex to worry about, doing something dumb to show his prowess.

Malia poked him in the ribs and he cringed. “Uh huh. Take a seat. Let me handle this.”

She stomped off toward the light seeping in but halted mid-step as Kamon clutched her elbow and spun her back around. Her hands landed against his hard chest and he closed his arms around her. He tilted his head and his lips hovered over hers. Adrenaline fed her heart and it beat a wild rhythm she could have probably danced to.

“I love that you’re not all damsel in distress, but I’ll be fine. Let’s do it together then.”

The breath of his words tickled her mouth and an ache welled up inside her for him to kiss her. Being around Kamon would be a disaster. There was no way she could keep a clear head and maintain focus on her mission while he was here. But she couldn’t just leave him there. Falling for an innocent wasn’t covered in the CIA training. But maintaining your focus was. She had to fall back on what she knew to get them out of this, and she hoped he’d forgive her for being a bitch to him later.

“What are you going to do if we run into one of them? You don’t speak Thai and will eventually run out of sharp pointy object to throw at them. I’m handling this, or neither of us will get out of here alive. You don’t know these men like I do.”

“I thought you said you didn’t know who they were?” He stepped back and released her. “Now you know these guys?”

“Not personally, no.” Shit. She seemed to have no filter around this guy. Her first solo assignment with the CIA and she’d already endangered a civilian and gotten captured. Her career was about to be short-lived. She needed to think on her feet. The first rule of lying, always include some form of the truth, so it would be easier to remember the web you’re spinning. “I’m pretty sure they’re working for the Yaza drug cartel.” She folded her arms, already missing the safety of Kamon’s embrace.

“How do you know?” He tilted his head.

She couldn’t mention the medallion. It would lead to too many questions, not only about who she was, but also about his father. The only way someone got a Yaza medallion was if they worked for him. She wasn’t going to be the one to tell Kamon his father must have been one of Yaza’s henchmen.

Malia had to come up with something quick that he would buy in the meantime. “Well, you mentioned they must have drugged everyone on the train. It’s the next logical conclusion.”

“So, what would they want with you? I know why they grabbed me. I busted up their attack. But they seemed pretty focused on getting you off that train.” He crossed his arms, mimicking her.

Shit. He was a thinker. Why couldn’t he have just been some dumb macho jock? Instead, she had to find the one guy who not only wanted to play hero, but had an eye for detail.

“Not to mention, I think they had similar medallions to mine. Must have been why they got pissed when they saw mine. I noticed one around one of the guy’s necks, but couldn't get close enough to inspect it further.”

Malia closed her eyes and forced her breathing to even out slowly. “Let’s just work on getting out of here alive right now. Speculating and assuming will steal your focus.”

He pursed his gorgeous full lips and Malia’s insides melted with the head of a thousand suns. Why was this man, this stranger she’d only met hours ago, affecting her so much?

Kamon nodded. “We’ll play it your way, for now.”

She stared at him and the determination in his eyes pierced her heart. He wasn’t planning on letting it go. Which meant she’d have to rescue him, well both of them, then ditch him. So much for maybe hooking up with him later, let alone a possible relationship of any kind. Malia couldn’t continue to lie to someone she cared about. She’d never be able to lead a double life. It was just simpler to remain single.

Malia turned and nodded as she made her way toward the wall with the cracks. A rock rolled under her shoe and she flailed as she lost her balance. Kamon pressed his chest to her back as he slid his arms around her, catching her.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered along her ear, launching a shiver that ravaged her body.

He certainly did. Hook, line, and sinker. Damn him. She’d never been more accident prone in her life than the minute she met Kamon. What the hell was wrong with her? She suddenly turned into a walking catastrophe.

He tightened his arms around her and she melted into his hold. Jayla’s words came rushing back to her. Jayla’d mentioned she had to be rescued by Noah because he threw her so off her mark, that’s how she knew she was in love with him. But how could Malia be in love with a man she only just met?

“Am I interrupting something?” a voice echoed through the cavern and Malia stiffened in Kamon’s embrace.

Kamon leaned forward and pressed his lips to her ear. “Bend down and grab the rock under your shoe and hand it to me. I’ll cover you with my body so he won’t see.”

She hesitated, absorbing the heat that sweltered inside her as his lips touched her skin. Forcing herself to break his trance, she slid down the front of his body and a smile curved over her lips as she brushed against the defined bulge in his jeans on her way down. She obviously had the same affect on him. At least it was mutual torture.

Curling her fingers around the stone, she inched her way back up his body, taking extra care to press her ass against the bulge as she stood. A low growl emanated from his throat and she thought her vadge would explode. Everything about this man lit her on fire, even in the midst of danger, heightening the situation, making them play a reckless game of seduction with their lives.

Kamon covered her hands with his own, laying them across her belly, and she slid the stone into his fingers. His lips caressed her ear lobe as he whispered, “When we get out of here, I’m going to make love to your mouth.”

Breath hitched in her throat and heat pooled between her legs. She was thankful he held onto her, as her knees turned to jelly. If they needed to run, she’d be dead. He’d undone her like no one else in her life.

The man spoke in Thai, and she praised the gods that he did so Kamon wouldn’t understand. “Malia, step away from the man. Ram wants to see you. He’d prefer it be alive, so don’t make me have to hurt you.”

Shit.

“What did he say?” Kamon whispered. “I only caught your name and Ram’s. That’s what they called the guy who took you, Ram.”

“They want me to go with them,” she mumbled.

“Kamon,” she said in a harsh whisper. “Don’t do anything stupid.

“I won’t let them take you again.” He tightened his hold on her. “When I push you out of my arms, I want you to run for those cracks in the wall. There’s got to be a weak spot we can break down and get out. I’ll take care of this guy. Ready?”

“Kamon, no, please,” she pleaded.

“Don’t be scared. I won’t let them hurt you.”

Gah! She wanted to just punch Kamon out herself. He didn’t understand they would kill him without a second thought if he tried anything. But she couldn’t tell him she was a CIA spy, trained to handle this. Yet part of her loved that he wanted to protect her, that he cared. The war inside her was a distraction, and within seconds Kamon pushed her from his arms and she thrust forward, stumbling to her knees.

Kamon turned and launched the stone, hitting Yaza’s guy in the jugular. He dropped to his knees, gasping for air as he clutched his throat. Kamon must have struck his windpipe with the blow from the rock. Who the hell was he, Superman? The guy had to be some kind of ninja or something. His aim was impeccable.

“Holy shit,” Malia gasped.

“I rarely miss,” Kamon said as he gripped her hand and tugged her behind him as he took off running. “Shit, the cracks are up too high. We’ll never be able to get enough force behind it to break through. We need to find another way out.”

“The guy came from deeper inside the cave. We’ll have to go in to get out.” Malia didn’t like the idea, but they didn’t have time to waste. When Yaza’s lapdog didn’t report back to Ram, his head of security, they’d come looking for him, and her.

“I promise you, we’ll get through this. Because I meant what I said,” Kamon said.

“I know, you won’t let anyone hurt me.” Malia’s heart warmed at his profession, as sweet as it was, it was her who wouldn’t let anyone hurt him.

A sly smile curved over his lips before the darkness of the cave swallowed them. “No, that I’m going to kiss the hell out of you.”