Rowan flopped back on the huge bed in her room at the brand-new Aurora Casino. A stunning chandelier was the centerpiece of the room, light refracting off the hundreds of crystals. She’d seen more of the huge chandeliers as she’d walked through the lobby and casino area.

She stared at the glittering light above her and felt hollow. It was almost like the events of the last few days had happened to somebody else—finding the artifact, the attack, the rescue, meeting Lachlan again.

As soon as she’d checked in, she’d called her parents again. She’d gotten her father’s voicemail and left another message. Then, she’d gotten her mother’s voicemail and left a message letting her mother know she’d be back in New York tomorrow. It wasn’t every day your daughter survived a terrible situation that had killed her research team, so maybe her father would call her for once, and maybe her mother would pick her up from the airport. Rowan closed her eyes, knowing the truth.

She had never felt more alone than she did now.

The bright lights glinting outside drew her, and she stood up, moving over to the large, floor-to-ceiling windows. Her room wasn’t too high up, but she still had a good view of the Strip spread out before her. Below, lay the amazing glass roof of the Aurora’s main casino floor. She could see the hundreds of people at the gaming tables and slot machines. Beyond that were the colored, blinking lights and bustle of the rest of Las Vegas.

People laughing and having fun, oblivious to her life imploding. Oblivious to the fact that artifacts—incredible pieces of powerful tech—could turn up any time and wreak havoc.

She had a flight out in the morning back to New York. She wasn’t tired, because she’d dozed most of the day on the aircraft. Her thoughts turned to Lachlan and she sighed. She immediately closed that train of thought down. Nope, she wasn’t going there. That was done. He’d made that very clear.

Maybe alone was best. Have no one to care about, to hurt you, to let you down. She made a choked sound. She’d almost died in northern Canada. She realized now that if that had happened, her parents would barely mourn her, her friends and colleagues would be sad…for a little while.

She could have died and not a single soul on the planet would really care.

Ugly emotions filling her chest, she spun around. She wasn’t going to sit here feeling sorry for herself. She had a night in Vegas in a fancy hotel, and she was determined to enjoy the hell out of this sweet room.

In the huge bathroom, she flicked on the faucet, running a bath and tipping in some of the sweet-smelling bubble bath. After stripping, she took her time soaking in the bubbles. The hot water worked wonders on her tense muscles.

When she was finished, she wrapped herself in a fluffy robe and couldn’t stop herself from checking the phone. There were no messages.

Rowan ordered room service. She ate some of her steak and salad, and sipped her glass of wine. She tried to watch a movie, but found herself thinking of poor Lars and her dead friends. She hated the thought of Isabel, Emily, and the others lying cold and still in a morgue at Area 52.

Flicking off the television, she glanced at the still-silent phone, then moved over to her bag. She dropped the robe and pulled on some pajama shorts and a tank top in a deep green. It felt like forever since she’d worn warm-weather clothes. It was going to take a while to get used to not wearing an arctic coat everywhere.

Knowing she’d never be able to get to sleep yet, she flicked off the lights and curled up on the huge couch that sat, facing the windows. She grabbed a soft throw blanket, pulled it over herself, and stared at the lights outside. In the distance, she saw a dancing fountain, and watched as lights strobed through the night sky.

She wondered what Lachlan and his team were doing.

No. She squashed that thought. Lachlan had made it clear that, while he was happy to see her again, that was as far as his interest went. She’d been a job, with a side of childhood nostalgia, that was it.

So why the hell did it hurt so much? She pulled her knees to her chest. Tomorrow, she’d get back to New York and do what she always did—get on with things. If nothing else, Dr. Rowan Schafer knew how to put one foot in front of the other.

The loneliness sank onto her shoulders like a stone. Surprisingly, while sitting there in the darkness watching the Las Vegas lights, she fell asleep.

Rowan jerked awake, with no idea how much time had passed. She pushed her hair back. She’d been dreaming about hearing that horrible roar echoing through the base.

She blinked groggily in the darkness and heard a noise.

Breathing.

Terror slid through her veins, bringing her to full wakefulness with a jolt. Was the thing here?

Rowan shook her head. The artifact was locked up in a secure base. Keeping still, she slowly turned her head and watched as a shadow moved by the bed across the room.

Then, flashes of light sparked in the room, accompanied by a muffled sound. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Her body jerked. God. Gunshots with a silencer.

Her heart pounded in her chest like it was out of control. Being as quiet as she could, she slid off the couch and to the carpet. Her mouth was dry. Shit. Shit.

“She’s not here,” a voice muttered.

“Find her,” another deep, masculine voice said.

Rowan crawled across the floor. Where should she go? She spotted another big shadow standing by the front door. Dammit, she couldn’t get out that way. She detoured, heading toward the sliding doors leading to the balcony.

“Bag’s here. She must be here somewhere.”

“Maybe she’s down in the casino?”

She made it to the glass door and reached up slowly. If they looked this way, they’d see her silhouetted against the lights outside. She flicked open the lock. Slowly, she started edging the sliding door open, praying it wouldn’t make too much noise.

Suddenly, the bedroom was flooded with light.

“There she is!” a man shouted.

Rowan exploded up and out the door, banging her hip as she pushed through. The night air was cooler, but still felt warm to her. She ran down the long balcony.

And of course, there was nowhere to go. Shit. Shit. Shit. Luck was not on her side. It never was.

She glanced back and saw the three men pushing out the door. They were all holding guns.

Desperation thumping in her chest, she threw a leg over the railing. She looked down at the Aurora’s huge, glass casino roof below. It wasn’t far down and was flat. There were only a few balconies between hers and the roof. Looked like she was going for a climb.

The loud sound of a gunshot. A bullet whizzed past her and she swallowed a scream.

She lowered herself, moving her feet to search for the balcony below. As she climbed lower, a hand grabbed around her wrist.

“Dr. Schafer, we aren’t going to hurt you.”

She looked up into a hard face. The man had heavy features and a jagged scar across one eyebrow.

“We just have questions about the artifact,” he said.

Ice slid into her veins. She saw in his flat, hazel eyes that he wasn’t telling her the truth. His eyes weren’t just cold and scary like Lachlan’s, they were completely soulless.

They’d shot at her bed. To incapacitate, maybe, but they obviously didn’t care if they hurt her.

And she knew they wouldn’t let her live.

She wriggled in his hold.

He cursed and lost his grip on her. Rowan fell and let out a little scream. She managed to grip the railing of the balcony below hers, her knees slamming against the wall. She ignored the burst of pain and kept climbing downward.

She heard shouts and looked up. The scarred man was aiming his gun at her.

Fuck. Rowan looked down at the gleaming roof just a few feet below her. She could see all the oblivious people enjoying the casino.

She let go and dropped, fear not even letting a scream past her lips. Bullets pinged off the glass below her.

Rowan hit the roof with a hard bang. She came up on all fours, gasping to catch her breath. Ignoring all the people far below, she crawled across the glass. It was slick under her hands and knees.

She glanced back. The men were following her and climbing down the balconies.

Shit. She looked forward. She needed a way off this roof. Now.

A warm breeze ruffled her hair and she kept moving. She glanced down and saw that people at the gaming tables below had noticed her. They were pointing up at her with shocked faces.

“Get her!” someone yelled behind her.

She looked back. The men were on the glass now. They were closing in, and weren’t crawling. They had their hands out to keep their balance as they jogged across the glass.

Pulse leaping, she kept moving. Then she reached the edge of the roof.

Oh, no. Rowan looked over the edge. Below, lay a huge pool area, with a glittering, lagoon-style pool.

There was nowhere to go.

Bile rose in her throat. And the bad guys were closing in.

* * *

Lachlan lifted his beer, sipping it as he sat on a stool at the bar at Griffin’s Sports Bar and Grill.

Seth leaned forward, ordering a serving of hot wings, and sipping his own beer. Axel was on the other side of him. The rest of the team were there as well, everyone decompressing. Griffin’s was their local hangout when they were off duty. It wasn’t fancy, but they liked it, and the best thing…barely any tourists.

But Lachlan still felt edgy. He had ever since he’d dropped Rowan at the Aurora Casino. She hadn’t looked back.

He definitely wasn’t thinking about that kiss. Fuck. He took another huge sip of beer.

“Rowan sure was something,” Axel drawled.

Lachlan’s fingers tightened on the bottle. He looked at Axel, who was giving him a knowing grin. He glanced at Seth, who was staring at him with a raised brow.

Blair leaned forward. “Saw you kissing her, Hunter.”

“Me too.” Axel’s grin widened. “Steamed up my glasses.”

“You don’t wear glasses,” Smith rumbled.

“Saw the way you looked at her.” Blair’s bi-colored eyes speared into Lachlan’s. His best friend had always gotten straight to the point. “I hope you didn’t give her your ‘I’m married to my job’ speech.”

Lachlan hunched his shoulders. “She’s gone, and I am married to my job.”

Blair shook her head, clearly frustrated.

Callie leaned back. “I liked her. Despite everything she went through, she held it together, no hysterics. Steady as a rock.”

“She’s smart and independent,” Lachlan said. “Had to be. Her parents forgot she existed most of the time.”

“Rough,” Seth murmured.

Lachlan stared blindly at the row of television screens over the bar, showing various sporting events. But he didn’t see the games. Instead, he saw Rowan’s face, with her big blue eyes and russet hair.

“I think mi amigo is realizing he was an idiot,” Axel mock-whispered to Blair.

Blair grunted and bit into her burger.

Then Lachlan’s phone vibrated in his pocket and he fished it out. It was Brooks.

He pressed it to his ear. “Don’t you sleep, Brooks?”

“Lachlan.”

The man’s tone made him straighten. He set his beer down on the bar with a crack. “What?”

“It’s on the police band. There’s an incident in progress at the Aurora Casino.”

Fuck. Lachlan pushed to his feet and glanced at his team. They all stood.

“Talk to me,” Lachlan ordered.

“There are reports of a red-headed woman out on the glass roof of the casino in her pajamas. She’s being chased by three armed men.”

“Fucking hell.” Lachlan saw his team stiffen. “We’re on our way.”

He snatched his keys off the bar. “Rowan’s under attack at the Aurora Casino. Let’s move.”

As he slammed out of the door, he didn’t have to ask if they were armed. His own SIG Sauer 226 was tucked in its holster.

Outside, his team jogged toward the black Suburban parked out front. Lachlan made his way to his Kawasaki Ninja. A calm coolness washed over him and his focus sharpened. He jumped on his bike and started it, revving the engine. The bike vibrated beneath him.

He roared out of the parking lot and onto the road. He left the SUV behind, zipping through the traffic. Soon, he turned onto South Las Vegas Boulevard, speeding toward the glass spire of the Aurora.

Be safe, Rowan. Hold on.

He dodged around several cars, and then spied the casino entrance. He turned, speeding across several lanes of traffic. He tore into the front entrance of the Aurora and pulled to a stop. Several police cruisers were screeching to a halt nearby.

Lachlan leaped off his bike and strode toward the front door. He followed the commotion into the main casino area. A crowd was gathered, looking up at the glass roof above.

He spotted her instantly. Rowan was kicking out at a man trying to grab her.

Bastards.

Lachlan sensed bodies closing in and saw his team had arrived.

“Axel and Seth, with me. We’re going out on the roof.”

Blair nodded. “Rest of us will be outside, and deal with crowd control.”

Lachlan nodded and looked for the nearest stairwell. He shoved open the door and then pounded up the stairs, Seth and Axel right behind him. He felt a heaviness in his chest he couldn’t quite ease.

He was going to make these assholes pay for scaring Rowan. And if she was hurt…

“There,” Seth said.

Lachlan shouldered out the door. There was a large terrace outside, with a bar and low seating areas clustered around. It looked out onto the glass roof just below. A crowd had gathered, leaning against the railing, staring at Rowan and her attackers struggling on the far side of the roof.

As they watched, Rowan kicked out at a man. He lunged for her and she jerked back.

Seth hissed.

“Ay, Dios mío,” Axel bit out.

Fuck, no. Lachlan watched in horror as Rowan slipped off the edge of the glass.

She fell, managing to grab the edge with one hand, dangling off the side of the building.

Fury burst through Lachlan—strong and raging. He pressed a hand to the rail and leaped over, pulling out his SIG at the same time.

“Lachlan! Fuck,” Seth called out.

Lachlan landed on the glass roof with a bend of his knees.

“Hey!” Above, he saw several security guards rushing toward them.

“I’ll take care of them,” Seth said. “Go.”

Axel leaped over the railing and landed beside Lachlan. He lifted his own Glock. Together, they jogged across the glass.

Lachlan focused on the first attacker, his jaw tight. The man didn’t hear him coming.

A swift kick sent the man tumbling. He hit the glass with a shout and started sliding. The other two men turned, lifting their weapons.

But Lachlan and Axel were ready. They both fired.

The gun flew out of the hand of one man. With a scream, he gripped his injured hand and fell to the glass.

The final man had ducked, dropping to his knees. Lachlan kicked the gun out of his hand. The man tried to run, but Lachlan grabbed his shirt with his prosthetic hand. He lifted the man up, dangling him off the glass. His eyes widened, and Lachlan noticed he had a scar on his eyebrow.

“What the fuck?” The man growled, kicking his feet.

“Who sent you?”

The man kept struggling. Lachlan shifted, holding the man over the side of the building.

“Who do you work for?” Lachlan asked.

The man’s face twisted, and he yanked something from his belt. Another gun.

Lachlan let him go. The man screamed as he fell.

“Lachlan.” Rowan’s voice was strained.

He dropped to his knees. Her white face looked up at him. He reached for her, but she was just out of reach.

“Hang on,” he said.

He went flat on his belly, leaning over the edge to get to her.

“I’m…slipping.” Panic flashed in her eyes.

“Hold on, dammit.” His fingers brushed hers.

But that’s when she lost her grip. Her fingers slipped and she fell.

“Lachlan!” she screamed.

Lachlan didn’t hesitate. He moved into a crouch and launched himself off the roof.

He slammed into Rowan midair, wrapping his body around hers.

“Lachlan.” Her arms and legs clamped onto him. The rush of the wind tore at them.

“I’ve got you.”

They hit the casino pool with a huge splash, the water closing over them.