Page 43 of These Reckless Hearts

“I’m taking care of it,” Stone promises, meeting my eyes briefly. “Trust me.”

I squeeze his bicep. “I do, but you also wouldn’t want me to worry if you didn’t.”

“I’ve got money, too,” Wyatt offers, switching his gaze between all of us.

Stone grits his teeth. “That’s your inheritance, and it’s supposed to go toward your ranch. I’m fine,” he seethes.

“It’s there, anyway.” Wyatt refuses to growl back at his friend, even though I can see the muscles poke out of his arms. “You are my family. What better way to spend it?”

Lucas leans over and kisses my temple. He brushes his lips against my skin until he reaches my ear. “Rich people,” he grouses, sighing.

I hold back a smile. I don’t know what it feels like to have a lot of money, but I’ve been dreaming about it my whole life. Finding the treasure was always the reward after a long journey. To think we’re one step closer than my father got makes me believe I can actually attain it.

“Since your father has the ring, he can also research Maria Luisa. He’ll know what we’ve been able to figure out, too.” Uncovering her story has been interesting. It turns out, the Spanish monarchy was trying to move gold and jewels to Mexico when this area flooded. Not a lot is said in the history books about where they left the horde, only that it was in a huge mountain range high enough to avoid the increasing waters.

“If you ask me,” Lucas starts, “placing the cache inside one of those cliff faces in the valley seems likely. Since they were dealing with rain and flood waters, they would’ve wanted to place it somewhere with elevation. We already know that Dakota’s family discovered it in their mining cave. Maybe no one else stumbled upon it because it was a tricky spot to get to.”

Stone turns toward his friend. “You want to scale the cliff face?”

“Well, first I want to scour the area to see if there are openings in the rock. I say if we find any caves along these walls”—he points to the valley in the map—“we check all of them.”

“It’s a sheer face,” I remind him. “How in the hell are we going to do that?”

Wyatt shrugs. “We’re rock climbers. We took lessons for this very reason.”

“You’re shitting me.”

Stone grins. I should’ve known this is something they would do. Rock climbers go up the mountains all the time, but I’ve always watched them like they were crazy. I’m perfectly fine with my feet firmly planted on the ground.

“It’s safe,” Lucas tells me, letting his fingers whisper down my spine.

Yeah, sure, and so is treasure hunting. We all know that’s a freaking lie.

But what they’re saying makes sense. If the cave was easy to find, someone would’ve already stumbled upon it by now.

“Rock climbing it is,” I mumble, even though my stomach twists at the idea. I’m going to have to suck it up, though. No way am I going to be the only one on the ground while they head up the rock face searching for my treasure.

19

Somehow, Lucas and I are able to escape Ninja the next day to go to a rock climbing facility in Leedsville. I figured I should probably get some instruction before throwing myself into it, even though every hour we’re not on the treasure’s trail makes me antsy as fuck.

My family’s legacy is always a hum under the surface of my skin, something that’s helped propel me forward. And right now, I can feel it vibrating. I wonder if this is how my dad felt all the time?

I shake my head. I refuse to think about him today because I need to focus.

“Ready?” the instructor asks. He’s the same age as Lucas and me with red stubble along his jaw.

I step into the harness and pull it up. He helps hook me in and then grabs the end of the rope as I stare at the colored foot- and handholds that are spaced haphazardly up the wall and plot my course to the top. Lucas is already halfway up the angular wall. Seeing him work gives me courage. I’m not afraid of climbing this here, but I’m trying to envision doing this out in the mountains where there are no safety nets or pretty colored ledges or a beginner’s track I can start out on. That is intimidating.

I approach the wall, rubbing my hands together, then place my left foot on the first hold, grab two other holds with my hands, and hoist myself in the air. As I get going, moving between ledges and pulling myself higher, excitement fills me.

Lucas calls out, and I glance up to find him at the top already. “You dick!”

He laughs, throwing his head back. “I was just going to say you look like you’re having fun.”

“I am having fun,” I hiss, speeding up. There’s no way I cannot make it to the top now.

However, just as I think I’m getting into a groove, I hit a snag. The instructor below starts calling out different ways I can make it out. I have to reach toward one ledge and trust I’ll be able to hold onto it while I get my feet on two supports. Easy, right? I swallow down the butterflies in my stomach and make the leap. My fingers clench onto the hold, but immediately start to slip. I scramble, trying to gain purchase on a foothold, but eventually, I fall back.

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