Hard To Handle: Sawyer Sisters Trilogy, #1

By Jennifer Lowery

His greatest fear...turned into her greatest adventure.

Amelia Sawyer is looking for adventure outside her ordinary life. She hires bush pilot Brody Kern to fly her into the South American jungle, expecting a dashing, debonair version of Indiana Jones, but Amelia butts heads with the brooding, gruff man.

Brody Kern, former Air Force fighter pilot, doesn't need another Sawyer determined to find the elusive Paraiso. People had been hurt or killed trying to find the mysterious place, including Amelia's aunt, but Brody's business partner has cleaned out their account and taken off with the money. Now Jeremy's bookie is breathing down Brody's neck, threatening to break is kneecaps, or worse, if he doesn't pay his friend's gambling debts.

As Brody and Amelia hunt down the treasure with every criminal in the area wanting a piece, will it be the adventure of a lifetime-or will it result in heartbreaking betrayal?

Content Warning: Sexual content

Previously Published as 'The Treasure' by Crimson Romance, 2013

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Lowery
• Release date: May 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781498990790

Book preview

Chapter One

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The hairs on the back of Brody Kern’s neck bristled. He lifted his head, his half-empty beer bottle forgotten. Glancing over his shoulder, he scanned the crowded, run-down bar for the cause.

His gaze landed on a pretty, red haired woman standing inside the door. Her strapless dress hugged slender curves and displayed a pair of shapely legs. She scanned the room with purpose, apparently looking for someone in particular. Whoever the lucky bastard was would have a fight on his hands if he didn’t claim her quick.

Since no pretty redheads were looking for him, Brody returned his attention to his beer. His eyes strayed to the mirror behind the bar where he could see her weaving her way through tables toward the counter with determination. What the hell was a woman like her doing in a place like this anyhow? He—and every other red-blooded male in the joint—noticed her. All five-foot-five inches of soft, decadent female wearing clothes completely inappropriate for this environment. And he didn’t mean the jungle outside the doors.

May as well slap a tourist label on her forehead because only someone lost would come in a shady bar like this wearing a dress like that. She stuck out like a sore thumb among the hard-edged, rough types that hung around here. Types that wouldn’t bother saying please before they took what they wanted from her.

Through narrowed eyes, he watched her stop in front of the bartender, Hector, who stood stacking glasses behind the counter. He heard her fumble through a few words of Spanish. Except for two. Two words rang clear. Son of a bitch. He was the lucky bastard she was looking for.

He glanced at the two-hundred-fifty pound bartender and shook his head in warning. But Hector pointed at him with a sly grin Brody wanted to wipe off his ugly face. Payback for the poker game the other night. Hell, he hadn’t cheated, but the big man didn’t like to lose and was obviously still sore.

The woman turned her smile on him and he vowed to settle up with Hector later. He had bigger problems right now and she was headed in his direction, drawing attention she wasn’t aware of. He was. He knew exactly the kind of attention she gained. None of it good.

Damn it.

He wasn’t looking for a fight tonight.

Brody stared straight ahead and took a sip of his warm beer. Ignoring her proved impossible. She shone like a ray of sunlight in the dark room many called home. The sweet scent of vanilla drifted past his nose, stirred things inside him he didn’t want stirred.

A finger tapped his shoulder.

Brody white-knuckled his beer. Maybe if he didn’t turn around, she’d go away before he had to fight for her honor. He didn’t like the way the group in the corner were looking at her.

Another tap, firmer this time. Um, excuse me. Brody Kern? More insistent. Determined.

With a scowl at the men in the corner, he looked over his shoulder. She was even prettier up close. Her light green eyes sparkled beneath red-tipped lashes and her skin glowed with natural beauty that didn’t come from a bottle. He dared not look at her lips.

The front door opened and four men walked in. The leader, a linebacker in leather, stopped to survey the room. His dark eyes zeroed in on Brody.

Brody Kern? she repeated. The pilot?

He met her hopeful gaze. The color of her eyes reminded him of the waters of Fiji after a storm. Not anymore. At least not until he found his missing friend and the money Jeremy stole from their business account. Hard to run a charter business when you couldn’t afford to put gas in your plane.

The bartender told me who you are.

Brody scowled.

She drew in a deep breath. In the mirror behind the bar, he saw the four men shove their way through the crowd directly toward him. The beer he drank churned in his stomach. Lady, he said, wrapping his hand around the neck of his beer bottle. You might want to get out of the way—

She spoke at the same time. "-I’m Amelia. I’d like to hire you to take me to Paraíso. "

Holy hell. Brody’s stomach dropped to his feet. Those words he never wanted to hear again. And sure as hell not right now. The four men were almost on him. Shit, when it rains it pours.

"Look, lady. I don’t have time for this right now. Go home and forget you ever heard of Paraíso."

Javier and his men approached. The woman had bad timing. He wasn’t about to help her join the ranks of the many fools who went searching for a place that didn’t exist. Fortune and fame. What a crock.

A finger tapped his shoulder.

God almighty, lady—

A wrinkled piece of paper appeared beneath his nose. He shouldn’t look. Didn’t have time for this. Damn it.

I wanted to do this on my own. She nudged her way in beside his elbow and smiled an apology to the man she bumped over. But you leave me no choice.

There was her scent again. It hadn’t been that long since he’d been with a woman...ah, hell, yes it had. He’d been so wrapped up keeping the business running and trying to find Jeremy that he shunned his personal life. No wonder she was messing with his head.

He tipped his head back so he could read the paper. To find Paraíso go to Brody Kern. Tell him Pandora sent you. He will help you find your treasure.

A band clamped around his chest. Good God, could this night get any worse? Javier’s men closed in. He didn’t have time to deal with Amelia or her death warrant.

Brody pushed off his stool and grabbed her elbow. Come with me, he growled, as he dragged her through the crowd and out of the bar. Javier cursed behind them and the thugs bumped into each other trying to change direction.

He pushed through the door with such force it bounced off the wall before slamming shut. She pulled against his grip. He kept on going, weaving his way around vehicles. Stopping next to an old, battered Land Rover, he jerked open the door. Get in, he ordered with a glance over his shoulder to see if Javier had followed. They had a minute, maybe less, to get out of there before they discovered he left. No time to see if she had a car.

Are you kidding? the redhead asked, looking from him to the SUV.

Javier and his men were in the parking lot now and heading straight for them. Would you just get in, damn it?

I don’t think I will.

He couldn’t blame her, really. She didn’t know him from Adam, even with Pandora as a reference. But now wasn’t the time for second thoughts.

Please, he growled. Thirty seconds and his luck would run out.

I really would like to see your credentials—

Too late. Brody pushed past her and positioned himself between her and the four men who now formed a horizontal line in front of him. To the biggest, the leader, he said, I don’t want any trouble, Javier.

You should have thought of that before you took money from the boss.

Amelia whispered behind him. I have a cell phone. Should I call the police?

Brody glared over his shoulder at the woman who didn’t have the good sense to stay quiet. She sent him a militant look in return.

He turned back to Javier and his thugs. "I didn’t borrow from Tito."

Javier shrugged his beefy shoulders. Minor detail. You find your partner?

Brody wished to hell he had. Not yet.

The man next to Javier cracked his knuckles.

Javier took a step closer so they stood practically nose to nose. He reeked of cologne and cigars. Brody held his ground.

We talked about this, Javier said. The boss is growing impatient.

Their talk had included them assaulting him outside the bar a few nights ago and roughing him up a little. Not enough to really hurt him, but enough to get their message across. Bastards had stolen his poker winnings.

I’m working on it.

How about we give you a little incentive?

Incentive meant busting his kneecaps. Not necessary. I got the message.

Javier’s gaze dropped to the woman listening to their conversation from behind his arm. Then maybe we’ll just take what you owe out of her.

Over his dead body. She’s nobody. Just some stupid tourist looking for directions.

She gasped in outrage.

Brody shot her a warning glare before speaking to Javier. Tell your boss I’m working on it.

I’m afraid he’s tired of hearing that.

Javier threw a right hook that caught Brody on the jaw and snapped his head back. Brody returned with a left to the ribs, knocking the breath out of Javier. He shoved Amelia out of the way. Get in and lock the doors!

Two of the thugs latched onto him and knocked him backwards against the Land Rover, rocking it. Amelia cried out from the front seat as she fumbled to pull the door closed.

A piece of molding dug into his back hard enough to piss him off. His arms were pinned while Javier stood back and grinned as the third landed a fist in Brody’s gut and another into his jaw. Shit. That hurt.

Brody rammed his booted foot into the knee of the guy in front of him, taking him down. Javier watched as the other two used Brody as a punching bag. Every time the Land Rover rocked from an impact, Amelia yelled at them to stop. She opened the door.

No! Brody hollered and she retreated back inside, slamming the door closed.

Her distraction worked to his advantage. The one holding his right side loosened his grip long enough for Brody to pull back and throw an elbow into his nose. Blood spurted and the guy let go to cup his face. Javier stepped in. Brody caught him in the chin with an uppercut that snapped Javier’s head back with a painful crack. He shoved the leather-clad guy backwards, sending him toppling over the hood of a compact car.

Taking the opportunity to escape, he ran around to the driver’s side and jumped in after Amelia quickly unlocked the door. He brought the engine to life and threw it into gear. They shot across the parking lot, Javier and his men shouting things that couldn’t be heard over the roar of the engine.

Amelia grabbed the roll bar as they bounced past a row of cars and looked over her shoulder. How do you know those men?

Brody maneuvered the Land Rover onto the bumpy dirt road that led into town. Glancing in the rear view mirror, he shrugged.

The road evened out and she let go of the bar to wrap her arms around her waist. What kind of trouble are you in?

Not important.

Not important? I think it is.

He slowed for a curve, the headlights bouncing off the jungle hovering on either side of the narrow road, and didn’t answer. The less she knew the better. Javier wouldn’t hesitate to make good on his threat to take what he owed out of her.

Is the law after you?

Depends on who you asked. Nothing to worry about.

You like giving cryptic answers, don’t you? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her lips tighten.

I consider you on a need-to-know basis.

She stiffened in her seat. Need to know? What do you mean by that?

It means I don’t know you and you don’t need to know me, lady.

She pinned her gaze on him. Are you serious? Do you know how archaic that sounds?

Brody slowed as he proceeded through the quiet town. The children that played in the dusty streets earlier that morning were now inside, the shops in the square closed down for the night, and the freely roaming livestock out of sight.

Archaic? he repeated as he pulled into the parking lot of the only hotel in town and turned off the engine. Which room is yours?

That’s need-to-know information, Mr. Kern. She smirked. I may have been given your name, but that doesn’t mean I’m inviting you to my room.

I wasn’t looking for an invitation unless you meant something else when you said you were looking for paradise.

Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp of outrage. Exactly what he wanted. Tahua was no place for a woman alone and since Paraíso didn’t exist she may as well go home.

She stiffened in her seat, but didn’t flee. That’s not what I meant, she said tightly. Look, what I want is simple. A ride. I’m willing to pay top dollar. Here, I have traveler’s checks. She dug through her purse and pulled out a handful of checks, but he stopped her by laying a hand on top of hers, odd little sparks traveling up his arm. Her eyes widened as if she felt them too.

Jerking his hand away, he met her eyes. "The answer is no. Do yourself a favor and go home. Forget about Paraíso."

You keep saying that. Why do you want me to leave so badly?

He stared out the windshield. Just trust me on this one.

I’m sorry, Mr. Kern, I can’t do that. She reached inside her purse and pulled out a wad of tissues. Before he could guess her intention, she leaned across the seat and pressed it to his right eyebrow. Vanilla filled his senses.

You’re bleeding, she said softly.

Her hand brushed his cheek. Brody grabbed the tissues before her touch made him do something stupid like agree to fly her to Paraíso. Or kiss her. I got it.

Amelia pulled back and reached for the handle. She pushed the door open. Thank you for saving me cab fare.

She climbed out, closed the door and walked inside the hotel.

Chapter Two

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Amelia Sawyer closed the door to her hotel room, put her purse on the dresser and dropped onto the bed. This night certainly hadn’t gone the way she’d imagined. Finding Brody Kern hadn’t been easy. Aunt Pandora gave her his name and location, but she never guessed it would lead her to a shady bar and a ruggedly handsome man. His eyes were the most unusual color, amber wrapped in a dark ring of gold. By tomorrow, encircled with bruises. Images of the fight filled her head and a chill swept through her.

Unanswered questions raced through her head. Why would Aunt Pandora send her to a man who was so obviously troubled? It made no sense. Aunt Pandora knew she never ventured outside the small town where she grew up. Maybe her sisters were right and Aunt Pandora really had lost her mind before she passed.

A door slammed down the hall. Amelia jumped. She wrapped her arms around her waist, suddenly very alone. What had she been thinking coming down here? There were no sandy beaches, exotic colorful birds, or bright city lights. Only a hot, humid climate, pesky bugs, and a small jungle town not on any of her tourist maps.

Amelia scanned the small room, the most expensive one, only three American dollars to rent. Expensive in this case meant a shabby room with four-foot high walls that opened to a tin roof. The room sweltered even with the gentle breeze seeping in. The beige carpet was dirty, stained with an unknown substance. The single bed seemed clean enough, although the springs creaked every time she moved. A faded yellow bedside table held an ancient phone and cracked vase without flowers to brighten the dingy room. She refused to acknowledge the smell.

And mosquitoes, she thought, slapping one that feasted on her arm. Privacy was non- existent. She could see out the large opening between rooms and hear voices next door. Intimidating, but she wanted this trip, embraced the adventure. Right now though, even with the open room, it seemed very isolated. Maybe coming to South America to hunt buried treasure had been a mistake. Maybe she was chasing a pipe dream just as her sisters said, because all she had now was a map and no way to get to Paraíso.

Brody Kern had thwarted her plans. She hoped her vacation would go off without a hitch. Come to South America, find a pilot named Brody Kern, have him fly her into the jungle to the first checkpoint on the map, then trek the rest of the way to Paraíso and find the gift her aunt left for her. Her inheritance from a woman she missed more each day.

Coming here had been a huge decision for her. Stepping outside her comfortable, predictable life into one she always dreamed of hadn’t been easy. She spent her life looking up to her favorite aunt, trying to be like her. Of course, Amelia’s adventures turned into