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She had to ignore the way the light played in his hair, the hint of promise in his eyes and the way he always appeared in her paintings Saeance She had to remember that, no matter how much she wished it wasn't the truth

“I need your help finding the treasure” Not her set the words out before the guilt twisting her gut overwhelmed her family-preservation instincts

“Tell me what the hell this is all about Who is Snips and why is he threatening your parents?”

“I can't tell you that”

Sa another spark of awareness skittering up her skin “I need to knohat the hell the urgency is all about on your part What's the real threat?”

Her spine stiffened “None of your dao of me now”

His gaze dropped to his fingers wrapped around her upper aro and stepped back as if burned “Sorry, I shouldn't have touched you”

An aard silence filled the rooher

She couldn't tell him the truth The less he knew, the easier it would be to take what she had to and walk away A pang of regret clanged in her belly, but she turned a deaf ear to her conscience If waitressing had taught her anything, it was how to spin a tale that paralleled the truth as closely as possible to get the customer on her side If it worked for amuch more important—her parents' lives

Ignoring the unease burbling in her gut, she pressed forward “Forty thousand”

“What?” Those hazel eyes of his rounded in surprise

“My brother, Cy, owes his loan shark, Snips, forty K for a can't-miss business opportunity that did Snips can't find Cy, but still wants hisher in deceit “When I read Rebecca's diary, I realized the treasure is real She buried so—probably jewelry”

“People have been hunting for Rebecca's Bounty for longer than I've been alive” His tone turned harsh and dark, pain bleeding through despite his attempt to hide it “They've found maps in the past, all of which were exposed as fakes Can't you come up with the money another way?”

Josie snorted “I've already es account and been turned down for a personal loan froas that doesn't do business with a baseball bat My dad's been out of work for months, but finally found a job with the friend of a friend in Arizona My mom needs dialysis several tioes after them, it won't be pretty”

“Your brother sounds like a real winner”