CHAPTER 22
Riley scanned the greenery in front of them.
"See what? There's nothing but bushes" Riley again turned to face her, "Lara, are you sure you're alright?"
She smiled softly, "yes I'm fine"
She gripped Riley's collar and pulled him over to her side of the car. "Look" she spoke quietly, pointing forwards.
Riley followed the direction of her finger and froze.
Almost totally hidden by the thick bushes, was an ancient looking stone carving. It was unlike anything Riley had ever seen before. The stone beast seemed to be a cross between a huge lion, and some kind of lizard.
"What.." He began to ask as he stared at the object, but Lara was already climbing out of the Jeep.
"I'd be willing to bet, that this" she indicated the statue as she grabbed her backpack "is one of the Guardians."
Riley jumped out of the jeep and moved to stand beside Lara as he pulled guns out of his bag, and checked them before pushing them into holsters strapped to his body.
"Right" he spoke slowly "so this is the place then?"
Lara turned to face him full on and smiled brightly, "Yes" Seeing Lara smile like that made Riley ach to touch her. He smiled as he moved closer to catch her lips in a tender kiss. As he wrapped his arms around her the embrace became more passionate. He couldn't get enough of her. Slowly he moved from her mouth and began to feast on her exposed neck.
Lara held him tightly against her as she fought to survey the area while enjoying the feeling Riley was creating. "It looks like we're the first to find it in a while" she breathed. Riley returned his lips to hers and spoke quickly between heated kisses. "So, no Vanderbelt?" "No" she pulled him closer still, making tight fists in his hair as her tongue wrestled with his.
"Wrong!" an all too familiar voice sounded through the trees. Riley froze; his mouth still pressed against Lara's, tongue still in her mouth. He opened his eyes and focused on hers as she watched him.
Very slowly, Riley pulled back and raised his hands. Only then did Lara see that the blonde man from the airport, Matt Simmons, was holding a gun firmly against Riley's neck. Riley never took his eyes off Lara as Matt spoke to him.
"See what women do?" he growled "you were a great soldier Riley. Still are. But women are nothing but distractions!" he nodded at someone behind Lara but before she could turn, her hands were pinned behind her back and someone was pulling her hair hard, forcing her to look skyward.
"Hello, beautiful. Remember me?" Lara felt panic grip her as she recognised the voice as that of Gibson Vanderbelt. Riley gritted his teeth as he watched Gibson slowly run a hand over Lara's body. His anger grew as the brute moved to touch places only Riley was allowed to. He saw Lara squirm against Gibson's grip but it only resulted in a tighter hold.
"Lay off Gibson!" Riley ordered, "Simmons you, get this gun out of my face or Gerrard will not be happy!" Both Matt and Gibson exchanged confused looks. "What are you talking about?" Gibson spat at him. Riley only smiled, but this time it was cold and evil. "I did my job and got here, distracted her so she wouldn't blow you away before you got inside. Now where is Gerrard with my money?"
Lara's heart felt like it had stopped. She pulled her head forward, looking directly at Riley as he pushed Matt's gun out of the way. "What are you talking about?" she echoed Gibson's question.
"Well," Riley moved towards her slowly, his movement and expression and even the sound of his voice had changed, he now looked, moved and sounded evil, cold heartless. "The day we met, I received a phone call" slowly he looked at Gibson "from your father".
Gibson began to grin evilly, enjoying how much this revelation must be hurting Lady Croft.
Riley scanned the greenery in front of them.
"See what? There's nothing but bushes" Riley again turned to face her, "Lara, are you sure you're alright?"
She smiled softly, "yes I'm fine"
She gripped Riley's collar and pulled him over to her side of the car. "Look" she spoke quietly, pointing forwards.
Riley followed the direction of her finger and froze.
Almost totally hidden by the thick bushes, was an ancient looking stone carving. It was unlike anything Riley had ever seen before. The stone beast seemed to be a cross between a huge lion, and some kind of lizard.
"What.." He began to ask as he stared at the object, but Lara was already climbing out of the Jeep.
"I'd be willing to bet, that this" she indicated the statue as she grabbed her backpack "is one of the Guardians."
Riley jumped out of the jeep and moved to stand beside Lara as he pulled guns out of his bag, and checked them before pushing them into holsters strapped to his body.
"Right" he spoke slowly "so this is the place then?"
Lara turned to face him full on and smiled brightly, "Yes" Seeing Lara smile like that made Riley ach to touch her. He smiled as he moved closer to catch her lips in a tender kiss. As he wrapped his arms around her the embrace became more passionate. He couldn't get enough of her. Slowly he moved from her mouth and began to feast on her exposed neck.
Lara held him tightly against her as she fought to survey the area while enjoying the feeling Riley was creating. "It looks like we're the first to find it in a while" she breathed. Riley returned his lips to hers and spoke quickly between heated kisses. "So, no Vanderbelt?" "No" she pulled him closer still, making tight fists in his hair as her tongue wrestled with his.
"Wrong!" an all too familiar voice sounded through the trees. Riley froze; his mouth still pressed against Lara's, tongue still in her mouth. He opened his eyes and focused on hers as she watched him.
Very slowly, Riley pulled back and raised his hands. Only then did Lara see that the blonde man from the airport, Matt Simmons, was holding a gun firmly against Riley's neck. Riley never took his eyes off Lara as Matt spoke to him.
"See what women do?" he growled "you were a great soldier Riley. Still are. But women are nothing but distractions!" he nodded at someone behind Lara but before she could turn, her hands were pinned behind her back and someone was pulling her hair hard, forcing her to look skyward.
"Hello, beautiful. Remember me?" Lara felt panic grip her as she recognised the voice as that of Gibson Vanderbelt. Riley gritted his teeth as he watched Gibson slowly run a hand over Lara's body. His anger grew as the brute moved to touch places only Riley was allowed to. He saw Lara squirm against Gibson's grip but it only resulted in a tighter hold.
"Lay off Gibson!" Riley ordered, "Simmons you, get this gun out of my face or Gerrard will not be happy!" Both Matt and Gibson exchanged confused looks. "What are you talking about?" Gibson spat at him. Riley only smiled, but this time it was cold and evil. "I did my job and got here, distracted her so she wouldn't blow you away before you got inside. Now where is Gerrard with my money?"
Lara's heart felt like it had stopped. She pulled her head forward, looking directly at Riley as he pushed Matt's gun out of the way. "What are you talking about?" she echoed Gibson's question.
"Well," Riley moved towards her slowly, his movement and expression and even the sound of his voice had changed, he now looked, moved and sounded evil, cold heartless. "The day we met, I received a phone call" slowly he looked at Gibson "from your father".
Gibson began to grin evilly, enjoying how much this revelation must be hurting Lady Croft.