The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Jack and Ethan were both equally matched in strength, and mindful of the fact that they were in Vivienne’s lab, both of them hesitated to exert their full force.

But as the scuffle progressed, they got carried away, lost in their own world of grunts and thuds, oblivious to everything else.

Leopold was practically biting his nails off in anxiety. He glanced at Vivienne, who remained silent throughout, and then at Percival, who watched with a mischievous glint in his eye, and couldn’t help but mentally pray for Brody.

“Hey, Husky, what’s the scoop here? How did these two end up duking it out? And aren’t you accompanying Griffin Martinez?” Anna asked with the nonchalance of a spectator at a boxing match.

Leopold bristled at the nickname, “Don’t call me ‘Husky’, Anna! And what do you mean by that? I’m not tethered to the Martinez family. Can’t a guy get some fresh air without it being a big deal?”

He huffed, “You want to know so badly? Well, I’m not telling!”

Vivienne and Percival gave him a look that could freeze hell over.

Like a scolded pup, Anna could almost hear Leopold’s whimpers. “Okay, okay, I’ll spill it, Vivienne. I swear on my mother’s apple pie, this mess has nothing to do with me!”

“Get to the point,” Vivienne demanded, massaging her temples.

Leopold could be such a chatterbox; she’d be old and gray before he finished his story.

Leopold cleared his throat, “Well, the gist is, I was here to pick up some gear. Just as I arrived, I heard Brian arguing with Rex.”

Turned out, it was nothing serious.

Brian had been tasked by Vivienne to keep an eye on Brody, which meant Brian hadn’t been on any missions for a while and was itching for some action. He decided to try his luck with Brody.

“What’s up, big guy, feeling idle?” Brody rolled his eyes at the thought of being used as a pawn for Brian’s schemes again, especially after last time’s debacle with the bonus money.

Brody had finally landed a gig analyzing Karen’s artifacts. No way was he about to drop that for Brian’s wild goose chase.

know. Vivienne asked me to babysit you, make sure

Vivienne’s project and his own research at

persisted, and somehow

Vivienne groaned, wishing she could vanish

too soothing for the situation. “Embarrassing? I should record this and post

just love stirring the

for your attention. They want

having heard the entire story, were too scared

loud slap echoed through

from their work to where

“Ms. Hawthorn!”

Brody and Brian shiver at the mention

subtly poking fun,

the bottom line. This lab was her mother’s and her own life’s work. And those azure countertops with their beakers and vials held

now, these two had managed to spill

Vivienne passed a wooden box

party in my lab,

a cotton swab into the spilled potion; the brownish-red

immortality they’d

brought

a sheepish grin, Brian chimed in, a chilling sensation creeping up his spine as

smile, blurted out, “You’re toast!

was the

mind raced. Known as the sharpest tool in the Emerald Mountain shed, he retorted, “Vivienne, don’t listen to his nonsense! You

trying to

Sorry, Vivienne, but you can blame me. I didn’t realize the stuff Brody left at the

just how ‘normal’ the teaching standards

“My eyes, my eyes!

phone, faithfully