She blew out a frustrated and angry sigh. “Tammy got to him first. She probably called him last night like she threatened to do. He really didn’t want to hear anything I had to say.”
Gavin crossed his arms over his chest with a furious look on his face. “You mean to tell me he’s taking a student’s word over yours?”
Layla frowned. “Remember Tammy isn’t just another student. She’s also the man’s side piece. I didn’t want to believe it before, but I definitely believe it now. The influence she has over him! If I didn’t know better I’d think there’s more to it, that she’s blackmailing him with something.”
Gavin dropped his arms and came to stand in front of her. “Why? What did he say?”
“He wanted to let me know my students were notified this morning by email that the dig has been canceled and they are to return to campus.” She paused. “He also wanted me to know that I’ve been terminated from my position at the university.”
“He fired you?”
“Yes. He claims I botched things up. As far as he is concerned, the fire was my responsibility. I should have been more attentive to my work rather than indulging in an ‘illicit affair with one of the cowboys.’” There was no doubt in Layla’s mind Tammy had fed the man that BS and he’d believed it without question.
“Can’t you go to the president of the university with your side of the story?”
“Yes, but Dr. Clayburn and President Connors are good friends. If I was terminated that means Dr. Connors approved the termination because he believed whatever Dr. Clayburn told him about me.”
“Let them believe whatever they want. You came here to do a dig and that’s what you’ll do.”
Layla dropped into a nearby wingback chair. “Gavin, didn’t you hear what I said?”
He squatted down in front of her. “What I hear is the sound of you giving up. Letting them defeat you.”
She touched his cheek. “What am I supposed to do? I don’t have a job. Nor do I have a team. Did you not hear me say that Dr. Clayburn sent everyone an email telling them to return to Seattle?”
“You’ll get another job. You’re too smart and intelligent not to. As far as I’m concerned, losing you is the university’s loss. Besides, I want to see what their reaction will be when you find James’s loot. You don’t have to be affiliated with any university to dig or publish your findings, right?”
Layla shook her head. “No, I can conduct an independent excavation, but I no longer have funding, or a team.”
Gavin pulled her out of the chair. “I’ll replace your equipment. And you might not have a team, but I do. They will come to help out if I call them.”
Layla stared at him, not believing what he was saying, what he was offering. “B-but I can’t let you do that. Like you, they just got back from their last operation. They need to spend time with their families and—”
Gavin lowered his mouth and kissed the words off her lips. He then deepened the kiss. By the time he released her mouth, she was panting. “Trust me on this, will you?” he said. “I don’t want to brag or anything, but we will do it in half the time your team would have.”
“But it will take time to get more equipment.”
“We will get the equipment we need without any delays.”
Layla knew he had money and influence. She just hadn’t realized how much. Then she thought of something crucial. “What about the person sabotaging the dig? Things could get dangerous.”
A sinister grin touched Gavin’s lips. “If he or she is crazy enough to try something with a team of SEALs around, then let them go for it. We will be ready.”
He quickly kissed her again, silencing any more questions. When he released her lips, he said, “Trust me. We’ve got this. We’ll have your back.”
There was a knock at the door. Gavin lifted a brow. “Gramma Mel isn’t due back until tonight, so it might be Roy. Maybe he’s found something.”
Gavin crossed the room with her following beside him. Opening the door they found three of her students standing there. “Donnell? Wendy? Marsha? What are you doing here?” Layla asked them. “Why aren’t you on your way back to Seattle? Didn’t you get Dr. Clayburn’s email?”
“Yes, we got it,” Donnell said, frowning. “But we didn’t want to leave until we talked to you. Until you say there won’t be a dig, we are staying put.”
“You could get into trouble if you defy Dr. Clayburn,” she warned them.
The three students looked at each other and shared what looked like conspiratorial smiles before Donnell said, “We aren’t worried about that. They’ll be faced with their own troubles soon. So, are you still planning to dig?”
Layla wondered what they meant by “troubles,” but before she could ask, Gavin said, “Yes, the dig is still on.”
She could tell from the look of respect in his eyes that he admired the stance these three students had taken. Like his team had his back, these members of her team had hers.
Donnell, Marsha and Wendy let out loud cheers and gave each other high fives. Then Donnell said, “When we find James’s loot, the university’s going to regret letting you go.”
“So...you’re the fast-talking college professor, huh?”
Layla swallowed as she watched the four men standing in front of her. Gavin had introduced them as Flipper, Bane, Coop and Mac. It was Flipper who’d asked the question, the depths of his blue eyes dancing with amusement.
All four were big men. Muscular. Well built. Extremely handsome. Two wore wedding rings and two did not. Gavin had told her that Brisbane Westmoreland and Thurston McRoy were happily married and that Flipper and Coop were happily single.
“I don’t know. Am I?” she asked, switching her gaze from them to Gavin, who stood by her side with his arms around her waist. It was as if he was intentionally making a statement regarding the nature of their relationship. If that was the case, then she wished someone would tell her where they stood. All she knew for certain was that they enjoyed spending time together and they shared a bed every night. She definitely didn’t have any complaints about that.
Gavin muttered the words, “Smart-ass,” to Flipper, then leaned down and placed a kiss on Layla’s lips. He then turned to his friends. “She’s more than a professor.”
* * *
He knew his friends were checking out Layla and with good reason. The four men knew about his don’t-get-attached policy when it came to women. But it was obvious that with this particular woman, he’d gotten attached. They would be shocked to discover just how attached he was.
Like he’d known they would, his friends had answered his summons
