Wicked Temptation: The Lost Treasure

The Paladin League #8

by Patti O'Shea

He’s always been a protector. She’s strong enough to fight on her own. This time, survival depends on each other.

Special Forces Sgt. Cal “Baggs” Baggnell walked away from Iona Desmond. Carving out his own heart hurt—but watching the woman he loves charge headfirst into danger hurt even more.

Iona loves Cal with her whole being, but she couldn’t change the core of who she is to fit his protective nature. He knew exactly who she was when they met—the need for adventure is in her DNA.

Now, their paths collide in Puerto Jardin, where Iona has talked her way into Cal’s op. And he’s been assigned to work with her.

Their the Lost Treasure of Trujillo. Their arms dealer Jorge Torres. Their Torres isn’t the only predator closing in.

With ruthless drug lords, rival treasure hunters, and a powerful Russian mob lieutenant obsessed with finding the billion-dollar fortune, Cal and Iona must put their past aside. The deeper they dig, the deadlier the game becomes.

As betrayals mount and enemies tighten their grip, survival depends on one Trust. If they fail, they won’t just lose their second chance—they’ll lose everything.

Wicked Temptation is a stand-alone romance with a HEA. There are references to events that happened in earlier books, but it's not necessary to read them to enjoy this story.

Indulge in a protective Special Forces hero and a heroine who works undercover for the Paladin League as a photojournalist. This story features a second-chance romance, identical twins, and a kick-butt heroine.

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 1, 2026

About the author

Nationally bestselling author Patti O'Shea has won numerous awards for her writing and been nominated for many more. Her books have appeared on the Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, and Borders bestseller lists and have earned starred reviews in prestigious publications such as Booklist.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Wicked Ambition, Ayla Desmond was searching for her twin sister Iona, with the help of Special Forces Sgt. Oz West. Now, in Wicked Temptation, Ayla’s twin Iona has a mission for the Paladin League in the same area of Puerto Jardin that the Special Forces are operating. Lots of bad guys are searching for a lost treasure, and the Paladin League wants to see the valuable 200-year-old treasure in a museum. Iona and Special Forces Sgt. Cal Baggnell have a past history, so this is a “second chance” story, which is one of my favorite tropes. Cal is a very protective guy, who has a hard time trusting that Iona is capable of handling her job, fearing that she will be hurt or killed if he doesn’t protect her. That has caused problems in the past, but he’s determined to follow orders and let her take the lead in the mission they’re assigned. With Russian mobsters, ruthless drug lords, and rival treasure hunters all searching for the lost fortune, Iona and Cal have got to work together to evade the increasingly dangerous baddies, while gathering more information on the treasure themselves. I loved seeing how hard Cal worked to overcome a past trauma so he might get a second chance. Iona had trust issues after being brought up by uncaring parents, but she also really hoped for a second chance with Cal. I really enjoyed the conclusion, and know that there is still more work to be done before the treasure is found and all the bad guys are defeated, so I look forward to the next story.