Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
Z ain paced the room. Speaking with Maxine had only intensified his stress. She wanted intel and fast—not that he could blame her. The quicker they could get a team to immobilize Jabar, the better, but there was only so much shit he’d collected. Plus, it was almost impossible to put his mind in work mode when his brain had one fucking function: Dana.
He’d kissed her. Christ. Stupid was too weak a word to describe his actions. But goddammit, he hadn’t been able to stop himself. For the last three years he’d lived on adrenaline, in survival mode and lonely. Having that familiar ground ripped out from under his feet was as foreign to him as hearing his real name.
The moment he’d laid eyes on her, Dana had shaken him. And she continued to knock him on his ass with every doe-eyed look and every touch of her small, fine-boned hands.
He couldn’t get enough .
Pulling her into his arms last night had been the right thing to do. He’d needed everyone to know she was off-limits and that if anyone hurt her, they’d have to face him.
But he shouldn’t have kissed her. Doing so had only invoked more desire, more need to explore her mouth and body. More, more, more.
And he couldn’t have more. He was too unhinged to be with someone like her. Dana was smart, beautiful, and probably as dependable as a lucky penny. He’d just spent part of his life killing and living under an alias in the most dangerous part of the world. Not only were his senses blunted—he also didn’t trust himself.
He hadn’t had sex since he left the United States. Celibacy wasn’t for the faint of heart. Many of Jaysh’s men frequented brothels, but Zain never partook. Not when so many women were in the brothels because of trafficking. He’d have no part in that.
And he hadn’t been able to meet anyone legitimately. His position was much too dangerous. But Dana...
Hell, she brought out a primitive, basic need he’d kept buried for so long. Looking at her made him want to touch her. Touching her made him want to see more of her. Kissing her made him want to undress her.
Just breathing the same air as Dana put him on a slippery slope. He had three years’ worth of pent- up sexual energy. Not to mention he’d closed himself off from humanity. He could hurt her without realizing it. Unlikely, but he’d probably need to jack off ten times before he dared to lose himself in her. Because once he got started, he wouldn’t want to stop.
Dana needed to leave his head. Besides, she probably thought he was some kind of blood-hungry barbarian, given all the men he’d killed yesterday.
But the way her soft lips had parted and she’d leaned into his embrace said otherwise. Hunger rumbled through his nerve endings. Fuck, he needed to keep Dana at a distance for her own damn good, at least until he could wrap his head around the drastic change in his atmosphere. He was too eager, too hotheaded, and way too fucking horny to get involved with her.
But keeping away from her wasn’t an option. Matter of fact, separating himself from her right now would only endanger her further. So he’d have to learn some self-control really fucking quickly.
Tucking his phone into his bag, he fought a rush of irritation. Maxine had responded to his call exactly how he’d expected. Even so, her cold, callous attitude made bitterness chew through him.
He’d sacrificed three years of his life for the mission.
And it had gone to hell .
But what was he supposed to do? If Maxine had any say in how he’d handled the situation, she’d have told him to leave Dana with Rakesh. Or kill her. Maybe not in so many words, but her shock regarding the fact that he’d sacrificed everything to keep a woman alive screamed volumes.
With his bag packed, he had nothing left to do except wait for Brick to tell them it was time to leave. He opened his bedroom door, crossed the hall to Dana’s room, and rapped his knuckles softly on the wood.
She opened the door, her brow rippled with trepidation and her face pinched. Her gaze quickly took him in and she relaxed. Standing back, she let him enter then closed the door. “How was your phone call?”
He sat on her bed and laced his fingers together. “About as good as I anticipated.”
She wrinkled her nose. The action made him want to stroke the cute slope that turned up a bit at the end. Too damn cute.
“I’m sorry.” She wore long bone-colored linen pants and a navy tunic that reached her knees. In the time that he’d been gone, she’d braided her long ebony locks over one shoulder. She looked so soft and pretty it took every ounce of effort not to draw her back into his arms like he had last night.
Like he’d dreamed about. But in his dream, she’d been naked .
“S’not your fault.” He shifted his attention to the polished marble floor at their feet.
Dana sighed and sat next to him. “It is and you know it. But that doesn’t matter right now. What did she say?”
He flicked his gaze to the camera before swiveling to face her. “We’ll talk more later,” he said on a breath.
Sharing details with Dana was one thing. Sharing them in this house was another. There were probably audio bugs and cameras everywhere. Brick might be confident Ali wasn’t a threat, but the information was highly confidential, and if Ali knew Zain was CIA, well, that could pose a big problem. A thought struck him. “Did you mention anything to Brick about me?”
Worry flickered in her eyes. “No, of course not.”
“Good.”
Dana pressed her lips together then reached forward and covered his hand. “We’ll all feel so much better when we get home.”
Home. Right. What was that?
Knock , knock
Zain was on his feet before the knuckles stopped hitting the door. He crossed the room and cranked open the wood. Brick stood there with a bag slung over his shoulder. “Ready?”
Dana was already at the door with her small backpack in hand. “Let’s get this show on the road,” she announced.
He couldn’t agree more. “I’ll need my weapons back.”
Brick smiled. “Of course. I’ll see to it they’re ready.”
***
Dana stood outside next to Brick and Zain. Two extended SUVs had pulled up in the circular driveway. The drivers stood near the passenger doors with their hands crossed in front of them, waiting for their cue to assist their travelers. The whole situation seemed unreal.
They were almost out of here. It was hard to believe.
In a couple of hours they’d be on a plane, putting Afghanistan even farther behind them. She wouldn’t fully be at ease until she set foot on her own soil, but she’d breathe a hell of a lot easier thirty-thousand feet above the terrorist group that wanted them dead.
Ali came out of the house, his footsteps quick on the stone stairs. Reaching Brick, he extended his arms out to his sides and then embraced him. “It’s been a pleasure having you all.”
“Thanks for your hospitality.” Brick pulled away and gave Ali a handshake.
Ali smiled at the three of them. “I have business in Peshawar, so I’m going to accompany you to the airport if you don’t mind. ”
“Not at all,” Brick said quickly.
Dana shifted her weight to one side and lifted her gaze to Zain. His eyes darkened a fraction, and a bell of warning rang inside her.
“Great. Brick and Dana, you’ll ride with me. Zain, feel free to rest your eyes in peace while Darrian drives your vehicle.”
Dana jerked her gaze to Zain then Brick, and her heart beat in double time. Zain had made it clear that she was to stick by him at all costs—what the hell was Ali doing?
Brick tilted his head and looked puzzled. Zain stepped forward, dominating their circle. He stared down at Ali, and his body vibrated.
Zain clamped his hand around Dana’s wrist and hauled her to his side. “She stays with me.”
Dana rested her hand on Zain’s ripped abdomen. His muscles were prominent beneath his shirt, and his skin radiated heat.
Ali laughed lightly. “No threat, my friend. You’re free to ride with whoever you want.”
Zain’s glare shifted to Brick then back to Ali. “Like I said, she stays with me.”
Brick cleared his throat awkwardly. Dana searched her friend’s face. Even Brick seemed put off by Ali’s suggestion. They locked eyes, and everything in Brick’s demeanor told her to stand down.
She swallowed as the tension in their circle amplified .
Brick elbowed Zain. “It’s all good, man. You and Dana chill together, and Ali and I will chat.” His response far too lighthearted for the moment, considering the blaze of fury coming off Zain.
His hand moved to her waist, locking her in place against him.
Not that she’d planned on moving. Something was going on, and she was no longer eager to get in the SUVs. She wet her lips, watching the silent exchange between the two men facing off.
Then Ali took a page from Brick’s book and laughed. “Everyone must be exhausted. It’ll be nice to get home, I’m sure. Why don’t we get on the road?”
Brick followed Ali into the back of an SUV. Then Darrian, their driver, opened the passenger door and motioned for Zain and her to get inside.
She hesitated. Something wasn’t right. Ali was acting as cool as a cucumber, but there wasn’t a logical reason for Zain to ride by himself, as he’d suggested.
“Did you sweep the vehicle?” Zain asked the guard.
Darrian frowned. “Yes, sir.” He spoke English with a bit of an accent.
“Then you won’t mind if I have a second go?”
The man shifted then straightened his tie. “Suit yourself.”
Sweat dampened her palms, and the hair at the back of her neck tingled. Zain broke away from her and began to move around the vehicle.
He checked every nook and cranny of the exterior, even getting on his stomach to search the underbelly of the vehicle, before searching the interior, the trunk, and beneath the hood.
Ali’s driver got out and jerked his head at Darrian. “What’s going on?”
“He’s doing a sweep.”
The other driver shook his head with annoyance and got back in his car. Zain slammed down the hood and walked up to where Dana waited. He caught her elbow and gestured to the still-open passenger door. “All good.”
That at least made her a little more comfortable. Her mind hadn’t gone to explosive devices, but it was sure there now. Agitation still jumped along her pulse.
She searched Zain’s face. Tension hardened his brow and his eyes sparked with wariness. He squeezed her hand and gave a slight nod. “It’s fine,” he confirmed once more.
She’d just have to take his word for it. He held her hand while she climbed into the SUV, and then she scooted across the leather bench seat. Zain got in beside her. The freshly treated interior held a lemon scent. Two bottles of water sat in cupholders on either side of the vehicle. Darrian closed the door and got into the driver’s seat. He asked a few questions about their comfort then started the engine .
When the vehicle didn’t burst into flames, Dana relaxed. Zain’s hand went to her knee and kneaded her skin briefly before pulling away.
A minute later they were on the road. Zain pressed a button and a divider went up between the front and the rear of the vehicle. Zain finally sat back and sighed.
“What the hell was all that about?” she whispered.
“Fuck if I know, but I don’t like it.”
She buckled her seatbelt, and Zain did the same. She hated being in the dark. There was more going on, she was sure of it now, but there wasn’t a single thing either of them could do about it. Like it or not, they were walking through a minefield of enemies and distrust.
“Do you think we’re even going to the airport?” she whispered.
His gaze slid toward her. “I think we need to be really careful,” he said, and his tone indicated he was referring to both the mounting danger and the need to watch what she said.
She closed her eyes, wishing she could wipe away the doubt expanding in her chest. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed her phone and then powered it up. She’d left the device and passport in her backpack with Ali’s driver before attending the protest two nights ago. Luckily, otherwise she wouldn’t have one right now. But with all that’d happened, she’d forgotten to charge it last night. The battery was at 17 percent.
She opened the Backcountry Protection group chat, which included Rami, August, Brick, Taschen, and her. Toth, Rami’s best friend and part owner of the company, was also in the group, as was Ghost, an enigmatic contract employee she’d met only once.
The chat group was typically quiet. Only the odd meeting reminder or event was posted. Right now, it was her best shot at getting out a distress signal.
Zain and I are in danger. We’re en route to an airport, but lots of red flags. Not sure if we’ll make it to the flight. If anything happens to us, you need to look at Ali.
The message wasn’t much. Hell, she might as well be sending a cry for help from a deserted island because the capable men on the receiving end were thousands of miles away. Dana, Zain, and possibly Brick would be dead long before Backcountry could do anything about it.
But if they happened to escape, at least help would be on the way. Or her brother would know where to find her murderer.
She placed her phone back in her bag after making sure the location was on. Cool air pumped from the vents in the vehicle, circulating the trapped tension. Agitation fermented in her gut. She had no way of knowing if they were headed in the right direction, as she didn’t know what airport they were going to .
She almost wished Zain would lower the divider so she could see out the front windshield. Having no view of where they were going only worsened her anxiety. He sat rigid next to her. His thick, jean-clad thigh touched hers.
He’d opted to sit in the middle, and his closeness made some of her fear abate. He was so large he seemed to eat up more of the oxygen in the vehicle.
Not that she minded. She’d breathe in his carbon dioxide all day. God, she had it bad.
At least he’d gotten his weapons back. Ali’s guards had handed them over before they left the house. She’d watched Zain stuff a pistol in the waistband of his pants and swing a rifle over his shoulder. Also not something she minded.
Turns out there were a lot of things about this mammoth of a man that she didn’t mind.
The vehicle started to slow. Not a lot, but enough that Dana anticipated a stop. Only the stop didn’t come.
Apparently Zain sensed it too. He hit the button for the divider and the window powered down. Ali’s SUV was well ahead of them. “Why are we so far behind?” he demanded.
“Just giving room, sir.”
Zain’s gaze shifted from the windshield to his window then Dana’s.
“What’s wrong?” she breathed. The question was moot. The energy in the vehicle was as charged as a battery pack. A wave of foreboding chilled her skin. She reached for Zain’s wrist, but his arm was already belted across her.
“Something’s up.”
Her heart hammered in her chest and perspiration dotted her top lip. She circled her arms around Zain’s protective one, expecting a bullet to enter her head any minute.
A vise squeezed her lungs, making every breath an effort.
Zain jolted next to her. “Look out!”
Her heart lurched into her throat, and she shot her gaze to the windshield. Some kind of weapon was hurtling toward their SUV. A trail of smoke spiraled in its wake. Zain’s body crushed against hers, his heavy weight shielding her.
Bang!
The explosion burst against her eardrums. She opened her mouth to scream, but the sound didn’t reach her ears. Her body was weightless as the vehicle lifted into the air. The screeching in her head intensified.
A thundering crash shook her body. The sound of glass and metal crunching was the last thing she heard before everything went black.