Page 20 of Dangerous Protocol

“A mother and child?” Maya asked.

“Nadim wouldn’t dream of dirtying his hands with such a menial task.” Jeffrey knew that with certainty.

Casey started the video again.

Dark crimson drapes with gold fringe along the top hung across one entire wall, presumably covering a window. The camera continued around until it stopped on the foot of a massive bed with thick posts draped in crimson velvet.

The camera lifted slightly, and they got their first look at Isla lying in the middle of the oversize bed and looking incredibly small.

“Oh, baby,” Maya whispered. “What have they done to you?”

Their daughter was atop the bedding, on her back with her hands crossed on her stomach. She was dressed in traditional, female Qadiran attire. A black abaya—a sort of robe-like gown—covered her entire body, and she wore black slippers. Her head was wrapped with a black shayla hijab, leaving only her face exposed. Her eyes were closed, and her face was relaxed in sleep.

God, he hoped she was sleeping.

As if reading his thoughts, Maya cast Jeffrey a frantic look. “She’s sleeping, right?”

“Casey, can you zoom in on her?” he asked.

“You bet.” His tech looked concerned, too, and quickly tapped a few keys to get a close-up of her torso. “It looks like her chest is rising and falling.”

“Nadim is a sadist, Maya. If she were dead, he would want to see your reaction firsthand.”

“Yes.” She nodded as her eyes remained on Isla. “Yes, you’re right. He would gain great pleasure from my misery.”

The bedding appeared to be gold silk, and there was an array of colorful pillows, each with its own unique embroidered design, displayed against a wooden headboardin the same over-the-top style as the wardrobe cabinet. The crest of Qadira was carved into the center of the dark wood.

Casey zoomed in on Isla’s face. “Her cheeks are nice and pink. So that’s a good thing.”

“She looks so small.” Maya stroked a single fingertip over Isla’s cheek. “And I absolutely detest seeing her dressed that way.”

The video ended.

The final message from Nadim simply said,Midnight, Ms. Corbett.

A tear streamed down the center of Maya’s cheek, and she partially turned to silently swipe it away.

Jeffrey’s heart broke for her. With that single tear, his resolve to keep her at an emotional distance crumbled like a sandcastle being hit by a wave. Watching her struggle to hide her pain made it impossible for him to remain aloof. He had only just found out he was a father, hadn’t even met Isla yet, but it ate at him to see their daughter looking so fragile and vulnerable. How doubly awful it must be for her mother.

He stepped up to Maya and pulled her into his embrace. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his waist, held him tightly, and buried her face against the side of his neck.

Her shoulders shook, and her quiet sobs vibrated against him. In the background, a door opened and quietly shut as Casey left them alone.

Jeffrey hated the circumstances behind it, but damn, it felt good to hold her again. She remained in his arms for a few moments until she began to gather herself.

“Ugh. I’m sorry.” She sniffled, let her hands fall away from him, and stepped back. “I really don’t have the luxury of falling apart just yet.” She twisted around to snatch a tissue from a box on the console and dabbed her eyes and nose.

“How about you give yourself a bit of grace. For over a week, you’ve been dealing with this nightmare all by yourself.” Jeffrey had always known Maya had a steel spine; this situation proved that. “That’s over now. From now on, we are in this together. Got it?”

“Got it.” She nodded with a small smile and tossed the tissue in the garbage can next to his desk. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

Helping her find their daughter and obliterating the people responsible for taking her were the only things that mattered to Jeffrey.

CHAPTER TEN

King Nadim Al-Mansoori stareddown at the laptop screen, wishing he could witness the look on Maya Corbett’s face as she watched the video of her daughter so perfectly posed. He gained great joy knowing that, if for only an instant, she would experience the terror of seeing a loved one dead—as he had when he’d discovered his brother, Zahir, all those years ago.

A resonant knock on the heavy door rumbled across the room.

---