Page 53 of Dangerous Protocol

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Jeffrey and Maya rushedto the computer where it sat on the table. He had counted on Al-Mansoori’s ego and need for revenge overpowering his critical thinking skills and had instructed the team to monitor Isla’s Kids Chat messages.

Years of experience told him the king would be apoplectic about the fact his leverage against Maya had been snatched right out from under his nose and that the asshole wouldn’t be able to stop himself from taking action.

Maya sat in front of the computer, and Jeffrey leaned in behind her, one hand curved over the back of her neck, the other flat on the table. Wolf, Mason, Andi, Calliope and Viking circled around the table in front of them, arms crossed, feet spread, warriors waiting for battle orders.

“Remember when I said I had a plan?” Maya tilted her chin up to look at him.

“Yeah.” Jeffrey dragged out the word, concerned about the glintin her eye.

“I think we should lure him away from the protective sanctuary of his embassy.” She hurried on. “You and I both know that if I challenge him to come at me, he’ll take the bait like a shark to chum.”

“Maybe so, but I’m not happy about you being the chum.”

“It’s not like I’ll be there on my own.” She waved her finger back and forth at the group assembled in front of them. “I trust you and these other badasses here to have my back.”

Maya smiled at their overlapping responses—Hell, yeah,Fuckin’ A right,Damn straight,Fuck, yeah, and Viking’s less harsh,You know it.

Dammit, he hated that she was right—that the best idea was to give Al-Mansoori what he wanted. Or, at least, make himthinkhe was getting what he wanted.

“Why don’t you guys have a seat?” Jeffrey indicated the extra-sturdy chairs placed around his massive, raw-edged, black walnut table. A housewarming gift from Michaleen. “Okay, what are you thinking, Maya?”

“More than anything in this world, Nadim Al-Mansoori wants to see me dead. And preferably by his own hand. Of course, I am not a fan of that idea.” She reached over and laid her hand over Jeffrey’s, looked toward where Isla was sleeping, then back to the group. “I have too much to live for, and I’m done running.” She slid the laptop away fromher. “Calliope, can you please hand me that notepad and pen?”

“Sure thing.” She handed them to Viking, who handed them to Maya.

“Thanks.” She started sketching something.

The more she scribbled, the clearer the image became. He recognized the National Mall and the Reflecting Pool. At one end, she drew a spire and wroteWashington Monabove it. At the opposite end of the Reflecting Pool, she drew a rectangle withLincoln Memnext to it.

“Before I tell you what I’m thinking”—she turned to Andi—“I need to ask you a big favor.”

“Shoot.” She crossed her arms on the table.

“Will you stay with Isla? I would feel—”

“I’d be honored to watch over your little girl.” Andi’s response surprised her. She was a center-of-the-action kind of woman; Maya had expected to get some pushback.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Andi gave her a kind smile.

Now that she knew Andi, Maya was embarrassed by her earlier jealousy of the woman’s relationship with Jeffrey.

“We will set the meetup right here, on this area at the base of the stairs.” She drew an X with a circle around it, directly in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

“Al-Mansoori wouldn’t dare make a move on you with a bunch of people around.” Jeffrey would still have the snipers in place, just in case.

“Jeffrey, do you happen to have a dossier on the Qadiran royal family?” she asked.

She’d heard rumors about the former king, and if they were true, Jeffrey would know about them.

“I do.” He nodded.

“Excellent. I was counting on that.” She rubbed her hands together and began to lay out her plan.

She asked for input from the team as she went, turning it into a collaborative process. But they all knew the final decision would be hers. After all, it was her life on the line.

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