Page 29 of Stand Fast

In the rearview mirror her dark eyes sparkled with excitement in the glow of the streetlights, the thrill of the hunt revving her up. They were more alike than he’d realized, and she was unlike any woman he’d ever met. More daring. Ballsy, even. On her, it was sexy as hell.

“Go north for two blocks, then take a left,” she said.

Zaid followed her directions, winding them through the darkened streets of the crowded city center while Prentiss kept watch of what was going on around them. “You think the kid knows anything?” he asked Jaliya. Zaid had his doubts. Serious doubts, and he just hoped the kid wasn’t luring them into a trap of some sort.

“He’d better.”

Yeah, no joke. “How do we know he isn’t working for someone else now?”

“We don’t.” She gave him a little smile, her dark eyes holding a distinct gleam of anticipation. “Thanks for this. I feel way better with you guys coming with me.”

Her admission surprised him a little, because she always seemed so fearless. “Welcome. But just so we’re clear, I’m not leaving you alone with him at any time.” He didn’t care if she didn’t like it. That’s how it was going to be.

“Good. I need the intel he has, but I don’t trust him.”

Neither did Zaid. And even though he disliked this situation, he had to admit he admired her bravery and dedication. “Are you always this determined?”

Her lips twitched as she stared out the windshield. “I think so, at least when it comes to getting what I want.”

Wish you wanted me that badly.He didn’t dare say it aloud.

“I usually do, though. My father says I’ve always been headstrong.”

She claimed to have lots of friction with him, but she sure talked about him a lot. Whatever their history, she obviously loved and respected him a great deal. “What does your mom do, anyway? I never asked.”

“She teaches classical studies at a college. Yours?”

“We’re blue collar all the way. My mom has a cleaning business and my dad’s a mechanic. Their English still isn’t the greatest, even though they emigrated from here to the States when my mom was pregnant with me.”

Jaliya nodded. “Learning a new language as an adult is hard.”

True.

“Wait, your old man’s a mechanic? Then how come you suck with mechanical stuff?” Prentiss asked.

“I don’t suck at it, I’m just not as talented with machines as I am at patching up human bodies.”

Prentiss chuckled under his breath. “If you say so.”

Okay, a change of subject was in order before his ego took a beating in front of the woman he was trying to make an awesome impression on. Zaid glanced up to meet Jaliya’s eyes in the rearview. “Were your parents born in the U.K.?”

“My mom was. Dad’s family was originally from right here in Kabul.”

He shook his head. “Man, the changes our parents have seen here over the last few decades must have been mind-blowing.”

“Yeah, the country’s barely recognizable to the one they grew up in. It’s one of the reasons I took this job. I hate what’s happened over here and I wanted to make a difference.”

“Trying to make the world a better place.”

Their gazes connected in the mirror once more, and at his words her expression froze for an instant before closing up. Almost as though she was hiding something. “Exactly,” she murmured, looking away.

Make the world a better place.His gut tingled as that same phrase echoed in his mind, from a conversation he’d had months ago with the woman he’d met online.

He dismissed it and picked up the thread of conversation. “Me too. Prentiss, what about you? Why’d you take on this gig?”

“I get to play with some pretty cool toys in this job, and my teammates rock even if the assignments don’t always. Also, drugs suck.”

They totally did. “Right. Don’t do drugs.”

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