Page 101 of Deadly Betrayal
“Take me back to my room,” Khalid said to theguard. He couldn’t bear the sickening sight for one more minute.Already, his throat burned, whether from rage or shame, he wasn’tcertain. He cursed the Seraj family, cursed the day he’d decided tomarry Jamila. She’d captivated him with her hazel eyes and demureways. But it had all been a lie. Her deception had started it all.That deception had brought Azita and her brother into Khalid’slife. And it had brought shame upon his name, not once, buttwice.
Blindly turning the corner, he walked rightinto Tariq. The older man was like a brick wall, and it was Khalidwho was tossed to the floor by the impact.
“My apologies, Agha Khalid.” Tariq held outhis hand. Khalid accepted the help and was easily pulled to hisfeet. Tariq tilted his head. “Is everything all right, my friend?Did you enjoy the reunion with your fiancée?”
The blood in Khalid’s veins boiled until hefelt like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Looking at the floor,he rubbed the back of his neck and forced his breathing to calm.Once he was steady, he pushed his shoulders back and raised hishead to meet the warlord’s gaze dead on. “I want them both stonedto death.”
“What is the charge?”
“Adultery.” Khalid fairly spat the word,wishing he could expel the vision with it.
Tariq nodded. “It is your right,agha.” He twisted the end of his graying beard. “When?”
Immediately.That’s what he wanted tosay. He couldn’t stand the possibility of having to face Azitaagain, of seeing the trust and affection for the American on hersweet face, her delicate hands on his body.
He gagged and covered the sound with a cough.“I do not wish to spoil your wedding. Let us arrange it forSunday.”
Tariq squeezed his shoulder amiably. “Verywell.Shab ba khayr.”
“Goodnight,” Khalid replied, watching theman’s retreat down the hall, noting the bounce in his step that hadnot been present earlier. The bastard had known exactly what Khalidwould find in that hole. It was cold. Khalid had expected them tobe sharing warmth. He had not expected them to be exchanging bodilyfluids.
His stomach roiled again. He pressed a fistto his mouth and motioned for the guard to hurry. As soon as thedoor opened, he flung himself inside and barely reached the smallwastebasket in the corner before his stomach emptied. Each time heclosed his eyes, he saw them together, wrapped in each other’sarms. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. Azita was his.
Or so he’d thought.
Apparently, the lady had had other plans. Hedragged himself to the small cot by the wall and stretched out. Thesilence of the night weighed heavily on him. Azita had manipulatedthe situation. She wasn’t the woman he’d believed her to be, thedoctor with integrity, the wife who personified caring andacceptance.
This past week had revealed her true nature.She was a temptress who used her body to deceive men, to betraythem, to enthrall them into doing her bidding. He’d thought they’dgot along, that she’d been happy with Faroukh, and that shewelcomed becoming his wife. It had been a farce, nothing but anact. He knew the truth now, and despised himself for taking herinto his home, for exposing his wives and children to herunderhandedness. Azita hated his family, and for two years, she’dbeen plotting her revenge for being forced into marriage.
She was evil. She needed to die.
Clutching the pillow to his chest, he rolledover and tried to convince himself of his own righteousness. Whenhe closed his eyes, however, he again saw the way she’d beenlooking at the man. The desire in her eyes, the satisfaction in hersmile.
How he wished for her to have looked at himthat way. Even just once. He would have cherished the memory, heldit close to his heart, while her dead body was lowered into theground.
Chapter 24
As soon as the grid was back in place andKaden could no longer hear the thud of feet on the hard-packedground, he tugged Azita to him and folded her into his arms. Hersmall frame shook as her fingers dug into his back. He relished thebite that reminded him of the seriousness of the situation. Pullingback, he tipped her head up and cupped her cheeks. “Are you okay,honey?”
Her eyes showed too much white, her face fartoo pale. She offered him a tremulous smile. He brushed his lipsagainst hers in a comforting kiss. Christ, she was brave. He wantedto thank her for what she’d done before they were interrupted, forletting him give her pleasure. They should talk about it. But,fuck, he had no idea where to start without sounding like a goddamnidiot, or worse, offending her. Better stick to what he knew. Whathe was good at: battle plans.
“Don’t worry about Khalid. To get to you,they’ll have to climb over my dead body.”
Her shoulders hitched as though she had thehiccups, but when she spoke her voice was hushed and tearstained.“They will wait until after the wedding. Agha Khalid wouldn’t wantto ruin Khan Tariq’s big day, but it will be soon.”
He threaded his fingers through her silkyhair, gliding over her scalp for a moment before hooking the loosestrands behind her perfect ears. “What will be soon?”
“The stoning.”
His hands stilled. “Don’t we have to bearrested first? Go to trial?”
A short burst of laughter shot from her. Sheshook her head, eyes sad. “Khan Tariq rules the province. He can dowhat he wants.”
“But what about the ANP? Doesn’t he have toinvolve them?”
“A little money will ease the way. And AghaKhalid has a lot of money.”
She rested her head against his shoulder. Hespread his knees, tugging her closer, plastering her chest againsthis. Her heart thudded and her body began to shake as a sob torefrom her throat. “I should never have involved you. Your death willbe on my hands. Shahram’s as well. I promised to avenge him, but Iwill never get that chance. We will all be dead, while Khan Tariqand Agha Khalid live on.”
