Page 128 of Deadly Betrayal
“Well now. That is good news. But I cannotaccept.”
Khalid straightened and pushed away from thewall. He’d imagined the warlord salivating at the chance to own allthe mines, current and future, in his district. “Why not?”
“My oldest son, Zardab, was killed in theraid.”
And Khan Tariq wanted compensation. Khalidknew what the man expected. One question remained: Was Khalidwilling to give it to him? A memory of Azita flashed into his mind,and he visualized how she’d looked last week, serving him dinner,kneeling across from him as they ate. He wanted that, wanted her.He wanted to see her belly grow round with their child. She’d be sopretty with her big blue eyes and glowing cheeks. He blinked thevision away to focus on the matter at hand: his deal with KhanTariq.
“I’m in Mazar-e Sharif. Bring me the body inthe next two hours, and you’ll get all of Badakhshan province.”
“You have a deal. I will charter a flight andmy men will be at the airport, just outside the arrivals, at fouro’clock with your precious cargo.”
Satisfied, Khalid returned the phone to hispocket and exited the airport. He took a deep breath and plucked atthe dirtykameezplastered to his sweaty chest. Two hourswas just enough time to purchase clean clothes and rent a couplerooms in a nearby guesthouse, where he’d bathe and change beforetalking with themullahof the closest mosque aboutarranging a double burial before sundown.
Of course, he didn’t have Freba’s body or anyway of getting it or even any way of speaking with Azita. But fornow, first things first: he had to get clean. He had to get rid ofany and all reminders of his capture. He had to regain hisconfidence. Khan Tariq was not his master. And he never would be.Especially once Khalid became president.
When Azita had rolled Freba’s body out of theroom to bring it to the area where the nurse had said she couldwash it, Laila had chased after her, insisting that she needed tohelp. Seeing the determination in the girl’s eyes, Azita hadrelented. She’d instructed Laila on the proper procedure, and thewords to be spoken as they disrobed Freba and cleaned the blood anddirt away. She’d reminded her that no tears could touch the body orthey’d have to restart. Bottom lip trembling, Laila had nodded.She’d only had to leave once when droplets had begun to spill overher lashes.
The initial wash done, they sprinkledrosewater over the body. One of the nurses had been kind enough torun to the bazaar on the base to purchase a small bottle of it.They laid Freba on a clean white cloth, wrapping it around her andtying it at the head and feet. When they were done, Azita led Lailato a washroom containing a shower. She showed Laila how to turn iton, then left her to wash up. While she waited, Azita returned toher bed. She stopped short, seeing her black medical bag, tatteredbut clean. And beside it a pile of neatly folded clothing. Asimilar smaller pile sat on Laila’s bed.
After ascertaining that she was alone in theroom, she gingerly picked up the top piece. It was a beautifulwhite tunic, the material so soft it felt like down. Her throattightened as she brought the garment to her cheeks. Also in thepile were a pair of matching pants, some underthings, still in thepackaging, and a pair of low-heeled pumps that were exactly hersize.
Only one person—one man—could have done this.Kaden. Emotions ripped through her. How well he knew her already.Most Westerners would have assumed she’d want to wear black to thefuneral, and in fact many Middle Eastern women did. But the Prophethad said, “Wear your white garments, for they are among your bestgarments, and shroud your dead in them.” Had she picked out theclothing herself, this is exactly what she would have chosen.
What would she do without him if he left herbehind? How could she survive on just memories of their short timetogether?
She sat on the edge of the bed and buried herface in a pillow, letting her emotions run their course. She pouredeverything into the cotton case—her hopes, her dreams, her childishfantasies of a better, happier life.
She cried for her mother, for her father, forShahram, and for Freba. Then she cried for Laila and herself. Herchest heaved with the need for air. She would miss Kaden so much ifit turned out his professions of love had been made in haste. Shewould forever remember his kindness and generosity, his beautifulamber eyes, his hair, blond as it had been, his gentle hands, andhis broad shoulders. Until she’d seen him at the ambush, she’dnever dreamed such a man existed, and when he’d come to visit herat the clinic to thank her for saving his life, she’d known herdreams of the ideal man hadn’t come close to the reality.
She didn’t want to give Kaden up. If sheasked him to help her leave the country with Laila, he would. Hecared for her, but did he truly love her? Could he, so soon? He’dseen a woman in a desperate situation, and his need to fix thingshad taken over. Adrenaline and the fear of imminent death hadplayed heavily into her actions during the past week. She wascertain they’d affected Kaden’s decisions and behavior as well.
It wouldn’t be fair to hold him to his wordsof love and commitment toward her and Laila. But if he were tooffer his assistance again… she wasn’t certain she’d have thestrength to refuse.
When Kaden stepped into the hospital room anhour later, his breath caught at the sight of Azita all dressed inwhite. Beside her, Laila was a smaller replica. Both lookedbeautiful, yet sad, and Kaden wanted to gather them in his arms andtake them away from all this misery.
“Azita, honey. We need to talk.”
“Okay.”
He took her hand in his, kissed her knuckles,and led her to a small visitor’s lounge with a narrow couch. Theysat side by side, and Kaden had to take several deep inhales tocatch his breath. He couldn’t help thinking that her white outfitlooked like a wedding dress, and it made his heart race. Christ, hehoped she said yes. It would kill him if she didn’t. “Honey, I knowthis is probably the worst possible time to bring this up, but Ithink it’s important.”
Her brows drew together, darkening the blueof her eyes. “Tell me what is bothering you.”
Kaden felt like a blind man jumping off acliff. He would either die or land solidly on an outcropping twofeet below. “Khalid has made it very clear that, despiteeverything, he still wants to marry you.”
“I thought as much.” She wound the edges ofher headscarf around her fingers. Taking one of her hands, heclasped it between his. “Do you want that?”
Her eyes became sparkling lakes. “No, notunless there is no other choice.”
Kaden nodded, hope flaring to life in hisbelly. “Here’s the thing. I don’t think Khalid can protect you andLaila from Tariq.” He paused and pressed a kiss to her fingers.“Not like I can.”
“What… what are you saying?”
Christ. Whatwashe saying? He wantedto marry her, wanted it more than anything. But under thesecircumstances… “I think I’ve been in love with you since that dayin the clinic, two years ago.” He gave her a small smile. “Not aday… or night… has gone by without me thinking of you.”
Her eyes crinkled at the corners. “I havethought of you many times as well.”
“Do you love me, Azita? You said you did thismorning. Was that just because you thought we were going todie?”
