Azita chuckled. “Do you always get your way,my fiancé?”
“I got you, didn’t I?” He pulled her againsthim and proceeded to give her a preview of what their future wouldhold.
Kaden groaned when the phone rang,interrupting a very fine make-out session with his new fiancée.Azita’s pink cheeks and swollen lips beckoned him. He flipped thephone open. “Christiansen here.”
“This is Pastor Voigt. Mullah Abdul is freeright now, and as a favor to me, he’s agreed to come to Camp Marmalto perform the ceremony. Can you meet us at the chapel in fifteenminutes?”
If he remembered correctly, the chapel was afive-minute walk from the bazaar, which wasn’t too far from thehospital. “We’ll be there, Pastor.”
“Oh, and don’t forget to bring—”
Kaden laughed and winked at Azita. “Adonation. Yes, I know.” After saying goodbye, he ended the call.“Do you think Laila should come?” he asked. He didn’t want toimpose on her mourning. He also didn’t want her to feel leftout.
“I will ask her.”
Azita exited the visitor’s lounge, leavingKaden alone. If Laila was unhappy about the wedding being on thesame day as her mother’s funeral, would Azita change her mind?Everything was rushed, but he didn’t see another option. He calledNic first to give him the news.
“Fucking A, man,” Nic said. “I can’t believeyou’re beating me to the altar. But this is right, I know it is.Congratulations.”
“Thanks, Nic. So you’ll be there?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
Next he called Jake, hoping he wasn’tinterrupting some private time with Gwen. When Jake answered, therewas a lot of background noise on the line. “Where are you?” Kadenasked.
“At the gym, rounding up your pallbearers forthe funeral.”
“What happened with Gwen?”
“She went off to meet with her contacts. Youwanted the info on Tariq, right?”
Kaden stood and went to look down the hall.But he couldn’t see the room where Laila and Azita were talking.“Didn’t mean to cramp your style, man.”
“You haven’t. I’ll be seeing her tonight.”There was a muffled sound, and Jake came back. “So, why’d youcall?”
“The pastor talked to Mullah Abdul.Everything’s set up. I’m getting married in fifteen minutes. Canyou meet us at the chapel?” Kaden asked.
“Hot damn! You tell Nic yet?”
“Called him a minute ago.” Kaden walked backto the couch and sat down, his knees bouncing.
“We’ll be there. Congrats, you dog.”
“Thanks.” Kaden was still chuckling when hehung up. In just a little while, he was going to be a married man.He should feel nervous as hell. He wasn’t though. He was excited,and he couldn’t fucking wait. Hearing a noise, he stood up.
Azita pushed open the door, Laila’s smallerhand clasped in her own. He walked over to them and knelt in frontof the girl and spoke to her in Dari. “How do you feel about this,Laila?”
She glanced up at Azita. “I am happy forAzitajan. She will be safe with you. I don’t want her to bewith Kaka Khalid.” She shuddered and pressed closer to Azita.
Kaden ducked his head so he could meet hereyes. “You’ll be safe with me too, Laila. Do you want to come livewith me and Azita?”
“In America?”
“Maybe someday. Right now I live inCanada.”
“Do they have a war there?”
“No. It’s a very peaceful place.”