Page 89 of Risks of Temptation
"What are we going to do?"
Malin slows down and pulls over to the side.
"Malin, what are you doing?" I cry out.
"Stay calm." He grabs his gun from his bag.
"Malin!"
"Ma belle, I said, stay calm."
I take a deep breath. "Okay. I'm sorry."
He strokes my cheek. "No sorries. Just don't move or say anything."
The other vehicle parks behind us. The bright lights stay on, shining into the truck.
There's a knock on the window, and a flashlight blinds us.
"Get your light down, Kalim, or I'll shoot you now," Malin barks and points his gun at the window.
The light goes down. "Malin, open up," a deep voice shouts.
Malin rolls the window down but keeps his gun up. It's hard to see the man, since it's so dark, but his hair is shaved. His eyes are as dark as night. He wears a camouflage T-shirt that hugs his body the same way it does on every rescue guy on Malin's team.
"Are you going to shoot me?" Kalim asks.
"How did you find me?"
He doesn't answer. "What are you doing, Malin?"
"Kalim, leave Belize. Go back to headquarters and take your team with you."
"Malin, I need to know what you're doing. And put your fucking gun down now, or I'm going to point mine at your head."
Malin releases a breath and lowers his gun. "I need you to leave, Kalim."
"I've been given orders to bring you back to headquarters. What the hell are you thinking?"
Malin clenches his jaw. "You of all people don't get to ask questions like that."
Kalim's eyes turn to slits. He glances at me then says to Malin, "Talk to me outside."
"Sorry, buddy, but she stays with me."
"You don't trust me now?"
I take small breaths, trying to control the increase in my heartbeat.
"Whose side are you on?" Malin asks.
"Since when are we against Interpol?" Kalim growls.
"Kalim, walk away. You never saw me."
"Malin—"
"Twenty-seven years. Bootcamp. Iraq. Afghanistan. Chad. You know me better than Louis. We're all your brothers." He slowly repeats, "Walk away."
