Page 103 of Defenders of Jawhara

He gave a nod. “Better get some sleep if you can. It’ll be a long morning.” Turning, he headed for his room. She watched him go, and she kept her lips pressed tight. She was not going to call out to him or beg him for one more night with him in her bed. She was not. But oh, how she wanted to.

14

Before Brock went to bed, he called Slade to brief him on what had happened. He could hear his partner swear before something went crashing to the ground.

"Uh, everything okay there?”

He growled into the phone as Brock heard more things crashing around. “We damn near screwed up, and that means I need to talk to Kam in person.”

“It will take you almost a full day to get out here from California, and we’re due to meet with him late morning. It might be easier if you join us via video. I suspect there’s going to be another revamping of security around here, starting with finding and cataloging every single hidden entrance.”

“That’s exactly what we’re going to discuss, among other things. And I’m actually nearby, meeting with a client. I’ll leave Tim Morris here to finish the survey and be there by the time you wake up. Get some sleep!”

Brock hung up, glad Slade didn’t force him to handle all the new client interviews. He didn’t mind it every once in a while, but he also didn’t have his partner’s ability to schmooze clients.

Pulling off his shirt, he settled on the bed and tried to relax enough to get some sleep before the meeting, but his mind kept racing. If it hadn’t been for Keira’s idea, they’d still be tearing the palace apart, looking for Erin. He wasn’t sure what had given her the idea to lie in wait for Maela—or why she might be a part of it. Maybe just that gut instinct of hers. But it had worked.

He had to hand it to her. Personally, he’d have discounted the older woman simply because of her history with the family, but then again, it’s often the most fervent who can cause the most damage. Keira definitely had the right eye for the job, and he’d be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that he regretted avoiding her all these years. Turning out the light, he closed his eyes. He really needed to get some shuteye.

By afternoon, everyone had finished yelling, the sheikh’s temper had been softened by his wife’s urging him to moderate action, and Maela was back in control of the palace and running everything with perfect efficiency and a bland face that gave away none of her thoughts. Brock wondered if Slade was going to try to recruit her—she was one hell of a lady, but her kind of blind loyalty was also scary. She had flatly refused to apologize for doing everything within her power to protect the future crown prince.

Heading out to the garden, Brock found Slade enjoying his tea on the terrace. “Nice day,” Brock said. He sat down in the chair opposite Slade.

Slade nodded. He’d exchanged his usual suit for a T-shirt and jeans, and the boots on his feet said he’d arrived here ready to take action. Brock resisted the urge to fidget.

Slade sipped his tea. “Any day you see the sun rise and you’re not bleeding is good. I spoke with Kam privately. He’s grateful to have you and PJ here to help Talib, but he still has worries. Despite assurances from Sumari leadership, upheaval in their neighboring country continues, and there’s growing political pressure coming from many different directions. While I don’t doubt Kam’s ability to weather the political storms, I want to make sure he and his family remain safe. On top of that, there’s Talib and PJ—I’d like to give them a chance for a real honeymoon, and they can’t have that if they’re hip deep in security issues with not enough qualified people running the show.”

Brock nodded. “When’s PJ tying the knot?”

“Soon. Talib has made mention of traditional Jawharan marriage practices, and I think he’s got some idea of carrying PJ off to the desert on a camel.”

Brock grinned. “Given how well that went the first time around, I give them two days at most before they’re back in the best hotel in Jawhara.”

“PJ might make it three—she does love the guy. What do you think of Keira?”

Putting his stare on the gardeners, who were trimming trees that didn’t need much trimming, Brock thought over his answer. One wrong word from him, and Keira would be back in support. She might hate it, but she’d be safe. But maybe that was part of the problem.

Maela had wanted Erin and her baby to be safe—she was willing to secret Erin away and into a secure room to that end, and it didn’t matter if Erin liked it or not or what the sheikh thought. That could be part of the problem—getting pushed to the background wasn’t fun for anyone. It’d been hell on Brock for him to let Keira take the lead last night, but it had also given him a new appreciation for being the one who had to do the watching and waiting. No wonder Tayra had left him.

“Well?” Slade asked. Brock could feel Slade focus on him—it was an uncanny feeling, like being pinned to a wall.

“Well, what?” Brock demanded.

“Assuming you’re staying in Jawhara, I think Keira should stay as well. She seems to have made a connection with Maela that could prove invaluable. Of course, this will mean I’m down three mobile team members, so I’ll have to go hunting for replacements.”

Brock grinned. “You’re not getting rid of us that easily. We’re just a phone call away. Plus, we’ve been wanting to expand our reach here in the Middle East, and this puts me much closer than California. I can respond to client issues faster from this side of the world.”

Slade put his hand to his chest and gave him a shocked look. “Does this mean we’re changing the name on the door to ‘Slade and Wells’ like I originally wanted?”

“Not a chance, buddy. We’re keeping it the way it is with your ass on the line instead of mine when the clients get cranky.”

Shaking his head, Slade stood. “I’m out of here. I have some things to attend to stateside. Personal business.”

Frowning now, Brock stood as well. “You need help?”

“If something comes up, I’ll fill you in then. I’d rather have you here. Jewel Oil needs better security at the drilling sites—here and in California. I’m taking Trent and Travis back with me. I’ll have them survey the security on the West Coast, and you can compare notes.”

“Surfer cover—they’ll be perfect. I’ll let you know if I hear from anyone looking for work.”

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