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Chapter Eleven

The next fewhours were a blur.

I remembered walking down the aisle, the feel of goosebumps prickling my skin when Ashur took my hand and whispered, “You’re mine,” and the chaste but potent kiss at the end of the ceremony. After that, I felt like I was living in someone else’s body. I couldn’t remember how many people I met or the number of photos I’d taken.

I should have expected the chaos of hours upon hours of conversation, hugs, and well wishes. I dealt with people all day, many of them celebrities, but living the life of one was overwhelming. Thankfully, I’d changed out of my thirty-pound lengha and put on a lighter-weight, more modern dress that resembled a high-fashion American wedding gown with Indian embroidered accents. It had allowed me to move freely and gave me a slight bit of comfort.

Ashur, on the other hand, seemed calm and watchful. He’d smiled and interacted but his mind was occupied. I could tell he wanted to slip away to take care of business multiple times over the night. He’d kept me by his side, contently touching me or holding my hand. It was as if he needed me to ground him. Around the time the majority of the guests had left, he’d slipped away for some last-minute meetings. But not before he’d laid a mind-blowing kiss on me that had a caused a stir and a round of applause.

Now I was sitting inside Air Force One waiting for Ashur and surrounded by security. This was not how I ever expected to go on my honeymoon. It would have been lower key, with less press, and anonymity.

Then again, that dream of marriage had died the day I’d left Houston for Boston.

God, how had I ended up here, married to the man who’d made me swear off marriage and happily ever after?

I laughed to myself, gaining curious looks from some of the agents. Ignoring them, I stared out the window at the empty tarmac. Well, with the exception of all the military and security personnel monitoring the plane.

“Mrs. Kumar,” Jake, the agent Casey had assigned as my personal security, said from my side.

The fine hairs on the back of my neck prickled. Holy Shit, I was no longer Tara Zain. I was Tara Zain Kumar. The First Lady of the United States.

“President Kumar said he apologizes for the delay and will be a few more minutes.”

“Thank you.”

Twenty minutes later, when Ashur finally arrived on the plane, there was worry and uncertainty etched all over his face. I wanted to go to him, find some way to comfort him or at least ask him if I could do anything. But stopped when Veer and Tyler came on board. Veer handed Ashur a stack of papers and began to talk.

Tyler came toward me with a bleak look in his eyes that told me something was wrong.

Oh God. Something had happened with Ameera.

“Have a good time on your vacation, T-Rex,” Tyler said in his pretentious happy Louisiana gentile twang. The one I’d told him sounded like a Southern used car salesman. Then he walked over to me and gave me a hug.

“Everything is in place. Once you get home, we’ll prep for the auction.”

“What about the leads on Ameera?”

“We think she is in Pakistan in the same area where the girls were held two years ago.”

“I supposed it was too much to hope that we’d have an exact location. There’s no telling where in the mountains they are holding Ame.”

“The second they pinpoint her, I will notify you.” A dangerous gleam entered his eyes.

“Don’t do anything until I get back. You can’t take the risk.”

“Yes, Commander.”

I glared at him. “I mean it, Tyler. I know you’ll want to go in guns blazing, but right now too many people are watching you.”

“You’re still the boss, Tara. At least for this operation anyway. You’re lead and I’ll take orders from you. Besides, I’m hoping you change your mind and keep me from taking over a job that could be viewed as treason.”

I rolled my eyes. “Unless you sell government secrets to another nation, I think you’re safe.”

“I’m serious. You don’t have to quit. There is a clause that gives you the option to change your mind.”

“Who told you?”

“No one. I signed the same contract. The board refuses to let any of their agents go without a fight.”