Page 104 of Deadly Betrayal

With a deep sigh, she rested her head againstthe dirt wall and rubbed her temples. “I do not need yourhelp.”

“Take the pills.”

“Only if you take yours.”

This time, he did laugh. The headstrong look,the pouty lip. If they ever had a little girl, she’d look just likethat when he told her it was time to go to bed.

His laughter stopped abruptly. Jesus. IfHassan wasn’t able to come through, Kaden and Azita might notsurvive the next day or two, much less ever have children.

When he regained his senses, Azita was stillwatching him, her head tilted as though trying to figure him out.Good luck with that, honey.He didn’t even understandhimself. He got the antibiotic, took the canteen, and swallowed thepill before handing her the water. “Your turn.”

When she was done, he waited quietly forsleep to hit her. There was no sense trying to explain himselftonight. She was too far gone, too confused. Exhausted. In themorning, he’d lay it all out on the table, what he knew, and whathe supposed. One thing was certain: Khalid was in this up to hisfancy wristwatch. After five minutes of sitting in the colddarkness, alone with her back up against the wall, Azita’s lidsstarted to droop. That was his cue.

“Let’s lie down, honey.”

She went willingly into his arms. Grittinghis teeth against his body’s numerous protests, he dragged them thefew feet to where they’d made a makeshift bed, and laid her down.Hissing, he stretched out beside her and tucked the blanket aroundthem.

If he had his way, he’d spend the rest of hislife sleeping next to her. He wanted that so much it was like aphysical need, a thirst that had to be quenched or he’d die.Rolling his head to the side, he took her in. Soaked up the sightof her long lashes making shadows on her smooth cheeks. The softpuffs of air from her shapely lips tickled the skin right besidehis heart. She was so fucking perfect. And someday, if he couldconvince her to leave Afghanistan with him, she’d be his.

Before they could leave though, he had tofind Azita’s mysterious “patient” and figure out exactly what hadgone down that night. It sure as shit wasn’t all the wild ideasAzita had thrown at him. He chuckled softly. She was going to beembarrassed about that come morning. She sighed and snuggledcloser, throwing her knee over his leg, her hold across his chesttightening. It was worth the added pressure to his ribs.

Gazing at her sweet sleep-slackened face, heknew this could be the only time Azita would break thedoctor-patient confidentiality she clung to. It was a shitty thingto do to her, but it was important. He had to find this woman.

“Azita.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“The woman who visited you at the clinic, whydid she come see you?” Any intel she gave him would help pinpointhis search.

Azita licked her lips and swallowed. It tookso long for her to reply, he’d feared she’d fallen into a deepsleep. “It is not relevant.”

Kaden chuckled. God he loved how honorableshe was. Even half asleep, she stuck to her guns.

“Shab ba khayr, Azitajan,” hesaid, softly kissing her forehead.

She smiled sleepily and murmured back, “Goodnight, Kadenjan.”

Looking up at the stars through the holes inthe grid, Kaden couldn’t believe life’s ironies. Stuck in a hole,sentenced to death, he should be thinking about how to find themystery woman and planning contingencies for their escape. Instead,all he could think about was how good it felt to hold the woman heloved and imagine waking up beside her every day for the rest oftheir lives.

The squeak of the grid being lifted awakenedKaden in the middle of the night. He rolled over, clenching histeeth against the fire shooting through his side, to cover Azita asdirt showered onto them.

“Bale?” the guard called down. Kadenrecognized his voice. It was the one who’d provided the food andblanket.

“Bale,” he replied. Yes.

“I am Mustafa.” The guard knelt down andspoke softly in Dari. “You must leave. Take the doctor withyou.”

Kaden shook Azita’s shoulder to wake her.“What time is it?” he asked once she’d sat up.

After rubbing her eyes, she angled the watchtoward a ray of moonlight. “It is half past four in themorning.”

0400 hours, the time he was supposed to havemet up with Hassan, had come and gone. Fuck. He hoped his friendhad decided by now to come to the camp to investigate.

“Why are you helping us?” Kaden asked theguard.

“You are American, yes? I have a wife andchildren. If I die, they will be in the street.”

“Sure, but what do I have to do withthat?”