Page 115 of Deadly Betrayal

Taking quiet shallow breaths to calm herracing heart, she strained her ears and listened to the men as theyran by. When she was certain they were all gone, she lunged to theother wall.

And came face to face with a ninja.

Everything inside her froze—her heart, herlungs, her very blood. Unlike the man Kaden had spotted earlier,this one was covered in black from the top of his head, to the tipsof his fingers, down to the toes of his heavy boots. Only a narrowstrip across his eyes was left uncovered.

Eyes of the palest blue. Eyes she knew.

Relief made her slump against the building.“Jake. Thank Allah.” Help had arrived. The men attacking KhanTariq’s camp had to be friends of Jake’s. Maybe they really wouldsurvive this nightmare. She twisted her body to look out of thealcove, hoping to see a sign of Kaden. He’d been gone too long.“Kaden should return soon,” she said, turning back to Jake.

Azita inhaled sharply. With red-streakedeyes, Jake scanned the area, not speaking, not showing anyrecognition. Eyes that were anchored in a time long sincepassed.

“Jake?” she said softly.

The roving eyes settled on her. He snarledand gripped her bicep, yanking her to him and disarming her. Inperfect Pashto, he ground out, “Tell me, Pashtun whore. Got a bombstrapped around your waist?” With one hand, he patted down hermiddle.

“Or maybe it’s somewhere more intimate. You’dlike that, wouldn’t you? A hard stick of dynamite up your cunt?” Heshoved his knee between her legs in a travesty of one of herencounters with Kaden.

Azita pushed against Jake’s chest. It feltlike a brick wall. When he didn’t budge, she cupped his cheek withher free hand and spoke to him in English. “Jake, it’s me, DoctorAzita. Remember, we met at Camp Kunduz three days ago? Kaden wasthere. Nic too.”

“Sergeant Christiansen,” he said, lookingover his shoulder. “He should be here somewhere. The man’s alwayson my ass, like my own personal bodyguard.” The words were gruff,but there was a hint of affection in Jake’s voice, accompanied by aslight softening of his features.

Azita wracked her brain for the best way tohandle this situation. Jake obviously thought he was still in themilitary and on a mission with Kaden. How best to bring him intothe present? “Where is Nic?” she asked, praying his closeness tothe man would trigger something.

Jake’s gaze swung back to her, and in hisfree hand, he held a knife, a sleek black blade with a leatherhilt. “Stop trying to confuse me, bitch. I don’t know anyone namedNic.”

Her eyes zeroed in on the knife. She couldn’tlook away. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Somehow she had tostop this. She had to get through to him. If Jake killed her, he’dhate himself forever, and what would it do to his relationship withKaden and Nic? A shudder ripped through her.

Jake shook her arm. “Tell me where the bombis or I’ll gut you now.”

“Nic wouldn’t like that,” she said. “Nic TheLover. You remember him?” She searched her memory for personalinformation Nic had shared with her over lunch. “His fiancée,Lauren”—Jake shoved aside her headscarf and put the knife to herthroat, not touching, but close—“and… and her son, Jason. Youremember them? You, Kaden, and Nic, you are business partnersnow.”

The blade pressed against her skin, but Jakehad stopped moving. Was she finally getting to him? She pushed on.“You opened a bodyguard business, Star Security Services. Do youremember why you came to Afghanistan, Jake?”

His eyes hardened. “To kill Al-Qaedainsurgents.”

She swallowed nervously as his hold on hertightened. Okay. That had been the wrong thing to say. “I-I meanthistime. You, Nic and Kaden, you came here together aboutaweekago. Why did you comeback?” She emphasizedthe key words, hoping it would help them penetrate the PTSDfog.

Jake shook his head and his brow furrowed. Hewas fighting the memories.

“Something happened and Kaden was shot,” shesaid.

“Betrayed. We were betrayed.” His gaze wasfar-off, his words anger-filled.

“Yes, that’s it.” Her voice trembled and sheknew she sounded guilty.

“We came to find the person who betrayed us.”His eyes dropped to her face. He snarled. “Was it you, whore? Wereyou the one who told the fuckers who shot at us where we’d be?”

Azita closed her eyes, unable to bear hisfierce gaze. He had no idea who she was. He was lost, confused.Jake couldn’t know what she’d done; she’d only just told Kaden.When she opened her eyes, he ripped off her headscarf, then grippedher hair and pulled her head back, baring her neck to him. Shedidn’t resist. Couldn’t. This was her fate. This was her time.

His lips pulled back from his teeth, like arabid dog’s. “You killed Sanchez. You almost killed the sergeant.You don’t deserve to live.”

There was a loud roar, the rush of feetpounding the ground. Over Jake’s shoulder, she saw something, orsomeone, fly through the air. Jake was smashed against the wall ofthe alcove. Agony blazed through her scalp where her hair had beenripped out. At her throat, there was a burning sensation. Shepicked herself up and her gaze landed on Jake and his attacker. Itwas Kaden.

Terror held her in place and everythingseemed to move in slow motion. She was acutely aware of each grunt,each groan, each curse as the two men fought for dominance. She sawJake’s hand rise, saw the black blade now dripping with redblood.

“No!” The scream began deep inside her andcrashed through her body before splitting the air in two.Propelling herself forward, she caught Jake’s arm. With all herweight, she brought his hand to the ground, burying the knife inthe soil.

Jake’s fingers went limp and he released theknife’s hilt. Azita raised her head and their gazes locked. Afterwhat felt like forever, he blinked. “Doctor Azita.”