Page 116 of Deadly Betrayal

Thank Allah! He was back. She squeezed hiswrist. “Yes. It is I, Azita.”

She followed his gaze to the man who lay atophim. Immobile. Azita shot to her knees, her fingers going toKaden’s neck to feel his pulse. “Kaden,” she said firmly, both forJake and for Kaden. His pulse was steady.

Jake sat up, gently rolling Kaden onto hisback. “Fuck. Kaden. Oh shit.” His bloodshot eyes pleaded withAzita. “Did I kill him?” he asked, switching to Dari.

“He’s alive.” Had Jake managed to stab Kadenin the skirmish? Her fingers brushed against her grandmother’sheadscarf wrapped around Kaden’s ribs, reminding her. Alarmed, shepressed her ear to his chest, listening for any sign ofpneumothorax. His smooth easy breaths were like music that soothedher raw nerves.

His pulse was steady, his lungs clear. Shehadn’t detected any sign of injury beyond the ones inflicted duringthe torture. Yet, he appeared to be unconscious.

“What’s wrong with him?” Jake asked, hisvoice broken. “Why isn’t he waking up?”

She pressed a kiss over Kaden’s heart beforesitting up to answer Jake’s question with more confidence than shewas feeling. She didn’t want anything else to trigger anotherepisode. “He’s going to be okay.” Without so much as her medicalbag, there was little she could do to even begin to understand whyKaden wasn’t responding.

“Inshallah,” Jake said softly, a worldof emotion in the single word.

She smiled and took his hand to reassure themboth.

A throat cleared. “Thought I told you to stopshowing off, kid.”

“Oh!” Azita looked down at the most amazingsight she’d ever seen. Kaden was awake, his eyes clear—and filledwith warmth. “Kaden…” It was all she could say before her throatclosed.

Kaden cupped her neck and pulled her down fora kiss. “I’m okay.”

“You scared the shit out of us, man,” Jakesaid, switching back to English.

With her help, Kaden sat up. “Just a littledizzy. I must have hit my”—his hand went to the back of his headand he winced—“head.”

Jake chuckled and shrugged. “All I know isthat I walked into the camp and then the next thing I remember iscoming to with your big bulk lying on top of me. I love you, man.But notthatway.”

Kaden slugged his arm. “Shut up, idiot.”

Azita listened to their banter, noting thecomplete lack of resentment in Kaden’s words. She also noted whatthe others seemed to have forgotten: they were in the middle of afight with the warlord’s men. “I think we had best leave theexplanations for later.”

The men shot to their feet and Kaden helpedher rise. He dug Jake’s knife out of the ground, pausing when hesaw the blood staining the blade. Instantly, he was in front ofAzita, pushing down the collar of her tunic. She knew what he’dfind there. “Later,” she whispered, her eyes darting to Jake.“Please.” The man was in no condition to hear what he had done toher.

Kaden’s lips flattened, but he nodded. “Myold unit is clearing the area near the tunnel. We’re meeting onthis side of the fence. Let’s hurry.”

When Tariq reached the underground bunker,his wives and children were hugging each other and crying. However,neither his brother nor Laila were there.

“Where is she?” he bellowed.

The noise level fell except for theoccasional sniffle.

“Where is who, Zardab’s father?” his firstwife asked. In her arms, she rocked his third wife’s youngest childwhile her eyes begged him to stop, to not frighten the children anymore. Fuck the children.

“Laila, my bride-to-be. I am to be marriedtoday!”

Dozens of pairs of eyes regarded him warily.His oldest living son, Zardab, approached. “Baba, we are underattack. Surely you will postpone—”

Tariq backhanded the insolent pup. “Neverquestion me.”

Blood dripping from his cracked lip, the boycast his eyes to the ground. “Yes, Baba.”

Tariq grabbed his son’s ear and pulled him tothe door where Khalid waited. “Come. You will help me find her.”His eyes drilled into Khalid’s. “If the American and your whorehave taken her, Iwillhave my revenge.” When he was closeenough, he caught Khalid’s ear and pulled it as he had done hisson’s. It was an act of dominance, one he enjoyed. Khalid coweredand Tariq laughed without mirth. “You do well to fear. My revengewill begin with you.”

When Kaden, Laila, and Jake arrived at themeet point, Hoffman was already there with Hassan and the old man,along with several members of Kaden’s former unit. After some quickbut heartfelt greetings, Kaden got down to business. “Any news onKhalid’s whereabouts?”

Hoffman shook his head. “He was spottedleaving the main building with Tariq, who had him at gunpoint. Wefigure they headed toward Tariq’s bunker. A couple of the men arestill out there with Ortiz looking for it.”