Page 154 of Deadly Betrayal

Staying on the balls of his feet, Kaden movedaround the room, forcing the man to follow, dragging Azita withhim. And she wasn’t making it easy.

“Stand still,” Tariq growled.

“First you tell me to give you the girl, thenyou tell me to stop moving.” He clucked his tongue. “Make up yourmind, old man.”

If he could get Tariq to move back just abit, the bed would catch him in the knees. With luck, he’d fall orat least be destabilized. Kaden could then use that opening to pullAzita out of the way. The gun pressed to her temple was tearing hisheart apart as he warred with the need to defend his woman and theknowledge that he had to be smart about it.

A figure inshalwar kameezbarreledinto the room, zipping past Kaden toward Tariq. Tariq whippedaround at the intrusion and fired his weapon. Azita screamed as thethree of them fell, half on the bed, half on the floor. Seizing theopportunity, Kaden reached for Azita. Their fingers clasped, and hepulled her up, shoving her behind him. Her fingers trembled whereshe clutched his waistband.

He was dying to look, to make sure she wasn’thurt. But he couldn’t risk taking his eyes off the enemy. Heswooped and pressed the muzzle of the AK-47 to Tariq’s temple.Kicking Tariq’s weapon out of reach, he ground out, “Don’t fuckingmove.”

The new arrival groaned and lifted himselfoff Tariq. His hands shone in the moonlight, and when he raised hishead, Kaden saw it was Khalid. The man had been hit. Azita gaspedand immediately attempted to go to him. Kaden blocked her.

“He is hurt,” she pleaded.

“It’s just his arm. He’ll live.”

Khalid nodded. “I am all right, Azitajan.”

“Move away from the bed,” Kaden ordered.

Khalid slowly inched backward. A cry echoedin the tense room. All eyes turned to the spot where it seemed tohave originated. Azita’s fingers gripped his side. Damn. It had tobe Laila. And now Tariq knew where she was.

“You are mine! Only mine!” the warlordshouted as he pulled another pistol from the pocket of his vest. Heswung the weapon and pointed it under the bed. Azita shrieked andKaden wasted no time. He squeezed the trigger and let the bulletsfly.

Tariq jerked and bullets strafed an arc alongthe wall, stopping just short of the bed. After several momentsthat felt like an eternity, Tariq’s body fell limp to the floor. Apool of blood spread out under him, soaking into the afghancarpet.

Kaden kicked the pistol away, then bent tocheck his pulse. Dead.

“Hey, boss.”

Kaden turned to see Jake in the doorway.“Situation is under control. Hotel security is rounding up theliving and the ANP is on its way up.”

“Thanks, buddy.” Kaden dropped his head andsighed. It was finally over. They’d be questioned, maybe retainedfor hours, but they were alive. He pulled Azita down beside him.“Lailajan, you can come out now. It’s safe.” Holding hisbreath, he waited to see if she’d believe his words, if he’d earnedher trust.

There were a few moments of silence, thensome scraping sounds before she poked her head out and scrambled toher feet. Seconds later, she was in his arms. Kaden held her smallshuddering body tightly as her arms encircled his neck. She pushedher face into the spot behind his ear and sniffled loudly.

Azita cradled them both. “You’re safe now,Laila. We’re all safe now.”

Love, comfort, a sense of the rightness ofhaving Laila and Azita surrounding him, filled Kaden’s heart. Hiseyes misted over as his gaze met Azita’s blue one. The moment wasmade even more perfect when she raised her chin and pressed herlips to his. The kiss was sweet, tender, and filled withpromise.

His heart saddened by the spectacle beforehim, Khalid sat back on his heels and rested his weary head againstthe wall. Azita wasn’t his; she never had been. He had deludedhimself into believing he could make a woman such as she happy.She’d never have been satisfied in the role of third wife,homemaker, subservient to a distant husband. To him. Although heunderstood that now—the evidence was in his face—he didn’t have tolike it.

When Laila’s sobs subsided, she raised herhead from the American’s shoulder. The way her gaze furtivelyskipped over him made his chest squeeze uncomfortably. He deservedher disdain. As her uncle, her guardian, it had been his job toprotect her as his own. He’d failed. The least he could do now wasto clean up the mess he’d helped create. “Where is the woman?”

The American gently disentangled himself fromLaila and Azita. “What woman?”

Khalid looked to Azita and lifted his brows.“Khan Tariq sent her to take Laila away.”

“I didn’t see a woman,” the American said,scowling. “What game are you playing now?”

Azita brought a hand to her trembling lipsand crouched beside a bundle of blankets on the floor, then pulledback the coverlet. A woman lay on the carpet. “S-she grabbed Lailaand was trying to take her away.”

Kneeling beside Azita, Kaden rested a hand onher shoulder. When he turned the woman’s head to see her face, heswore and glared at Khalid. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

Khalid backed up as the American stood, theirheight difference exaggerated in the small room. Suddenly, theother man, the bodyguard who’d been leaning against the doorframe,sprinted across the room. “Gwen! Oh my God! Is she dead?”

Azita shook her head and reached under thebed, pulling out her medical bag. Using a stethoscope, she listenedto the woman’s heart and lungs, then took her blood pressure. Herexpression was serious, but not overly worried.