Page 5 of Deadly Betrayal

“And now I am.”

“I never thought—”

“Clearly,” she interrupted. “A man your ageshould have known better. Now I am paying for your mistakes. Yourweak spirit and lack of discipline ruined my life.”

“Why do you complain? Agha Faroukh was goodto you, and you said yourself Agha Khalid hasn’t hurt you. MyJamila is dead, and I am but a husk of a man.”

When Jamila’s family had discovered herrelationship with Shahram, they’d stoned her to death to remove thestain of dishonor and shame her actions had marked them with. Azitahad been given to them as repayment for their loss. They, in turn,had given her to Khalid as a replacement bride. At that time,Khalid had been so angry, Azita had feared for her life. Shethanked Allah every day that as the head of the family, Faroukh hadinsisted on marrying her himself. Though loveless, their shortmarriage had been a peaceful one. A progressive man, Faroukh hadallowed her to finish medical school and practice locally.

Still, this wasn’t the life she’d hoped for.Some days, she missed her old life in Tehran to the point ofpain.

“Shahram, listen to me. This is not about youor me. This is about Laila, an innocent girl. We need to get herback. That madman is not fit to have a dog, much less a gentle dovelike her. She won’t survive it. You must help me.”

He looked up then, his eyes hollow,red-rimmed. “What canIdo? I have no money, no connections.I couldn’t save you, my sister, or Jamila, the love of my life.What makes you think I can save a girl I barely know?”

Azita pushed out of the chair and beganpacing the narrow room. “I don’t know how you will do it, but youwill. You have to. And I’m not asking you to do this alone. We’lldo it together.”

He laughed, the bitter sound like sandpaperon her heart. “I can’t.”

“You must. You are my only hope.” She raisedher hands in supplication. “Allah! Give me strength.”

Shahram snorted. “You are alreadystrong.”

She rolled her eyes. “Allah, please give mylittle brother strength. He is like a newborn, incapable of evenholding his head up.”

“Hey!”

Her voice gentled. “It’s been two years,Shahram. You need to make peace with her death. Maybe helping Lailais the way.”

He leaned forward, his hands steepled underhis chin. “Where is Laila now?”

“Khan Tariq’s men have already left with her.The wedding is set for the Saturday after next.”

“So we have ten days to locate Laila, thenkidnap her away from a group of armed guards. Simple. A snap of thefingers.”

Feeling as defeated as Shahram looked, shedropped back into the chair. “There has to be something we can do.I can’t let this happen to Agha Faroukh’s daughter.”

“Where is her mother?”

“They took her too.”

“We need someone with connections, withfirepower, who can travel quickly and rescue her. We need afighter.”

“None of those men can be trusted.” Sheshuddered, remembering her earlier close call with the patrol.

Shahram’s head jerked up, his eyes bright forthe first time since she’d arrived. “That soldier, the American.You saved his life, surely he owes you this much.”

Kaden. Azita’s stomach tightened and hercheeks grew hot. The beautiful blond mountain of a man had beenshot and the bullet had torn through a lung. He’d been on the vergeof death, but luckily she’d managed to stabilize him enough so hismen could take him to a military medical facility for surgery.

Before he’d left Afghanistan, Kaden hadreturned to her clinic and handed her a note with his phone numberand email address. “Contact me if you ever need anything,” he’dsaid. His eyes had brimmed with sincerity. If she called him, he’dcome. She had no doubt of it.

“No!” She shook her head, the violent actioncausing her scarf to fly off her head.

Shahram retrieved it and handed it back toher. “Why not?”

“It wouldn’t be right to drag him into this.Besides, I don’t know how to reach him.” But she did know. She’dtucked Kaden’s note between two pages of her Koran, where she knewKhalid would never find it. On difficult days, she would sitquietly and touch the paper, remembering the afternoon he’d givenit to her. His twinkling amber eyes. His deep rumbling voice. Hissweet smile. Something fluttered in her belly, and she cleared herthroat to distract herself.

“Well,Ihave his contactinformation,” Shahram said, a broad smile on his face.