Page 53 of Deadly Betrayal

Nic glanced at Azita, who stood away fromthem, talking with Jake. “Tellherthat, not me.”

Shame raced up his chest, his neck, beforefinally covering his face like a brown paper bag. “You’reright.”

Under Nic’s eagle-eyed watch, Kadenapproached Azita and Jake. They were having an animatedconversation in Dari that both seemed to be enjoying. His heartfell. Why did he feel so possessive of Azita? It wasn’t like theycould have any future together. He had a good job, but it came witha lot of travelling and a great deal of risk. Their cultures werevastly different, and he wasn’t even fluent in her native language.Khalid would never allow Azita to date him. He bit back a sadlaugh. Afghans didn’t even date; they married. And he sure as hellwasn’t ready to take that step, even for the woman who owned hisdreams.

Nic prodded him with a loud throatclearing.

Get on with it, man.Kaden shookhimself. “Azitakhanom, may I have a moment, please?”

“Of course.” She said something to Jake toosoftly for Kaden to hear, then followed him a few steps away. “Whatis it?”

He hooked his hands behind his back andlooked at a spot above her shoulder. “I want to apologize for mybehavior earlier.”

Not hearing a response, he swallowed hard andlooked down. She was fiddling with the fringes of her scarf, whichshe’d removed from her face. “Last night was my fault. I have beenless than virtuous. I will pray to Allah for strength andforgiveness.”

What?She felt guilty about kissinghim, about letting him hold her? He rushed to reassure her. “Honey,you’re a widow, and I’m single. Nothing we did was wrong.”

Something clouded her gaze for a moment. Whenshe spoke, it was gone. “That is not the way of my people. Still, Icannot be sorry, and I thank you for allowing me to feel safe andhappy, if only for a short while.”

Kaden briefly closed his eyes and sucked in alungful of air. He was such a fucking heel. “Don’t thank me. If youknew what was in my head, you’d run screaming for the hills andhide in a cave.”

Her chin was still lowered, but he spied hersmile. “I have heard they are a weakness for Americans.”

It took him a second to get her reference tobin Laden hiding in the caves.Minx.He loved it when shecracked a joke. It was the only time he got a peek at thefun-loving woman she could be were her life different. “Now thatyou’ve neatly derailed my apology, let me try again.” He let out ahuff of air. “I want to apologize for shoving you when we were atthe fence. I was tense with so many people around you and Nic. Thenyou smiled at him, and something came over me. Something I shouldhave controlled better. I had no right to touch you, much less pushyou.”

Azita stared at him, her eyes getting rounderand her jaw dropping farther with every word he spoke.

He shifted his weight from one foot to theother. Christ. He hadn’t been this embarrassed since second gradewhen his mom had forced him to return the pack of gum he’d liftedfrom the corner store. “I’m not that kind of guy,” he continued,his voice rough. “I know how to treat women right. At least Idid.”

“Are you asking for my forgiveness?”

“I’ll understand if you can’t give it. Hell,I can’t forgive myself.” He dug his fingers into the back of hisneck, preferring that pain to the ache in his chest. “I just hopeyou let me continue this mission. Let me help you get Laila awayfrom the warlord.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. You’ve treatedme with more respect than anyone else. Ever.” She threw herselfagainst his body, startling them both.

He wrapped his arms around her small waistand picked her up, holding her tightly against his chest. “Ipromise I’ll never be rough with you again.”

“You weren’t. It was the adrenaline. When youmix it with fear or another strong emotion, it can be quitepowerful.”

Grinning at her doctor voice, he buried hisface in the soft material around her neck. “Thank God you’re adoctor, and you understand this stuff.” He set her on her feet,then bent his knees so he could see into her eyes. “It will neverhappen again. I promise.”

She palmed his cheek. “I know.”

After viewingBad Dayswith the menand women of Camp Kunduz, Nic joined them for a meet and greet atthe Lumberland bar, where he finally got to have that beer he’dwanted so badly. Kaden caught the mischievous gleam in his friend’sfamous eyes as he tipped back the bottle of Heineken one of theGerman soldiers had given him and drank deeply. What seemed anexcessively long time later, he came up for air, sighing loudly.“God, that was good. Sure you don’t want one, Kaden?” Nic’s eyesrounded as he feigned shock. “Oh, that’s right. You can’t. You’reon the job.” That was followed by uproarious laughter.

“Dickhead.”

“Yeah, I am. But you still love me.”

Kaden snorted. “Enough with the chick talk.Go see your fans.”

Nic took another long sip, and looking verysatisfied, smacked his lips. “My pleasure.”

As he always did in these situations, Kadenstayed a few feet behind Nic, maintaining a close watch in casesomething went wrong. Thankfully, babysitting Nic wasn’t in his jobdescription. Nic never did drugs and since a tragic incident whenhe’d been a teen, he never had more than two drinks. It was anotherside of him, the real Nic, that the press didn’t know. And it madeKaden’s job infinitely easier.

Today was different. Instead of having Jakeat his elbow, Kaden had Azita. Safely tucked between him and Jake,she seemed to be handling the nearness of Nic’s fans, both men andwomen, fairly well. He could only imagine what a circus it had tobe for her. When he glanced down, her forehead, at least what hecould see of it, seemed pinched. “Is it getting to be too much foryou?”

“I have a bit of a headache.”