Page 56 of Deadly Betrayal

“All clear,” Jake said, scanning the carsbehind, his hand hovering over his gun.

Just to be sure, Kaden took the side streets,making frequent turns and loopbacks to shake off any unwantedtagalongs. He checked his passengers in the rearview mirror. Eyesclosed, her brow pinched, Azita rested with her head against theseat back. His concern grew. The ibuprofen should have worked bynow. Increasing the speed, he cut short the detours and took themstraight to a guesthouse. Not the one where they were staying.

Kaden and Azita went in first. Before leavingthe base, he’d changed into his native clothing, so they appearedto be a husband and wife returning from an outing. Jake and Nicfollowed a few minutes later. They quickly made their way to a backdoor and slipped outside.

The guesthouse where they were staying wastwo buildings away, down a narrow alleyway. After making certainthe short distance was empty, Kaden and Azita again went first andwalked down the alley to the other guesthouse. They entered throughthe front, pausing to greet the clerk at the reception desk beforewalking down the hall to their room. But instead of entering rightaway, they went to the end of the hallway and opened the back doorto let Nic and Jake in.

A huge weight lifted from Kaden’s shoulderswhen he shut the door to their room. Finally, all the people hecared about were in one place, under his watch, and, at least forthe moment, safe.

He pulled Azita aside. “I’d take themsomewhere else, but with Nic, it’s too dangerous.”

“I understand.” She tried to smile. Theresult wasn’t pretty.

With the pads of his fingers, he rubbedlittle circles on her temples. “Why don’t you lie down? I’ll get acold towel to put on your forehead.”

“That would be nice. But your friends—”

“Don’t worry about them. There isn’t much inthe way of privacy here, but I can push your bedding against thewall. We’ll sit at the table over here by the window.” Nic and Jakevery obligingly arranged the furniture so they were facing awayfrom her.

“You are certain?” she asked, her voice heavywith reluctance and hoarse with pain.

“Absolutely. You need to rest.”

He arranged her mattress and went to get atowel. When he returned, she’d already cocooned herself in thesleeping bag. He had to stifle a laugh. Kneeling beside the bed, helifted the edge of the bag and placed the cold cloth on herforehead.

“Mm… that feels so good.”

Hard. As. A. Fucking. Rock. The rasp in hervoice, the words he’d love to hear in other circumstances, sent himfrom zero to sixty in one damn second. Kaden pinched his thigh todistract himself. His two best friends were sitting ten feet away.And Azita wasn’t his.

He had to keep reminding himself of thatbecause whenever he got too close to her, all his good intentionsevaporated and the sinner in him took control. He wanted her sobad. Had wanted her since that day he’d walked into her clinic tothank her for saving his life. She’d been a vision in her white labcoat and a gorgeous headscarf that had matched the color of hereyes so perfectly.

Eyes that were now filled with pain. Christ.Did she have any idea what was going through his mind? The thingshe so desperately wanted to do with her? “Sleep,” he said gruffly.“I’ll be right over there.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, her lids alreadyclosing.

Kaden pushed to his feet. His head was a messand the area around his chest was even worse. He triedineffectually to rub away the unfamiliar feeling. He hadn’texpected being with her to be such sweet torture.

“Everything okay?” Nic asked softly whenKaden plunked down on the chair they’d left for him.

“Her head’s hurting. She says it’snormal.”

“But you’re worried.” Nic’s knowing lookswere getting on Kaden’s nerves.

“Of course. This is a tough enough situationwithout the added concern of whether she’s going to have a seizureor lapse into a coma.”

Jake’s brows shot up. “Is that apossibility?”

“I don’t know.” Kaden blew out a breath andlooked at his friends. “Isn’t it?”

“She’s the doctor, man,” Jake said.

Nic grinned. “Kaden’s got a girlfriend.”

“Shut up.” Kaden crossed his arms and glared,but he was finding it hard not to smile. What would Nic’s fansthink if they knew he was such a romantic? They’d probably love himeven more.

Nic pulled out the satellite phone they’dagreed to use for calling home or for any communication they didn’twant spied on. “I can’t wait to hear Lauren’s voice.”

His excitement was contagious. Kaden washappy for him. Nic had been miserable before Lauren and Jason hadcome into his life. But Nic was a new man now, one with joy in hiseyes. Love had done that to him.