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The door crashed open. Security agents rushed into the room and the gun Jafar held was knocked from his grip. His shocked gaze moved to Azir.
Jafar looked as though he himself had been shot.
Agony filled his gaze as Azir stared down at the gaping wound in his chest. He went to his knees then toppled to the floor.
At the same time, the commander knocked the weapon from Abram’s grip, as Abram reacted to defend himself.
He should have saved the effort. As his weapon flew across the room, three agents were on the commander, struggling with him until they had him pinned to the floor.
Abram jumped for Paige, pulling her quickly into his arms and moving her to the other side of the room as the agents restrained and handcuffed the commander.
Jerking him from the floor, his face bloodied now, the once-restrained hatred, contempt, and rage spewing from him, he glared back at Abram.
“It is not over,” he snarled. “It will never be over. You will die, and your whore will die.”
Abram smiled coldly but before he could speak, Jafar stepped forward slowly. “Before your men ever learn what happened to you, I will have control of them. You died in the failed attempt, along with Azir, to carry out your unsanctioned plan to punish Abram for his desertion of Islam, and to steal the woman he had chosen as his wife.”
The commander stared back at him in amazed shock. “You betrayed me, cousin.”
Jafar smiled, icy satisfaction filling his gaze. “As you betrayed Islam yourself, cousin.” His gaze flicked to Abram. “You do not recognize him, do you Abram?”
Abram gave a quick shake of his head.
“Meet once again, our cousin, Mohammid Mustafa, son of Hamid Mustafa, and his killer. He conspired with your father twenty-five years before to kill my father as well as his own, and to steal from the Mustafa province the wealth the king bestowed on it for the insanity they follow.”
Instead, the king had learned of the murders, rather than the accidents they had been made to appear. That was the reason the province had lost its wealth.
“You went to the king,” Abram murmured.
Jafar inclined his head slowly. “And now, I will return as their leader, their commander.” His smile was so viciously mocking Abram felt Paige flinch. “Enjoy your happiness, Abram.” Jafar finally sighed as he turned to he turhis expression gentling. “Have I repaid my debt, little one?”
“With interest, Jafar,” she whispered.
He turned his head, watching as Mohammid was dragged from the room before turning back to them. “I will once again place myself in your debt then,” he sighed. “Watch out for my sister. Do not allow her to ever return to Saudi Arabia, no matter the messages I send.” Then his face creased painfully. “Convince her.” His gaze turned to Abram. “Convince her of my dedication to the plans Ayid and Aman planted. There are those who spy, who are close to her, and I have not yet identified them. Until I do…” His lips tightened.
“Until then, she will believe you are as you seem,” Abram promised. “And I swear to you, Jafar, she will be protected to the best of my ability.”
Jafar nodded sharply. “There were no others with us tonight,” he finally stated coolly. “We came alone, but for the three that distracted your guards. Allow the one you captured to go free, if you don’t mind.” He gave a mirthless grin. “Had you met with him as he requested, you would have known we were here as well.”
“I will know better next time.” Abram nodded as Jafar moved for the door.
As his cousin left the room, Abram turned to his lover, to the woman he knew he would have died for. Easily. Nothing would have convinced him to allow Azir to so much as breathe her air.
“It’s over,” she whispered.
“No, it has only begun.” He sighed regretfully as his arms tightened around her. “But the danger to you is over. The danger to us is gone.” Then he grimaced. “Khalid.”
She bit her lip, then grinned. “He’ll be pissed.”
“He’ll kill me.”
“He’ll let you live, it just might not be pleasant for a while.” She laughed softly.
“And you, my little hellcat, will be worth every bruise.” His lips lowered to hers.
He had to taste her.
He had to hold her, convince himself she lived and she was unharmed.
Convince himself she was his.
Just as she always had been.
Epilogue
Khalid stared at his sister in confusion, certain he must have taken too many pain pills. Though honestly, he couldn’t remember taking a single one despite the doctor’s and Marty’s insistence that he do so.
Something was wrong though, because it wasn’t possible that he had heard her correctly.
“Excuse me, sweets, but I don’t think I heard you right,” he said with an air of amusement.
It was forced joviality. Something in his gut assured him he hadn’t misheard her in the least; she had said exactly what he thought she had, and she had meant every word of it.
Fuck.
This couldn’t be happening. It just simply couldn’t be real.
He was having a nightmare. That was it, he assured himself. It was a nightmare. It could be nothing else.
His sister glanced behind him, her look directed at his fiancée who stood behind him. And that look was telling.
He wanted to rub at his chest, but damn if he wanted to make her feel guilty. She wouldn’t understand it was his worried heart aching, the heart of a brother who had protected, worried, and looked after her. He still remembered her as the tiny, red-faced, squalling infant who had been laid in his arms when he was no more than ten.
That look, exchanged with Marty, was telling, and it assured him this was in no way a nightmare.
“God,” he muttered. “It’s my birthday, give me a break.”
It was his birthday, and it was his brother Abram’s birthday. Abram and Paige had ensured he would never forget this day or its significance.
Paige smiled then.
“You expected it.” Leaning forward, her arms folded atop her knees, the waves of fiery hair cascaded around her face and gave her a look of youth and innocence.
She could have been fifteen again.
“You’re too young.” He sighed. “I see you, Ellie Paige, and I don’t see a woman.” He was aware of the softness of his voice, the somberness of it. He was aware of the all-consuming regret that his little Ellie Paige, a name he hadn’t used in far too many years, had grown up.
