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Finding a clear path, they headed behind a row of tents to circumvent the action taking place. From what he could hear, Talib’s team had everything well in hand. Movement to his right had him pausing and his brother wavered where he stood.
“Here. Let me help.” Chloe wrapped her arm around his brother’s waist, and he leaned on her shoulder. Gesturing to the gun Trent held, she said, “Your hands are full. I’ve got Travis.”
Together they worked their way back toward where they’d left their vehicles, but sweat crawled down Trent’s back. Something was wrong. There was static on the comms and no one was responding. Around the corner, they came upon two bodies. One looked to be one of Talib’s team and the other a refugee. Trent dropped to check their pulses. They were dead.
They could hear someone running, and Trent gestured for them to take cover, but it was too late. A man rounded the corner and came to a stop. It was Al Shabib. He looked at the brothers, frowning.
Pointing his gun at him, Trent called out. “It’s over Al Shabib. Surrender now and perhaps the sheikh will go easy on you.”
At that, Al Shabib sneered. “I do not recognize his power.” Lifting his arm, he pointed his gun toward Chloe and Travis. Trent didn’t hesitate. He pulled the trigger twice, hitting the man in the chest.
Things shifted into slow motion from there. Before he could confirm that Al Shabib was dead, Chloe screamed. Whirling around, gun raised, he saw that the limo driver, who must have come around behind them, had one arm wrapped around Chloe’s neck and was pointing his gun at Travis, who sat there with his hands raised.
Chloe was struggling against the man, attempting to kick and claw at him, but he tightened his hold on her neck, and she became frantic. The way he was positioned, Trent didn’t have a clear shot.
“If you kill her, I will shoot you,” he told the man.
The driver loosened his hold on her neck, and she drew in gasping breaths. In a flash, Chloe whirled around to face him, reaching for her head and grabbing something. Her hair tumbled down her back. Swinging her arm up, she stabbed at the driver. He cried out and shoved her back and she dove for Travis, using her body to protect his even though he was the one wearing the vest. The driver struggled, pulling something away from his face, and then he tossed a bloody pen to the ground. Before he could raise his gun, Trent shot him. One to the head and another to the chest. The look of surprise on the driver’s face, under other circumstances, might have been comical.
Grabbing the guns, Trent handed one to his brother, and Chloe held out her hand for the other. When he held back, she frowned at him.
“I’m from Wyoming. I probably learned how to use a gun while you were still playing video games.” Travis snorted and then groaned, and Trent handed over the other gun.
The trio carefully made their way back to the rendezvous point, coming across more bodies as they did. Trent kept checking on Chloe, but she had a determined look on her face as she helped support Travis.
Suddenly their comms came to life with a crackle, and Trent winced at the noise in his ear before Slade barked out, “Everyone check in!” Various voices called out, and Trent was happy to hear both PJ and Talib.
“I have Travis and Chloe. Have EMT on standby.”
“Copy that,” Slade replied. “We’ll come to you.”
More footsteps came their way, and all three held up their guns as though they were about to replay the final scene fromButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. But it was Slade and PJ. They grabbed Travis and hustled back to their vehicles where a medic waited for them.
While Travis and Chloe were checked out, Trent told Slade where to find the bodies of Al Shabib and the driver, as well as the other two casualties, and Talib sent men over to retrieve the dead.
Finally finished with his report and unable to stand it any longer, he rushed over to Chloe, who was wrapped in a blanket and drinking some water.
She didn’t look so good. “Chloe?” Her eyes became glassy, and her fingers slowly loosened on the bottle. He grabbed it before she dropped it. “Chloe?” Looking frantically at the medic, “Something’s wrong. Help her!”
* * *
Chloe stretched and then froze, slowly waking up. Where was she? The bed she was in was unbelievably comfortable with the exception of the heavy weight across her torso. Was she restrained? Opening her eyes, she squinted in the gloom, taking in all the dark shapes. A grunt from beside her had her rolling over to face a sleeping Trent. At least, she thought it was Trent.
Reaching out, she lightly touched his forehead, checking for a scar.
“What are you doing?” Trent’s rumble made her stomach do all sorts of flippy flops.
“Making sure you’re you.” Satisfied that his forehead was clear, she leaned toward him, brushing her lips across his, much like she had the last time she saw him. Except this time when he deepened the kiss, she let him and matched the intensity of his kiss with her own.
Reluctantly, Trent pulled away. “Slade wants to meet first thing in the morning. We should get some sleep.”
Chloe rubbed her hand over his chest. “I’m suddenly not very sleepy. And where are we? What happened?”
Trent rolled over, sliding his knee between her legs and pressing against her. He leaned over her and began to kiss her. As he worked his way slowly around her face with feather-light kisses, Chloe’s eyes fluttered closed.
“We’re in the guest quarters at the palace. The remaining bad guys were rounded up at the camp and they were quick to talk, so Talib sent security out to round up the remaining people. You passed out at the camp, which scared me, so don’t ever do that again.”
“I did? I don’t remember passing out.”
