Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115997 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115997 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
She nodded.
“Good, then we’re done here.” I hit the button and ended the call.
“What are you going to do?” Izzy asked as I closed Barech’s file and picked it up.
“I’m going to solve the one problem I can.” I carried the file to the door and opened it, finding Graham, Parker, and Elston already waiting. “Get this to Apex,” I told Elston, referring to Webb’s call sign as I handed the redhead the file, “and tell him that we need him to wake up the general for a letter of recommend.”
“Will do.” He took the file and disappeared down the hallway.
“Sergeant Black.” I looked at our medic. “I need the status of every checkpoint between here and Mazar-i-Sharif, and which ones are going to let an American photojournalist through without needing . . . convincing.”
“On it.” He nodded once and took off in the same direction Elston had taken.
“Sergeant Gray, find someone who can get a dependable cell phone into Serena Astor’s hands.” It was worth a try.
“You got it.” He went the opposite direction, leaving the hallway empty despite the mayhem going on below us.
Awareness skittered up my arms as I backed into Izzy’s room and shut the door.
“What’s wrong?” Izzy asked, smoothing the lines of her wrap-style blouse as she stood. It was emerald green and brought out the depth in her eyes, but I kept that observation to myself.
“This five minutes?” We were on day nine. We were officially tied for the most consecutive days we’d spent together. “Nothing.”
“And that’s worrisome to you.” She walked barefoot to the kitchenette and pulled two bottles of water from the fridge, then threw one at me. I caught it. Had to admit, I kind of loved it that she always thought of me, even when she was pissed at me. “I can tell, because you have that pinched look right here.” She touched the spot between her brows. “It’s your tell.”
“I don’t have a tell. They beat it out of me years ago.” I twisted the top and took a drink to keep my eyes off the sight of her throat working. What was it about her neck that had me nearly feral?
“Hmm.” She set her bottle down on the counter. “Well, I guess I know you better than they do. Now what’s wrong? You know, besides the obvious.”
“You mean the fact that you seem to have chosen Kabul as your place of residence during a military overthrow of the government?” I put my own bottle down and walked into the center of the suite so I wouldn’t do something stupid like lift her to that counter and kiss her until she remembered that she’d loved me at one time.
“Yeah. Other than that.” She perched her ass on the arm of the sofa.
“I have a feeling.” I shrugged.
“Oh, we’ve moved on to discussing feelings? Look how much we’ve matured.” A smirk tugged at her lips.
The remark, though clearly teasing, hit a nerve. “From what I remember, I was the one completely open with my feelings the last time we met.”
“And from what I remember, you were the one who asked me to ignore our history so we could both get our jobs done here.” She stretched her legs out and crossed her ankles.
“Yeah, well, that’s getting more difficult by the hour,” I admitted, refusing to look at the way her pants hugged her hips, her thighs. “We’re in the calm before the storm,” I told her as I crossed the room to look through the windows into the courtyard below. There was nothing peaceful or artistic about it now. It had been turned into a corral, another waiting room, with a winding line of desperate people.
I turned to face her, preparing myself for the coming fight. “This place is about to blow, Iz. You can’t stay.”
“I don’t see you leaving,” she said casually over her shoulder.
“We are not the same.”
“Well aware.” She looked away.
“The senator has given permission for you to stay insofar that we can assure your safety and get you out.” I moved, putting myself in her line of sight. The glare she gave me made me wish I were wearing my Kevlar. “Iz, it’s getting uncomfortably close to pushing that limit. I’ve seen the maps. By tomorrow, Kabul is going to be the only exit point from this country.”
She took a shaky breath and straightened her shoulders. “Then it’s a good thing we’re already here, isn’t it? I’m not leaving without my sister.”
My jaw flexed. “I’m doing everything I can to get Serena out, but my orders are for you. And when the time comes, I will put your ass on a plane whether or not you tell me you’re ready to leave.”
“What are you going to do, Nate?” She stood, folding her arms. “Throw me over your shoulder and carry me kicking and screaming?”