THIS WAS ALL WRONG. It couldn't be happening.Vara was prepared for the Russians to go after her. She'd known she was at risk from both the Syrian government and rebel groups should anyone connect her to the CIA.The last thing she'd expected was for her own people-other Americans-to turn on her.She stared across the truck at Wyatt, who wouldn't look at her. Because he knew he was a traitor? If not to his country then to her. The person who'd gone to bat for him, who'd given him a job who'd been on his side. What was that worth these days? Clearly nothing.The truck came to a stop inside Rafat's warehouse and both she and Alec were guided out to stand in the loading area at the very back of the building up against a wall. Rafat's other men drew away from them, giving them a wide berth."What the hell?" Vara whispered, still staring at Wyatt.Wyatt continued to look elsewhere. At Alec. At Rafat's men. His gun. He finally glanced down the long hall that led toward Rafat's ground f
ALEC WAS WILLING TO bet that not all of Vara's latest recruits were honest about their training. Not a one had searched them or divested them of weapons, save for their guns. They hadn't checked Vara's bag or made more than a cursory search of their captives. If they were soldiers worth their salt, they'd know a trained man was far more dangerous than a bullet.Rafat Nour's people were even less careful.The thing not on Alec's side in the current confrontation were numbers.Four on two weren't good odds, but Alec was willing to bet that he and Vara were better trained than these kids for exactly this scenario. He didn't know if he could rely on Jules to play along. After so many years in captivity, what did they really know about her? Would she cave from fear? Or did she want her freedom as bad as Alec and Vara?Alec needed the four guys to divide their attention, and he needed his hands free.He took a few steps away from Vara. He'd need room to work and the further apart they w
VARA GRIPPED THE WHEEL, grateful for these moments alone. She'd always known an end was coming. She wasn't going to live in Syria. This wasn't her home. But she hadn't been prepared to leave. There were people who depended on her routes for medicine and goods at a fair price.Where would they get what they needed from now on?What about the women Vara helped? The ones she got to safety? Who would help them?Wyatt's betrayal hurt, but not as bad as she'd expected it might. Deep down she'd always known she could never fully trust the men she employed. Today only proved that her gut was right."Fuck, fuck, fuck," she muttered under her breath.Her men.She needed to call her other team still in Lebanon.Vara pulled out the phone she'd slipped from their captive before Alec had booted him out the truck. She dialed the number by memory and pressed it to her ear.It rang several times."Hello?" a man answered."It's Vara." Her voice was cold. She had to be."Hey, boss lady." The m
VARA HOBBLED OFF THE plane, the bag with Djinn's package clutched to her chest. Vara's limbs and muscles protested the movement after being tensed for so long as she held on for dear life. That flight would go down in history as one of the worst she could remember.Alec was already at the passenger seat, helping Jules stretch her legs. If Vara was in bad shape Jules had to be in agony.A hand grasped Vara's sleeve.She turned toward the woman she'd only known as Djinn.The woman was so petite she swam in her clothes. Her hijab framed her face in a way that she seemed to be all eyes and frowns. But that appearance hid a sharp intellect and when she opened her mouth Vara knew Djinn wasn't Syrian born even if that was her heritage. Djinn was American."Hey," Vara said. Was she finally speaking to her?"You got it out?" Djinn stared at the bag clutched to Vara's side."Yes. It's safe." Vara patted the bag."Good. Their reach is farther than I realized. If you have to, destroy it. D
They continued their circuit of the grounds. Vara found herself drifting away from him then toward him as her insides warred.So what if he'd been her first love? That didn't mean he'd be the only man she cared for. She was still young and had never truly given a man besides him a chance at winning her heart."Vara? Hey, will you stop a second?" Alec paused on the north side of the hangar where the wind wasn't as harsh."Hm?""When this is over do you think we could talk?""There isn't anything to talk about." The surge of panic was completely uncalled for, but there it was."I think there is." Alec took a step closer to her. "You kissed me back.""Heat of the moment. Adrenaline. Don't make it out to be anything other than what it was." Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and sweat broke out along her spine and brow. Yeah she could taste the lie."Is that what you want it to be?" Alec stopped so close she thought she could smell the spices from their food on him."If it'
KOLYA SOKOLOV BELIEVED IN handling problems with a personal touch. He hadn't climbed his way to the top of the food chain by allowing others to carry out his commands while he sat behind a desk.The car came to a stop in the yard for Nour Delivery Service. Ivan, one of Kolya's more trusted enforcers, stepped forward and opened the car door for Kolya. He set his feet on the gravel and stood, breathing in the smell of dirt, grease and blood."How many do we have?" Kolya asked."Three dozen are inside, plus the team we told you about. We had to kill fifteen before they stopped fighting," Ivan said."Take me to them."Kolya's man nodded then gestured toward a distant door. Kolya followed, glancing over the trucks and facilities. Rafat Nour was a dinosaur. His way of business was dying out. Kolya had extended an offer to work together. With Rafat's infrastructure and Kolya's resources they could be the true power here, but Rafat wasn't a team player. Kolya understood. Neither was he.
ALEC DIDN'T DRAW AN easy breath until they made it to the hotel in Beirut. Even then he was a little apprehensive about their presence. Aegis Group's policy was to avoided the country whenever possible ever since they'd lost a man here in one shitty situation. It had put them at odds with many government officials. The sooner Alec and Vara got Jules out of here, the better."Is this necessary?" Vara sighed."He knows what he's doing," Jules said.Alec continued his careful search of Jules' hotel room. He felt under the bed, opened every drawer, examined the fixtures and windows. Only when he was satisfied did he glance at the two women."Being careful saves lives. You're good, Jules. Want a hand with anything?" Alec pushed to his feet."Close those curtains? I want to lie down." The weariness was back in Jules' voice."Don't you want a shower first?" Vara asked."Yes, but these old bones need to lie flat and rest. I'll shower before we leave.""I'll leave you ladies to it." Ale
Adult Vara was going to be a hell of a lot of fun. He watched her step into the tub and pull the curtain back. Only then did the ability to breathe return to him. He sucked down the humid air, more focused than ever on his goals. On Vara and what they could be if she'd give them a second chance.Alec shucked the rest of his clothes in record time. He pulled the curtain back just enough to step in. Vara stood facing him, her face tipped up to the shower head. Her dark hair was slicked to her shoulders and chest like some kind of silky cape. Her nipples poked through the tendrils, dusky brown discs against her olive skin.God damn she was beautiful.And he wasn't going to pounce on her. Not yet.He grabbed the tiny bottle of hotel soap and squirted most of it in his hands while she watched."Going to scrub my back?" she asked."Yup." And the rest of her.She pivoted, and he slicked the soap over her skin then down her arms. She leaned back against him and he stroked her stomach th