Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“What the fuck!” Max screeched, but Ed ignored it, paying more attention to the chatter coming from his teammates. West and Charlie were laying down enough suppressing fire to keep Rive and her people pinned in the garage, giving them time to escape. Ed was so tempted to tell them to take care of Rive after how she treated Max, but that wasn’t his call. Max might not give two shits about his sister, yet that didn’t mean he wanted her dead.
Kairo provided directions on where Soren and Alexei were waiting in a getaway car.
“Ed! Put me down! I’m gonna hurl!” Max cried out, his words partly muffled against his back. Max was currently gripping his waist, trying to hold himself up. “I can run!”
He hated to pause even for a second, but he didn’t want to make Max sick. He was also recovering from his injuries. With a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure the coast was clear, Ed stopped and lowered Max to his feet.
The smaller man glared up at him, his face bright red from being trapped upside down. Max smacked him hard on the chest and pointed his finger at him. “That! That’s because I can’t kiss you on a public street.”
“Rain check?” Ed said with a hopeful lilt.
Max’s answering grin was huge. “Definitely.”
He grabbed Max’s hand and pulled him along the street to where Soren and Alexei were waiting. He was so cashing in that rain check when they were safe.
8
MAX SUTTON
The city landscape of Cairo turned into a blur of color and noise. People became nothing more than surprised shouts and obstacles to be navigated in the blink of an eye as they ran from the garage and his sister.
With Ed as his dark, protective shadow, Max ran as fast as he could, heading toward the street corner Ed had given him. He needed to wrack his brain for a second to think of the perfect route that would carry them through even more people. Crowds would keep them safe. Rive’s goons couldn’t attack them if they were in a crowd, right?
He wasn’t entirely sure that logic worked here, but it made it easier to keep ahead of the fear that was nipping at his heels.
After a few twists and turns, Max took them down al-Muizz. The full name was technically al-Muizz li-din Allah al-Fatimi Street, but everyone referred to it as al-Muizz to save time. This historic street was one of the oldest in Cairo, overflowing with markets, shops, mosques, madrassas, and hammams. And that meant lots and lots of people.
The old street was incredibly narrow, which left most tourists feeling claustrophobic, but right now, it was exactly what Max wanted. Crowds were the only way he was going to hide someone of Ed’s size and keep them moving.
Near the south end at Bab al-Futuh was the Tent Makers Market, which was a short street filled with shops that specialized in colorful blankets, cushions, and tents. A good place to hide and very close to where they were supposed to be meeting Soren and Alexei.
Running for his life with Ed was a pleasant distraction from the horrified thoughts that were trying to sneak into the conscious part of his brain. For now, he could feel them banging around in the dark shadows of his mind and simmering on a series of back burners. But that was only going to last for so long. Things were going to bubble over soon.
Max stopped near the end of the street, gasping for air while his heart struggled to catch up. He’d always thought he was in pretty decent shape, what with all his hiking and digging in the desert, but there was nothing like running for your life to uncover the fact that you had zero endurance and stamina built up.
God, he fucking hated running.
What he wouldn’t give to be inside a nice, cool, shadowy tomb right now. He’d even tolerate a couple of scorpions for company.
Ed grabbed his elbow and pointed to the left. “There!”
Max’s eyes followed where he indicated to lock on to an old, beat-up Range Rover with Soren and Alexei in the front seat. Scraping up the last bit of energy he had left, Max jogged the final several meters to where the car was idling. He threw himself into the rear seat, sliding over enough to allow Ed to follow him into the vehicle.
Before the door was even closed, Soren stomped on the gas and they screamed into the flow of traffic, chased by a barrage of angry horns as the man cut off more than a few people.
“What the fuck!” Alexei exhaled.
Max wasn’t entirely sure if it was a question or a statement. Maybe both.
He slumped in his seat, covered his face with both hands, and scrubbed hard. That…that was a fucking mess. How…how had his sister even found him? Had she always known where he was?