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)
“That’s a bullshit answer,” Graham fired back, his brow knitting.
“It’s a bullshit situation.” That was putting it lightly. “They’re hoping to get clearance today, but until they open the runways and clear them of people, there’s almost no chance of anyone getting out.”
“Almost?” He glanced sideways at me.
“We’re not exactly the only US company here.” I folded my arms across my chest and memorized her face all over again, taking note of the purple shadows beneath her eyes.
“Ahh.” Graham nodded, catching my meaning. “Gotcha. Does she know about her sister?”
I shook my head, my stomach sinking. “No. And she’s not going to.”
“You’re not going to tell her about the checkpoints? About the bullet holes in reporters?” Graham lifted his brows, his dark eyes flaring.
“No.” I swallowed the lump in my throat that seemed to have taken up residence there since Izzy arrived in country. “She’ll never get on the plane if she knows that there’s a high chance Serena won’t.”
And as of an hour ago, I couldn’t even strap Izzy into her seat. I just had to pray and trust that she’d walk onto the plane.
We’d been reassigned.
Izzy shifted, her eyes fluttering open and finding mine within seconds. She’d always had an uncanny sense of where I was. My ribs felt so tight I half expected them to break from the ache in my chest.
She sat up slowly, her loose braid sliding over her shoulder, but she didn’t smile. Whatever was on my face had given me away, and she knew something was up.
How the fuck was I supposed to do this?
“Five minutes?” Graham asked.
“Ten,” Torres said from behind us.
“Ten,” I agreed. Ten would never be enough, but it was all we had.
Graham slapped me on the back and walked away, headed toward our assembly area.
I stood there, my eyes locked with hers, struggling to find the words. Wrong. Leaving her felt wrong in every cell of my body, and yet there was exactly jack and shit I could do about it. Orders were orders.
I was getting sick of being put into a position where she could never be mine, when she already was in every way that mattered.
I walked toward Izzy as she stood, her face solemn.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Putting my hand on her lower back, I guided her to the corner, where I could block her body from the view of embassy workers in hopes of just a few minutes of privacy.
“I have to go.” Every word shredded part of my soul.
Her lips parted. “Okay. When will you be back?”
“I won’t.”
Her deep-brown eyes flew wide.
“We’ve been reassigned. There are—” I swallowed. “There are places we need to be and things we need to be doing.” Even if I could tell her what I was about to head into, I wouldn’t. The worry would kill her.
Everything about the next few hours could alter the rest of Izzy’s life.
“Oh.” Her shoulders fell. “That’s understandable. I’m as safe as I can be, and your skills are definitely wasted by hanging out in the airport.” She looked up at me, forcing a smile I’d seen far too many times over the last decade. She gave it to me every time I had to leave.
“Listen to me carefully.” I took her shoulders in my hands. “At three o’clock, someone is going to come get you. He’s got a medium build, gray beard, and he’ll know how we met. He’s not going to have my charming wit, but he is going to put you on a plane out of here.”
Her brow knit. “Nate, no planes are getting out of here.”
“Even if that’s true, this one will. Company planes tend to go wherever they want whenever they want. He’ll get you stateside.” My hand slid to cup the side of her neck. Her skin was so soft.
She blinked. “And they have room for me?”
“You’re a congressional aide. Trust me, they have a vested interest in you getting home as quietly as possible.” Izzy was a PR nightmare just waiting to happen.
“And Serena?” The hope in her eyes gutted me.
“He has a seat for Serena. Taj too.” It had taken calling in every favor I’d ever earned, but her safety was all that mattered. “If your sister isn’t back by three o’clock, you have to get on the plane anyway.” I looked deep into her eyes, willing her to agree, to be pliable for once in her damned life.
Her chin drew back as she opened her mouth, and I slid my hand across her chin, running my thumb across her soft lips.
“Please, Izzy. You have to go. It’s going to be the hardest thing you’ll ever do. But you have to get on the plane.” I leaned down so our faces were only inches apart and cradled the back of her head. “Eventually the airport will be surrendered, and I won’t be here for you. You have to get out of here. I need you to get out of here.”