by Julia Bright
“He deserves to die,” she whispered close to Brick's ear.
“Who?”
“The man who-who ordered the attack that killed my brother and father.”
Brick was silent for a moment, long enough for her to lean back and look into his eyes.
“Who is he,” Brick said through gritted teeth.
“The one next to the guy in red. He's not facing us, but you can see his smug little profile. I hate him. He needs to die.”
“How do you know he's the one who killed your father and brother?”
She blew out a breath then grunted. “Trust me, I know. I searched and found this bastard.”
“How?”
“Computer. It wasn't hard after I figured out where they hung out and gained their trust.”
“What is his name?” Adam demanded.
“This isn't helping. I need to—”
“His name?”
“Abdul Basir Zaeim. They call him the Desert Snake.”
Brick stilled, his eyes narrowed. His muscles tensed under her palms. He glanced at her then back to the room.
“You should go back to the hotel,” he said.
“No, I have—”
“I'll take care of him.”
Adam took a step away from her, but she put her hand on his arm, stopping him. “I want to be the one to kill him.”
“If you go in there, they'll know something is wrong. I'll kill this guy for you.”
“What? Why?” she asked in a hushed whisper.
“Get out of town in the morning. Don't wait for me if I don't make it back.”
He turned, and she had to forcibly stop him. “Don't you want the poison?”
He blinked at her a few times then shook his head. “Poison?”
She held out her wrist and removed the leather band holding the vial. “One drop is enough to kill. I have a half ounce. He'll be dead once it touches his lips.”
Brick took the vial then leaned in, his lips brushing over hers before he stepped away. She touched her lips and wondered what had just happened. Was Brick going in there to kill her enemy? Fear of messing up had consumed her. Now this man she hardly even knew was going to commit murder for her? How in the world had this happened?
10
Adam stepped in through the back door and headed to the food prep area. A guy working at a counter asked him a question in Arabic. He had to adjust his hearing to the dialect, but he understood most everything asked.
“Samir asked me to cover.” Adam knew the likelihood of someone being named Samir was high. It was only the second most popular name in the region. His Arabic may have seemed a little stilted to the guy, but the man said nothing, just pointed to the water in the corner.
Adam picked up a pitcher and moved to the dining room to pour drinks. He looked around for the entrance to the private dining area and found it on the far side of the room. There wasn't a guard, so this terrorist filth must have thought they were secure meeting in this location. He headed towards the room, but a man who wanted coffee stopped him. He smiled and said he would make the coffee after pouring more water. Another waiter came by and took his water, giving him a free hand to grab the coffee.
Fucking assholes trying to derail him. If he'd had this planned better, he would have given himself enough time to get in and deliver the poison. But he hadn't anticipated this because he hadn't known what his little angel was doing. If he'd known she'd been coming over to kill someone, he would have said no, but knowing it was The Desert Snake, the same man who'd ordered hits against his unit, killing his buddies and Jenkins, he would have come in a heartbeat. He wished Kel had trusted him. But why should she? She didn't know he needed Abdul Basir Zaeim dead like she did. Kel had no clue what Zaeim was about. Zaeim had destroyed so many lives with his actions, and not just US military lives. He'd set off many bombs against his own people, killing indiscriminately.
Adam delivered the coffee and went to look in the private dining room, seeing that Zaeim wasn't there. Panic set in for a second. Then he thought maybe the man had gone to the bathroom. Adam headed down a hall, pushing open the door to find Zaeim standing at the sink, washing his hands.
This was the perfect opportunity. It was like Zaeim had been placed before him by fate. Adam flipped the deadbolt on the bathroom door. Zaeim glanced up just as Adam moved in close. He caught the man around the neck then covered his mouth with his other hand, keeping Zaeim from making too much noise. They were at the back of the restaurant, close to the noisy kitchen. No one would hear them, but someone would come looking for Zaeim soon.
“You killed my friends. You destroyed my family. You destroyed Angel's family. Now, I'll take your life.”
He didn't have time for the poison. Instead, he gave Zaeim's head a little twist and ended his life.
The mirror had shown Adam Zaeim's smug smile that turned to terror as Adam had positioned his hands. The man had known before he died that his life would be over. That bit of panic he witnessed was satisfaction enough.
Adam moved Zaeim to the toilet stall and pushed him to the corner. Now he had to escape and leave the restaurant without causing a scene. His heart was beating fast because unlike most operations in the military, Adam had no plan for escape. Even when their plans failed, he had little doubt they'd figure a way out, but this was all on him. Sure, Kel had tickets for them on a ferry leaving in the morning but getting back to the hotel was the issue.
He left the bathroom and picked up more water. He poured water for two people before moving to the kitchen. The cook called out to him, but Adam picked up a box, saying he needed to toss it in the trash. The cook wasn't happy, but Adam didn't care.
He raced out the kitchen, right into Kel. “What the hell are you still doing here?”
“I was worried about you,” she said.
Adam grabbed her hand and led her to the street and away from the restaurant. They twisted through alleys and down paths, working their way back to the hotel.
Before they entered, he spied a café that was still open. He ducked in with Kel and bought two sandwiches and a piece of pie.
His heart pounded, and his mind spun. The fear that someone had followed wound through him. What if they were caught? He'd killed a man in Algeria. They had the death penalty. No question, he'd be put to death for this crime. But it had been worth the risk to see the fear in Abdul Basir Zaeim's eyes before he died.
He shut the door, and Angel turned to face him, her eyes wide. “Oh God, what happened?”
He shook his head and moved in close, his lips at her ears. “Don't talk about it here. We don't know if they are listening. Just act normal. We'll discuss once we're home.”
She nodded then stepped away. Adam caught her hand and pulled her close again.
“I know you'll probably say no, but after that, we're sleeping in the same room.”
She tried to respond, but he gave his head a sharp shake and grunted, cutting off her complaints.
“If they come for us, we'll need to be together for a faster escape. What time is the ferry?”
“Noon.”
“Crap, that late?”
“It was the only ferry I could arrange tomorrow.”
He scrubbed his hand over his face, worry exploding. They were trapped in Algiers for twelve more hours, and anything could happen.
Angel met his gaze, her lips trembling. It was clear she wanted to ask questions, but he shook his head, telling her no talking. She closed her eyes and her face crumpled. His heart squeezed. He couldn't bear her suffering and pulled her into his arms. Her fingers twisted in his shirt, clutching him like he was a lifeline and perhaps he was.
Though he hadn't been able to do it through normal channels, he'd gotten back at the man who'd caused so much destruction. How Angel had found Zaeim and acted, killing him when the US government couldn't touch the terrorist was a mystery to him. Once they got back to her place, he'd ask her to reveal her secrets. Could they trace Zaeim's death to her?
&n
bsp; Holy hell, she'd put him in the position to kill a key terrorist. He'd done it. He'd chopped off the head of the Desert Snake so to speak.
His heart sped up. He was about to say something when the unmistakable squelch of sirens sounded. They both stilled, neither of them breathing until the sirens passed.
She blew out a breath, and he let her go. He wanted to celebrate, but there'd be time for that later. Right now, they needed to concentrate on getting out of here alive.
“We need to eat,” he said.
Kel shook her head. “I don't think I can.”
He stared into her face, searching her eyes. “You can. We must stay alert, and part of keeping alert is feeding our bodies.”
She sighed then moved away from him to the table in the corner. They watched the streets below. Neither of them spoke as they ate. Angel got down about half her sandwich before she pushed it away. He ate his then started in on the pie. She tried a bite but did little other than play with her fork.
She glanced up at him, the questions clear on her face. He reached out and took her hand. She didn't pull away which surprised him.
Her fingers were cold, her eyes wild. She had no training for operations like this. He could only imagine how conflicted she felt. Few civilians were ready to take a life.
Sometimes, when he was lying in bed alone, he thought about the people who had died by his actions. He'd killed because he'd been told to. He didn't see a problem with what he'd done. Killing Zaeim had been different. No one told him to kill the guy. When he'd heard it was the bastard who had been behind the bomb that had killed Jenkins, he'd acted without even thinking. The man deserved to die.
What would Angel had done if she'd had to deliver the poison? Would she have been able to do it?
He pulled the vial out of his pocket. “This?”
She shrugged and whispered. “I'll hide it in my perfume again.”
He leaned in and talked low. “Are you sure you want to keep traveling with it? We could dispose of the stuff.”
“How?”
“What is it?”
She glanced around before moving so her lips were next to his ear. “Cyanide. I guess you could pour it in the planter on the balcony.”
He shook his head. “No, that would be a bad idea. If they find a high concentration in this room, they'll suspect one of us. We can dispose of it in the morning. We can't travel with it. I'll pour it out somewhere safe then toss the bottle somewhere else after I wipe it.”
She sat back and her lips twisted into a pinched grimace. “It's dangerous stuff.”
“I know.” He leaned in closer. “I'm not sure how you got hold of this, but it led us here. What happened was a good thing. I'm happy.”
“So am I.”
“Let's go to bed. We’ve had a long day.”
She swallowed hard, her gaze cutting away. “Are you sure you need to sleep in there?”
“Yes. Go clean up, and I'll be in there in just a few.”
She nodded and stepped away. He'd done it, Zaeim was dead. Cars traveled on the streets below and somewhere was a group of very pissed off men hoping they could find a person to blame the death of a terrorist on. He'd seen it in Afghanistan and in other war zones. The sins of friends were forgiven as people searched for revenge.
He took a long time to drift off. In the morning, he woke early and went out to find food. He stopped by a store that sold scissors and then a place that sold razors and other shaving supplies.
Before he headed to the bathroom, he checked on Angel, seeing she was still asleep. He pulled out the scissors and chopped away at his beard. It was odd getting rid of the face fuzz. Maybe his facial hair didn't matter, and no one would look for him, but he couldn't chance it. If the police were looking for a big guy with a scraggly beard, he didn't want to be on their radar.
Maybe he was overreacting, and no one was looking for him at all. Killing Zaeim had rid the world of some prime filth. Perhaps the cops were happy about him taking out the trash.
When he finished chopping, he shaved. The first swipe of the razor made him ache. But he had to keep going. The beard would grow back but being executed in Algeria was permanent.
After his shower, he headed to the den and ate one of the breakfast dishes he'd bought. The city seemed quiet, and he wanted to look up information, but he didn't dare risk the possible attention if the hotel was tracking his internet searches.
The door to Angel's bedroom cracked open. She stepped out, stopping short when she met his gaze. He stood and moved to her, pulling her into a hug. She leaned back then reached up, smoothing her fingers over his cheek. No way had she meant that sexually, but her touch turned him on. If only he could take her back to bed. No way would she fall for any lines he tossed her way. Plus, they didn't have time for him to do everything he wanted to do with her.
“Have you heard anything?”
Her question threw him. He paused before answering. “No.”
“We should pack and get out of here. We can stop on the way for coffee. Maybe there's a café where you can find a paper or listen in to the conversation.”
He lifted his brows, and she rolled her eyes. “What?” he asked.
“I was there, just outside the door. I heard you.”
A soft chuckle escaped his lips. “So I understand a little. The Algerian way of speaking is a little different.”
“But you understand, right?”
He nodded before he stepped away. “Get your stuff together, and we'll head out.”
“I need a shower. I'll be quick.”
For a second, he thought about telling her they didn't have time, but she was already in the bathroom, and it might be a while before they had a chance to shower again. He made sure they'd packed away their items before he thought about disposing of the poison. If he picked the wrong place, it could all blow up in their faces.
The shower turned off, and he turned to stare at the bedroom door. She was there, naked and wet. Fuck, he needed to get a grip on his lust. She may be beautiful, but she wasn't his. Sure, they'd spent a wonderful night together, but that didn't give him permission to have sex with her again. The desire had to be the relief of the mission they'd completed. Taking down a huge terrorist had him worked up.
They checked out of the hotel and headed to a café on the way towards the airport. They stepped in and smelled the delicious scent of chocolate that mixed with coffee. It smelled great, and they both moaned.
“That food smells amazing,” Angel said.
“It does. I want to know what it is.”
They moved to the counter, and he ordered a Turkish coffee, and she asked for an Americano. He looked in the display case and decided the delicious scent had to be from the donuts coated in chocolate. He ordered one and a plate of bread and hummus for them to snack on.
They sat, but Angel's agitation showed. He reached out and took her hand. “Angel, it'll be okay.”
“Angel?”
“Um, that's what I think when I look at you. I've tried Kel, but it doesn't work.”
She rolled her eyes. He leaned in, wishing he could kiss her, but this wasn't the US, and their behavior had to be different here.
“I don't think I like you thinking of me as Angel. I don't feel like an Angel. It's not an appropriate name for me.”
He took a sip of his coffee, loving the dark, smooth flavor. “Well, actually, it is very appropriate for you.”
Two men came over and sat close. Angel ducked her head and sipped her coffee. He cut the donut treat in half and took a bite.
“It's good,” he said after swallowing his food.
She took a bite and nodded though she looked a little frightened. The men were talking too fast, their dialect a little foreign. He tried listening, but he didn't catch much of what they said.
They finished the hummus and coffee just as it was about time to head to the ferry terminal. The taxi ride went fast. He couldn't wait to leave Algeria, but he wouldn't feel safe until they were
home in Wyoming.
11
Kelsey couldn’t relax until they were off the ferry. Her hands were damp, her stomach in knots. Adam tried to get her to calm down, but nothing helped, not his words or his actions.
The ferry ride took almost a full day, but once on land in France, she breathed easier. Adam seemed to breathe a little easier too. She still wasn't comfortable searching for information, not on her unsecured burner phone so she had no idea what was being said in the chat rooms and forums she had infiltrated.
The truth hadn't registered in her mind, and she had to keep reminding herself they’d done it. They’d actually killed the desert snake.
Would her dad and brother be proud of her or disappointed? Was she just as bad as the man she'd killed? She didn't think so. She knew Adam wasn't bad. He couldn't be. He'd saved her from certain failure, stepping in when she wasn't sure if she could go through with her plans. Surely, she would have died, and that bastard would still be alive. While Adam had been in the restaurant, she'd noticed that place had no female workers. They would have known she shouldn't be there.
She shook off the thought and checked the time. They had two hours before their flight, which was enough time to head to the airport and check-in. At some point, Adam got rid of the poison, but she wasn't sure when.
As they checked in at the airport, going through security, she was held back for a moment as the person running the scanner asked her to step aside for more screening. If she'd had the poison with her, she would freak out, but she forced herself to calm because here in France, she had done nothing wrong.
A woman came over, her lips were down in a frown, she asked Kelsey to turn around twice and lift her arms. Whatever the reason they wanted her to stop they didn't say, and then they let her go like everyone else. Adam had been waiting for her, and she shrugged as she approached.
“I didn't like that,” he said.
“Neither did I. Why do you think they asked me to stop?”