tight, as if she might be trying not to hit him again. Heâd vote for that. In fact, he should probably be ecstatic that she was heading in the opposite directionof the embassy, that sheâd bought his reasoning that the government would only send them packing stateside. Unfortunately, heâd expectedâno, hoped was more accurateâthat sheâd actually be happy to see him. That her eyes would light up, and maybe sheâd throw her arms around him.
Heâd been jostled around the cargo hold of the C-130 harder than heâd thought.
She looked better than the image his imagination had conjured up. Her auburn hair had grown, and she wore it in a sloppy, curly, tantalizing ponytail. Despite trying to hide her figure inside a pair of baggy cargo pants, a green T-shirt and a canvas jacket, she took his breath away. She still looked like she had the day heâd met herâabout ready to bullet a group of disrespectful teenage boys with gooey tortilla wraps.
Theyâd deserved it. He would have helped her, even. Something about herâthe spark in her eye, the pride in her jaw, the way she turned away, hiding her painâstirred his respect. Of course, he knew the storyâthanks to his pal David Curtiss, one of Maeâs college buddiesâof how sheâd risked her life for her friend Roman and rescued him from a Siberian gulag, and just what it had netted her.
No pension. No job. Stripped of her very identity as a soldier.
Seeing her pain had made him suddenly long to make it all better. To make her smile.
Just another person heâd managed to disappoint.
At least he hadnât gotten her killed.
Yet.
Unfortunately, it might be easier to reason with a rhinoceros than with Mae when she was in this kind of mood.
He dashed to catch up and was on her heel when she whirled. He plowed right into her and had to grab her to keep them both from going over.
She shook out of his grip. Opened her mouth. Closed it. Glared him into a pile of ash.
âStill not using our words, are we?â Chet stepped back and held up his hands. âOkay, Iâll fill in the blanks. Iâm here to help you find your nephew. And the runaway princess.â
For the first time, her expression flickered. He leaped on it.
âYep, I said princess. From a Caucasian tribe. Did you know sheâs pledged to be married in a few days, and guess who ran off with the bride?â
Maeâs expression drained and she rolled her eyesâor perhaps looked heavenward for help. Which he was all for, at the moment.
âThe bottom line is, your nephew is in big trouble, and Iâm here to find him.â He reached into his jacket and pulled out a plane ticket. âAlone. Youâre headed back to the states, Mae.â
Before you get killed.
âIn your wildest dreams, pal.â Mae turned on her heel.
Well, uh, yes, actually. Because in his nightmares she stuck around to get tortured and killed by Akif Bashim.
He grabbed her wrist. âIâll drag you to the airport if I have to.â
She snapped her wrist away. âI never thought Iâd actually be glad to say this, butâ¦youâre not my boss.â
He flinched a little at that. âNo, but I do know this country and what happens when people get caught in the crossfire. Which, if you didnât happen to notice, isexactly whatâs happening in that little hot spot of the world Josh and his girlfriend seem to have gone walk-about in. So, yes, honey, youâre leaving.â
Mae, as if deaf, kept walking.
âOh, nice, Mae.â
She ignored him. And where exactly was she going? He sped up behind her, matching her long strides. âI thought you might be glad to see meâafter all, you called me. â
She stomped along in silence.
âCâmon, Mae, listen to me. I am on your side here, believe it or not. Itâll be better for Josh if you go and let me track him down. I can travel faster,