them.”
Wrapping her arms around her chest, Marty dipped her head for a long moment as a sense of helplessness seemed to steal over her. “I think leaving the Bureau is best,” she finally said. “They can’t watch over me like a mother hen if I’m not there. And I doubt Braque Sawyers will give a damn what my fathers want when it comes to the assignments I get.”
Braque’s private security and investigation firm was a multinational enterprise. Marty knew for a fact that Braque wouldn’t consider the salary she was demanding if there was a chance of giving in to the FBI director’s controlling impulses where Marty was concerned. Nor would he give in to Khalid’s.
“You’re growing up,” Virginia stated sadly. “Just remember, Marty, they love you. They love us.”
“And I love them, Mom.” She sighed. “But if I’m going to keep loving them, then I need to get the hell away from them.”
“And Khalid?” Virginia asked. “Do you need to get away from him as well?”
Did she? “I rather hope he’s trainable.” Marty groaned; she knew the chances of that were slim to none. Well, slim actually wasn’t in the equation.
She doubted very seriously that Khalid was trainable in the least. If her mother’s skeptical look was anything to go by, then she doubted it as well.
Marty’s lips quirked with a bit of mocking amusement as she fought back a rueful laugh. Her mother didn’t bother to fight back her own amusement, nor her laughter. They both knew exactly the battle Marty was facing.
She reached for her mother, gave her a tight hug, then moved toward the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Mom.”
“Do that,” her mother commanded gently. “After all, I cut short sun, fun, and sand to come home and try to control your fathers for you. I, at least, deserve a call, as well as a few luncheons and a day of shopping.”
Marty groaned as she left the house and closed the door behind her. She hated luncheons and shopping days with her mother. They wore her out.
Ignoring the two men awaiting her, she moved down the steps and strode purposefully to her father’s black Jaguar, which was parked at the side of the circular drive.
She was aware of them getting into the limo, just as she was aware of the limo following her every step of the way as she headed home.
She was aggravated, tired, and holding on to her temper by a thread. Dealing with not one but two impossibly arrogant men wasn’t her idea of a fun night tonight. But it appeared it wasn’t something she was going to get out of, either.
13
Khalid watched the taillights of Joe Mathews’s car as it sped through Alexandria’s sparse, late-evening traffic. From his position in the back of the limousine, facing forward, he kept his gaze centered on those lights and the woman heading away from Joe’s home and to her own.
Shayne sat in the opposite seat, his back supported by the corner, his gaze shuttered as he watched Khalid.
There was much about his past that this man had been privy to, Khalid knew. At a time when Khalid had felt invincible, indestructible, Shayne had been on the fringes of his life.
As a deep-cover agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Khalid had worked with Shayne in the border area of Saudi Arabia and Iraq several times. Shayne had been the CIA agent in the area. They had exchanged information several times, worked together, and fought to identify terrorists and uncover the various plots to strike against America and its allies.
Until that last brutal, bloody day. Until Khalid had realized that nothing was sacred, and that no one lived forever.
“We should have never taken her onto the club grounds,” Shayne said thoughtfully. “I knew she wouldn’t stay put. I think you knew it as well.”
Khalid shot him a withering look. “You believe I wanted to deal with this tonight? To have the woman I am trying to convince to move into my bed see that I am still conspiring with her fathers behind her back?”
He couldn’t believe something so insane could have passed the other man’s lips. They had endangered their own memberships by allowing her the chance to slip into the club. The only assurance they had that there would be no repercussions was the fact that both Joe and Zach were on the judicial committee that oversaw possible punishment for such offenses.
“What better way to drive her out of your life?” Shayne asked, as the limo made a turn onto the residential street where Marty’s apartment was located.
Khalid’s lips curled in disgust at the observation.
“It would be no hardship to choose another third, Shayne,” he informed the other man sharply.
Shayne’s expression never changed. The amused condescension was firmly in place.
“Try choosing one who will put up with your demands as I do,” Shayne laughed, as he lifted the fingers on one hand and began counting. “Forget about her heart. Don’t touch her unless you’re present. You’re to know every move she makes. He shook his head. “Hell, I know there’s more, but it’s beginning to piss me off.”
The limo came to a stop on the street in front of Marty’s apartment, just behind her father’s car.
“Wait here, Abdul,” Khalid ordered without deigning to acknowledge Shayne’s mocking reference to the rules Khalid had established.
Throwing the door open, Khalid and Shayne exited the vehicle and strode purposely to the secured door of the building. The lock clicked open as Khalid reached for the handle, the security guard on duty recognizing him immediately.
“Good evening, Mr. Mustafa.” The guard nodded as they moved toward the elevators.
Khalid nodded in return before hitting the elevator button and waiting impatiently.
“Any rules for this little meeting?” Shayne asked mockingly.
“Shut the hell up before I break your damned neck,” Khalid said as the doors slid open.
The elevator moved swiftly, depositing them on Marty’s floor in time to catch her as she slid the key in her lock.
Turning her head, she stared at them for long moments before rolling her eyes and turning the key.
“You know, this on-again, off-again stuff is going to get on my nerves,” she stated as they neared her. “I’m really tired, Khalid. Would you be good enough to take your friend and go away for a while?”
Khalid paused within inches of her. “I would suggest you pack a bag,” he told her. “You’ll be staying at the estate for a while.”
He ignored Shayne’s heavy sigh.
“You know, Marty, I really thought you had better taste in men.” Amusement filled the other man’s voice as Marty’s gaze remained locked with Khalid’s. “This one isn’t exactly the kind and gentle sort, you know.”
“I really thought he had better sense,” she said mockingly.
“It would appear he doesn’t.” Shayne shrugged as Khalid crossed his arms over his chest and stared back at Marty demandingly.
Shaking her head, Marty pushed the door open.
Khalid had only a second’s warning. He saw the shadow from the corner of his eye gaining speed as it moved toward the door and toward Marty.
There was that split second that adrenaline tore through him, that strength rushed through his body. Gripping her arm, he jerked her back, threw her into Shayne, and tried to block the intruder rushing toward them.
“Fuck!” Shayne yelled behind him as Khalid felt a bulldozer plow into his chest, throwing him into Shayne and he heard Marty yelling about guns and getting down.
A rapid, muffled retort of gunfire had him trying to throw himself over her. Unfortunately, she was one step ahead of him and Shayne.
As the black-garbed intruder threw himself around the corner of the hall, Marty was chasing after the fleeing
