judging from the way Kit is pacing outside, it’ll be sooner rather than later.”
Rocco groaned. “I love you, Mandy.” He cupped her face, his eyes locked with hers.
“I love you.”
They both dressed, bumping into each other in the small space. Mandy giggled when Rocco tried to help her straighten her hair, making it more of a snarled mess than before. He opened the door on the side of the SUV that faced the woods.
“How do I look?” she asked him, smoothing her hands over her hair, her hips.
God, she was hot. He wanted her again, with the same fierce hunger he’d felt only moments before. “Like you’ve just been well and thoroughly banged.” He grinned at her horrified face and kissed her. Her mouth was warm and pliant beneath his. He groaned against her lips and pressed her back into the open door. “Let’s go again.”
“No!” she laughed and pushed him away. “You are insatiable!”
“I am.” He took her hand and led her around to the other side of the SUV, where Kit and Kelan stood impatiently awaiting them.
Kit looked at Mandy then at Rocco. “I assume my sister is unharmed based on your thorough inspection?”
“Hell, no, she’s not unharmed. She was grabbed from her home by men she didn’t know, stashed in a forgotten building in the middle of nowhere, threatened and frightened and alone, and then sent on her way with a bomb strapped to her. It’s been a bad fucking day and I’m taking her home.”
“Good. Val’s bringing your truck over. I’ll be following you shortly.”
Rocco frowned, studying Kit. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. We’re done here. The FBI is taking over custody of Asir’s men and handling the crime scene. I expect they will be opening the road again shortly. So go home. There’s nothing more to be done here.”
Val pulled up in Rocco’s truck. He got out and held the driver’s door open for Mandy. Once she was inside, he gave Rocco a wide I-know-what-you-were-doing grin. “You were rocking that Expedition, man.”
“Not the time or the place,” Rocco warned.
“I know, right? I tried to tell you that, but Kit wasn’t letting anyone near the SUV. Didn’t look too happy to be standing guard. Bet you wish you could have seen his expression.”
Rocco grinned, then shook his head. Val clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”
“I’m good. Mandy’s safe.”
“And we got twelve bad guys off the street. It’s a start. We’ll get Amir and his puppet master.”
Rocco nodded. It was a mission the entire team had taken to heart. “What are you doing after this?”
“When Kit cuts us loose, Angel and I are going for Blade.”
“Call if you need me.”
“Like hell I will.” Val nodded toward the truck. “You got something important to do-take care of your woman.”
Rocco got into the truck. Val closed the door, then thumped it with his hand. “See you back at the ranch.” He straightened, frowning. “Those are six words I never thought I’d hear myself say,” he mumbled as he walked away.
Rocco looked at Mandy. Seeing the shadows under her eyes and the pale color of her skin, he wished they didn’t have the long ride home. He lifted his arm, urging her to his side. “Come closer to me.” She didn’t hesitate to scoot over. He kissed her temple, then wove his way through the cars and people and police cruisers onto the open road. “I promise you a hot bath and a cup of tea as soon as we get home.”
“I have to feed Kitano and the dogs.”
“I’ll feed them. And I’ll deal with supper. You get a night off. You were brave today. Beautiful. Fierce.”
“I meant what I said. I need to learn to live in your world.”
He sighed. “I regret that I’ve tainted your life. But I will teach you everything you want to know and all that I feel you need to know beyond that.”
“You haven’t tainted anything, Rocco. You’ve made it beautiful.”
They drove the remainder of the trip in silence. Rocco was glad she stayed next to him. He could feel her tension ease out of her as they neared her house. He pulled into the driveway and had just crested the top of the drive when he spotted a green SUV parked in the circular drive in front of the main house.
He cursed and parked the truck where it was. “Stay here. And get down.” He palmed his Beretta, then got out and started forward, moving away from the truck, hoping to make Mandy less of a target if whoever was waiting for them was in a shooting mood.
Chapter 21
A woman got out of the backseat wearing army fatigues. Rocco pointed his gun at her. “That’s enough moving. State your business.”
“Mr. Silas?”
“Who’s asking?”
“I’m Lieutenant Kelly Froman. I have a surprise for you.”
“It’s a bad fucking day for surprises, Lieutenant.” He lowered his gun but didn’t ease his stance, not trusting that anyone was who they said they were anymore.
The woman held her hands up, but still moved closer to the back door. “Sir, I need you to stand down. I have your son.”
Zavi? She had Zavi?
Another soldier got out of the front seat as the lieutenant reached inside for something. When she turned around, Rocco saw two little legs, then a boy’s small torso, then a little face appeared as he squatted down and peeked under the door.
“Papa!”
Rocco’s lungs quit pulling air. It was Zaviyar. Alive and well. Then he remembered his pistol and quickly holstered it as his son charged toward him. He grabbed him up into his arms. He’d gotten so big in the months since Rocco had last seen him. After a moment, Rocco knelt down, setting him on his feet so that he could get a good look at him. He smoothed his hands on either side of his head, down his neck to his little shoulders.
“Zavi, do you remember the accident?” His son nodded. “Were you hurt?”
“No. But you were, Papa. Rafiullah told me I had to go with him so that you could go to the clinic. And then I didn’t get to see you again. Where did you go?”
A memory slammed into Rocco at the mention of Rafiullah’s name-the final piece of the puzzle. He shut his eyes as he absorbed what it revealed. When he’d been unable to stop Kadisha from running back into the compound, he’d given Zavi to Rafiullah Kahn, an area shepherd who had hurried by in the melee. He’d only taken a few steps toward the compound when it blew. Christ. That was why he’d been so certain that Zavi lived. It all made sense now.
He hugged his son. “I’ve been with the doctors. I’ve been waiting for you. I’m sorry it took so long for us to be together.”
“Kelly said this is America. A different country.”
“It is. Do you like it?”
“I do so far. But don’t they have any children here?”
“There are lots and lots of children.”
“Is this our home?”
“For now. Zavi, who taught you to speak English?”
“Kelly. She said I needed to know English for when I saw you again. She said I couldn’t speak Pashto anymore.”
“You can speak any language you like, son. If you don’t know it, I will teach it to you. If I don’t know it, I will learn it with you.”
“I can speak Pig English?”
“You mean Pig Latin?”
Zavi thought about that, his little face frowning with concentration. “No. It isn’t Latin, is it, Papa? I’ve heard
