“I’ll drive you to the airport,” I offered. Kaidan grabbed his keys from the coffee table and tossed them to me without a word.

I couldn’t help but contemplate the wrongness of this whole situation as we climbed in the SUV and set out. Forcing Kaidan and Kopano together, saving a young woman from prison by purchasing her—I wasn’t even sure of the whole plan yet. Dad had been in a rush and told Kaidan that Kope would debrief him on the plane. All I knew was that I felt sick about it. The only consolation was that the Dukes and whisperers would be in Vegas. If the guys could work quickly, they’d only spend a day in the countryside of Syria before bringing Zania back here to L.A.

Sending her to L.A. had been my idea, and Dad agreed. I’d immediately thought about the convent where I was born, which also served as a shelter and safe house for women. My job today was to call the convent and explain the situation of my friend, a refugee from Syria. I prayed they had room for her. Of course she wouldn’t be able to stay there forever, but we’d worry about that when the time came. One giant issue at a time was all I could handle.

When I stopped at the curb at LAX, I spoke as they reached for their door handles. “Guys.” I turned in the seat to see them. “Look, I know this whole thing is weird, but please think about Zania. She’s going to be scared to death and might be hurt.” My voice thickened. “And she hates men. It won’t be easy for her to accept your help. Don’t make it worse by fighting. Just, please . . . put the animosity aside and help her, okay?”

The three of us were still, and the tension eased slightly. “All will be well, Anna. Do not worry.” Kope’s soft words were a comfort. I closed my eyes and nodded, believing him. He climbed out of the car, leaving Kaidan and me to say our good-byes as he entered the airport alone.

Knowing Kope was still within earshot, I signed to Kaidan: Don’t be mad at him. He respects you.

He exhaled a sarcastic huff of air and signed: He knew how I felt, and he still went after you.

I closed my eyes and shook my head.

“I wish you would have been honest about how you felt when he called,” I whispered.

He tapped the console, staring down at his fingers when he spoke. “Maybe I just needed to make sure the two of you weren’t meant to be.”

I touched his hand and signed. It was always you for me. Only you.

I wanted positive thoughts on Kai’s mind when we parted today. I took his hand, searching for hints that this stranger in front of me was my Kai. Even his eyes were wrong. Then my eyes landed on his lips. Ah, yes. I recognized those.

“I love you,” I whispered.

We leaned over the console for an embrace. It was strange to feel the cloth covering his face and neck. I kissed a bare spot on his upper cheek. Then his nose and his lips. The fake facial hair tickled my chin.

“Please be safe,” I whispered. “No crazy, unnecessary, dangerous stunts. Ya hear me?”

I let a little of my Georgia drawl seep in and he grinned. It was beyond strange to see the grin I loved show up on this unfamiliar face.

Kaidan gathered his bag from the floor. I tried to imagine him meeting Zania.

“Do me a favor,” I said, thinking of something. “Take a picture of me with your phone to show her we’re allies.” Maybe then she wouldn’t try to kick his butt or something.

“Brilliant,” he said, digging out his phone. He took a picture of me then grinned cutely as he saved it. Next he leaned over to take one of us together. We both laughed, looking at it afterward—the odd couple. Me with my high, blond ponytail and black tank top; him in his full Middle Eastern regalia.

“You’ll have to erase them after you show her,” I said. He nodded, seeming forlorn as he stared at the pictures. He slid the cell back into his bag.

Worry knotted my insides like a clenching fist. They’ll be okay, I told myself.

“Call Blake,” Kaidan said. “I don’t want you to be alone, and I know he’d be happy to have your company. Actually—” He checked the time. “He’s got that dirt bike competition today. You’d enjoy it, I think.”

“Okay,” I whispered, a tendril of anxiousness still whipping around inside me.

Kaidan fiddled with the GPS until he found the Motocross Outdoor Arena address on the outskirts of Santa Barbara. He kissed me one last time before he climbed out of the car and strode away. Off to save Zania.

And I prayed.

CHAPTER TWENTY

MOTOCROSS SURPRISE

I drove one-handed, biting off the fingernails I’d managed to grow. The pain of ripping them too short barely registered as I watched the road, calculating how long it would take Kaidan and Kope to get to Syria—around eighteen hours. I hoped to hear from them the following evening. From then it would take another day to get home, if all went well.

A long conversation with Patti did wonders for keeping my mind off the mission. Patti had been frantic when I hadn’t shown in Atlanta and she couldn’t get ahold of me. But she forgave me and cried when I told her how Kaidan had come after me, and how he was going to be a part of my life now. She cried even harder when I told her what had happened to Zania, and the fact that the two Ks and Flynn had been sent on a mission to retrieve her.

“They’ll be okay,” she told me through sniffles. “This whole thing is probably a blessing in disguise. She’ll finally be away from that monster of a father.”

“I know,” I said, but Patti surely sensed the hesitance and fear in my voice.