VARA HOBBLED OFF THE plane, the bag with Djinn's package clutched to her chest. Vara's limbs and muscles protested the movement after being tensed for so long as she held on for dear life. That flight would go down in history as one of the worst she could remember.Alec was already at the passenger seat, helping Jules stretch her legs. If Vara was in bad shape Jules had to be in agony.A hand grasped Vara's sleeve.She turned toward the woman she'd only known as Djinn.The woman was so petite she swam in her clothes. Her hijab framed her face in a way that she seemed to be all eyes and frowns. But that appearance hid a sharp intellect and when she opened her mouth Vara knew Djinn wasn't Syrian born even if that was her heritage. Djinn was American."Hey," Vara said. Was she finally speaking to her?"You got it out?" Djinn stared at the bag clutched to Vara's side."Yes. It's safe." Vara patted the bag."Good. Their reach is farther than I realized. If you have to, destroy it. D

KOLYA SOKOLOV BELIEVED IN handling problems with a personal touch. He hadn't climbed his way to the top of the food chain by allowing others to carry out his commands while he sat behind a desk.The car came to a stop in the yard for Nour Delivery Service. Ivan, one of Kolya's more trusted enforcers, stepped forward and opened the car door for Kolya. He set his feet on the gravel and stood, breathing in the smell of dirt, grease and blood."How many do we have?" Kolya asked."Three dozen are inside, plus the team we told you about. We had to kill fifteen before they stopped fighting," Ivan said."Take me to them."Kolya's man nodded then gestured toward a distant door. Kolya followed, glancing over the trucks and facilities. Rafat Nour was a dinosaur. His way of business was dying out. Kolya had extended an offer to work together. With Rafat's infrastructure and Kolya's resources they could be the true power here, but Rafat wasn't a team player. Kolya understood. Neither was he.

Adult Vara was going to be a hell of a lot of fun. He watched her step into the tub and pull the curtain back. Only then did the ability to breathe return to him. He sucked down the humid air, more focused than ever on his goals. On Vara and what they could be if she'd give them a second chance.Alec shucked the rest of his clothes in record time. He pulled the curtain back just enough to step in. Vara stood facing him, her face tipped up to the shower head. Her dark hair was slicked to her shoulders and chest like some kind of silky cape. Her nipples poked through the tendrils, dusky brown discs against her olive skin.God damn she was beautiful.And he wasn't going to pounce on her. Not yet.He grabbed the tiny bottle of hotel soap and squirted most of it in his hands while she watched."Going to scrub my back?" she asked."Yup." And the rest of her.She pivoted, and he slicked the soap over her skin then down her arms. She leaned back against him and he stroked her stomach th

ALEC STARED INTO THE camera, willing Joe Neilson to remain calm. Panicking in this situation would accomplish nothing."Your sister is safe and in CIA custody. That's all we know," Alec said."You told me she could be home by now." Joe's voice was clear, even, until the last word. His voice broke and ten years worth of anguish over his missing sister fractured it."Could be," Alec reminded him. "Our estimate was that it would take two to seven days to bring her home. She's in US custody. She's almost home. The CIA won't allow her to be taken again."The rest of Alec's team sat around the long table, not saying a word. Things had happened fast since the airport and were still racing out of control."Joe?" Ryan leaned forward and Joe's attention shifted off Alec. "What matters now is that Jules is safe in America custody."The two men stared at each other, some invisible communication passing between them. After the events that had gone down in Seattle, the Senator and Ryan had a s

VARA HAD FORGOTTEN HOW draining flights across the ocean could be. With layovers, it had taken them a full day and then some to reach Atlanta where they said goodbye to the rest of Alec's team. No one had commented on their plans to depart for Miami on their own. It was simply accepted."Did we ever hear about the rest of my team? If they got to the states?" Vara turned her head toward Alec."Uh, I don't think anyone mentioned them, so I assumed no news was good news. Want me to find out?""Yes, please?" It would allow her to relax some knowing those three were safe."Let's call my boss." Alec pulled out his phone and jabbed the screen.The line rang through the rental car's speakers. He'd splurged on a convertible and she couldn't pretend it didn't make her happy."Who is dying?" a dry male voice asked."Zain, you're on speaker with me and Vara." Alec chuckled."Sorry, Ms. Price." Zain's tone went all business. "Has something happened?""No, Vara was just curious if you knew