Chapter 28

TWENTY-EIGHT

Natalia

It’s been a very long day, and I can’t wait to stand under a hot shower and then lie down. Except that doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Sandor and I spend hours interrogating the new prisoner, and he refuses to tell us anything. However, his picture pops up on an Interpol database and we discover his name is Farouk Alzani. He’s a known Taliban supporter who comes from Afghanistan, but that’s about all we know so far. He’s in pain and apparently willing to die for his secrets, which pisses us off.

Sandor backhands him for the tenth time.

“I can do this all night,” he says. “Can you?”

The man grunts. “Fuck. Off.”

“So you speak English.”

“I speak English, but I will not tell you anything.”

“Just tell us who the target is, and we’ll get you to a hospital.”

He spits in Sandor’s direction, earning another backhand.

I’m not overly squeamish, but I’m not sure I could do what Sandor is doing.

“You’re never going to walk again.” Sandor changes tactics.

“I will walk again in Heaven.”

“You really believe you’re going to heaven? And all the nonsense about the seventy-two virgins? Because even if it’s true, that’s not where you’re going. Only good people go to heaven, and there’s nothing good about what you’re doing.”

It goes on like that for hours until finally, Sandor shrugs.

“Fuck him. I’ll drive him up to the prison in the morning. He can rot there for all I care.”

“You really want to die for this?” I ask quietly, opting to try something different for a few minutes. It can’t hurt, after all. “My country has nothing to do with yours… we’re not enemies. So this has to be personal. You don’t even have to tell us who you’re working with—just tell us what you’re after. Is it the king? The throne? Oil? Give us something, anything, and we’ll get you some help.” I drop to my knees in front of him, trying to appear soft, vulnerable. Sandor’s armed to the teeth, and this guy is not only weak from blood loss, he’s restrained, so I’m not worried.

He meets my eyes. “You love a man who will die soon.”

“Wh-what?” He’s caught me off-guard, and though I recover quickly, it’s hard to keep my emotions in check.

He smiles, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Your man will die, and you with him, if you don’t return home. This is not your fight, Natalia .”

Hearing him use my name is creepy as fuck and I slowly get to my feet.

“Anyone that threatens Limaj is my fight.”

“But Limaj is not being threatened.”

“Then who is?” Sandor snaps.

He smiles again. “I have told you what you wanted to know. We have no interest in your king or your oil. This is personal.”

“Give us a fucking name!” Sandor growls.

“I did.”

Sandor looks like he’s going to hit him again, but instead shakes his head.

“Let’s get him to the hospital. Maybe we get more flies with honey,” he says in Limaji.

I nod. “Let’s go.”

We load him into the truck, and Sandor drives to the local hospital. It’s not big, but they’re hopefully taking care of Marcus. When I was shot, they saved my life here as well, though I was transferred to the better hospital in Hiskale as soon as I was stable.

Looking back, it feels like another lifetime, but it was only a year ago.

Luckily, the bullet hadn’t hit any major organs, so I’d been back on my feet sooner than expected. It was still a terrible time in my life, between getting shot and then losing Logan just a few months later. Sandor didn’t want to send me to Iraq so soon after two big tragedies, but I was itching to get away and it wound up being a good thing. Not just because it helped me heal but because I’d found Cooper in Iraq. And the other friends I’d made.

As we wind through familiar streets, I’m reminded how grateful I am not to live here anymore. Stores are scant and small, the downtown area old and in need of repair. Houses and apartment buildings aren’t in much better shape, and even the roads need work.

We arrive at the hospital in less than five minutes, and I run in to get someone to come out with a gurney. Sandor handles getting him checked in and I lean against the wall while checking messages. There’s movement at the door as more people come in, but I’m typing out a text to Cooper so I’m not really paying attention.

“Natalia! Natalia, is that you?”

My head whips around and I stare at my sister in shock.

“Luci?” I hurry toward her. “Are you okay?”

“The baby is coming a bit early.” She gives me a pained look. “When did you arrive? Did you call Mama?”

“We just got here.” I motion to where Sandor is still talking to a doctor.

“Luci, let’s go!” Her husband, Pieter, comes in huffing, his face a little red.

“Look who’s here,” she tells him.

He scowls at me. “What are you doing here?”

I don’t have a chance to reply because Lucianna moans, bending at the waist as another contraction hits her.

“Is there a wheelchair?” I yell out, holding my sister’s arm as she tries to breathe through the pain.

Sandor says something to the doctor, who yells at someone else, and a wheelchair appears like magic.

“Will you come with me?” Lucianna asks me.

It’s an odd request considering we’re not that close, but I nod before I can stop myself.

“I don’t want her in—” Pieter begins.

“But I do.” She cuts him off, and he snaps his mouth shut angrily.

“Fine. Then what do you even need me for?” He turns and stalks out the door.

“Do you want me to get him?” I ask her worriedly.

She rolls her eyes. “Why? He’s of no use to me in delivery.”

“All right.” I look to Sandor. “Is it all right if I go with my sister? Do you need me tonight?”

He shakes his head. “Go. Text me or Cooper when you need a ride to the inn. We’re all going to get some rest.” He pauses with a faint smile. “Except maybe you.”

I chuckle. “I’ll be all right.”

* * *

Lucianna’s in labor most of the night, and her newborn daughter comes into the world just after three in the morning. A perfect angel with a shock of dark hair and pink little lips. She’s tiny and perfect, and it’s a little awe-inspiring to watch her be born. I’ve seen labor on TV and there were some videos in college, but the real thing is both a lot more terrifying and a lot more fascinating.

I don’t know how I feel about ever giving birth but it’s an emotional moment for both my sister and me.

“Thank you for staying,” she whispers as she cuddles the baby once they’ve both been cleaned up.

“Of course.”

“No, really. It means a lot to me. I know we haven’t been close but Pieter… well, he’s gone back to his old ways.”

I frown. “He’s hitting you.”

She looks away but I note the barely perceptible nod.

“God dammit.” I’m going to kill him.

Maybe not me personally, but someone a lot bigger and stronger and scarier is going to pay him a visit. I don’t care if it pisses off my family.

“Do you want to come to Hiskale?” I ask her.

“What will I do?” she whispers. “How will I work with two babies?”

“What if…” I don’t know if what I’m thinking is even possible, but there has to be a way for her to have childcare if she gets a job at the palace, right? I don’t know how to make that happen until I talk to Sandor, though. “Give me a day to make some inquiries,” I say finally. “I might have a solution.”

Her eyes fill with tears. “Really?”

“I can’t promise anything, but yes, I’m going to try. I might be able to get you a job. And we’ll figure out childcare. For now, I’m going to send one of my colleagues to scare him, okay? So he won’t hit you for a while and we have time to come up with a plan. Is that okay?”

She nods, swiping at her eyes. “Thank you. I’m sorry about the things I’ve said over the last few years. I was just so… jealous .”

“I know. I just wish you’d spoken up before you had the babies so I could get you out of there. Now it’s more complicated, but we’ll figure something out.”

“Natalia?” I hear Cooper calling to me from the hallway. I’d texted him that I needed a ride and what room we were in.

“I have someone I want you to meet,” I whisper to Lucianna. “And be nice!”

Her eyes widen when I bring in Cooper.

“Ryan, this is my sister, Lucianna. Luci, this is my boyfriend, Ryan Cooper.”

“Ryan Cooper, hello.” Lucianna smiles and holds out her free hand. Her English is broken and heavily accented, but she understands more than she speaks.

“Hi.” He squeezes her hand and then peers at the baby. “Congratulations. She’s beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She cocks her head at me and speaks in Limaji. “You have an American boyfriend. Mama will be fit to be tied.”

I smile. “I know.”

“He’s cute.”

“I know that too.”

“Aw, come on, no fair!” Cooper protests. “I’m learning Limaji, but I’m not there yet.”

“She said you’re cute.”

“Thanks.” He grins at her.

“Ryan,” Lucianna says his name slowly, continuing in English. “I like this name.”

“But she’s a girl,” I say.

“Ryan is actually unisex these days,” Cooper says.

I translate for Lucianna, and she nods. “This is her name. Ryann Natalia Provesta.” She spells out Ryann.

“Oh.” Suddenly I’m the emotional one. “Really? Mama will hate that name.”

“She’s my baby, my choice.”

“She’s naming her after us,” I tell Cooper.

“Damn, that’s sweet.” He leans over and presses a soft kiss on the top of Lucianna’s head. “Thank you. I’m honored.”

She nods. “Go now. You must sleep.”

“I’ll be back in the morning,” I tell her. “Don’t tell Mama I’m here. I’ll call here when I wake up.”

“I won’t say anything.” Lucianna turns to Cooper. “Nice to meet you, Ryan Cooper.”

“Good night, Lucianna.”

He takes my hand, and we stroll out into the night.

“Having your sister name her baby after me wasn’t on my bingo card,” he says as we get into the SUV.

“Mine either. We’ve hardly spoken at all the last couple of years, but fucking Pieter is hitting her again.” I glance at him. “Will you handle that for me? It’s not that I can’t, but it’s more about optics. He’ll be more afraid—and less embarrassed—if a man kicks his ass. If I do it, he’ll be intimidated but then tell my parents on me and it becomes a whole thing. If you do it?—”

“I’ve got you,” he says quietly. “Just tell me where and when.”

“If possible, Sandor should go too. Seeing our country’s prince watch him get his ass kicked might hammer it home.”

“I’ll hammer it home with my fist,” he mutters.

“I don’t want you to kill him,” I say with a laugh.

“I know what you need me to do.”

“Technically, it doesn’t matter. She wants to leave him. I’m going to try to find her a job at the palace. We’ll have to figure out childcare, but she’s finally had enough. Thank goodness.”

“Let’s get some sleep and revisit this in the morning. I’m fucking beat.”

“You and me both.”