Page 49 of Acting on Instinct
After slipping on a sports bra and a long-sleeved shirt, she went back down to retrieve the ring from the powder room and sit back in her place on the couch.
There, with trembling fingers, Kira pressed the tip of her nail against the hidden latch, and the ring sprang open. Inside, a piece of folded paper expanded with the release of the jeweled top.
It was folded so tightly that Kira was afraid of tearing the paper and possibly destroying what London had sent her.
She moved to her office, where she kept her archival tools, and pulled tweezers from her drawer.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Kira had to stop several times to swipe her sweaty palms down her thighs and to take a breath to calm the tremble in her hands.
Finally, she smoothed the paper to find tiny, regular letters printed into tight words.
Kira pulled her magnifying loop into place and peered down.
Kira, Nadir believes you were part of a conspiracy to kill Omar Imadi. This has complicated some business (?) scheme, some scheme. I know it’s impossible that you brought a sniper to the compound to kill our guest, your intended husband. I cannot—my brain … I don’t know what’s going on. But your uncle thinks you are an American spy, and your book reading is a cover.
I’m writing this quickly before I forget because this can’t be in any of my necklace notes. But I know that you would never endanger my baby or me. I said that you hired security because you were afraid, and rightly so. Because you brought Ty, Archie and I survived what could have been a horrific attack. As a mother, I know that’s true, and I am grateful, no matter Ty’s reason for being at our compound. William says I can’t remember anything about that time because of my head. But I know you. I also know Nadir, and he is a punitive man. And since Omar died in Tanzania, he is a man who no longer contains his anger. I overheard the men talking in the garden. They don’t mind talking in front of me because of my brain injury. Nadir said he has hired someone to watch you, and that’s how he knows you bring shame to the family.
Perhaps you and Ty are dating? Nadir didn’t say specifically. But I saw you and Ty together in Tanzania, and I thought you were in love. (I do have old memories; it’s the newones since I was shot that slip away) Nadir said he would send someone to get you so they could ask you questions, and then you will no longer be his problem. It sounded to me as if once he has the information he needs, Nadir will order … No, I’m not even going to write that. I love you. I’m risking everything to get this to you. You should run and hide.
Kira held completely still, thinking perhaps she was hallucinating.
From the point when her father died, and her mother wanted to return to the family compound in Qatar, there had been pressure for her to leave her American life and join the family and steep in a different culture. A culture where she would be treated like a princess, but she’d be ruled by a king—her Uncle Nadir.
Nadir was a selfish man. So Kira didn’t have any expectations that he’d put her first. But she never thought he’d put her last.
Kira loved her big family—her aunts and cousins. Her mother, to a lesser extent. Yes, there was baggage there that Kira hadn’t worked through yet. She couldn’t give up her family.
Kira was getting older, and she’d congratulated herself that she was aging out of the marriage market.
Uncle Nadir had left her alone for almost two years.
But apparently, out of sight wasn’t out of mind.
In fact, her hope for peace was a mirage.
When her phone jingled, Kira’s body contracted in a horror film jump scare.
She snatched up her cell, hoping it was either Lula or Ty.
It was Pam, Jeopardy’s wife. Kira sniffed and swallowed, hoping to answer in a natural voice. The wives of Delta Force Echo were stoic and strong, and she was not going to be weakand weepy in front of them. It was a veil of pride, but Kira clung to it. “Hello?”
“Kira, I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No. No. I’m up reading,” Kira said, looking down at London’s note. “I’m waiting for Ty to get home. He said he’d come up after his training.”
“None of the boys are home from their training mission. Looks like this has turned into something more.”
Kira’s chest clenched so hard that her breath squeaked.
“We never know how long they’ll be gone. You know the drill: if it’s turning into more than a few days, they usually tell the wives a little something. We won’t be able to share any details, of course, but we can invite you over for dinner, so you have our support.”
“That’s kind of you.” Kira pushed the words out mostly as breath with little volume.
“I know, sweetheart, I know. It sucks. And it doesn’t get easier. You should know that. It’s something to be weighed into the equation.” Pam’s voice changed. “You can’t have one foot in and one foot out as a Unit wife. If you marry Ty, you have to be all in. And let me tell you why.” The sentence turned into a snarl. “If Ty is worried about the peace in his home, he might be distracted, and distraction can getmyhusband killed.”
