Page 25 of Her Righteous Protector

“I’m Max,” he said as he held out his hands to her. “I like your cat,” he said in Arabic. “What’s his name?”

“Her name is Kitty,” she said.

“Will you let me help you and Miss Kitty out of the truck?” Max asked.

She looked back up at her mother, who nodded, then she crawled over to Max and let him lift her out of the cage and onto the ground.

“Mrs. Nuri, can I help you out?” Max asked. Samira nodded, and he helped her out of the truck. He turned again to Taja. “And how about you, beautiful Taja, can I help you down?” Max asked. She grinned at him and giggled.

“Yes please.”

Raiden winked at him as he lifted Taja and placed her into Max’s waiting arms. She didn’t let go of Max; instead, she held onto his neck. “Is there really a bed in the house?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered, hoping he wasn’t telling a lie. “But I’ve got to put you down now because I have to help Ms. Lark out of her truck, okay?”

Taja nodded shyly. “Okay.”

Max turned and saw that the other truck was damn near unpacked. He started on over there to check on all of the passengers.

“I’m fine,” he heard Lark Sorensen say loudly. “I can get out on my own.”

“You’ve been cramped in here forever, Lark. Let Zed help you. Have you ever heard the phrase cutting off your nose to spite your face?” Kostya growled.

Sounds like those two are getting along just great. Max looked over and saw Cullen was fighting not to laugh. Nic was looking like he was watching a tennis match.

When Lark tried to get down off the truck on her own steam she almost fell on her butt, but Zed caught her in his arms before she could. He saw Lark’s face turn red with embarrassment.

“You just couldn’t wait for some help, could you, you stubborn woman?” Kostya sighed as he shook his head.

“Maybe I just wanted this big guy to catch me, did you ever think of that, Barona?”

“Hey, Max, Nic and I have a bet going on. Ten to one says that Lark and Kostya will be sleeping together in less than a month. Five to one, it will be three months. Even money, six months. Want in on the action?” Cullen yelled over at Max.

“I’ll take the ten to one odds,” Leo yelled out.

Lark started struggling to get out of Zed’s arms as he yelled out that he would take even money. “Ms. Sorensen, calm down,” Zed tried to soothe her. “The fact that I’m taking even money means that I believe you’ll give the lieutenant a run for his money.”

Lark kept kicking until Zed had no choice but to put her down. “My next exposé is going to be a comparison of the maturity level between boys’ high school athletes and America’s Special Forces. My bet is that the high school boys will end up looking more mature.” Lark smiled sweetly.

Cullen hooted with laughter.

Lark sauntered over to Samira and the girls. He watched as they all started walking to the house with Raiden carrying one of the girls in each arm.

* * *

Roger had done a great job of getting vehicles for everyone to travel to Islamabad. Since Ezio had been conscious for the last thirty-two hours, he, Raiden, and Asher went first, they were booked on a direct flight from Islamabad to Germany where Ezio would be checked out at the US Landstuhl Army Medical Center.

Next would be the Nuri family. Lark had been making calls to the United States ever since she’d stopped bickering with Kostya. Max had overheard her talking to her mother and he was sure that the Nuri family was going to find a soft landing when they reached America. Lark was going to be on the flight that would take them home.

“I’m going with them,” Kostya said when Kane started to arrange the flights.

“Do you think that is really such a good idea?” Kane asked reasonably. “You and Ms. Sorensen get along as well as the Joker and Batman.”

“It makes sense. We made up that extensive paper trail; it would look odd if I didn’t go with her.”

“He’s right,” Max said as he looked over Kane’s shoulder at the kitchen table. Kane shrugged. “But send Nic with them. He’s doing really well with Nazy so that should help on the international flights.”

“I’ve got the van waiting,” Roger said as he walked into the kitchen. “Have you figured everything out yet?”