Page 56 of Dangerous Protocol
He hesitated until his king nodded, then brushed his sleeves free of leaves and fast-walked until he was a few feet behind Nadim.
“I’m going to cut to the chase, Nadim.” The plan was for her to immediately put him on the defensive, and calling him by his first name was a good start. It worked, too, because his hands fisted briefly at his sides before he caught himself. “A very powerful friend of mine hasunimpeachable evidence that your father ordered the murder of Akram Fakhoury.”
“You are lying.” He disregarded her disclosure with a negligent whisk of his hand. “That is an egregious and inflammatory accusation for which you have no proof.”
Fakhoury was a much-beloved citizen of Qadira who spoke out against the royal family. He had exposed some of the monarchy’s dark, embarrassing secrets and threatened to expose even more. Unfortunately, before he could do so, he was murdered, and rumors about the royal family’s possible involvement in his death lingered to this day.
“Alas, you are right. I personally do not have any proof.” She sighed. “Butmy very dear friend Jeffrey Burke does.”
Al-Mansoori’s effort to appear unfazed by her statement was diminished by the flare of his nostrils and the anger roiling behind his dark eyes.
“I am sure you know who he is, right?” One corner of her mouth lifted. “The director of America’s National Security Agency? The man who is renowned for gathering dirt on people who do things they don’t want other people to ever find out about?” She hit him with the big guns. “He also happens to be Isla’s father.”
His eyes widened, and he instinctively shifted back slightly. “Burke is—”
“That’s right, Your Majesty.” She coated the word with contempt. “You kidnapped the daughter of one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the world.” She wassavoring every bit of the shock and fear he was so desperately trying to hide. “How do you think we were able to take her back from you? And so damned easily, too.” She gave him a pitying shake of her head. “You really should do something about your lax security.”
“You dared to trespass on Qadiran property?” He managed to muster a bit of outrage, but it wasn’t enough to hide the fearful tremor in his voice.
“That is all your fault, Nadim. Going after me was one thing, but you had the temerity to go after his daughter. So now, his primary goal is to destroy you in every way possible.”
“You … you are bluffing.” He tugged down the front of his jacket and stuck his imperious chin in the air.
“Am I?” She looked over her shoulder to where Jeffrey now stood about thirty feet away, arms crossed, feet set apart. His gaze was laser-focused on Nadim. Behind his calm demeanor, she could tell unadulterated rage beat against the walls of his restraint.
She looked back at the king.
“Here is what is going to happen. First, you are going to drop this … vendetta you have against me. You are going to accept that your brother was killed because he was about to do someverybad things to me.”
“You filthy whor—”
Maya lifted a hand to shut him up and could actually hear Jeffrey growling in her ear.
“Lastly, you will give me your word that you will not come after Isla or me. Ever. Should you break your promise, I assure you, no royal title will protect you. And there will be no corner of this world you can hide in that Burke won’t find you.”
“Damn right,” Jeffrey said.
“And I am certain that a delicate person such as yourself, who has had his every whim catered to, does not have the stamina nor the balls to survive a life on the run as I did.” She taunted him further. “You know … the woman who killed your disgusting letch of a brother.”
Nadim yelled something in Arabic and exploded into action. He reached into his jacket, yanked his hand out, and raised it high overhead.
Sunlight glinted off of a curved blade.
“Maya!” Jeffrey roared.
“I don’t have a shot.” Calliope’s voice was strangely calm, in that unique way of snipers.
“Me, neither,” Viking said.
Al-Mansoori began to bring his arm down.
Maya recognized it as the jeweled dagger she’d used to defend herself against Zahir and began to reach for her weapon.
Bashar leaped forward as Nadim began to slice down.
“No, Your Majesty!” he shouted as he grabbed his king’s arm.
Al-Mansoori spun around, and his arm continued downward until he thrust the knife into Bashar’s chest.