“Try to make me,” Nabi said, not looking worried at all.
Jameson smiled slowly and menacingly. “I can do that if you really want. Or we can work together.”
“Oooh, is this a dick-measuring contest? Whip ‘em out, boys!”
“Greer!” Dani said. “Don’t make me tell your mother.”
Greer shrugged as she walked into the dining room. “Um, you know my mom. She’d be holding the ruler.”
Dani snickered and nodded. “Fair point. We are guests here. Agent Duke has kept Ari safe so far so there’s no reason for him to step down. We are not here to be a distraction or to cause you more trouble. We’re just here to support our daughter.”
“Mom?”
Jameson heard Ari’s voice call from the living room. Dani smiled at him kindly and then hurried from the room.
“Guys, he’s a good one. Don’t interrogate him yet. Let him do his job first.” Greer winked at him and then followed Dani out of the dining room.
Ahmed glared. Nabi narrowed his eyes. Nash grinned and pulled out his phone. He typed something quickly and then put it away. Nabi looked at his phone and then rolled his eyes at Nash.
“Don’t you think that bet is a little premature?”
Nash just shrugged. Ariana’s father, on the other hand, looked thoughtful.
“My wife has given the order and like always, I do what she says. Ahmed, you’ll work with Dani and me while Nash and Nabi will be at Agent Duke’s disposal. Why don’t you go talk to your guards and see how they’re doing after last night? I’ll be in shortly to convey my gratitude for keeping Ariana safe and apprehending two attackers.”
The three guards nodded and left the room, leaving Jameson alone with Ariana’s father. He slid his hands into the pocket of his suit and studied him.
“I won’t let you or your daughter down, sir,” Jameson told him.
“My friends call me Mo.”
“Am I your friend?” Jameson asked carefully.
“It depends. Are you dating my daughter?”
“No.”
Mo didn’t respond. He just stared Jameson down. Then he pulled out his phone and a minute later Ariana yelled, “Dad! You placed a bet?”
“We’d better stick with ‘sir’ until we determine where you stand with my one and only daughter. Daddy’s little princess isn’t just figurative, but quite literal in this instance.”
Jameson tried to think all of this through but was lost. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I follow.”
“You will. One way or another, it’ll all work itself out. Until then, it’s sir. And if you hurt my daughter, know that I have diplomatic immunity and I’ll use it.” Mo patted Jameson’s shoulder as he walked by.
Then Jameson was left alone. He took a deep breath and found himself wanting to laugh. He almost felt sorry for the poor guy who ended up with Ariana. He wished he could be the one, but this morning showed him he would never be welcome in their life. He was the help. He was trusted to save Ari’s life, but he wasn’t trusted to be in her life. Her father had spelled it out for him: if he dated Ariana he’d be destroyed. If he didn’t date her, then he could be a “friend.”
Everything in him wanted to rebel against the orders, but this was his life. He wasn’t for Ariana. He never would be. Especially since his own mother put Ariana in his path. He’d sworn to protect her and he’d do just that—even if it meant protecting her from himself.
* * *
Ariana put the finishing touches on her makeup as Greer talked to Bridget and her mother. She hadn’t seen Jameson much since she’d woken up. He told her he had to discuss security with the team and she hadn’t seen him since.
“I’m telling you, Agent Hottie has the hots for Ari.”
“Greer,” Ari groaned and tried not to roll her eyes as she put on her mascara.
“Well, your dad talked to me about him and said he held his own against the guys.”
Bridget nodded. “Your guards told Ahmed that Jameson is a natural leader. They trust him and said the reason you’re safe is because of the calm and direct way Jameson. handled the situation.”
Ariana set down the mascara. “I don’t know why you’re talking about this. I’m his job. And my job is to speak to the UN. I’m ready.”
Ariana looked in the mirror and saw the three of them give each other a look that said they didn’t believe her. That was fine. She didn’t believe it herself. However, that didn’t change the fact that she was, in fact, his job. It also didn’t change the fact that he was here in New York and she was in the middle of blazing her own path.
“You look beautiful. You are very brave, daughter of mine.” Her mother came up behind her and bent to place a kiss on the top of her head.
Ariana stood up and took a deep breath. It was time.
11
Ariana fiddled with her fingers as they made the short drive to the UN. She was nervous and even though Jameson didn’t show it, he was nervous, too. Grant drove. Valeria sat next to Ariana. Jameson in the front seat scanned for threats. While his body was relaxed, the tightness around his eyes and lips told her otherwise.
“We have protesters,” Jameson said to them. Ariana looked out the windshield and saw a group of people with signs.
“I can go underground,” Grant said.
“Wait.” Ariana looked at the signs and took a deep breath. “They’re human rights supporters. They won’t hurt me. I want to show the world I’m not afraid to take on the bullies who intimidate their people and I sure as hell won’t be scared off by people supporting my cause.”
Grant looked to Jameson for approval and he nodded. Then he spoke into his sleeve and the SUV in front of them with the Rahmi guards pulled up to the curb. Bridget and her military-trained dog jumped out of the first car along with her two bodyguards. Behind her, Ari knew her parents would be getting out with Ahmed, Nabi, and Nash.
Bridget took up position outside Ari’s car door. Then Nash and Nabi joined them as she watched her parents walk by the barricaded protesters. New York City police were keeping them away from the dignitaries, but Ari smiled as her mother and father stopped to shake their hands. She was sure Ahmed was about to lose it.
“Ready, Ari?” Jameson asked. At the sound of her nickname on his lips, her heart sank. She was being silly, but nothing had sounded sweeter than to hear him call her Ari, yet she knew there was nothing to come of it and that broke her heart.
“I am.”
“Princess is exiting,” Jameson said into his communication device.
Nash opened the door. Nabi was blocking the door so she could get out without anyone seeing her. Then Jameson was by her side and Valeria on the other.
Ariana had never been in this situation before. Her heart pounded as they walked by the protesters to where her parents were waiting for them by the front door. Ariana waved as the crowd chanted for human rights. Their encouragement was what was making her put one foot in front of the other. She’d never felt so terrifyingly nervous before.
“Incoming, two o’clock,” Valeria said and Ariana followed Jameson’s head as they both turned to look.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Ariana said with surprise. Her whole body practically shook now from her nerves. “Get me to my parents. Hurry.”
“Princess Ariana!”
“That’s Deming Nikan, heir to Crusina,” Jameson told Nabi as Valeria turned and told Nash who was walking behind her.
“Don’t let him intimidate you,” Jameson said with firm resolve that gave her strength.
“Keep away from the princess,” Nabi demanded as Deming tried to approach her. The protesters went wild. They screamed threats at Deming as they cursed his family for what they did to their people.
“Don’t touch me,” Deming spat to Nabi as his guards pushed in. Deming left his guards to fight with Bridget and Nabi while Jameson moved in front of her to use his body to block so Deming couldn’t touch her.
“Ariana? We’re friends. Let me talk to
you. I’m worried about you,” Deming pleaded. “After last night, it’s not safe. Please, I’m only concerned with your safety. Let me take you to our consulate here. You have the whole Crusina military here to protect you.”
Ariana’s parents were by her side in a split second. Her father took over where Valeria had been and Ahmed was now next to him as Valeria moved to help push back the Crusina guards. “Ariana, do you want to speak to this man?” her father asked.
“No. I don’t. I’m sorry, Deming, but the only thing your country can do for me is work to improve the rights of your citizens. You can’t be blind to the human rights violations.”
“What human rights violations?” Deming seemed to think she was speaking Greek or something by the strange look he gave her.
“The mysterious deaths of any political opposition. The forced labor of women and children. The sex trafficking. It’s clear as day. You want to talk to me, talk to me about fixing that,” Ariana told him. She couldn’t believe his audacity to act as if nothing was going on in his own country.
“Ariana, I’d never condone that kind of behavior.” Deming reached for her and Jameson moved.
* * *
Jameson grabbed Deming’s arm, not caring about possibly committing assault against the vice president and successor to his father’s dictatorship. A low, protective growl came from his throat and was echoed by Ariana’s father. They cast a glance over Ari’s head and formed a bit of respect for each other.
“You touch my daughter and I’ll kill you where you stand,” Mo said in a cold, lethal voice that was barely above a whisper.
“I’m trying to protect her! I know she’s just a woman, but it’s dangerous for her to be here. Look at these protesters. Look at the attack on our building last night.” Deming’s voice rose and his guards pushed in. “Ariana, I’m trying to look out for you. If your own family won’t do it, I will.”
Bridget’s dog was barking and that backed up a couple of the guards. Then Ahmed stepped in front of Ariana. “I am Ahmed.” He dramatically paused and leveled a glare at the guards. “Yes, that Ahmed. You have three seconds to be out of my sight.”
In one second flat, Deming was left standing by himself, his guards running as fast as they could away from them. The confused look on his face almost made Jameson laugh. Then Deming took a breath and squared himself off with Ari’s father.
“Prince Mohtadi, we weren’t properly introduced. I am Deming Nikan and all I want to do is protect your very special daughter. It’s such a pleasure to meet you in person. I’ve heard you like to be called Mo.”
“You may address me as His Royal Highness Prince Mohtadi.” Jameson had to smother that laugh again at Deming’s shocked face. He knew he’d been insulted, but he couldn’t say anything because he was currently trying to win favor with the Ali Rahman family.
“Well, you can call me Deming. I had the privilege of getting to know your daughter when she visited our country, and I hope we can further our acquaintance and strengthen the bonds between our countries. I wasn’t able to talk to her about it since she holds no political authority, but I wanted to discuss a trade agreement between our countries. My father and I are hopeful we can become allies.”
Jameson saw Ariana tighten her jaw as Greer approached them. Ari’s face was flushed and she looked ready to kill Deming, which brought Greer running toward them out of concern. Or maybe she just wanted to see the carnage.
“My daughter is an equal in the royal family and speaks with as much authority as I do. She is here with the blessing and support of the king and the entire royal family,” Mo said.
Ariana spoke up clearly and with backbone to her words. “Enough. I’m here to fight for people whose voices have been silenced by you and your father. I will not be intimidated. My country and I have no desire to further our connection with you. Good day, Deming,” Ariana said clearly and with backbone to her words.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jameson saw Bridget’s dog pull on his leash toward a large planter with a tree in it. Jameson felt Ariana try to take a step away when Deming tried to reach for her again. Jameson grabbed his arm and flung it away, his full attention now on Deming.
“Next time I rip it off,” Jameson threatened.
“And I’ll shoot your balls off just for fun.” Jameson looked over at Greer and gave her a little wink as Deming sputtered.
Jameson cast a glance to see if Deming’s bodyguards would come back to protect their charge. When Jameson scanned the area, he saw Bridget’s dog sit abruptly. The dog put his nose inches from the potted tree and thumped his tail. That was strange. That was the signal military working dogs used when they . . .
“Bomb!” Jameson yelled at the same time Bridget did.
Adrenaline surged through his body. Jameson wanted to save everyone, but his job was to save Ariana. He grabbed her hand and pulled hard as he ran. “Bomb! Run!” he yelled as loudly as he could to warn everyone. People around her shouted. He saw some standing in surprise as others ran blindly away from the building. “Take cover!”
Ariana moved but not fast enough in her high heels. She was tripping and that was slowing them down. There were times to be gentle and patient, but this wasn’t one of them. Jameson yanked her forward and lifted her into his arms. Then he ran like their lives depended on it because they did. Adrenaline had him running as fast as he could. His heart pounded as he held Ariana tightly to his chest. Around him there was chaos: screaming, people running, and then the sound of an explosion overtook them. Heat, the concussive impact of the blast, and debris slammed into his back and sent them flying.
12
Ariana had been facing off against Deming when Jameson grabbed her and ran. She stumbled after him like a ragdoll until he scooped her up in his arms. Bomb? Where was there a bomb? But people were screaming and running. Before Ariana could look for her parents and friends, she was flying through the air.
She’d probably screamed, but any sound was ripped away in the blast.
Jameson’s hands held her tightly to him as the force of the blast flung them into the air. One arm cupped her head as the other held her to him. They were probably in the air for a split second, but it seemed as if it were minutes. The scream froze in her throat as she felt the heat lick her skin.
Then there was the impact. The force of dropping from the air with Jameson landing on top of her. Ariana’s mouth was open on a scream that never came but was forced from her lungs at the impact when she landed on the ground. Jameson’s arm kept her head from smashing into the pavement, but the force of the impact still left her breathless.
Her ears rang as she struggled to breathe. At some point she’d slammed her eyes closed but she didn’t want to open them yet. She dragged in breath after breath even though it felt as if she weren’t getting any oxygen. She forced herself to open her eyes and found the reason she was still having trouble breathing. Jameson lay across her, fully covering her.
Valeria’s face swam into view. Ariana tried to focus on it, but it was too blurry. Val’s lips were moving, but she couldn’t hear anything but the ringing in her ears.
Then Valeria left her view and the weight of Jameson’s body moved. Suddenly air rushed into her lungs, but it was filled with dust and debris and sent her into a coughing fit.
Valeria was back and slipping her arms under her back and pushing her up into a sitting position. Ariana looked around her for the first time and tears sprang to her eyes as the ringing began to recede and the cries and screams filled its place. There were bodies on the ground. Some were moving while some were not. There were people holding each other crying as they were covered in dust and debris. The air was still cloudy and it was hard to see who was who.
“Jameson!” Val was screaming as she shook him.
“No!” Ariana’s pain was forgotten as she saw the back of his suit coat burned and pieces of shrapnel sticking out as if he were a porcupine. “Jameson!”
Ariana crawled on her hands and knees to hi
m and touched the back of his head. When she removed her hands, they were covered in blood. “Do something, Val!”
“I am. I’m getting you out of here.”
“No!” Ariana yelled as Val tried to pull her up. “I can’t leave him.”
Ariana struggled as an SUV honked and pushed through the police barricade. Valeria wrapped her arms around Ari’s upper body and pulled her to stand. “He wants you safe. Come on, Ariana.”
“Not without Jameson.”
“Ari?”
Ariana heard it—Jameson’s deep voice, even over the sounds of the screams, the sirens, and the confusion. “Jameson!”
“Ari.”
“Do you hear it? Stop! We have to help him.” Ariana broke free from Val and was by his side in seconds.
She grabbed his hands and his head lifted off the ground, but lolled to the side. Ariana looked behind her to see Grant yelling for them to get into the SUV even as he pushed back the police who were trying to get him to leave the area. Ariana pulled Jameson’s arms as hard as she could.
Valeria pushed her aside and grabbed him under his arms and dragged him up her body until his head was on her chest. “I got him. Get in the SUV, Ari. Now!”
Valeria walked backward, dragging Jameson’s body with her. Ariana opened the back door to the SUV and climbed in. She held out her arms and grabbed Jameson’s shoulders when Val shoved him inside. With Ari pulling and Val pushing his legs, they got him into the back of the SUV.
Val ran around to the front and then they were off. Ariana was left staring out the window hoping and praying that her family and friends were alive.
“Ari?”
Ariana ran her hand over his head and pressed her palm to the back of his skull. “Shh, I’m safe, Jameson. Rest. I’ve got you.”
* * *
Everything was a blur after that. They’d ignored her request to go back for her friends and family. Instead, they sped down the street and in and out of alleys. Valeria kept looking back at them as Grant made a phone call on speaker.
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