So had he, and he’d not even realized just how much love would complete him until he found Nadirah.
So with that decided, he, Nadirah, Johan, Farah, and Zafira piled into a van and took off. They only went a short way before ditching the vehicle under an overpass. On foot, they made their way to a seedy part of the city and an even seedier apartment building.
When Phoenix eyed it dubiously, Zafira snickered. “Pretty boy want fancy hotel?”
“More like I’m afraid the rats will get me in my sleep,” he muttered.
To his surprise, though, while the exterior might be run down, the interior couldn’t have been more different. It needed a coat of paint on the walls, and the pattern on the floors had been worn bare, but it smelled of cleaning products.
“Wait here.” Johan left them, heading down some stairs but returning quickly, dangling a set of keys.
“What is this place?” Nadirah asked Farah, who appeared exhausted by the events of the day.
“One of several safe houses scattered across the city. We keep some in most major hubs just in case.”
The level of planning and the matter-of-fact way both Johan and Farah kept reacting eased Phoenix’s mind somewhat. Apparently, they truly did expect the sanctuary to only ever be temporary, and, as Farrah had explained, almost everyone had a home outside the sanctuary, which made the transition easier.
As they entered the plainly furnished apartment, Phoenix eyed the third-story windows with a grimace.
“Safe,” Johan stated, noticing his expression.
“How can you be sure?”
Johan shrugged. “Not sure. But no followed.”
While it seemed unlikely the general could have escaped the jungle and somehow tracked the vehicles that went off in different directions, Phoenix couldn’t help but pace in front of the windows, keeping watch on the street outside.
It took Nadirah softly saying, “I’m going to bed,” for him to run into a dilemma. He wanted to cuddle and make love to her so badly, but then, who would stand guard?
To his surprise, Zafira smacked his arm. “I watch. You sleep.”
He glanced at her. “Are you sure?”
“No tired. Big nap.”
He might have argued more, but the magnet that was Nadirah pulled him into one of the small bedrooms.
She had her head down as she began removing her damp clothes.
“Are you okay?” he asked. He’d been so focused on preventing an ambush he’d forgotten to ask. Hell, he’d been so frazzled that he’d eaten while staring out the window.
“I’m okay. You?”
“Yeah.”
“I’d say you’re more than okay. Was it me, or did you manage to shift without getting hurt?” She’d noticed.
He couldn’t help a slow grin. “Guess you can teach an old cat a new trick.”
“Thanks for saving us.”
“Don’t you mean thanks for fucking up everyone’s life?”
She cupped his cheeks. “That horrible man would have attacked even if you hadn’t been there. Who knows what the outcome would have been, though, without you?”
“He’s still out there, and I doubt he’ll give up his quest to capture the harimau.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing we’re going to stick with them so you can help prevent that from happening.”
