He relaxed, and his mouth lifted at the corner.“Don’t be sorry. I just wished I had asked questions ... pried a little.”
She wet her lips. “The truth is, Cameron was livid when he found out I was meeting you.” Sadness split her chest down the middle. Roarke had always been a good friend to her, yet she’d let Cameron’s jealousy get between them.
“I invited him to meet you, but he refused,” she continued, emotion gritty in her throat. “I shouldn’t have let that stop me from talking to you, but?—”
“Hey.” He let go of her hand to cup her cheek. “I’m here now.”
His words wrapped around her heart. She leaned forward and hugged him. He froze for a second before his arms locked around the small of her back.
“I missed you, Roarke.” The tears she’d battled to keep at bay warmed her cheeks. She tucked her face close to his shoulder, hoping to dry the moisture before he saw it.
He pulled her close. “You too, honey.”
“Mommy!”
Emmy’s sharp cry jolted her. She let go of Roarke and swiped the tears from her cheeks. “Coming, baby.”
Roarke caught her wrist before she could hide her face and run away. He brushed the edge of his thumb beneath her eye. “We have more to talk about. For now, try to get some rest.”
She nodded.
There was so much she wanted to say. Words and feelings she hadn’t processed but that buzzed beneath the surface.
“Okay.” She kissed his cheek, then pulled away to force a smile. “Thank you for keeping us safe. You’re a good man, Roarke.”
He snorted, and her heart twisted.
“Ollie picked only the best people to have in his life.” She slipped off the couch and returned to the bedroom.
Minutes later she had Emmy asleep and snuggled in her arms.
But it was Roarke’s embrace she dreamed about when she finally drifted off.
Roarke saton a barstool at the kitchen island. The yacht’s large main area connected with the living room where a sofa, two armchairs and a TV sat. Against the wall was a railing that disappeared downstairs to where Laine and Emmy slept.
Hassan’s boat probably cost more money than Roarke made in six months. He didn’t question his friend on the type of work he’d branched into, but it probably wasn’t legal.
The rock and sway of the boat as it bounced over the inky water made his abdominal muscles rigid. They’d reach Kuwait City in a few hours.
“You going to tell me who you’re running from?” Hassan asked, narrowing his eyes. He took a drag on his cigarette. Only a few scraps of cold cuts were left on his plate, which sat near him on the counter. “That’s a pretty lady you’ve got downstairs. Hope she doesn’t belong to someone else.”
Roarke downed some water from a plastic bottle. Viper and Striker spoke outside on the deck. Both men were too loyal to say anything, even if Hassan asked.
“Like I mentioned earlier, she’s in a dangerous situation and needs to get home.”
Hassan shrugged a slim shoulder. “Doesn’t matter to me, man. I said I’d provide safe passage. However, for your sake and the woman’s and child’s,” he said, nodding toward the short flight of stairs, “I hope I’m not aiding a kidnapper.”
Roarke pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. Taking a child from her father was immensely frowned upon in Iraq. If Cameron had caught on to Laine sooner and found out she was planning an escape, she’d have been imprisoned and lost custody of Emmy.
He weighed his words. “I’ve paid you a hefty amount. Not just for safe passage, but for your confidence. I assure you, if anything happens, your name won’t be mentioned.”
Hassan lifted both hands. “We’re friends. Your secret is safe with me. Where are you staying when we reach Kuwait? I’ve got a place I can lend you.”
Roarke dragged his hand over his face. He was used to adrenaline crashes, but it’d been a long fucking time since he crashed this hard. “I appreciate that. We won’t be in the city very long.”
Hassan nodded slowly. “Well, I’m heading to bed. The captain said we should reach shore in three hours or so. You’d better sleep.” He left his plate by the sink, and disappeared into a bedroom off the kitchen.
Roarke would sleep on the couch downstairs near Laine and Emmy, and Viper and Striker would take the couches on the main floor.
