“Let. Me. Go.” Lips flat, she glowered. Eyes blazed. She looked ready to kill. Like that trapped animal, afraid a bigger predator had swooped in for the kill.
Shifting his hands to her shoulders, he nodded. “I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“You are being nice.Don’tbe nice,” she said, baring her teeth.
He lifted his palms. “Kas …”
She flinched. Hurried away, heading to the door inside.
“Who’s Atia?”
She stopped short. Hung her head. Then straightened. Turned. “I will tell you if you will tell me the nightmare that torments your sleep.”
Hadn’t seen that coming. But … “Fair.”
She faltered, as if she hadn’t expected him to yield. “I …” She looked away, clearly struggling with the secret she must now share.
“I would like to know,” he said, feeling the need to extend an olive branch, “but you do not have to tell me. Even though we made an agreement.”
“So, you think me a liar.”
“No, I think you’ve been through a lot—”
She scoffed. “Zaki fills your head with things and suddenly you are my ally?”
He frowned. “Did you forget the last six days on the run together?”
“That was an alliance of self-preservation.”
He saw it now. Saw the way she deflected every chance, every possibility of a connection. Excused it. Rationalized it. He had to come at this, at her, in a way she wouldn’t expect. Not to trick her but to let her know he was serious. To his surprise, he found he did want to be allies.
Wasn’t sure it was possible with all the stuff between them. “I owe you an apology.”
“No!” she growled. “I said don’t be nice.”
He held up his hands. “It’s long overdue.” He edged nearer, holding his side. “I assumed the worst of you. Never even let it enter my thick skull that you might be anything other than a madam working kids.”
“You and everyone else.”
He angled his head. “But that … that’s not who you are. Is it?”
“It is!Iran Roud. It was me!”
He stopped, considered her. Something about the way she said that warned there was a lot more to the story. “Why are you shouldering all the blame?”
“Because!” She drew in herself. “It was me.”
“It was you,” he said, agreeing, “who was betrayed by family. Taken from those you knew and loved. Abused for money.” Sensing the tremor of anger at what she had been put through, he slowly erased the distance. “Betrayed by a boy you loved. Parents—”
“They were dead. It is why Dawud … sold me.” A tear pushed free and slowly slid down her cheek, as if it too hesitated over the past.
“Kasra …”
“No!” she snapped. “Stop!Stopbeing nice.” Her chin bounced as she fought tears. Shook her head. It seemed the rabbit was beginning to tire … or trust.
The scream of those last words drew him closer. “It was wrong. Horrible.” Gently, he cupped her shoulders. “They were your family. They should have loved you—”
“You do not—”
