“I thought you would send someone else after me. And I thought you might avoid the conference if you knew I would be there. If I was dead, I couldn’t be there. That is why you sent Ace to kill me, right?”
His lips curled up slightly. “I didn’t want to kill you. I’m sure that surprises you, but the choice to kill you was not my own, but my business partner’s. When I learned that you would be here in Dubai, I was excited again. It’s been years since I had such a challenge. No. I didn’t want to kill you. I wanted to collect what was mine and finish the job. However, I agreed to send your brother after you to appease my partner.”
His brother. God, al Fareed didn’t even understand the meaning of the word. “Your business partner was afraid I would recognize you?”
One shoulder shrugged as though it was not of great matter to him. “Again, I didn’t believe it would truly harm me, but apparently you have some powerful friends now. Don’t worry. My partner is busy discrediting them. Once their reputations are in threads, no one will listen anymore.”
“You’re behind the Agency recalling Ten.”
“No. I have nothing to do with the CIA. I find them to be distasteful. I leave that to my partner. Note, I do not call him my friend. He is distasteful as well, but compromises must be made. Once I have all I need, I’ll cut ties with him in the most profound way possible. I will enjoy it. Now, soon we will be traveling. I think it’s time for you to come to my home. I can take my time there, properly assist you in understanding your true place in the world.”
His place was with Phoebe and his family. Again, the need rose to fight, to argue, to scream. None of that would help him. That kind of rage was for men with nothing to hope for. For men with no faith.
Faith was what he lacked the first time. He could see it now. He’d been an animal fighting for his life purely out of instinct. Now his fight was defined and deeply emotional. His fight was to survive to get home to her.
His faith versus the Caliph’s.
He bowed his head. “I would love to hear what you say, Caliph.”
His eyes narrowed. “Really? Is this a new tactic? Your prior tactics were always so physical.”
“That didn’t work. Nothing really worked. I’ve been back in the real world for a while now. They don’t see any value in what I have to offer. You read the papers I’m sure. Even my new boss only sees me as a body to put in front of the employees he does care about.” The Caliph might not care to lie, but Jesse had discovered a little lie could go a long way. “I cared about the girl. I did, but she’s Agency. She’ll leave me behind in a heartbeat. You’re the only one who ever gave a damn about what happened to me.”
There was a moment of silence, a tension Jesse could feel despite the languor of the drugs still weighing him down.
“I will think on this,” the Caliph said. He stood abruptly. “In the meantime, I believe you should be punished for killing your brother. Was it you who pulled the trigger?”
“He was trying to kill me at the time.”
“It matters not. It merely shows me that you forget who your master is. I decide if you live or die. I am your god. Let this be a reminder.”
The door opened and Jesse watched as two of the Caliph’s guards entered, one carrying a four-foot bullwhip. Jesse was fairly certain the asswipe wasn’t as good with it as he’d become. He could wield that whip with delicacy, never opening up a sub’s skin. That wouldn’t be the case today because that whip was like anything else—a tool. Jesse would use it for pleasure and this man would torment him with pain.
“See if you can get him to break. I don’t like this calm in him. He’s different,” the Caliph said in Farsi. “I need the dog back.”
He didn’t fight as they tied him to the wall. There was no point. He would need his strength.
When the first blow struck, he closed his eyes and thought of her.
Phoebe tried not to panic as she washed her hands, but all of her training was going right out the door. She was supposed to stay cool and collected, but she could feel the tears streaming down her face.
He was gone.
She looked at the clock. Morning had broken and now he’d been missing for an hour and thirty-nine minutes.
She looked into the bathroom mirror and saw the face staring back. Pale. Haunted. She’d seen it before. After Jamie had gone missing, this face had stared right back at her. Widow. It didn’t matter that she and Jesse hadn’t technically been married. She would be his widow.
A sharp knock broke the silence. “Hey, princess. You through in there?”
Erin. God, she’d hidden in the bathroom to get away from everyone. The minute they’d realized Jesse was missing, Ten and Simon had jumped into action. They’d had Hutch, Chelsea, and Adam attempting to track the helicopter. They’d managed to find a security feed that showed a man being taken to the rooftop helipad and the chopper flying off.