A fist rammed into his jaw as he moved to jump back to deliver his own punch.
The man had a fist like fucking marble.
Hell, he was an enraged bull.
Lowering his head, the other man rammed into Abram’s midsection, throwing him into the wall. Abram wrapped his arms around the terrorist’s shoulders, lifted his fists, and buried them in the man’s lungs.#p#分页标题#e#
It didn’t seem to faze him.
A fist cracked into Abram’s ribs, drawing a grunt of pain. Abram managed to get an arm lowered between their bodies, pulled back, and delivered a hard blow to the diaphragm.
That at least drew a reaction and a lessening of the pressure that kept Abram locked to the wall and his gun hand from reaching for the weapon whose grip was secured just outside the pocket.
The dimness of the room had kept it hidden, but now, he was free.
Abram wrapped his hand around the weapon, jerking it free. In a heartbeat, he had it leveled against the terrorist’s head.
“Lieutenant,” he sneered. “Do you want to meet your virgins today?”
Muddy brown eyes narrowed on him.
“Commander?” Abram questioned mockingly. “Or are terrorists using rank this month?”
“We are soldiers of Allah,” the commander rasped. “What would a demon such as you know of it?”
“That you’re insane,” Abram accused him icily. “And this game is over. Have fun when the FBI interrogation team gets hold of you. I’m certain they’ll enjoy your and Azir’s company for quite a long time before you ever see the inside of a courtroom. If you ever see one.”
They would simply disappear, Abram would see to it.
“Paige, open the door,” Abram ordered as he heard the sound of shouting, muffled by the door, coming up the stairs.
Paige moved quickly, once again dressed in nothing but a sheet.
Damn, she looked good in it too.
He kept his gaze on the terrorist, though, as the other man tensed.
“No!” Azir screamed in rage as Paige raced past him, too far away for him to reach. “Marilyn.”
And all hell broke loose.
Azir jumped for her, and the sound of the weapon Jafar held exploded through the night.
The door crashed open. Security agents rushed into the room and the gun Jafar held was knocked from his grip. His shocked gaze moved to Azir.
Jafar looked as though he himself had been shot.
Agony filled his gaze as Azir stared down at the gaping wound in his chest. He went to his knees then toppled to the floor.
At the same time, the commander knocked the weapon from Abram’s grip, as Abram reacted to defend himself.
He should have saved the effort. As his weapon flew across the room, three agents were on the commander, struggling with him until they had him pinned to the floor.
Abram jumped for Paige, pulling her quickly into his arms and moving her to the other side of the room as the agents restrained and handcuffed the commander.
Jerking him from the floor, his face bloodied now, the once-restrained hatred, contempt, and rage spewing from him, he glared back at Abram.
“It is not over,” he snarled. “It will never be over. You will die, and your whore will die.”
Abram smiled coldly but before he could speak, Jafar stepped forward slowly. “Before your men ever learn what happened to you, I will have control of them. You died in the failed attempt, along with Azir, to carry out your unsanctioned plan to punish Abram for his desertion of Islam, and to steal the woman he had chosen as his wife.”
The commander stared back at him in amazed shock. “You betrayed me, cousin.”
Jafar smiled, icy satisfaction filling his gaze. “As you betrayed Islam yourself, cousin.” His gaze flicked to Abram. “You do not recognize him, do you Abram?”
Abram gave a quick shake of his head.
“Meet once again, our cousin, Mohammid Mustafa, son of Hamid Mustafa, and his killer. He conspired with your father twenty-five years before to kill my father as well as his own, and to steal from the Mustafa province the wealth the king bestowed on it for the insanity they follow.”#p#分页标题#e#
Instead, the king had learned of the murders, rather than the accidents they had been made to appear. That was the reason the province had lost its wealth.
“You went to the king,” Abram murmured.
Jafar inclined his head slowly. “And now, I will return as their leader, their commander.” His smile was so viciously mocking Abram felt Paige flinch. “Enjoy your happiness, Abram.” Jafar finally sighed as he turned to Paige, his expression gentling. “Have I repaid my debt, little one?”
“With interest, Jafar,” she whispered.
He turned his head, watching as Mohammid was dragged from the room before turning back to them. “I will once again place myself in your debt then,” he sighed. “Watch out for my sister. Do not allow her to ever return to Saudi Arabia, no matter the messages I send.” Then his face creased painfully. “Convince her.” His gaze turned to Abram. “Convince her of my dedication to the plans Ayid and Aman planted. There are those who spy, who are close to her, and I have not yet identified them. Until I do…” His lips tightened.