The Black Sheep Sheik Read Online Free PDF

out right now, sir.”
    “I expect a call within the hour about whether you made a capture or made a kill.”
     

    A MIR DIALED HIS secretary at the palace, lifting his right leg and rolling his ankle at the same time. He didn’t want to limp in front of his security. Or in front of Isabelle. Her resistance baffled him. In his experience, people challenged authority when they perceived it as weak. The sooner he regained his full strength, the better.
    He knew what was best and he was going to take care of her and his son. As soon as she was over her feminine hysteria, she would come to see that his was the best way, the only way, really. Protocol and tradition demanded they be together. And so did he.
    “I’ll be outside, watering.” She headed for the door.
    “If you see that chopper again, come back in.”
    The line was picked up at the other end. “Sahed Habib, royal secretariat. How can I be of service?”
    “It’s Amir.”
    Stunned silence came first, then the sound of rapid breathing. “Are you all right, Sheik?” The always stoic voice thrilled for the first time that Amir could remember. “What happened? Everybody is looking for you.”
    He explained as much as he knew, then had the man fill him in on all that he’d missed. Fahad had betrayed the alliance and was dead. Amir sat stunned, the news hitting him hard. Fahad had been his best friend’s cousin and head of security.
    He and Efraim were going to have a long talk about this, which he didn’t look forward to. But first, he had other matters to arrange.
    “I need the royal physician here at the Wind River Ranch and Resort. Put him on the next plane,” he ordered, without going into detail about Isabelle.
    He was careful about what he said over the phone, careful not to mention his location. If Fahad had been involved, then so could others from the palace. He sent short messages of reassurance to his sister and key people in the government about being in touch very soon, then ended that call and dialed Efraim.
    “Where have you been? Do you have any idea… Never mind. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t talk to anyone. Don’t even call the police. There’s danger—” The line went dead. No battery power left on the phone. He grunted with frustration as he slapped the phone onto the counter and headed for the door. He needed the charger from Isabelle.
    He caught a glimpse of her through the window. She was walking from the back of her SUV to the front and…getting in? The nervous glance she cast toward the cabin confirmed his sudden suspicions. She was sneaking out on him once again.
    “Isabelle!” He lunged for the door, a feat his legs weren’t quite ready for, tripped and grabbed on to the shelf by the coat hanger, pulled the stack of blankets off it by accident. The hunting rifle that had been hidden under them crashed to the floor with a clatter.
    So it was nothing but sheer luck that when the beaten-up black van tore up the road, leaving a dust cloud in its wake, he had a gun in hand. An exceedingly good thing, since the second the van stopped, the men jumping from it opened fire.
    They weren’t playing around. Judging from their weapons, they were stone-cold professionals, here to do business.
    Isabelle dove inside the SUV as best as she could, considering her round belly. He provided her with cover and prayed that she got out of there before she got hurt. Instead, she drove to pick him up, tires squealing.
    “Go! I’ll hold them off.” He took aim and squeezed off another shot.
    “I swear if you don’t get in…” She looked scared to death but determined, steel glinting in her blue eyes.
    And he didn’t have any choice but to jump into the car. Hesitating would have put their lives in even more danger.
    Then Isabelle was peeling out of there, driving like mad down some trail that went behind the cabin.
    “Duck!” he yelled just in time, as a hail of bullets hit the back window and it exploded.

Chapter Three
    “Are you