The Devil
harsh, flickering fluorescent light of the black-market clinic. The smell of antiseptic and stale
hake violently, but I force myself into a sitting posit
me back down onto the thin mattress. "You need to stay still, Miss Al-Sabah. You've suffe
!" I scream, my voice cracking
is stable but still in a coma. Mr. Sterling is in the nex
hes out of my lung
fortable pity in his eyes. "Miss Al-Sabah, there is something else.
beat. "What are y
whisper. "About four weeks along. The reason you collapsed wasn't just exha
ning. The air is suc
r w
ur weeks ago, Faisal was playing the part of the devoted fiancé. He was tr
Faisal
to burn my father alive. I press my hands again
y, I hear a low
isa
His left arm is strapped in a massive, bulky sling, the white bandages stained with fresh
out of bed," Dr. Aris sc
ks slowly, painfully, toward my cot. He stops right bes
ys, his voice a low, dang
tasting like poison. "The t
his skin. For a terrifying second, I expect him to turn around and wa
nd gently grabs my chin, f
I don't care whose blood runs in that child's veins. If it is yours, it is under my
ayla bursts inside, her perfectly styled hair falling out of place, her f
ti had a secondary GPS tracker hidden in the undercarriage. The poli
settling in my chest e
ommander. He rips the IV line out of his good arm. "Layla, pull the v
retcher. I stumble out of the cot, my legs nearly buckling, and grab Kayden. He wraps his good arm around
utility van before the front door of the clinic spli
the gas, and the van tears out of the alleyway jus
leans his head back against the wall, sweating profusely from the exertion. Myas Layla navigates the dark, empty underpasses of the
burner ph
the silent van. I pull it out of
e, his eyes sharp. I answer th
aisal's voice purrs
d turns
musement. "Blowing up the mansion, stealing my drive, running away with my uncle.
aisal?" I ask, my vo
he says. "And I know
"I know about the baby, Amira. I have
oat. I look at Kayden, whos
the biological father, I have already filed an emergency motion in the High Court. I am suing for full custody of
kes, turning around to
do that,"
orty-eight hours to walk down the aisle and marry me. If you don't, I will have the police hunt you down like a dog.
ne goe
er tablet, her fingers flying across the screen. H
s live. If we go to the airstrip, the police have the legal right to
I look at my father, unconscious and dying. I think about the child growing
not an opti
here is the closest
rth," she says. "But I j
, my voice dropping to a cold, steady re
flash of surprise crossing his
isted plan forming in my mind. "Fine. L
/1/133105/coverbig.jpg?v=fa80fbafad7bb34d73ff8387cb18b31b&imageMogr2/format/webp)