More Than Strangers (13 page)

She snorted and managed to appear elegant doing it. “Sure you are—in exchange for almost all of my liquid assets.”

Dan shrugged. “We can’t help it if you’ve put most of your net worth in long-term mutual funds. If you add those to the equation, all we’re asking for is your petty cash.”

For a moment, she looked impressed. “You must be one hell of a hacker.”

She scrutinized him and Dan for a long moment. Then she pursed her lips and glanced back down at the agreement. She flipped the pages over in a flurry. If he hadn’t known she possessed a near genius IQ, he would’ve suspected it from her reading speed. She was skimming, but he would bet good money she’d identified all the important information from the cursory glance.

When she looked up, she confirmed his conclusions. “You’re asking for a great deal of money in exchange for a twenty percent share.”

Dan was the one to answer. “That’s what the stock is valued at.”

Her smile was reminiscent of a cat with a bowl of cream. “That may be true, but my time is worth more. You want to expand operations—recruit assets, build training facilities, create support networks, and establish regional offices. It’ll allow you to become managers in reality as well as in name. No more grunt work if you don’t want it.” She paused for effect before continuing. “Based on these numbers, it’s the right time for your company to move into the expansion phase. But neither of you have the business or legal background to see it through. You need me. You’re going to need me for a very long time. Thirty percent would be a fair offer.”

She was right, and both he and Dan had anticipated her counter. They just didn’t think she’d reach the conclusion this quickly. As such, Jason didn’t hesitate before replying. “Twenty-five percent—with an automatic increase to thirty the moment profits become double what they were last year.”

She considered his offer for a moment before extending her hand. “I could probably knock off the probation period since I know the real reason you’re doing this. But I’m feeling magnanimous. You’ve got a deal.”

The soft, delicate palm he shook stood in stark contrast to the fire in her green eyes. He and Dan had chosen their new partner well. “What do you think my true motivations are?”

Her smile was shadowed by a hint of sadness. “You’re restructuring your life—personally and professionally. You can’t do it without bringing in a third partner. Don’t worry. You won’t regret it.”

Dan was next to shake her hand. Their lawyers would deal with the formalities, but as far as they were concerned, the agreement was struck. His friend’s gaze held a hint of respect and understanding. Dan was the one who had conducted Brennan’s background investigation. Personal details had been omitted from the report. “Does your ex-husband know he’s an idiot?”

Brennan’s laughter was genuine. She shook her head as she withdrew her hand. “He even admits to it. But I didn’t fit into his life. No matter how small I made myself, he couldn’t squeeze me in. For two people to be together, both have to make sacrifices. We should have figured that out before we got married and not after. You’ve made a smart move, Jason. And Nulli’s one lucky girl.”

“I missed you.” There was no accusation in Nulli’s voice, no judgment in her deep blue gaze. But guilt was a blow to the gut. Jason had told her he’d be there when she opened her eyes. It had been a promise he couldn’t keep.

He knew she was fine. The bullet had entered and exited without hitting any major organs. It wouldn’t be long before she was on her feet and chomping at the bit to find new and creative ways to get into trouble. But the knowledge didn’t change the sick feeling in his stomach as his gaze searched her too pale face. She had always brimmed with energy, and it hurt to see her so weak.

Those rounded cheeks were without color. She was slumped against the white pillow and narrow mattress, her head angled to the side as if keeping it straight took too much energy. Her wide smile reached her eyes, but her gray lips muted the impact. When he walked through the door, her entire face had lit up. The apparent joy and relief made him want to punch her father in the face. He should have been here when she woke.

“This should keep you out of danger for a while,” he quipped as he approached the bed. He took her small hand in his. Her fingers were cold, her nails purple instead of pink.

Laughter caught in her throat. “I’m sure I’ll think of a way. I missed the private jet experience. How was it?”

It had been the most terrifying hour of his life. Just remembering it made his heart pound. “Luxurious. Since Zahra has two brothers, the bar was well stocked. Getting from Karachi to Dubai was the smoothest experience I’ve had in weeks. A mobile med unit was waiting for us at the airport.”

She cast her gaze downward to where their hands met. He noticed her palms were slightly damp. “Will you be in town for a few more days?” Her tone was casual, but she was holding her breath. The realization hit him. She expected him to leave.

And why shouldn’t she? They’d made no promises. In the past six months, neither of them mentioned the future. They discussed what happened from day to day; they talked about the past and shared fond memories. In many ways, they knew one another better than any other person alive. But uncertainty was a shadow they both embraced. The present and past were safe topics. The future was not.

He lifted her hand and brushed his lips over the backs of her fingers. Considering the risks they had taken with their lives, it was ridiculous how long they’d tiptoed around this subject. It had been safer to keep things as they were. Their hold on each other was tenuous, and demanding more meant admitting what they had wasn’t enough.

To move forward, things had to change. Six months ago, she was the one with enough courage to take the first step. Now it was his turn to transform what she began into something more. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Her wide-eyed gaze darted from their clasped hands to his eyes. The vulnerability etched on her face explained a great deal about why it had taken them this long to get here. Even after all that had happened, she was torn. Her hesitation didn’t come as a surprise. Independence was something they both valued above all.

He took a deep breath. It was past time he made the leap. “Starting now, I think we should make big decisions together. I won’t go to Afghanistan without discussing it with you first, and you don’t get to parachute into another war zone without telling me. How does that sound?”

He watched her expression. Her brows knitted, and she bit down on her lower lip. Her gaze had a hint of protest. He had always known there was a chance this conversation could end with refusal, but his reaction when faced with the possibility was visceral. They had stayed in the limbo between strangers and lovers for far too long. She was his—she had been his since their first night together. It had taken him too long to realize it, and he wasn’t about to let her make the same mistake. “Let me rephrase—I won’t let you put your life in danger. Until I can no longer picture you lying in a pool of blood, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

Her cheeks dimpled. When she laughed, the sound was tinged with nervousness. She tried to free her hand, but he closed his fingers and held her prisoner. The gesture evoked a frown. “You’ve been bossier lately.”

She hadn’t refused his claim outright. It was a step in the right direction. “Your judgment has been questionable.”

To his surprise, she replied, “That’s a gross understatement.”

He sat on the bed. His thigh brushed hers over the crisp white sheet.

She didn’t move away.

“An heiress who admits when she’s wrong. How did I ever let you go?”

She rewarded him with a friendly swat. “Don’t call me that. My mother insisted on a normal upbringing. She’s already rolling in her grave now that my father’s elbowed his way back into my life. And don’t get used to complacence—I’m not normally this reasonable. It’s the painkillers.”

She was trying to change the subject. He understood her instinct to keep things as they were, but he was done playing it safe. “You never answered my question.”

She raised an inquiring eyebrow. “I’m not sure you asked one. What specifically do you want me to do?”

He had a ring burning a hole in his breast pocket, but it was more prudent to take things step by step. Since he didn’t want his voice to shake, he breathed deeply before speaking. “Stay in Dubai. Move in with me.”

Her hand jerked. He had gotten her attention. The silence stretched. It took all his willpower not to say a word. He had made his move. What happened next was her choice.

When she finally spoke, her reply wasn’t a protest. “I don’t even know where you live.”

The room suddenly felt very warm. His pulse quickened. What he wanted was just within reach. He needed her to say the words. “I’ve been told it’s very nice. It has an ocean view.” And if she didn’t like his penthouse, he’d just get another one. What else was he going to do with all his money?

“How long can I stay?” Her tone was cautiously playful, but her gaze darted away from his once more. He scrutinized her face. She was biting down on her lower lip, and her free hand clenched and unclenched over crumpled fabric. It was a relief to know she wasn’t as unaffected as she would like him to believe.

No answer had ever felt more right. “Stay for as long as you want. It’ll be half yours.”

The corners of her mouth lifted. A moment later, he was staring into her eyes. He had his answer. It was as if a weight lifted from his shoulders, and the sudden relief was almost dizzying.

He was about to reach for the ring when she smacked his hand.

“Oh no. No, no. You don’t get to do that.” She had clearly guessed where he was going with this conversation, and it wasn’t the reaction he expected.

Perhaps in response to his scowl, she wagged her finger. “I’m impulsive, but I’m not insane. There are a lot of kinks to work out before we even consider anything permanent.”

He crossed his arms and struggled not to sound dismissive. It was difficult when he was completely certain he could overcome whatever hurdles she foresaw. “I’m listening.”

“I can’t change who I am. I might need to go back to Pakistan one day. I probably will within the year.”

His instinct was to say “absolutely not.” But the look in her eyes made him hesitate. This wasn’t an idle statement.

He fought the impulse to tell her she needed to have her brain checked. “Why would you want to?”

She let out a pent-up breath. “I’m surprised you didn’t just bite my head off.”

He was as well, but he didn’t plan on admitting it. The thought of her going back made him want to tie her to the bed so he could drum some sense into her thick skull. His jaw clenched hard enough the pain startled him. With great difficulty, he kept a lid on his temper. “I’ll at least hear what you have to say. But considering you’ve got an IV drip in your arm, the argument would have to change the way I view the world.”

She batted her eyelashes, but her voice didn’t match the cocky expression on her face. “Thousands of lives saved and a potential epidemic subverted—is that not a good enough reason?”

It was a struggle to keep anger from coloring his expression. “Not if it involves you getting shot.”

Her face paled, but he didn’t regret reminding her about what had just transpired. She’d almost been kidnapped, and she could have died. From the moment her eyes closed on that rooftop to the time she came out of surgery, he had been to hell and back. He would give her almost anything, but he needed to draw the line somewhere.

“The whole debacle could have happened in any country. I was targeted personally. I wasn’t the victim of localized danger.”

She couldn’t possibly be serious. “And if you were in a place with a working police force, it would have ended with a failed kidnapping attempt at the mall. The high-speed car chase, the need for a helicopter, the shooting on the rooftop—there are very select locations on the planet where those things can happen. You chose to live in one of them.”

“You go to all those dangerous places too,” she had the gall to point out.

“Not without proper security.” He hadn’t intended to snap at her, but he couldn’t keep his voice level.

His statement seemed to deflate her somewhat. She was smart enough to know she didn’t have a winning argument. After a moment’s hesitation, she gave an inch. “I can administer the program from Dubai, but I’ll need to fly to Pakistan from time to time. I’m sure Zahra will insist you accompany me.”

Security was a numbers game. He understood the odds better than most. But this was his Nulli, and there was no acceptable risk when it came to her. It was near impossible for his mind to quantify her safety—for him to consider the likelihood of her death in percentage points.

Yet the drive that made her take these chances was one of the reasons he loved her.

“What exactly do you mean by ‘from time to time’?”

Her eyes widened. She came close to sitting straight before she winced and leaned back against the pillows. She looked like a hopeful puppy. “A few times a year, for a week or two at a time.”

His gut reaction was still to refuse. But he forced himself to calculate the odds and put emotion aside. If they took the appropriate measures, her proposal wasn’t beyond reason. With a defeated sigh, he made a counteroffer. “Twice a year, and no more than three days at a time.”

She blinked rapidly. It was a sign she was thinking hard about his statement. “Four times a year?” The slight inflection at the end of her sentence made it obvious he would win if he pushed.

He chose not to. “As long as I handle every single detail. And I don’t want to hear any whining when I tell you certain areas are no-go zones.”

Their gazes locked. The conversation had happened so fast the implication didn’t sink in until after an agreement was reached. This was the first decision they’d made as a unit—as two people whose futures belonged to each other. He cupped her face with his hands and leaned in. His lips hovered less than an inch from hers. “Can I give you that damn ring now?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course not. One of us needs to be sensible. If we don’t kill each other after living together for a year, I’ll take a peek.”