Page 66 of Commander

“I had to learn from my mistakes. The exact ones you are making.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember when I had my accident?”

“How could I forget? Tyler and I were the ones who found your shot-up car.” I ducked under a low-hanging electrical wire and made my way to the door leading to the main house, but before I pushed it open I waited for Kartik’s answer.

Whatever he had to say wasn’t for anyone but us.

“I loved what I did for Solon. It gave me a purpose, but while I was getting my next fix of adventure—” his face grew grim, “—I lost Tazia, the woman I was going to marry. She couldn’t handle knowing the next time I left could be the last time she saw me. After my accident, she broke our engagement and is now with another man, the mother of his children, and living on the other side of the world.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but he lifted his hand and continued, “Ashur is a good man, and he deserves better from you. Just as Tazia deserved better from me. If you can’t leave Solon, there are other options.”

“It’s not that easy. I can’t be part of Solon and first lady.”

“Yes, it is, but you refuse to see it.”

My fingers closed around the levered handle of the metal door, and I closed my eyes. Could I do both roles?

I shook the thought from my head.

Kartik saw my reaction and shook his head. “Stubborn.”

Pushing open the door, I entered into the kitchen of the house and was bombarded with the scent of simmering food and spices.

It always felt so comfortable here. Kartik had turned this place into a home. A home for all the agents who constantly passed through, with a hot meal and a comfortable bed available at all times. He’d lost the only woman he would ever think of marrying and the consolation was a hodgepodge of men and women from all over the world he cared for as his family.

I’d heard the longing in his voice when he’d mentioned Tazia, and it felt like as if his words were a foreshadowing of my future.

A life without Ashur made my stomach hurt and a wave of nausea bubble up.

“Kar?” I said.

“Yes.”

“I guess it’s too late to go back home?” I knew the answer but asked anyway.

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll do as you suggested. I’ll coordinate from the trucks.”

“I’m glad you came to your senses. I’ll relay the change to the team. You have exactly eighteen minutes to get changed and grab a bite to eat before we make the drive to the monitoring point.”

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