Page 80 of Wait for Me

If they had flown commercial, it would take them at least nine or ten hours to get to Atlanta from the Victoria International Airport, with one or two stops on the way.

He wouldn’t have minded paying for the private jet, but Mendenhall Security had insisted on paying for it because they considered Marie of high value, and therefore, her family was too.

High value? How?

Logan did not consider himself an inquisitive man, but this was his wife—uh, ex-wife—whose real job seemed to be a black hole to him. Why?

Before they reached their own ride, Logan turned to look at the royal family one last time, to the two bodyguards now walking toward their respective vehicles.

Zaid opened the front passenger side door—

Jerked back.

And collapsed to the ground.

People started screaming around Logan as the SUV carrying Aliyah and Abdul sped off.

“Take Jonas back to the ship!” Marie started running. “Now!”

Logan glanced back at the parking lot, just as Aliyah’s second SUV swerved around them and screeched across the parking lot after the first SUV.

Marie was running toward Zaid on the ground.

For a second, bile formed in Logan’s throat, and he felt a pang of…

Jealousy?

Nearby, the driver’s side door of the Mendenhall Security SUV opened, and someone stepped out. A woman taller than Marie, dressed all in black. She knelt down and started to remove Zaid’s vest.

Someone jostled against Logan. He stepped to the side as several of Zaid’s men rushed down the gangplank toward their downed team member.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please return to the ship for your safety and security.” The public announcement was so loud that it startled Logan.

Shipboard security came down the gangplank, ushering everyone to get back into the ship. Logan held Jonas’s hand tightly.

“What’s going on, Daddy?” Jonas walked as fast as he could to keep up with Logan. “Where’s Mommy?”

Logan didn’t answer him. If his left arm weren’t in a cast, he could have swept up Jonas and carried him in his arms.

“Walk faster, Jonas.” Logan almost dragged him.

“I want Mommy!”

“Not now, Son. Let’s go. Mommy is coming.”

Is she?Logan wasn’t sure. He could pray she would.

And he did.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Vehicles from the Victoria Police Department surrounded Marie and Esperanza in the parking lot, their flashing lights indicating to the arriving ambulance where to pick up a barely alive Zaid, whose life the duo had saved.

Godsaved his life.

Marie and Esperanza had stepped aside as the emergency medical responders took over.

A couple of officers approached Zaid’s men, and one more came to talk to Esperanza. She was quite a sight, with blood all over her hands and jacket.

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