Tumult (TSS Series Book 1) by Lea Hart (15)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Wednesday, October 18^th

Ankara, Turkey

Audrey was ensconced in a lovely white lounge chair under a canopy near the pool with her tablet on her lap and a cold glass of iced tea at her elbow. Carrick had been swimming back and forth for the last forty minutes in the large pool and she wondered how many laps he did on a weekly basis.

Probably hundreds.

She, on the other hand, did less than fifty and that was only if she’d put herself on some short fitness program. Sighing, she picked up her phone to see if her contact at the Hurriyet newspaper had responded to her text. Burak Aksoy was a top journalist in the country and she had been fortunate enough to count him not only as a colleague, but also a friend. They’d been in almost constant contact for the last six months and his generosity with both his time and resources had been one of the many reasons she decided to write the book.

He had cheered her on and insisted that she take on the challenge of writing the women’s stories, so the world would know that they were making a difference in Syria. After one particularly impassioned speech, she knew there was only one answer. Which was why she was sitting in the Marriott in Ankara waiting for her bodyguard/lover to finish his workout.

And what a lover he was. Feral, generous, demanding, and unrelenting were just a few of the adjectives that came to mind when she thought about how they’d spent their time last night. Now that they were close to being in-country, she knew those wildly-passionate nights were finished, and they needed to get down to business.

Hearing her phone buzz, she picked it up and saw that Burak had texted her back, confirming their dinner. Looking up, she saw that Carrick had finished and was pulling himself out of the pool. Seeing his glorious, muscled body dripping with water was making her wish that more time together was possible.

And since that was the sort of thinking that would only lead to trouble, she let it go and focused on what they needed to accomplish. Their visas were going to be ready tomorrow and Carrick’s colleague was joining them, so they were just about ready to make their way across the border.

Once Carrick and his colleague who’d been in-country caught up, they’d decide where they were going to enter Syria. Allepo was barely a functioning city anymore, so going through there wasn’t necessarily the best option.

Between Carrick’s contact and Burak, they should be able to determine where they were going to start their journey and how best to proceed. Feeling droplets of cold water, she looked up and watched Carrick dry his hair. “Did you work off the last day and a half of travel?”

“Almost.”

She gave him a smile and then gathered her things. “I’m going to head upstairs and grab a shower. Burak just confirmed our dinner and I want to get myself together and make sure my notes are in order.”

“Who the hell is Burak and why are we having dinner with him?”

Seeing his surly expression made her wonder if he was tired from the travel or irritated because she had made a plan without consulting him. Either way, she didn’t much care for it. “We are not having dinner, I am, so don’t get growly and start irritating me.”

“I’m not growling and don’t forget we’re glued together until we get back on the plane and head back to the States.”

“We’re at the Marriott Hotel in the middle of a relatively safe city and I have no interest in being glued to your cranky butt.”

“Are we having our first ‘travel tiff’ or is there something else going on?”

Sliding her hand on her hip, she lifted an eyebrow. “I am meeting a friend and colleague for dinner and, if you can behave, you’re welcome to join us. If, however, you plan on being unpleasant, then you’re not.”

He took her hand and put it against his chest and smiled. “One happy bodyguard coming right up.”

Feeling his cool muscled chest sent a little shiver of desire down to her lady parts and, since she didn’t much care for his sarcasm, she ignored it. “Carrick, you have the night off, so if I were you, I’d take advantage of it.”

“I don’t want the night off, Audrey, and I go where you go.”

“Not necessary,” she replied as he stepped closer and invaded her space. “I’m meeting my journalist friend who has been invaluable as I’ve researched the book. Burak works for Hurriyet, which is the biggest newspaper in Turkey, and he’s been a cheerleader for my project and spent a lot of time pointing me in the right direction as I’ve researched the YPJ.”

“I’m choosing to be in your company because there’s no place I’d rather be, and it has nothing to do with your safety and everything to do with how you make me feel.”

Looking into his warm gaze, she realized he was completely sincere. It wasn’t some bullshit throwaway line, it was his truth. “That’s a lovely thing to say, Carrick.”

“I didn’t say it to charm you. I said it because it’s the truth. A damn inconvenient one, considering our prospects, but I’ve never shied away from reality and I don’t plan on starting now.”

There was no way to respond to a statement like that and not open a can of worms. And since she hated worms, she kept her mouth sealed firmly shut. As far as she was concerned, the end of their affair wasn’t something she was going to consider until she was back in New York. Only then would she have the luxury of mourning its death. “I’m going upstairs, and I’ll see you later.” Pulling her hand away from his, she picked up her bag and walked toward the hotel.

When she choked down the need to cry two or three times, she realized how lucky she’d be to keep them at bay until she made it home. Carrick had made a little place for himself inside her heart and the idea of not being able to do anything about it made her incredibly sad.

Clearing her throat, she threw back her hair and squared her shoulders as she entered the long corridor that led to the bank of elevators. Giving herself a stern lecture, she promised to let go of her romantic fantasies by the time she made it up to the room.

There was no future for her and Carrick and to pretend otherwise was foolish.

***

Carrick checked his watch as he stepped off the elevator and realized he’d been on the phone with Andrew longer than he realized. His brother from another mother and former teammate had gotten his hands on a bulletproof SUV and was going to deliver it tomorrow along with their visas. He’d been at the al-Tanf military base on the Jordanian border for the last ninety days and had contacts all through the region. The Jordanian government had hired Titan to come in and work alongside their generals as they trained the latest evolution of the SDF. Not that anyone was talking about it.

Entering the lounge, he heard the melodic sound of Audrey’s laugh and wondered who in the hell was responsible. When he spotted her on the red couch sitting next to a man who was too damn good looking, he felt an unmistakable rush of jealousy. Since when did Turkish journalists look like fucking movie stars?

Striding across the marble floors, he willed himself to relax and remain calm. No good was going to come if he didn’t behave, and the last thing he wanted to do was piss Audrey off. Especially since there was a damn Casanova ready to comfort her, should he misstep.

Pasting a diplomatic smile on his face, he stepped close to Audrey and made sure none of his feelings were evident. “Sorry I was delayed, babe.”

When she looked up with an open smile, he felt himself relax. Nothing like seeing her approval to let him know he was on the right track. He put out his hand to the man, “Carrick Young.”

The man stood and gave him a friendly smile in return. “Burak Aksoy, nice to finally meet the man who’s helping Audrey make her dream come true.”

Nodding, he decided that was a damn fine way to be thought of. He’d be more than satisfied if he could actually make that a reality. Sitting in the chair next to the couch, he gave Audrey a nod. “Do you need another drink?”

“No, I’ll wait until dinner.”

Burak leaned forward and held out his hands. “We’ve been dawdling because my wife is going to try and join us. She’s an OB/GYN and was called in to deliver a baby several hours ago and Audrey wanted to wait to see if she could make it.”

Deciding the guy was all right since he was married, he sat back in his chair. “We can order some snacks and give her the time she needs.”

Audrey lifted her watch and then looked at Carrick. “She doesn’t want us to wait past seven, so we’ll give her another twenty minutes.”

Burak let out a chuckle and checked his phone. “I’ve discovered over the last two years of marriage that babies like to come right before dinner, when you’ve got a house full of guests, and when you’ve just fallen asleep.”

“I think they like to maintain that schedule well into the teenage years, at least that’s what my mom has always said,” Audrey replied.

“So, how did you two connect?” Carrick asked.

Audrey gave Burak an affectionate smile and then replied, “When I first became aware of the YPJ, I read several articles online that Burak had written. I reached out to him and he was kind enough to respond and has been an invaluable partner in getting this project off the ground. Every time I had a question, he answered it as best he could and often gave me just the right advice, so I could contact the people I needed to move the project forward.”

“Audrey was the first American writer to contact me regarding the women of the YPJ and it was hard to resist her curiosity about the women and what the Kurds are trying to achieve in Northern Syria. I admit to having a soft spot for the rebels and consider their efforts in driving ISIS out of their land a key component in the success that SDF and YPG have experienced.”

“Why is the YPG the only group in Syria that has an interest in defeating ISIS?” Carrick asked. “They’re nothing more than a light-infantry force with limited military equipment, and yet they’ve managed, with the air support of the U.S., to defeat the group and abolish their caliphate.”

“Those are questions that will be asked for years to come,” Burak answered.

The waiter approached, and Carrick ordered a drink and followed Burak’s suggestion and ordered the mezze, which was the Turkish appetizer plate. “I’d love to hear about the conflict from your perspective,” Carrick said as he felt Audrey take his hand. Not wanting to make a big deal of it, he ran his thumb over her soft skin and relished the affectionate gesture silently.

Burak let out a low laugh and shook his head. “I’ll let you get your drink first and try and come up with an abbreviated answer.”

“I haven’t begun to understand the many layers of conflicts and ever-changing alliances and I hope that once I’m done writing the book, I will have at least managed a small grasp on the situation,” Audrey remarked as she looked between the men.

Burak lifted his glass and tilted his head. “There is an often-used hyperbole that roughly translates as, ‘the deck is being reshuffled in the Middle East,’ and it refers to the ever-changing balances of power and alliances. What is true one month is often not the same the following one. It’s my opinion that President Erdoğan is playing a fool’s game by getting involved in Syria’s conflict. Thinking that Syria’s ‘Arab Spring’ would turn out like Lebanon’s was his first mistake and unless he can untangle us from the conflicts we’re engaged in inside Syria’s borders, we’re not only going to have to deal with the West and Russia, but some very pissed off neighbors that sit on our border. The YPG is here to stay and to believe that they’re not going to take advantage of their newfound power is ludicrous. Unfortunately, the president has put himself in an untenable situation and broken all his earlier alliances with the PKK.”

“He bet on the wrong horse and now he’s screwed because he didn’t keep it quiet,” Carrick commented as his drink was delivered.

“Yes,” Burak replied with a laugh. “Erdoğan ‘broke’ the old Turkey when he was elected and promised all kinds of reform and change, and he’s since discovered that shattering an old order is easier than building a new one. When he broke the traditional Turkish foreign policy posture of prudence, he didn’t have the experience to create one that would work with all the many players in the world.”

“How could he?” Audrey asked. “Not only is he trying to safeguard his own country’s interest, but consider how it will play against the West, Russia, and Iran. Add to that ISIS, and there’s no way to come out of it successfully.”

“It will be interesting to see how the fall of Raqqa will change the future for the Kurds,” Carrick added. Their mezze plate was delivered and, just as they were about to begin eating, a beautiful woman walked up to their table. Seeing Burak’s expression, he knew it had to be his wife because the love he felt was etched across his features.

“My love, you made it,” Burak said as he stood and embraced the woman. Turning toward Carrick and Audrey, he said, “I would like to introduce my wife and better half, Dr. Tuba Aksoy.” He put his hand on her stomach and grinned. “And our baby girl who will be joining us in just five short months.”

Audrey stood and stepped over to embrace the couple. “Congratulations.”

Carrick saw how happy the news made Audrey and he wondered if it was something she wanted in her life. They hadn’t touched on the subject and he guessed that they might never, considering what they had would be difficult to manage considering their circumstances. Which suddenly made him feel like a knife was being slid into his gut.

Tuning back into the conversation, he realized they were going to move into the dining room for dinner. He followed the group, and thought about his future, wondering if all his old ideas still held any appeal.