He smiled down at her and she swore silently, I’m going to save you, Rachid, if I don’t kill you first for not trusting me.
Chapter Eighteen
Zhang was both relieved and concerned when, at the end of the meal, Rachid informed her that he had some business to address before he could come to her that evening. Another woman might have been hurt to be dismissed by her groom on their wedding night, but another woman wouldn’t have spent half the meal hoping he would accept her request for some time alone to rest.
And by “rest,” I mean “find out if Jeremy has uncovered anything yet.” Going directly back to his room was too risky, since there was a good chance Ghalil would be waiting for her to do just that. Instead, Zhang headed to the suite of the only person crazy enough to help her.
Alone and still dressed in the suit he’d worn to dinner, Dominic answered the door. With a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, Zhang slipped inside.
“I need to talk to you, Dominic,” she said.
“Isn’t this a conversation you should have with your mother?” he asked dryly.
Already short of temper, Zhang asked, “What the hell are you talking about?”
Dominic closed the door and motioned for Zhang to sit. Suddenly serious, he said, “Sorry, an attempt at wedding humor. What do you need?”
Zhang paced the small area between the couches. “Jeremy is set up and searching files now. I told him I’d return after dinner, but Gahlil saw me leave his room. I don’t know what he thought I was doing there but it’s too dangerous for me to return. Can you do it? I don’t trust using our cell phones here. Something’s not right.”
Dominic crossed the room to where Zhang stood and agreed. “As usual, your instincts are right. Rachid’s announcement felt strategic – like he was trying to goad someone into action. Do you think it’s his brother?”
“I don’t know, but I’m hoping Jeremy found something. Will you help me?”
Abby stepped out of the bedroom, covered in a long blue silk nightgown and robe. “Help you do what?”
Zhang and Dominic looked at each other guiltily, like two children caught red-handed and trying to come up with a convincing lie.
Abby crossed the room, stopping just in front of her husband. Hands placed angrily on her hips, Abby said, “Dom, you promised me that we wouldn’t keep secrets from each other.”
Dominic took her hands in his and said, “I don’t want you involved in this, Abby. It’s too dangerous.”
With her chin held at a stubborn slant, Abby said, “Even more of a reason why I should know what is going on.”
Just as stubborn, Dominic shook his head and said, “No, Abby. The less you know the better.”
“You can’t do this, Dom,” Abby pleaded.
Looking unhappy, but set in his decision, Dominic said, “Zhang needs my help. Give me thirty minutes –”
“I’m pregnant,” Abby blurted out, sudden tears filling her eyes.
Dom sat down on the couch behind him with a heavy thud. “Pregnant?”
Abby sat beside her now pasty-white husband, took one of his hands and laid it on her stomach. “Yes. Do you understand why you have to stop seeing yourself as indestructible?”
When Dominic spoke, his voice shook with emotion. “I’m going to be a father.”
Abby nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Yes. And that means that you have to stop risking your life like it doesn’t matter, because it does. It matters to me. And it matters to our baby.” She turned to look up at Zhang and pleaded, “Please, don’t ask him to do something dangerous. I know you’ve been very kind to me, but I can’t lose him now.”
Dominic pulled his wife to his side, wiped her tears away with one hand and looked down into her pleading eyes. He said, “I’ll be fine, Abby.”
When he looked up, his eyes were full of such sadness that a profound sense of shame settled over Zhang. It was easy to forget that Dominic wasn’t a bulletproof hero, just a man who loved his wife and was torn between helping a friend and protecting his new family. She couldn’t ask him to risk more than he had.
The outer door of the suite flew open and Lil burst in. As soon as she saw Abby crying, she rushed to her side and said, “What happened? Tell me it wasn’t something I did.”
Abby straightened from Dom and sniffed. “No, this time I’m the awful person.”
No, I’m the one being selfish. This is my problem. Zhang said, “No, you’re not, Abby. You’re doing what any good mother would do – you’re fighting for your family.”
Lil said, “I don’t understand.”
Laughing and crying at the same time, Abby said, “I’m pregnant.”
“Oh, my God, I’m so happy for you.” Joining her sister on the couch, Lil wrapped an arm around her and said, “Okay, so why is everyone so miserable? You all look like I felt when –” She stopped abruptly and stood. “Hang on, I’m seeing a pattern here. Why did we bring Jeremy? Didn’t you learn anything from what I did?” She looked around at the stunned expressions of the three she’d walked in on and said, “You might as well tell me everything or I’ll only try to find out on my own, and you all know how that works out.”
Zhang said, “I shouldn’t have involved any of you. I’m sorry.”
Abby said, “No, Zhang. I was wrong. Dominic’s right. I can’t let my fear stop us from helping the people we love.”