Page 30 (1/2)

“Pressure within nor exhalation Relief made audible

“Your turn,” hesure she didn’t leave one bleeding artery uncauterized

“That’s perfect, Janaan Now feel for distal pulses”

She felt for the pulse in Aabed’s foot as Malek felt for the fe herself A flutter tickled her fingertips She moaned “Oh, God”

He caed off his ”

“You mean”

He turned heavy, full eyes on her “Yes This is a supreuddur w’luttuf God decreed adversity but wasand her eyes gushed with their loss, with fear he’d resuot to work

“He’ll be returned to OR for debridement until no necrotic tissue is left before we close the wound But I believe he’ll walk again” He looked at Rafeeq “Great job, Rafeeq Bring him round Take hieeries continued non-stop for the next fifteen hours Four patients were beyond help, five were still critical, but the re would survive with minor or no handicap All would have died without intervention Saving twenty-five should have felt good It didn’t

Malek had remained within those three feet of her, his eyes on her every second he didn’t have the with so much that distressed her, that she couldn’t fathom

It was noon by the time they returned to their convoy Their team was exhausted, physically and spiritually, as they made their way to their trailers Malek walked her in silence to hers, seeht up with the moment of hesitation, he only rasped, “Get some rest” Then he turned away

She stumbled inside, found Hessuh in bed, fully clothed, eyes closed Jay fell face down on her own bed, the last flicker in her receding e of Malek as he’d left her

Janaan

Hot,Malek

Only he ry, this incredible, and thisthe echoes of their night together to dissipate, leaving her cold and empty and alone—alone forever And he was there Then he didn’t vanish

Malek He was really there Stretched out beside her Like that night in her hotel, drenching her in caresses Disoriented, she blinked, at him, around the trailer

“I asked Hessuh to leave us alone,” he answered her unspoken question, the richness of his voice twisting in her heart, in her loins, the spike of sensation so severe her teeth rattled with its force The drugged tinge to his gaze suddenly lifted, a dull bleakness replacing it Then he was leaving her!

He staggered up to his feet, seeht Or ht itself again

“Habibati, sa and I couldn’t—couldn’t … Ya Ullah-hada w’Ullahi tholm”

Tholm Injustice