“Hefiredyou? All of this, everything you did for me—”
“Was my choice.”
She stared at him, clearly astonished.
“After he fired us, your father contacted Kazi and bribed him to evict you from the province. We’ve got a record of the phone calls and the five hundred grand your father transferred to him.”
“What?”
“Kazi still denies that Qassim worked for him. He says Qassim decided to abduct you and demand ransom, but Corbray and I don’t buy it. WeknowQassim worked for him. We think Kazi wanted to get more from your father and ordered Qassim to abduct you for ransom. He planned to tell your father bad guys had abducted you and then keep the ransom for himself, perhaps even claiming credit for rescuing you. Kazi only changed sides when it was clear that Cobra was going to come out on top.”
The breath left Jenna’s lungs in a gust, blood draining from her face. “My father was behind all of this?Hestarted it?”
“He was the catalyst.”
The hurt on Jenna’s face broke Derek’s heart.
“I’m so sorry.” He ignored the pain in his chest and drew her close.
“He almost got you killed—and the others.” She pulled back, clearly reeling. “How can you even stand to look at me? How can you touch—”
He cupped her cheek, looked into her eyes. “It’s not your fault, Jenna. Nothing that bastard did is your fault.”
When they got back to Washington, D.C., the first thing Derek was going to do was pay Senator Hamilton a visit.
20
“Oh!” Jenna stared in amazement and delight. “It’s beautiful.”
Frankfurt’s Christmas Market at Römerberg was a sight to behold. Colored lights glittered everywhere, a three-story-high Christmas tree at one end of the square. Small cottages had been set up for vendors in neat rows. The scents made her mouth water—roasting nuts, grilled sausages, gingerbread, fresh pretzels, mulled wine, pastries, fresh-baked bread and more. There was even a merry-go-round.
They had decided to stay in Frankfurt for another ten days to give themselves both time to rest. Derek seemed to be in less pain, though his shoulder would take time to heal fully. Jenna had gotten her stitches out, and her headaches were becoming less frequent. Still, she was in no hurry to return home.
Derek kissed her temple, his left arm still in a sling. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile in days.”
“I smile when we’re in bed, don’t I?”
“Smile. Scream. Claw me. But that doesn’t count.”
It was true that Jenna hadn’t felt like herself lately. The news about her father had shaken her more than she would have imagined, and her entire life was up in the air. She had no home, no job, no idea where she would live. Worse, every time she closed her eyes, images from the day she’d been abducted filled her mind, following her into sleep.
Derek had been incredibly understanding about it all, especially considering that his injuries were a consequence of her father’s deplorable actions. He’d listened to her while she’d raged about her father, woken her at night when she’d had nightmares, and held her when she hadn’t been able to hold back her tears.
“You’re grieving,” he’d said last night. “Your father betrayed you, Jenna. If you weren’t hurt, if you weren’t upset, I’d think something was wrong.”
His words had struck the source of her misery head-on.
What her father had done had left her feeling inescapably sad.
But she didn’t want to think about that now, not standing in a Christmas wonderland with Derek still beside her.
They ate sausages in fresh-baked buns, then walked around to look at the vendors, their fingers twined. Jenna bought some gingerbread cookies for later, while Derek bought her a purple cashmere scarf.
He pressed a kiss to her nose. “To keep you warm.”
She snuggled into it, brushed her cheeks against the softness. “Thank you.”
The affection in his blue eyes gave her hope, lifted her spirits.