Chapter 7
Malik strode into his office shirtless, his jeans hanging low on his hips. He couldn’t remember being this exhausted. Still, it had been almost impossible to leave his Jane alone. He paced the room like a caged lion, his Glock pistol stuck in the waistband of his jeans.
After hours of lovemaking, he coveted her like an addict covets an opiate, but his mind was in an uproar. He couldn’t believe how incredibly stupid and irresponsible he’d been not to use condoms. Not that it was an excuse by any means, but he’d been so focused on his need for her, it completely slipped his mind. And even though Jane was on birth control pills, she was still on antibiotics, and that made this mistake so monumental. Face planting his palm, he chastised himself. Of all the stupid mistakes to make. In the past, he had never acted so carelessly. He’d always protected both himself and the woman he was with. What had happened to his reasoning? It wasn’t like him to throw caution of the wind. The problem was he hadn’t been thinking; he’d been reacting to the intensity of his compulsion to have her. Damn!
Nazem knocked, and before Malik had the chance to answer him, he walked into the office.
Malik shook himself out of his musings. “This had better be good because someone just tried to kill me! Again.”
Even at this late hour, Nazem remained dressed in his standard blue suit and tie, but his stone-cold expression triggered warning bells. “Are you quite sure you were the intended target?”
Stopping dead in his tracks, Malik tilted his head to the side as the obvious dawned. “What? You think Jane . . .?”
Nazem shrugged. “It certainly is a possibility. This would make the third attempt on her life.”
“Son of a . . .” His whirling mind wrestled to make sense of the past hour.
“I want to know exactly what is going on between you two.” Nazem’s tone was formidable.
Malik’s eyes tapered into slits. “You were the one who suggested this. No, you were the one who encouraged it. And now, you dare to question me about my personal life? You forget who you are talking to. I am your sheik.”
Nazem bowed his obeisance. “My lord, I meant no disrespect, but your security is my utmost concern . . . I think I have a pretty good handle on what has happened between you and the mystery woman tonight.”
One dark eyebrow shot up in disbelief as Malik made his way over to the burnished brown leather couch dominating the far side of the room. The only sound was the scruff of his pant legs across the mahogany floors. Then he dropped into the soft luxury of the cushions, crossing one leg over the other at his knee. “You think so, do you?”
Acting a little sheepish, Nazem continued. “You’ve had sex with Jane.”
“Nazem,” Malik warned, dropping his leg to the floor and sitting forward.
Undaunted, Nazem continued, “Who seduced whom?”
What? Malik felt a chuckle rise in his chest. “Not that it is any of your business, but if you must satisfy your warped curiosity, I seduced her.”
Nazem stood his ground, continuing with his onslaught. “Are you sure?”
Was he sure? His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. This was an outrage! Anger, strong and intense, fired his blood. “Am I sure?” he huffed with disdain. The absolute nerve of this man. Friend or not, this crossed the line. “Of course I’m sure, damn it! I’ve seduced women before! I know how to play this game.”
He rose, strode over to his desk, and dropped into his desk chair. Picking up a pen, he tapped it furiously against the edge.
Unbelievably, Nazem stalked forward, stopping only inches from his desk, waiting for a further response.
Damn the man! “Are you questioning my sexual prowess?”
Nazem had the good sense to bow and show obeisance, but this time it wasn’t enough. Anger ruptured Malik’s calm. In fact, he was pissed—beyond pissed, bordering on nuclear.
“No, Your Excellency, I would never be so bold . . .”
Nostrils flaring, Malik interrupted him, “Because if you are this interested in my sex life, I can provide references.”
Nazem coughed into his fist. Inching forward, his hands gripped the edge of Malik’s desk. “Your Excellency, please forgive me if I have offended you.”
“Lots of references,” Malik continued. Ignoring Nazem, he rose from his desk and wedged his hip against the glass overlooking the sea below. This whole situation was incredible. Adrenaline still pumped through his body from the attempt on his life, and his desire to get back to Jane was making him irrational. Holding onto the last remnants of his infamous temper, he planted his feet in an unwavering stance and crossed his arms over his bare chest.
Nazem threw up his hands in surrender. “I assure you, Your Highness, these questions are necessary to my investigation.”
Malik snorted his disbelief and turned, pointing a finger directly at Nazem. “No one questions my private actions. I don’t owe that to anyone.”
If Nazem felt the sharp barb, he ignored it. “A thousand apologies, sire, but certain crucial information has been brought to my attention.”
“Let’s hear it.” He rubbed a finger across his lips, needing something to do with his hands to keep from pommeling the man.
The air in the room clogged with nervous tension as Nazem cleared his throat. “First, I beg your indulgence for one more question.”
In a calm voice that didn’t match the turmoil in his gut, Malik said, “Proceed.”
Nazem drew a nervous breath before continuing. “Do you think it’s possible that Jane is involved in a plot to execute you?”
A red haze clouded his vision. “Are you out of your mind? If she wanted to do me harm, she had the perfect opportunity when I was naked and vulnerable. I was sound asleep, for God’s sake. If she had wanted me dead, I would be. But as you can see, I am still alive.” Malik blew out a pent-up breath of frustration. “If this is your only lead, I think you need to work on your investigative skills.” Malik threw his hands up into the air. “This is the biggest bunch of crap I’ve ever heard.”
Satisfaction flooded through Malik as Nazem nervously shifted from one foot to the other. Good. For a moment, his head of security remained silent.
“Your Highness, let’s review the facts we have in this case. We found her in the desert with desert diamonds. All the other people who were associated with her were dead. Then there’s the fact that the amulet was in her possession. At first I was convinced she wasn’t a threat, but with this latest attempt on your life and your growing relationship with her . . . Well, it occurs to me that she might be the assassin we were warned of. We must be cautious.”
“Again, if she wanted to kill me, she had plenty of opportunities. Why wouldn’t she take advantage of me while I was at my most vulnerable? All she had to do to accomplish her mission was slip a blade between my ribs. Jane is not a killer. If I had to put my two cents in, I’d say she was kidnapped and sold by a white slaver. The diamonds were probably a payoff.”
“And the amulet?” Nazem blustered, his face now a nasty shade of red.
“That could have been planted by the real assassin before he escaped.”
Malik started pacing again. Strolling over to the armoire lining the entire east wall of the office, he picked up the Waterford water decanter. Pouring himself a glass of water, he marveled that his hands were so calm. He wasn’t. Far from it. The events of the past few hours would have made anyone go ballistic. He strode over to his desk and sat. Malik rolled the glass between his palms as he concentrated his attention on Nazem.
Apparently, Nazem had nerves of steel, for he continued to stand at attention, boldly sticking to his conjecture.
“Sire, in this case, I worry that you may have been duped.”
Malik froze. “Duped into having sex with a beautiful woman? Believe me when I say that I knew exactly what I was doing. Nobody duped me into anything.” Duped? Him? A man of his vast experience? Right. Malik shook his head in disgust. Picking up the glass, he swallowed the contents.
“I believe she may have ulterior motives.”
Malik stood, made his way back over to the armoire, and poured himself another glass of water. When he returned to his desk, he gave a wide berth to Nazem to avoid any type of conflict.
“Do I need to remind you again that you were the one who suggested she move in here?” Malik slammed the glass on the desk, water spilling over the rim.
Nazem held up one hand, warding off Malik’s question. “I know. This upsets me, too.”
Malik flopped down into his desk chair, steepling his fingers in front of him. “If you have evidence of her being deceitful, by all means, let’s hear it.”
“More evidence has come to light,” Nazem said nervously. “Apparently, the men who were murdered were members of a covert organization operating out of our neighboring country, Touffian. They had uncovered a plot to kill you and were bringing you the assassin.”
Malik leaned forward, rising as he planted his hands flat on the smooth wood of his desk. “We have already heard this information. The force that killed those men did so to free him. He must have escaped with them.”
Nazem visibly sucked in a deep breath. “Maybe not. If the he was a she.”
Bullshit! Rising fury choked him. Malik bit down hard, slamming his teeth together, grinding them until his jaw hurt from the pressure. “No, no, no. You are way off base with that accusation.”
“Your Highness, we could have been chasing the wrong people when your would-be assassin was right in front of us all along.”
He had to marvel at the way Nazem held his ground. But he couldn’t dismiss the chill that rifled up his spine. Swallowing hard, he emphasized each individual word. “I . . . don’t . . . think . . . so.”
All these questions were taking a toll on his confidence, gnawing away at his certainty. He didn’t like the feeling. Hated it in fact. He felt like he was on the back foot in this investigation.
Malik’s intense focus slammed into Nazem, silently warning him he needed to be very careful with the next words that came out of his mouth. Extremely careful. He’d had his fill of these allegations against his Jane. My Jane? My habib albi.
“I’m not buying it. If you had seen how scared she was on the balcony, you wouldn’t even let such thoughts cross your mind. She was literally terrified. Do you have any other proof?”
“Let’s go back to your sister’s amulet. It was in her shoe. How do you think it got there?”
Malik leered at Nazem. “Someone planted it to throw us into this very conclusion.”
Nazem didn’t so much as blink. “Again, I don’t think so.”
“So is this your only evidence of her guilt? We’ve known about the amulet for weeks.”
Nazem’s accusations were ludicrous. Scared little Jane an assassin. No way! But he had seen the recognition in her eyes when she looked at the amulet. She had seen that piece of jewelry before. Still, that hardly made her a killer. What in the world had Nazem’s team been smoking to come up with this crazy notion? “Let me reiterate, you are way off base with this one, Nazem.”
Nazem shrugged his shoulders. “I hope I am. For your sake, I really hope I am.”
Malik rose and walked to the window as his mind flashed back to their lovemaking. She’d been everything a man could want. No way was she a killer, not with her sweet personality. She voluntarily spent her time with the children at the orphanage! Killers and assassins didn’t do that sort of thing. No, Jane wasn’t involved in a plot to kill him. Not after what they’d just shared in his bedroom.
But he trusted Nazem . . . Damn! Could a man not even enjoy an afternoon of sex without wondering if he was going to be murdered during the act? Unbelievable!
He gave himself a mental shake, but it was too late. Nazem had planted a seed by taunting him with cruel possibilities. Granted, deep down he’d always known there was something amiss about the whole Jane situation and the way he’d found her in the car with those men. Special agents, according to Nazem’s info. Something strange was going on. There was no doubt about it. And he needed to get to the bottom of it all.
He refused to let Nazem see how much the information bothered him. Being in his position, he didn’t trust a lot of people. For over a year now, he’d been drowning in sorrow, so why now, when he was finally swimming for the shore, did this situation have to pull him back under? Jane was the first thing he wanted since the death of his family. The first person who’d made him feel again, made him want to live and function like a normal person.
“I apologize if I have offended you, Your Highness,” Nazem said in a shaky voice. “I always strive to keep your best interests at heart.”
Malik waved him off. “I know you do. There isn’t another man I would want guarding my back. I have full confidence in your abilities.”
Nazem smiled, the first inkling that they were back to being on the same side since they entered his office. “I’m happy you think so because there is more to discuss.”
Malik closed his eyes. He didn’t want to hear anymore, didn’t know if he could bear it. “Can it wait until tomorrow when we are dressed for work?”
“It can, but it shouldn’t.”
Grrr! What now? If he were a drinking man, he’d be halfway through a bottle of whiskey by now. A shiver of apprehension rolled over him like a dark omen. Pure instinct told him this new information would change his life forever.
They were interrupted when the door to his office slammed against the wall.
“Uncle?” Malik asked, amazement filling him. What was he doing here at this hour?
Safwan moved steadily toward him. “I’ve just heard some very distressing news . . . that another attempt was made on your life.” Safwan halted before Malik’s desk and stared down at him. “Please tell me it isn’t so.”
Malik rose from his chair and skirted the edge of his desk to come face-to-face with his uncle. “Yes, an attempt was made, but as you can see, I’m fine.”
Safwan enfolded him in a giant bear hug. “I’m so very glad you were not harmed. You look exhausted.” His gaze swung over to Nazem. “Surely the rest of this can wait until tomorrow?”
Nazem shrugged his shoulders.
“You’re tired. You need to get away from the palace for a while. Come to the desert for a few days to regain your focus and your vigor. It will do you good, my son.”
Some time away from the electronics and the daily grind of duties and reporters sounded perfect, so Malik nodded his head in agreement. He was bone-crushingly tired, and these constant attempts on his life were making him crazy. He needed to get away, if only for a few days. “I’d like that. But it will have to wait until after the fundraiser.”
“Of course.” Safwan clapped him on the back. “Then it is settled. You can leave for the desert a few days before the council of the elders. Bring your falcon, and we’ll do some hunting. Believe me when I say this will revive you. It will give you a chance to get back to your roots.”
Behind them, Nazem coughed.
“Now that I see that you are all right, I’ll be on my way.” Safwan started for the door, then turned. “And your patient, that little girl who lost her memory, she is all right, as well?”
“My patient is just fine. I’m taking good care of her, but her memory hasn’t returned as of yet.”
“And this is a concern?”
“Not yet, but I’m hoping to see some progress soon.”
“Bring her, as well. We can only hope some time away will jumpstart her memory.” Smiling, Safwan turned and walked out of the room.
~ ~ ~
The hooded man stood in the middle of his armed men. “Once again we have failed in our mission. The king and his whore still live.” The masked man continued to walk around the circle, staring at each of his men in turn. They hung their heads like guilty dogs. Only the snap of campfire wood broke the silence of the night.
“I need them dead. I need them dead, now.” The winds of the desert kicked up, blowing a whirlwind of stinging sand all around them. The flames in the campfire danced as the wind continued to escalate, casting an otherworldly glow on the men in the circle.
Frustrated, the hooded man raised his rifle and fired shots into the air.
“Who will be the savior of this nation and remove this usurper?” Fog from his heated breath surrounded his head as he continued, “I need a man or several men to volunteer to make another attempt on the king’s life. Make no mistake, you will die if you fail.”
The entire circle stepped forward.
“Good, I have chosen well.”
~ ~ ~
She appeared so small, fragile . . . sexy. A wave of possessiveness swirled inside him, followed by a surge of desire. For the first time in a year, he had a reason to get up in the morning. Someone actually needed him. He stared at her lying there in his bed, her lips red as succulent berries from his kisses. Her skin as soft as the silken sheets cradling her. His libido urged him forward, but common sense held him firmly in place. After last night’s discussion, he couldn’t shake off this feeling that something was amiss. Call it a premonition, but his brain was on high alert for anything out of the ordinary. Could a woman make love to a man the way she had last night and turn around and kill him? No one was that mercurial. And yet . . . a year ago, he would have sworn the answer was no. But now, after all that happened with his family, doubt edged its way into his soul. Just how well did he know his Jane Doe? Yes, he knew her body like his own, but the musings of her mind? Could any man know the workings of a woman’s brain?
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Yes, her beauty was beyond compare, but a pretty face can disguise what is truly in a person’s heart. His eyes bore into her, hypnotized by the slight slippage of the sheet with each breath she drew. He moved closer, unable to resist.
Was she bent on seduction? Or betrayal and assassination? And how had those ideas taken a foothold in his mind? Why were they plaguing him? He no more believed she was an assassin than he would suspect Nazem or his uncle.
She stirred, whispering his name in her dreams. He stripped and sank to the bed, his knee dipping the mattress, his fingers fisting the silk sheet. His eyes narrowed, regarding her like his falcon observed his prey.
Her eyes opened. “Your reputation, my lord, is greatly deserved,” she sexily murmured, her voice husky with the fragments of sleep.
All suspicion evaporated.
He instantly hardened. He smiled, then bent and kissed her, closing his eyes against the irresistible impulse to crawl back into his bed and take her. He wanted this woman, wanted her in his bed and in his life. She’d brought him back to being human again. Shifting, she drew the covers back and invited him in. What man could resist such an open invitation? Not him. He was right where he wanted to be tonight. In the arms of the woman he cared for deeply. Kissing her, his fingers spread out over her naked flesh. How smooth, how tempting, how sexually arousing her little sounds of elation were . . . They thrilled his masculine soul. Rolling over her into a push-up position, he settled those silken strands of her hair behind the delicate shell of her ear.
“You hold me captive with your beauty.”
Her fingers traced the structure of his face, lingering on his mouth. He drew her finger into his mouth, sucked on the delicate flesh, the sexual sensation barreling straight to his gut.
“You’ve been gone forever. I missed you,” she groaned, as his fingers slid down her stomach.
The honeyed pleading in her voice made him throw caution to the wind.
“I’ve missed this,” he confessed, as his lips descended over hers. Hot flesh melded to hot flesh. He growled his satisfaction. Allah help him if Nazem proved right. Pain formed in the area around his heart, as if Nazem’s accusations had sliced off a part of that vital organ.
“Do not make me beg, my lord. Take me.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”