Chapter 10
“Prince Malik,” Governor Milton smiled his politician’s smile and leaned back in the chocolate-brown leather chair, “I believe we can have the details settled in time for next month’s cultural fair downtown.”
The man practically licked his chops at the thought of how much money this partnership would bring to his state. For Malik, it meant a chance for the youth of Ravenna to receive a quality American education and return to help the nation continue to flourish. “That is good to hear. I am sure my son will enjoy it. He seems to have fallen in love with American cuisine.”
Milton laughed but this time it was a genuine laugh from deep in his gut. “Yes, well, they do make it addictive as hell. I don’t touch the stuff; alcohol is my preferred poison. Along with the occasional cigar,” he said as he picked up a half-smoked Turkish cigar.
Malik nodded even though he hardly heard a word the man said because he was too distracted with thoughts of Kerry. She was in love with him. Yet she’d walked away. Just like Kamala. As much as he didn’t want to draw the comparison he couldn’t help it, though Kamala had never claimed to love him.
But if she loves me, why won't she accept what I have to give? He smiled at how strong she’d been out there on the beach, moonlight reflecting in her eyes and hair. She deserved more than a half-broken prince a decade her senior. And she’d asked for it.
“That’s the look of a man in love.” Milton’s voice pulled him from this thoughts. Malik wasn’t sure if he was grateful or angry.
“Something like that,” he said with a wry smile.
“I guess Chantal wasn’t telling tales after all.”
That grabbed his attention. “Excuse me?”
“Chantal Van der Wahl, she’s the woman, right?”
His brow furrowed. “Hell no! That woman is—let’s just say, she’s not my type.”
Now it was Milton’s turn to look confused. “But I thought you and she had been dating.”
He barked out a laugh. “We went on one date and then I escorted her to an event which I’d forgotten all about until she showed up unexpectedly.” Both nights had been boring and one had almost cost him his chance with Kerry. Then he’d gone and messed it up all on his own.
The governor chuckled. “She did the same thing to me but I met my wife at a fundraiser she’d dragged me to and she’s been on the hunt ever since.”
“It’s not Chantal.” It was a woman far more beautiful and kind and generous than any other woman he knew. And she loved him. “I’m not sure I’m worthy of her.”
Governor Milton grinned. “Spoken like a man in love. We’re never worthy, none of us—movie stars, billionaires, governors or princes—deserve them. But they see something and they love us anyway. Just go with it.”
Malik had never thought of it that way before. He’d considered himself a catch and arrogantly assumed any woman would be lucky enough to have him. More importantly, she would feel the same. But Kerry had demanded more and she’d walked away when she hadn’t gotten it.
Though she hadn’t walked away officially. No, she took care of Aram with the same affection and patience as always. Instead of throwing a tantrum or quitting, she’d simply pulled back and maintained a professional distance between them. Gone were dinners with the three of them, game nights, or board games on the deck. She left the kitchen so often when he entered he wasn’t even sure she’d eaten anything in days.
She hated him. “Ah, my apologies, Governor. It would seem that my mind is on other things.”
“No worries. That’s the way with love. Besides, we just need to sign and we’ll do that in a week or so in front of the press. For now, we shake.”
Malik stood to shake when his assistant entered carrying his personal mobile. “What is it?”
“An emergency,” he said and shoved the phone into his hands.
“Yes?” Malik listened as Kerry said the words to him that no father ever wanted to hear.
“Malik, it’s Aram. He’s been hurt. We’re at the hospital.”
His feet were moving before she finished the last part.
* * *
How could I have let this happen? One minute they were walking side by side, holding hands and chatting about the next adventure of Incredi-Aram and the next minute they were both on the ground being stomped to death. Okay well maybe not to death, but hundreds of people had run from the zoo when an elephant had broken out during feeding time. It had been a fluke but she and Aram had been too far away to know the danger they were in.
Malik is going to hate me. After her outburst on the beach, this would very likely get her fired. She tried to get off the bed but she couldn’t. “Are you okay, Aram?”
She’d made such a huge stink when they were wheeled in that they’d given her and Aram a room to themselves. He nodded and looked over at her with worried golden eyes. “It’s just a sprain,” he said with all the maturity of a sixteen-year-old and rolled his eyes. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, knowing she looked much worse. But he was okay and that’s what was important. “I’m a little banged up but they said I’ll live. Tell me more about what Incredi-Aram will do next.” She closed her eyes, listening to his sweet voice talk excitedly about his alter ego. He talked and talked, while the doctor came in again to stitch her up and put a short cast on her right leg. He talked until he literally fell asleep in the middle of a sentence.
By the time Malik arrived, she was ready for his anger. Her cast was dry, her crutches leaned up against the bed, and she had a boot from the downstairs pharmacy. She was ready for his wrath. And for goodbye.
He burst through the door with several guards behind him, eyes frantically scanning the room before he rushed to Aram’s side. His golden gaze glared at her. “What in the hell happened?”
“Well we were—”
He cut her off. “You were supposed to take care of him! Is this how you show your love?” he bit the question out as though it tasted bitter. “I can’t believe you.”
There was no point in trying to defend herself. He was a terrified father and she was a reasonable target and convenient. “Screw you, Malik! I know you’re scared for Aram, who is fine by the way, but this wasn’t my fault.” It took some effort to slide off the bed and it took what felt like forever for her get her purse and Aram’s bag settled while using the crutches. But twenty minutes later she was sweating, out of breath and scooting towards the door.
“Your only job was to keep him safe! Did you do this to punish me? For not loving you?”
She winced at his harshly spoken words but more at what he’d said. For not loving you. “No, Malik, I was never under any illusions that you loved me. But I do love Aram and I protected him.” But he didn’t care that she’d gotten a broken ankle and ten stitches for her efforts.
“He is in the hospital! That’s not the protection either of us needs.” His voice went dangerously low and he leaned down so she could see just how angry and disgusted he was. “I thought I could trust you. Goodbye, Kerry.”
Finishing her trek to the door, where she tried and failed to open it on her crutches, she tapped so one of the guards would open it. It’ll be hard to get around without these guys for the next couple months. “Thanks,” she whispered as tears began to fall and her vision blurred, but she didn’t stop until she reached the bank of elevators.
Goodbye, Malik.
By the time she arrived back at the beach house, Kerry was a mess. She’d cried the whole way home, terrifying the driver who kept casting wary looks in the rearview mirror. There was no time to pack up everything so she only took what she absolutely needed and it only took four exhausting trips to pack up her clothes, toiletries, and art supplies.
As she turned onto the PCH, Kerry cast one last look at the beach house and the two men who’d changed her forever. Goodbye, she said one final time and merged into traffic. Unsure where she was going.
* * *
“Hey, buddy, it’s time for breakfast.” Malik stood over his son’s sullen form, unsure how to fix whatever was wrong with him.
“Not hungry,” he pouted and turned his back to Malik.
“You have to eat, Aram, or you’ll get sick.”
He turned and sat up. “Good! Maybe if I get sick Kerry will come back for me!”
Malik sighed and sat down beside his son. He’d been inconsolable since they came back home to find Kerry gone. “I tried to find her.”
“She left ‘cause of you! I heard what you said to her, and she saved me. She got hurt saving me and you sent her away.”
Yes, he’d heard the story more than a dozen times, first from Aram, and then the men on his security detail. And then from his son at least ten more times. “I was upset. That’s no excuse, but I thought I was going to lose you.” Even now his heart raced just thinking about what could have happened.
If not for Kerry.
He’d been an ass, yelling at her and blaming her when she’d literally thrown herself on top of him to keep him safe. It had only been in hindsight that he’d seen her injuries. He felt lower than dirt.
“Knock, knock!” Tisha pushed open the door with a bright smile. “Who’s ready for breakfast?”
“I’m not hungry, Tisha, thank you.”
“Well, that’s too bad, because something else came for you today,” she said in a sing-song voice, winking when he jumped up on his knees.
“What is it?”
She went back to the door and grabbed a package wrapped in brown paper. “I don’t know but it has your name on it.”
Malik intercepted the package even though he knew his guys had already checked it. Kerry’s handwriting swept across the front and he handed it to his son. “Be careful.”
“Yes, Father.” Aram’s tongue stuck out as he carefully peeled the tape off with immense concentration. “Wow.”
Curious, Malik stepped behind his son and gasped.
“It’s Mother!” It was a beautiful sketch of Aram and Kamala, hugging with their cheeks pressed together. “Kerry did it! Where is she?” Before Malik or Tisha could catch him, he flew down the stairs as fast as his little feet would carry him, ignoring the small limp from his twisted ankle and yanked open the front door. “Kerry come back, I missed you!”
He called her name over and over, breaking Malik’s heart. “Aram, come back inside.”
“No! Kerry! Kerry, come out.”
Tisha came out and pulled the boy into a hug. “I’ll tell her to call you, okay? But only if you go sit down and eat that breakfast I worked so hard on.”
His smile was small but it was there. “Okay, Tisha.”
Malik stopped her in the hall. “You know where she is?”
She stepped back. “I don’t. But she calls me to check on Aram.”
Not me, though. He was right, he didn’t deserve her. “But she doesn’t come to see him.”
Tisha sighed as though reaching for patience. “She’s not supposed to be on her feet for a couple weeks and I imagine she doesn’t want to run into you.” Her look told him everything he needed to know about her opinion of him these days.
He deserved that. “Tell her she can come see him whenever she wishes. I’ll even leave.”
“She can’t. Driving on it so soon messed up the cast, so this time she is staying off it.”
Another reason to feel guilty. He was the reason she’d rushed home to pack up what she could and leave, which had to have been painful on a broken ankle. “I’m an ass.”
“Luckily that is a treatable condition.” With those parting words, Tisha was gone.