Sheikh's Scandal(28)

“What do you mean?”

“I need to return to Zeena Sahra. Tahira’s actions will have long-reaching consequences for our country.”

Feeling unaccountably bereft at the thought of his abandonment, Liyah nevertheless nodded. “I understand.”

“Good. It is unfortunate you will not be able to work out your notice, but it is fortuitous that you already made your plans to leave.”

“What? Why won’t I work out my notice?”

“I’ve told you, we must leave for Zeena Sahra immediately.”

“You said you had to leave.”

He gave her a look that said she wasn’t following him. “Naturally you must come with me.”

“Why?”

“You may carry my child.”

“But we don’t know.”

“And until we do, you will be under my protection and care.”

“But—”

“Come, do not tell me you would not love to visit the country of your mother’s birth.”


“I would, very much, but under different circumstances than these.”

He shrugged. “We make of our circumstances what we wish them to be.”

“Remember that when you’re dealing with the fallout from Tahira’s elopement.” Liyah felt bad as soon as she said the words. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make light of what you’re going through.”

“Apology accepted. Now, let us prepare for our trip.”

“I didn’t say I was going.”

“But you will.” He smiled winningly. “What better guide to introduce you to the magic that is Zeena Sahra than its emir?”

“I don’t remember you being this persuasive last night.” Bossy, yes, persuasive, no.

“It is another facet of my character for you to come to know.”

* * *

As the jet taxied down the runway, Liyah marveled at how efficiently Sayed’s people worked.

It was easier than thinking about why she was on this plane.

In the time it took Liyah to explain to the head housekeeper that an unavoidable circumstance had arisen which required Liyah to leave London immediately, they had packed her bedsit, paid off the lease and delivered her things to Sayed’s jet.

She hadn’t brought much more than clothes with her from the States to begin with, but still.

All this effort and near-frightening efficiency on behalf of the possibility she carried Sayed’s baby.

Thankfully, her boss had been a lot more understanding than Liyah had expected. The head housekeeper had told Liyah that with her work ethic, the older woman knew her lead chambermaid would not be leaving if any other choice was open to her.

“My counterpart in San Francisco as well as your former employers had nothing but good things to say about you, Miss Amari.”

The unprecedented warmth and affirmation from the usually no-nonsense woman had been a balm to Liyah’s battered pride after her father’s attack on her integrity the day before.

And it had made Liyah feel guilty because she wasn’t telling the whole truth and her only reason for having to leave was the results of her own poor judgment.

It was a smooth takeoff and it hardly seemed as if any time had passed at all before the pilot announced they’d gained sufficient stability and altitude to move about the cabin and turn on small electronic devices.

“I wasn’t expecting that on a private plane,” she said to Sayed, who sat beside her.

“Air safety regulations must be maintained.” The answer did not come from Sayed, but Yusuf, who now stood in the aisle beside their seats.

He and the rest of the security team were sitting toward the front of the plane. Two on either side of a table they’d been using to play cards on since the door had been closed for takeoff.

Other than the cabin attendant, there was no one else on the spacious private jet. Clearly, Sayed was taking pains to keep her presence on the plane under wraps.

She should have felt like his dirty secret, but his attitude toward her was too respectful. And as she’d told him earlier, she understood the need for stealth mode.

For now.

She wasn’t Hena Amari; Liyah wasn’t about to fade into the background to save the man she’d had sex with from facing up to his responsibilities.

Sayed, who had taken the seat beside her rather than sitting opposite, had papers spread on the table.

They looked like printouts of news articles. Since most of them had pictures of Tahira and a rather ordinary-looking man, Liyah assumed they were the media’s response to the elopement.

The man in the pictures with the Middle Eastern beauty did not appear near middle age, but his hair was clearly already thinning. Though there were stress lines around his eyes, they still appeared kind.

And Liyah thought she might understand how a woman could trust her life to this man over one who had never shown the slightest physical interest in her despite their engagement.

Because for all Tahira’s beauty, she looked extremely young and even more innocent than Liyah had been before last night.

Sayed noticed her interest in the articles and waved at them. “My former fiancée with her palace aid.”

“You’re going to have to stop putting that rather obvious emphasis on his job title if you don’t want the media to label you an elitist.”