Royal Temptation

‘We didn’t call your father,’ Trinity said. ‘Zahid said to leave it, to keep it between us. It was Jamila who couldn’t…’

‘How dare she step in?’ Layla flared. ‘How dare a lowly servant—?’

‘That so-called lowly servant held you the day you were born.’ Zahid was livid. ‘That lowly servant loved you when your parents…’ He halted.

Mikael noted it.

‘Go and take your fury to Jamila, Layla. Go and shout at an old woman who has been weeping for days over you,’ Zahid said. ‘You are a spoiled brat and you always have been. Well, you got your way again—no matter the cost to everyone else. So, what have you been doing?’

‘Having fun!’ Layla shrugged. ‘The same sort of fun you and Trinity have always had.’

‘What sort of fun?’ Zahid demanded.

‘Expensive fun,’ Mikael said.

‘And you’ve paid for it for she had no money with her?’ Zahid’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Mikael. ‘Why would you do that?’

‘I had a retainer.’ Mikael opened the safe and displayed the ruby. ‘I’d prefer a wire transfer.’

The room was starting to calm down.

‘Can I see your expenses?’

Mikael buzzed Wendy and asked her to bring in the current bill for Layla.

‘Today hasn’t been added yet,’ Mikael said, and handed the paper to Zahid, who scrutinised it for a few moments. So too did Trinity, who frowned.

‘How can you spend more than five hundred dollars on apples?’ Trinity asked, but that was the least of Zahid’s concerns.

‘These friends of yours…?’ He turned to Mikael. ‘I wish to speak with them.’

‘I doubt that they wish to speak with you,’ Mikael responded coolly. ‘Layla says that you two are expecting a baby of your own. Remind me to dump a problem like Layla in your lap a couple of days after your baby is born.’

‘Zahid…’ Trinity was the voice of reason. ‘She’s safe—that’s all you need to know.’

Mikael watched as Zahid’s jaw gritted and knew that Layla’s brother was struggling to hold back tears of relief.

Layla was right: they loved her.

‘We will go,’ Zahid said, and glanced briefly over to Mikael. ‘Your account will be settled as soon as I return to Ishla. Or now, if you—’

‘When you return to Ishla is fine.’

‘Come,’ Zahid said to Layla. ‘We do not discuss our business in front of strangers.’

Mikael handed over the ruby and glanced at Layla, who looked defiant, angry, happy—a strange combination only she could manage.

She shot him a brief smile.

‘Thank you for your assistance, Mikael.’

‘You’re welcome.’

That was it.

The coolest goodbye ever.

She turned and simply dismissed him, and Mikael stood there as they all walked out and did not flinch. He kept his face impassive.

For her sake.

Only when she was gone did he pull out her note and stare at the pretty curves and dots. He had no idea what she’d written.

Whatever it meant, Mikael felt it too.

For the first time in his life he did not have a solution.

For the first time in his life Mikael cried.

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