Page 20 of The Sheik's Vow

“Don’t you need to go?” Kaia asked, standing up as well. She picked up her plate and his, preparing to bring them into the kitchen.

“Put the plates down, Kaia,” he ordered. Thankfully, she obeyed, but there was a touch of belligerence in her glare. He walked over to stand near her and took one of her hands in his, lifting her fingers to his mouth. “You mentioned that you’re not sleeping and that you’re feeling a bit off lately.”

“Yeah, well, I’m going to go for a run in your gym while you’re in your boring meeting.”

“Good. However, the frustration will return,” he warned her, kissing the middle of her palm. “If you’d like to explore potential solutions to your…problem, I’m ready and willing to help.”

He leaned in and lightly brushed his lips over hers, lingering briefly. And then he turned and left the dining room. At the doorway, he turned and looked at Dibi. “Yaqdi,” he said to the male dog and pointed at Kaia. “Yahmi.”

Dibi walked over to Kaia and stood by her side. He smiled up at Kaia with absolute adoration, waiting for further instruction.

“You’re not leaving Dibi with me?”

“Yes. Dibi is now your protection. I’m also going to assign a couple of bodyguards as well.” He started to leave again, then paused. “Maybe I should get you your own guard dogs,” he commented, tilting his head as he watched her reaction. But when Kaia merely stared back at him, Riaz turned and walked out of the dining room.

Her own dogs? But that would imply that she was staying here longer than a few days. She wasn’t. Was she?

No! Absolutely not! Kaia never stayed in one place for long! She was a nomad, always moving, so Ethan couldn’t find her!

Despite her mental admonitions, Kaia couldn’t stop her hand from reaching down to scratch behind Dibi’s ears. The guard dogclosed his eyes and leaned his body against her leg, returning the comfort with interest.

“I guess you’re stuck with me for a bit,” she told Dibi. Dibi, obviously, didn’t respond. But he stood up, prepared to accompany her wherever Kaia was headed next. The gym wasn’t a very appealing option now.

“Let’s go explore, shall we?” she suggested.

Dibi’s ears twitched and she smiled, resting her hand affectionately on the loyal dog’s head for a moment.

Chapter 12

“She’s no longer in Pitra, sir,” the private investigator stated.

“She is!” Ethan snarled, frustrated with the private investigator’s stupidity. “Kaia is in the palace! And if you don’t know how to lure her out of there so that I can transport her back to her parents’ home, then you’re useless to me.”

Ethan was pleased with the lie he’d come up with. The excuse of bringing Kaia back to her adoring parents was brilliant. Maybe he should add in something about a drug addiction. Yeah, that would definitely tug the heartstrings of the people he questioned about Kaia’s whereabouts.

But the investigator was shaking his head. “Sir, my sources assure me that Kaia Treon isnotin the palace. In fact, she’s no longer in the country,” the man continued, with a touch more vehemence this time. Then he sat back in the plastic chair, a smug, triumphant expression on his face as he explained, “Your friend is now in Bidar.”

Ethan stared at the man for a long moment, stunned by this new piece of information. “Bidar?”

“Yes, sir.” The man sat behind his desk, obviously impatient for this conversation to be over now that the missing person was outside of his jurisdiction.

Forcing his muscles to relax, he pulled his lips into a semblance of a smile. When he had his mind wrapped around the reality that he’d have to travel to yet another country, he simply clapped his hands, rubbing his palms together. “Well then, let’s go to Bidar!”

The private investigator shook his head. “Tensions between Pitra and Bidar are bad, sir. I cannot go into that country. Nor does my private investigator’s license extend beyond the borders of Pitra.”

It took Ethan a moment to calm down. He absolutely despised anyone who told him no.

If this man were in his village….! Ethan inhaled deeply, glaring at the man as he imagined all the various ways he would punish him. Alas, Ethan didn’t have the power here in Pitra as he did back in Kentucky.

“What does that mean to me?” he snapped.

“It means that I cannot assist you further with your search for your missing…friend.”

Ethan ignored the insulting hesitation. He didn’t care if the pathetic excuse for a private investigator believed the story he’d made up. The only thing that mattered was finding additional sources of information that could help him find the missing bitch that had escaped him too many times over the years.

He wasn’t going to lose track of her this time. She would be coming home and he would discipline her appropriately. Kaia would be his shining example of how sinners were treated.

The investigator shifted, pulling out a drawer so that he could shuffle through some of the papers inside. “I will give you the contact information for someone in Bidar, sir,” the PI continued flatly. “She will take care of you from now on.”

---