Page 46 of Savage Protector

“Sharing a bed is just that. Sharing a bed. It doesn’t have to be anything more. Unless you have other ideas, in which case you have only to say.”

“Me? Say?”

He nods and tries his coffee again. “Are you sure you don’t want one?”

“What are you talking about?”

“A coffee. It’s only instant, but good stuff.”

“Fuck the coffee,” I snap. “It wasyouwho said?—”

The memory of that mortifying episode on Caraksay still makes me shudder. I totally humiliated myself, threw myself at him. I practicallybeggedhim, but he turned me down flat. “You should just make up your mind.”

“I have. Things are different now. Moved on, you might say.”

Different? Moved on?“What’s different?” I demand.

“Well, to start with, you’re two years older. And you haven’t just survived a murder attempt. I’ll agree that the photograph and being stalked by insane cousins who mean you harm would be upsetting, but as far as I can tell, there’s no reason to suppose you might be in shock and not thinking straight.”

“It’s you who’s not thinking straight if you think?—”

“Okay, okay. Like I said, it’s your choice.” He sets his cup down on the worktop and advances on me. “You have my mobile number. WhatsApp me a list of what you need. Keys?” He holds out his hand.

“Keys? What bloody keys?”

“To your room. In Stirling. I’ll just fetch your bag from the car, then I’ll go over there now.”

Utterly confused, I fish in my pocket and hand over my door keys. “It’d be easier if I came along.”

“No. You make yourself comfortable. Have a bath, a shower, go downstairs for a game of snooker if you’re so inclined.”

“I’m not.”

He tilts his head to one side. “You know, this really isn’t so bad.”

“Easy for you to say. Your life hasn’t been turned upside down.”

“At least you still have a life, and I mean to keep it that way. Things will be back to normal soon.”

Normal? I’m beginning to doubt if things will ever be normal again.

He bows his head, tipping my face up towards his. The brush of his lips on mine is featherlike but sends a shiver through my entire body.

“Until later,may-ri-jaan.”

11

Zayn

I’mon my way back to the mansion, a black bag full of Leila’s clothes and a few books on the back seat of the four-by-four. It took me a while to locate everything she asked for in her message. Leila Mansour could never be accused of being a domestic goddess, exactly. Her place was a mess. Does she never tidy up?

Well, I shall soon find out since she’s likely to be with me for a couple of weeks at least. I doubt if we’ll manage to ‘neutralise’ her charming cousins earlier than that.

My phone rings. I send it to speaker. “Casey? Hi. That was quick.” It’s only been two hours since I phoned her with the request to ferret out some details of Iftikar’s and Mehrban’s daily habits.

“I have some information for you. More to follow. Not sure how deep you need me to go.”

“Let me have what you’ve turned up so far.”

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