Page 40 of Her Prince in Disguise
Rafi continued, unaware of his twin brother’s sudden thought. “Yeah. I overheard something about threateningmessages and boxes, but I didn’t really understand.” His eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know!” Laith snarled. Had Andi received more than just the two boxes? Had she just not told him? Had one of them contained a genuine threat?
Rafi shook his head. “Your woman is in trouble and you’re just sitting here drinking? Go find her and help her out.”
Laith was already on his feet, heading for the club’s exit. His bodyguards were right behind him, one of them muttering into the microphone hidden on his wrist. By the time Laith and Rafi were out of the club, both of their vehicles, as well as their security teams, were ready to go. Laith ducked into the back of his SUV, unconcerned with where his brother was going. Andi was in trouble. That was his only focus.
“Get me to Andi’s apartment. Fast!” he snapped.
The SUV was squealing away from the curb before he finished the command.
Fifteen minutes later, Laith was racing up the stairs to Andi’s apartment building, muttering curses about the pathetic security system in the building. They were let in by someone coming out of the glass doors, no questions asked. He didn’t bother with the elevator since Andi lived on the third floor. He simply took the stairs, two at a time. Laith was vaguely aware of his guards spreading out, but his attention was focused solely on getting to Andi.
Chapter 28
The loud knocking startled her. Andi pushed the blanket away from the list she was making. She’d been making a list of the ways she could resolve this issue by herself. At the top of the list was getting a new job. Second on the list was moving to a different state. The first objective was to protect Laith. The second was to protect herself. No way was she letting this creep get the best of her. She loved her life here in Philly, but she liked her skin without lash marks better.
But the knocking was so loud! Who would be at her door at this time of the day? She rarely, if ever, had guests besides Carys. She met her other friends at restaurants or bars.
“Andi! Open the door!”
Laith! Laith was here!
Andi’s eyes instantly went to the kitchen cabinet where that horrible box was hidden. Was the box listening? The eyes on that creepy doll definitely seemed like they were watching her. The “eyes” were too big and she’d suspected that a small camera had been hidden inside the doll.
“Andi! Honey, open the door,” Laith called out again, his voice softer now, but no less demanding. “I know you’re in trouble. You need to let me help you.”
No! If she let him in, he would…!
The door opened without her unlocking it. Andi stared as a big, muscular man stepped through the door, then off to one side. Then, Laith walked into her apartment.
“Laith!” she gasped, jumping up from her sofa and throwing herself into his arms. Thankfully, Laith’s reaction time was good and he caught her, holding her securely as she cried with relief. For a long, wonderful moment, she sighed against his chest, feeling the heat and strength of him as he held her close.
But the moment was short-lived. As soon as reality returned, she pushed out of his arms and stepped back. Ignoring the confusion in his eyes, she pointed towards the doorway. “You have to go! You’re in danger here!”
Laith ignored her. He stepped closer, and unexpectedly, the guards he always traveled with followed him into her apartment. They didn’t stop when she gasped. Two of them even stepped into her bedroom.
“What…what are they doing? Why are they going through…!” she stopped as one man opened her closet and shifted the clothes around while the other man went into her bathroom, checking behind the shower curtain and behind the doors.
“What are they doing?” she demanded, turning away from the male invasion to frown at Laith. “Why are your bodyguards invading my home and my privacy like this?”
“Because you said I was in danger, love,” Laith explained, moving closer. He tucked her against his side as they both watched the guards finish up their initial inspection.
“Where are the new boxes?” a guard demanded. His voice was raspy, as if he used to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day. But the raspiness might have more to do with the scar on his neck.
“Boxes?” she parroted, feeling small. She laced her fingers together, not wanting these big, burly men to realize how stressful those boxes had been for her. But she had to protect Laith. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her chin unconsciously jutting out. She even tried to step away from Laith, but his arm around her waist held her against his side.
“In here!” a guard called out, coming out of the kitchen with the box that Carys had hidden. He also opened the letter, his jaw tightening as he read it.
“Here’s another one,” a guard called out as he came out of her bedroom. “This one has a letter as well.” He held up the crumpled paper, his dark eyes skimming through the text. When he looked at Andi, was that…admiration? Andi cringed, not wanting these men to think she was brave. She’d been cowering in her apartment all day. She was a coward.
The guard handed the letter to Laith. As soon as he read the letter, Laith muttered a series of what she could only assume were expletives in his own language. They sounded pretty harsh and the guards nodded, some even grunted with agreement.
Laith finally released her, but only to turn and confront her, holding the letter up. “Andi, is this why you stayed away that last night in London?” he demanded, his voice husky. “And why you wouldn’t speak to me, or tell me you were in danger?”
“This came with it,” the guard explained, showing him the crushed box with the bloody, dead Laith doll.
Laith muttered another string of curses while the guards put the boxes and the letters into plastic bags that looked suspiciously like the evidence bags she’d seen on television.
