Azalie flounced to her feet and took Beau’s hand. “Come on, Beau. It’s stuffy in here anyway. How about a donut?”
“Yay,” Beau sang.
The two left through the door leading to the kitchen, and Novette turned to Zaid. “Your daughter is beautiful.”
“She’s not my daughter.” Zaid straightened his jacket as if it was even a millimeter out of place. His suit fit his broad shoulders better than her dad’s tailored expensive suits fit his. Maybe it was the cool controlled attitude that went with the look that worked so well, but she took exception to him denying that sweet little girl.
“Look, no one is judging you for having an affair with Azalie, but it’s disgusting to deny your own baby.”
“Let me be clear,” he bit out. “I have never and will never have an affair with Azalie Grace. Therefore, her daughter isn’t mine. I don’t care how much she wishes that she were.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You’ve been gone a long time, but you know me better than to think I would shirk my responsibilities.”
She didn’t respond.
“Second,” he continued, “Neither your father nor I would put you in danger in order to convince you to come home.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I guess you wouldn’t hire those guys to give you a concussion or to shoot the other guy. Is he okay, and shouldn’t you be resting?”
“I’m fine, but I can say the same about you.”
“I’m too antsy to stay in bed. I hardly slept last night. Who do you think hired those guys? Did they say anything to the police?”
He didn’t answer.
“Zaid? Don’t try to keep me out of the loop. This happened to me, and I have a right to know. If you don’t tell me, you can trust and believe I’ll contact the investigating officer to ask him for myself.”
“They’re dead.”
“What? Who’s dead?” Her stomach lurched. “Dad didn’t order you…?”
“No. I’m not a killer, Novette.”
“You do anything he tells you.”
“Regardless, he doesn’t ask me to kill. I will protect him and you, but that’s self-defense. The men who tried to kidnap you are all dead. I’m guessing whoever hired them sent someone else to shut them up. Of course it looks like suicide, but I have my doubts.”
Her hands shook, and she squeezed them tight in her lap. He strode over to take the seat Azalie vacated and covered her hands with one of his. A tremor ran through her body.
“I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you. All I ask is that you stay here where I can do that.”
“You know what will happen if I stay in this house.”
“Novette.”
“I’ll find myself married off to whoever fits in with my father’s plan for my life. I’m not letting him control my future or me. I had five years of freedom, and I want it back.”
“You call starving and living the way you were a life?”
“Who says I was starving?”
“Your frame. All the work we did together. You have no muscle tone.”
“I kept my workouts going.” She coughed. “Mostly.”
He stood and pulled her up with him, squeezing her upper arms, testing the condition of the muscles. They stood far too close together. Every inch of her body came alive with his proximity. His fingers on her skin stirred sensations in her core.