Page 53 of Just a Bit Captivated

“I’m afraid I don’t follow you.”

Lorenzo gave him a long, assessing look.

Zain met his gaze head-on. Let him look his fill. He would find nothing on his face.

“Hmm,” Lorenzo said before pulling out a photograph from his pocket.“And you’ve never seen this man?”

Zain glanced at the picture. Although he’d expected it, seeing Aiden’s picture stillfelt like a blow to his gut.

“I don’t think so,” Zain said.“Even if I have, I don’t remember. I don’t have a good memory for faces. Now, are you done wasting my time?”

Slowly, Lorenzo got to his feet, his eyes still boring a hole in Zain’s face, no doubt looking for any signs of lying.

“Fine,” he finally said gruffly.“But if you’re lying, you will regret it,signor.” The threat was delivered with calm confidence.

“Get out,” Zain said, staring him down.

He didn’t relax once the man was gone.

He reached for the phone on his desk and contacted his head of security.“A man just left my office. Use CCTV cameras to track him and get me information on him. Who he works for, what he’s doing here—and how he was able to incapacitate my secretary and get into my office to threaten me with a gun when I’m paying millions for my security.”

There was a sharp intake of breath.“Yes, Sheikh,” Abdullah said stiffly.

“Call me when you learn who he is.” Zain hung up and got to his feet, his body thrumming with agitation. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he strode out of his office and called the head of security of his island.“Is Aiden in the house?” he said, keeping his voice low.

There was a moment’s pause. If Hakim was surprised by his question, he didn’t let it show.“Yes,” he said.“He was seen entering the home theater half an hour ago, but we don’t have cameras inside the room.”

Zain’s shoulders relaxed a little. He got out of the elevator, heading toward his helicopter. “Put two men outside the room. All of you are to be on high alert. Security must be tightened. I’ll have Abdullah brief you.”

“Yes, Sheikh.”

Zain hung up and got into the helicopter.“Home,” he said.“As fast as possible.”

Despite his instructions, the ride seemed to last longer than normal, and he felt wound up by the end of it.

The home theater was guarded by two security guards.

“Return to your normal posts,” Zain ordered before pushing the door open.

Aiden was seated on the floor in front of the TV, a pair of headphones covering his ears, gripping a controller in his hands. There was an endearing look of concentration on his face: his brows furrowed, his full lips pursed tightly, eyes glaring at what was happening on the screen.

He didn’t hear Zain enter, of course. Anyone could have entered and stolen him.

Zain grimaced, trying to eradicate the thought. Aiden wouldn’t bestolen. He had to beZain’sfirst in order to be stolen from him, which was the line of thinking that was… that he had been trying to eradicate for months.

Aiden must have noticed him in his peripheral vision—he turned his head and smiled widely.“Zain! You’re back!”

Zain stared at that smile for a moment before clearing his throat and clasping his hands behind him.“I am.” He wanted to ask Aiden whether he’d seen anything suspicious around the house, but that would give away that there was a problem.

The problem wouldn’t exist if you’d gotten rid of him immediately after you decided to do so. It’s been months.

His lips thinning, Zain walked closer and sat down on the couch behind Aiden. The younger man immediately leaned back, resting his cheek against Zain’s knee as he resumed playing his game.

Zain stared at him. He didn’t move his leg away.

He utterly despised this—what he’d been turned into. By aboy, no less. Zain hadnever been one to hesitate. Once he made a decision, it was carried out. Until Aiden.

His decision to let Aiden go didn’t seem to matter. He didn’t seem capable of following through. If he were honest, it wasn’t all that hard to get Aiden out of the country. With his connections, he could accomplish it within days.He’d already done it for Aiden’s friends last month, which had earned him a bone-crushing hug from Aiden—and an adoring look that made him beyond uncomfortable. Uncomfortable and greedy for more. The fact that Aiden hadn’t questioned why Zain was able to get his friends out of the country so easily but couldn’t do the same for him was something Zain was grateful for—because he had no satisfactory answer.

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