Page 22 of His Impossible Heir

Daniesh relaxed enough to notice Rayed’s smug expression. “What?” he demanded.

“She’s it for you, isn’t she?”

Daniesh knew exactly what Rayed was asking, but feigned ignorance. “I have no idea what you mean. Are you here to discuss the new Tokyo collaboration? Because if you aren’t, I have things to do.”

“We already settled the Tokyo collaboration yesterday. The fact that you don’t remember doing so means that you have it worse than I thought.”

“Worse?”

Rayed chuckled. “You have it bad for Amanda.”

He did! “I don’t,” Daniesh argued. “She just needs my help.”

“Right.” When Daniesh started bristling, Rayed lifted a hand. “I get it, my friend. As soon as I saw Emma, I knew she was it for me. It took me a while to realize and acknowledge it to myself, but in the end, it all worked out.”

Daniesh sighed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “How long did it take you? A week? A month?”

“To realize that Emma was the woman I wanted for the rest of my life?” Rayed clarified.

When Daniesh nodded sharply, Rayed continued. “I think it took….about an hour. Maybe two.”

Daniesh wasn’t surprised. He remembered last night, seeing Amanda step out of the limousine. His attention had been captured instantly.

“She can’t be the one,” he snapped, remembering the verdict from the doctor’s office.

“Why not?”

Daniesh shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Amanda…I’m not the man for her.” His fingers tightened into fists as he thought of another man touching Amanda, another man’s baby growing within her body. A baby he couldn’t give her!

Rayed snorted. “Amanda certainly seemed like your type when she came in from the terrace last night.”

Daniesh ignored his friend’s comment, but the thought of having Amanda for his own was already taking root in his head.

The quiet knock on the door startled Amanda and she spun around, her bare feet still luxuriating in the soft fibers of the thick carpeting.

“Come in!” she called out.

A moment later, the air in Amanda’s lungs whooshed out as she saw Emma coming through the door. “Thank goodness!” she gasped, rushing over to embrace her friend.

Emma held her as a fresh wave of tears washed over her. “I didn’t do it!” she gasped.

“I know sweetie!” Emma whispered, hugging Amanda tightly. “There was never any doubt in my mind. As if you’d hurt anyone!”

Amanda sniffed and pulled away, smiling at her friend. “Thank you!”

Emma snorted. “Like you had any doubts of my support?”

Amanda laughed wetly as she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. Emma was already leading her over to one of the overstuffed chairs set up by a beautiful bay window.

“So, what happened? Tell me everything.”

Amanda explained everything, right up to the current moment.

“So, you’re all stressed out and not sure what the next step should be?” Emma pondered, her forefinger touching her cheek lightly.

“Oh, the stress will eventually ease up. I’m sure that the police will figure out who actually shot that man.”

Emma nodded, tilting her head as if contemplating the recent murder. So, it was a surprise when she said, “I think that you should have a fling with Daniesh.”

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