safety until we arrive home.” His brows knotted in a curious frown. “Would you care to tell me what the hell is going on? Kalim stormed into my room and ordered his plane to be readied and all his appointments to be cancelled. He wants to leave as soon as possible and if I needed to give a reason I was to say a family emergency.” His frown deepened as he continued. “Then he informs me he is getting Tom Bennett released and that you are coming home with us.”
“Plane.” Her eyes widened in shock. “He’s got his own plane?”
“Of course.” He gestured toward the telephone and grimaced. “For what it’s worth it is ready to take off now.”
“You have your own jet airliner?”
Hassam chuckled. “Don’t sound so surprised. How did you think he travelled around the world, on a broom?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Shannon muttered realizing Hassam had heard her remark when he burst out laughing, and she laughed with him.
Kalim abruptly broke off his conversation with the guard captain of Lilla jail in the middle of a sentence when he heard the sound of Shannon’s laughter. It was a sound he thought he would never hear again. He was suddenly brought out of his reverie by the squawking phone in his hand and he reluctantly placed the receiver against his ear and resumed his conversation.
“I assumed he used commercial flights like everyone else,” Shannon said as her laughter died away.
He was shaking his head as she was speaking. “That would not be safe or convenient.”
A shiver raced through her system. There was that word again Kalim’s safety, danger. The fear and terror started crawling in her stomach and she felt the nausea rise up again. How was she going to live with this gut wrenching sickness all the time?
“Is this a private conversation or can I join it?” Kalim asked as he walked into the room his eyes flickering between them.
“We were discussing your plane,” Hassam stated gravely then spoiled it by winking at Shannon. “Which is ready whenever you are as per your instructions.”
“My plane huh?” It was obvious he did not believe a word of it. “What about my appointments?” he asked as he walked across to the sofa.
Hassam rose to his feet. “I’ll get started on them straight away but you won’t be able to cancel Amono on Friday.”
“Do the best you can.”
Hassam nodded his head as he turned and walked into his bedroom to make a dozen phone calls. Do the best he could. Sure it would be no problem. He only had to perform a miracle or two. It appeared Shannon Leigh Brown was still causing him problems but this time they were nice problems.
“Move over.” Kalim pushed Shannon gently on the shoulder and she moved along the cushions. He sank down beside her and filled a coffee cup from the fresh tray Hassam had ordered earlier. “Do you want one?” He offered her the steaming cup.
“Thanks.” Her hand closed around the cup. Tingles shot up her arm as her fingers tangled with his and she hastily dropped her eyes to the hot black coffee. A large brown hand poured cream into the cup, and she swallowed hard.
She leaned back and watched him as he poured his own coffee loving the way he moved and the fresh clean smell of his tangy cologne. Desire curled in her stomach like a red hot fire and she hastily took a gulp of her drink and nearly burned her tongue off.
“When are we leaving?” she asked when she finally recovered her breath from the scalding drink and her senses from his nearness.
“Apparently Friday afternoon unless Hassam can get me out of that meeting with Amono.”
He lifted the cup to his lips and sipped the hot drink while he stretched his legs out before him crossing them at the ankles.
“Friday,” she gasped her eyes widening in shock. “That’s only two days away. I can’t be ready to leave by Friday. You’ll have to wait until Wednesday at least.”
He shook his head and the expression on his face was suddenly menacing. “You’ll be ready to leave whenever I say you will.” He stared at her with so much coldness in his eyes she shivered in fear. “Be careful Shannon your lover is not safe yet.”
“I can’t do everything by Friday,” she said desperately. “There’s the lease on my flat---“
His harsh bark of laughter interrupted her and she glanced at him warily her eyes asking a silent question.
“You haven’t been near your flat in six months it’s a little late to worry about it now.”
She blinked with surprise. “How do yo---“ she broke off sucked in a deep calming breath then asked. “You’ve had my flat under surveillance?”
His mouth tightened with disgust. “There was no need. For a small monthly retainer your landlady was more than happy to let me know if she heard from you.”
A sharp pang of hurt pierced her heart. Mrs Parr had always seemed such a nice person she never would have thought her name was Judas.
“You think your money can buy you anything don’t you?”
His lips curved in a cynical smile. “Everyone has their price.” He paused then added with a touch of malicious pleasure. “Even you.”
Everything that was good and tender swiveled up and died inside her at his harsh condemnation. He was quite right even she had her price, Tom’s freedom. She had sold her soul to the devil to save her brother’s life and she felt as much a Judas as Mrs Parr.
“All right Kalim,” she said as she rose to her feet and placed the cup on to the tray. “I’ll meet you back here on Friday, and until then I don’t want to see or hear from you in any way and those are my terms.”
“No!” He rose to his feet and his fingers curled around her arms digging painfully into her flesh. “You will remain here with me except to collect your belongings when I will accompany you.”
She shook her head determined to leave. All she wanted at that moment was for this nightmare day to end. “Friday lunch time or not at all.”
His grip on her arms tightened and she winced in pain, aware she would have bruises where he had touched her in the morning. “Aren’t you forgetting Bennett?”
“I’m forgetting nothing. I’m going to get dressed and then I’m leaving. Yes or no Kalim. One way or the other.” She threw his own words back into his face as she jerked her arms free, then spun on her heel and marched into the bedroom not waiting for his answer not caring if he answered or not.
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