the floor like some obedient courtier, but her eyes blazed.
‘You don’t really want me, Sayid. You just don’t like being crossed. When you think it through you’ll realise it’s better if I go.’
Sayid’s hands curled into fists that shook with the effort it took not to haul her up and over his shoulder.
How dare she tell him what he wanted? As if she knew best? He was doing this for her. Because what happened to her mattered to him. Yet she threw that back in his face!
‘You may rise.’ His voice was devoid of emotion. He refused to abase himself any further.
Lina rose from the carpet with a grace that only irked him.
‘You may go.’
Was that a flash of hurt in her expression? Sayid couldn’t be sure but it gave him hope, even as he felt a pang in response. He knew he’d prevail but he’d prefer to resolve this as soon as possible. He sighed. There’d be no resolution right now. Lina was so stubborn it would take a few hours at least, if not days for her to see what was before her eyes—that marriage was the ideal solution for them both.
‘Don’t pack your bags. You’re not leaving the palace.’
She spun round in a swirl of skirts. His eyes dropped to her long, shapely legs then back up to her face.
‘But it’s best if I—’
‘You agreed to work with the community liaison team to pay your debt to me.’ He paused, watching her frown. ‘Then you agreed to be my lover for seven days as an alternative.’
He waited for some sign that she understood the implications. When she didn’t he went on, keeping his own features expressionless. ‘We’ve only had five days together so the debt isn’t paid.’
Lina opened her mouth as if to protest, then snapped it shut, her eyes narrowing on him. Sayid didn’t care about her anger. What he cared about was getting what he wanted.
‘Which means you still owe me for your education. I’ll tell my staff you’ll be working with them again in community liaison. We’ll discuss later just how long it will take you to pay off the debt.’
He turned to his desk.
He had her now, he knew. Her honour wouldn’t let her leave till she’d repaid the debt, even if she resented his devil’s bargain. Given time Lina would see the wisdom of his scheme. And with her passionate nature it wouldn’t be long before she was knocking on his door, begging him to make love to her. She might put on a fine show now but she wouldn’t resist indefinitely.
Sayid hid a satisfied smile as he sat at his desk and looked towards the door.
Lina had gone. For there was nothing she could say, no argument she could make.
He’d won.
It was just a matter of waiting till she admitted it.
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