had put it, there was a far more important reason to visit Tadj’s homeland. Qalala was the other half of her baby’s heritage, and Lucy owed it to her child to know something about the country. On top of that, the chance to be with Tadj and see the land he loved through his eyes would tell her more than anything about Qalala, and about the man she loved. Whether he would agree to be her guide, she supposed, would depend on whether she asked the question of the Emir of Qalala, or the man she knew as Tadj.
* * *
He was piloting the jet, so there was little chance for him to interface with Lucy. What? Interface? To be with her? To drink her in? To inhale and enjoy her familiar warmth and scent. He wanted Lucy more than he could safely express, though after what he’d learned about her past and Lucy’s so-called family life, he doubted she would ever be completely open with him. She wasn’t completely open with anyone. What was it about Lucy that took up every available space in his brain? She tested his so far unchallenged belief in his own judgement. Her stubbornness angered and frustrated him in equal measure.
He was accustomed to controlling every situation and should cut her some slack, he concluded. Lucy trod her own path, because she’d had to, and was as intent on doing the right thing, as she saw it, as he was.
Missing her had nagged at him every day they’d been apart. Even now, seated in the comfortable area behind the cockpit, she wasn’t nearly close enough. He was impatient to introduce her to Qalala, so she could understand why he loved it so much. He was impatient to see the country through her eyes. Making her feel comfortable in the desert was the first step to installing her as his mistress. The constitution of Qalala allowed for nothing more. And he wasn’t about to let Lucy and his child slip through his fingers.
Lucy might be everything he looked for in a mistress, he accepted with a grim smile as he prepared to hand over control of the jet to his first officer, but she still seemed to need convincing of that.
‘Take over, will you?’ he asked his first officer.
It was a long flight to Qalala, which was an opportunity to further explain to Lucy that an official mistress in Qalala enjoyed the same freedoms and privileges as a wife. Slanting a grim smile, he expected his formidable powers of persuasion to be put to their sternest test yet.
‘Tadj...’ Lucy smiled as he approached, as if she was pleased to see him, which was surprising considering he’d been so abrupt with her this morning. She had her own games to play.
‘My apologies. I was in a hurry this morning to make plans for our arrival.’
‘Oh,’ she said blandly with the faintest of smiles.
If he’d stayed any longer in the breakfast room, he would have dismissed the attendants and had her on the table, and that would definitely have delayed their departure.
‘I thought you were flying this thing,’ she said as he settled down on the seat next to her.
‘This thing flies itself,’ he assured her, ‘and, of course, there’s a first officer as well as an engineer on deck.’
‘What if there’s an emergency?’ she demanded, cocking her chin to challenge him with this.
‘My first officer is a fully qualified pilot. I’m sure he can handle things.’
‘I’d prefer it if you were in charge.’
‘Really?’ He huffed a grim smile. ‘Should I be flattered by this sudden reversal in your opinion?’
‘Only if you’re desperate,’ she said.
They were back to the teasing banter. Good, that worked in his favour. Things would be so much easier if they were back on good terms.
‘Stop frowning. My first officer will make sure we stay on course.’
‘Are we back on course?’ she countered fast.
‘Shall we?’ Losing no time to conversation, he jerked his chin towards the rear of the aircraft.
She stared at him for a moment and then left her seat.
‘I have a suite of rooms at the back,’ he explained as he led the way aft.
‘Of course you do,’ Lucy murmured with amusement.
‘And a private study,’ he informed her, ‘as well as a rather comfortable bedroom, a sitting room, and a screening room—it’s up to you.’
‘The study?’ she said.
‘For a serious discussion?’ he suggested.
‘Absolutely,’ she confirmed.
He’d had something else in mind, but if he learned more about Lucy’s experience of her stepfather, it would be useful, not to mention that a part of him was very disturbed by Lucy’s fear of the man. He also needed to reassure Lucy that as long as she was under his protection—and what greater protection could he offer than to make her his mistress?—she had nothing, and no one, to fear. And that protection would naturally extend to her mother. He’d had the man checked out, of course, but first-hand information was always welcome.
He opened the door on an informal and very comfortable seating area.
‘This is your study?’
He indicated the desk. ‘Relaxation as well as my business needs are provided for here. Take a seat,’ he invited.
She had everything she wanted to say to Tadj set out in her mind, and it would be a relief to fill in the gaps, but as she dredged up facts about her stepfather she thought Tadj should know about, she was frustrated to notice her hands were shaking.
‘That bad,’ Tadj murmured as he propped a hip against the desk.
‘You have no idea,’ she admitted, knowing that they were on the same wavelength as always.
‘I have some,’ he said.
Dipping his chin, he left a space for her to fill, so she told him everything: the violence, the fear, her stepfather’s unexpected release from prison that had left her mother so vulnerable.
‘She’s in a refuge now,’ Tadj stated calmly.
‘How do you know?’ she asked with surprise.
‘With guards who’ll look out for her,’ he added. ‘She’ll come to no harm. I can promise you that.’
There was a tense silence as Lucy took this in, and then she guessed softly, ‘Your guards are looking after her.’
‘You didn’t expect me to sit on the information and do nothing, did you? Your mother will be transferred safely to her own home as soon as I receive confirmation that your stepfather, who broke a court order to approach and threaten your mother, and, through her, you, is back in jail where he belongs.’
Lucy’s mouth worked as she tried to take this in, but no words came out, until at last she admitted, ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Don’t say anything. Bullies have to be dealt with, and I’m lucky enough to have the resources
