he had to find a way to keep the two women separated.
With that in mind, Adan turned to Piper and gestured toward the towering staircase leading to the upper floors. “This shouldn’t take too long, Ms. McAdams. In the meantime, Abdul will show you to your quarters and I will meet you shortly in the third-floor sitting room. Abdul, put her things in the suite across from mine.”
After Abdul picked up her luggage, she didn’t make a move other than to give Adan a decidedly suspicious stare. “I have a room reserved at the inn in the village, so it’s best I keep those arrangements, Your Highness,” she said, prompting the houseman to set the bags back down.
He had to encourage her to stay at the palace, and he had limited time to do so. After signaling Abdul to gather the bags again, he regarded Piper. “The inn is small and will not allow you to have what you need in terms of your business. They currently do not have internet access or an office center. We have all that here.”
Abdul bent slightly as if prepared to return the luggage to the floor while Adan tamped down his impatience over Piper’s delay in responding. “I suppose you have a point,” she finally said. “As long as it’s not an inconvenience for your staff.”
He would be inconvenienced if he didn’t have her nearby, and in deep trouble if the old girlfriend suddenly made an appearance. “I assure you, the staff is accustomed to guests. So if you will follow Abdul—”
“It’s about time you finally showed up, you inconsiderate arse.”
Adan froze like an iceberg at the sound of the familiar voice. Trouble had definitely arrived.
He could pretend he hadn’t heard her, or he could face the unavoidable confrontation like a man. Taking the second—and least palatable—option, he turned to discover Talia Thorpe standing at the entry to the hallway wearing a chic white dress, hands propped on her narrow hips and her green eyes alight with fury.
A compliment should help to diffuse the possible verbal bloodbath. Or so he hoped. “You’re looking well, Talia.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why haven’t you returned my emails or calls? I’ve sent you at least a hundred messages over the past month alone.”
He ventured a fast glance at Piper, who appeared to be somewhat taken aback, and rightfully so. “Might I remind you, Talia, we broke off our relationship a year ago.”
Talia tossed a lock of her long platinum hair back over one shoulder. “You broke it off, and it’s been ten months. If you hadn’t ignored me, I wouldn’t have been forced to disrupt my schedule and make this beastly trip.”
When he’d told her they were done after their on-and-off six-year relationship, he’d meant it. “Perhaps we should continue this conversation somewhere more private.”
She flipped a manicured hand in Piper’s direction. “Are you worried your new chicky will be exposed to all the dirty details?”
As a matter of fact... “For your information, Ms. McAdams is here on business.”
“Well, so am I,” Talia said. “Serious business.”
He wouldn’t be at all surprised if she tried to sue him over the breakup. “I find that somewhat difficult to believe, Talia, yet I am curious. What business of yours would concern me?”
She turned around and clapped her hands. “Bridget, you may come in now and bring it with you.”
Talia went through personal assistants as frequently as she went through money, so Adan wasn’t surprised when he didn’t recognize the name. He was mildly concerned over the “it” comment. But he was nothing less than astounded when the meek-looking plump brunette strolled into the room...gripping a baby carrier. Myriad concerns began rushing through his mind. Unthinkable possibilities. Unimaginable scenarios.
Yet when Talia took the carrier and turned it around, and he saw the sleeping baby with the tiny round face and the black cap of hair, he would swear his heart skipped several beats, and he began to sweat.
“Adan, meet Samuel, your new son.”
Piper wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Adan Mehdi keeled over from shock. Instead, he assumed a rigid posture and a stern expression, hands fisted at his sides. “Talia, if you believe I will simply take you at your word about this, you are completely daft.”
The woman swept her manicured hand toward the infant. “Just look at him, Adan. You can’t deny he’s yours. Dark hair and golden skin. He even has your dimples. Despite all that, I do have proof in the form of a DNA test.”
“How did you get my bloody DNA?” he asked.
Talia crossed her arms beneath her breasts and lifted her chin. “It’s all over my Paris flat, Adan. And you happened to leave your toothbrush the night you tossed me to the gutter.”
The sheikh’s defenses seemed to disappear right before Piper’s eyes. “We were always careful to prevent pregnancy.”
Talia tapped her chin. “I do recall that one night last year in Milan—”
“That was one blasted night, Talia,” he replied, his tone fraught with anger.
“Once was quite enough.” The woman handed the carrier off to a bewildered Bridget. “Anyway, I have a photo shoot in a remote location in Tasmania, which will give you an opportunity to get to know your kid. We’ll discuss the custody particulars when I get back next month.”
Adan narrowed his eyes in a menacing glare. “We will discuss this immediately.”
Talia checked her watch. “My flight leaves in less than an hour.”
“You will not take one step out this door until we talk,” Adan demanded. “Into the study. Now.”
After the sheikh and his former girlfriend exited, Piper looked around to find Abdul had disappeared, leaving her in a quandary over what to do next. She occupied her time by surveying the beige stone walls, the ornate gold statues and the unending staircase leading to the top of the massive structure. A baby’s cry would definitely echo loudly throughout the building.
With that in mind, Piper sought out Bridget, who’d taken a seat on the gold brocade cushioned bench set against the wall, the carrier at her feet. She smiled at the woman, who managed a slight, albeit shaky return of the gesture. But when the baby began to fuss, the presumed au pair looked completely alarmed.
Not good. Piper launched into action, crossed to the carrier, unfolded the yellow blanket, picked up the crying infant and held him against her shoulder. After he quieted, she regarded the wide-eyed Bridget. “You aren’t a nanny, are you?”
“No, I am not,” she finally responded, her tone hinting at a slight British accent and a lot of disdain. “I’m Talia’s personal assistant. The last nanny quit yesterday when she learned she’d have to make the trip here. Traveling with Talia isn’t pleasant under normal circumstances, let alone with a child in tow.”
Piper claimed the vacant spot on the bench, laid the swaddled baby in the
