Saving the Sheikh (The Legacy Collection) (21 page)

“Jeremy –”

Thankfully, he turned and began typing again. “Next time, though, you and your prince might want to keep your private purchases off the royal budget spreadsheet – unless you’re into that sort of sharing.”

Zhang cursed in Mandarin.

Not seeming the least bit bothered, Jeremy laughed. “Listen, this is going to take some time. My software will translate the e-mails, but it’s never exact so I’ll need a couple of hours to sort through them. Why don’t I text you when I find something?”

Zhang checked her watch and reluctantly agreed. Dinner was in less than thirty minutes. “I’ll tell everyone that you’re not feeling well.”

Jeremy said, “Make it convincing or Jeisa will hunt me down and drag me to dinner. It’s her personal mission to socialize me.” He waved over his shoulder without looking up. “Now, get out of here, I need to concentrate. Especially if we don’t have much time.”

“Time is the one thing we don’t have a lot of.”

“Unlike those pillows,” he joked.

Zhang gripped the door handle hard enough to instantly whiten her knuckles. Her emotions were running high and she found no humor in his words. Was she really trusting her life and possibly Rachid’s to a man who probably considered this mission as challenging as his latest video game?

Do I have a choice?

Sensing that she was still in the room, Jeremy paused and said, “Dominic brought me here because he knows I’m the best. I can stop now if you feel that he’s wrong.”

There was something unsettling about Jeremy’s confidence. Did he know how quickly the situation could turn deadly? “This is dangerous, even if you don’t find anything.”

Jeremy looked across the room at her. “I don’t know about you, Zhang, but I’m tired of settling for what I thought my life had to be. I’d rather die this weekend fighting for my dreams than spend the next fifty years as the man I was. ”

Zhang thought about the times when she had felt the same and said, “Be very careful what you wish for, Jeremy. It doesn’t always turn out the way we plan.” With that, she quickly opened the door and reentered the hallway.

As she stepped away from Jeremy’s room, she sensed that she wasn’t the only one in the hallway.
Ghalil.
His disapproval was clear, but he didn’t confront her. He turned away and strode down the hall in the opposite direction. She could only imagine what he thought she was doing with Jeremy.

Shit.

I need a Plan B.

Their wedding dinner was a painfully formal affair that, thankfully for Zhang’s plans, Ghalil attended. Hopefully he was still figuring out how to take her down and hadn’t already sent guards to Jeremy’s room. They wouldn’t like what they found.

Zhang doubted that the young man’s expression would be so dark if he’d already uncovered her secret. No, he wouldn’t be able to keep his excitement to himself.

Zhang studied the somber group. The king sat at the head of the table. Hadia was seated at his side, and next to her sat Ghalil and his mother. It was the first time Zhang had seen the woman who had made excuses all week to avoid meeting her. She was appropriately covered and, although she sat tall in her seat, Zhang sensed that she felt uncomfortable being on display. Her eyes remained lowered most of the time.

The king had made a safe choice with his second spouse. Beautiful, reserved, respectfully quiet and Arab. Nothing that would offend. Very likely what his people considered the perfect wife.

My exact opposite.

Zhang snuck a look at her new husband. He was seated next to her, on the other side of his father, and looked every bit of the sheikh he was.

He caught her looking at him and his lips set in a determined line. Beneath the cover of the table, his hand sought hers. She entwined her fingers with his, clinging to hope as she searched his face for some hint that he was still the man who had sworn that they would spend the rest of their lives together.

He bent his head and said so that only she could hear, “No matter what happens, don’t get involved. Promise me.”

She hedged. “I don’t understand.”

“Promise me.”

Unable to look into those tormented black eyes and lie, she said, “No.”

His face set in harsh lines.

The king stood and, as he began to speak, his voice carried easily over the respectfully subdued volume of those at the table. “I would like to thank everyone for sharing in this celebration tonight. Some of you have traveled far to be with us. Some of you had to change your plans due to the unexpectedness of this joyous event. Your kindness will be remembered.” He nodded at Rachid and smiled. “If my son can pull his eyes away from his new bride for a moment, I know that he would also like to say a few words.”

Rachid released Zhang’s hand and stood, bowing to his father before turning to his guests. “I would also like to thank everyone here today. I didn’t know when I attended a wedding of an old college friend that I would be inviting him to mine so soon.”

Across the table, Dominic nodded in acknowledgement of his reference. Light laughter from several guests followed Rachid’s words.

Rachid continued, “Since this is a gathering of many of those who are important to me, I hope you will allow me to take advantage of this opportunity to make an announcement.”

His father frowned up at him, obviously not happy to be taken by surprise. Still, he didn’t stop his son.

“As you know, I have agreed to accept the royal crown on my next birthday. However, with my father’s blessing, I would like to move the coronation up. So, with your permission, Father, I would put forth October first as the date of my coronation and our next large day of celebration.”

The room was absolutely quiet as guests and family waited for the king’s response. Amir’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he said, “Nothing would bring me greater pleasure. Of course you have my blessing.”

Ghalil stood, his face red with emotion.

His father looked at his youngest and said, “Let your next words be those of congratulations, my son, or let them die unspoken on your lips.” When Ghalil said nothing, his father said harshly, “Then sit.”

The air hummed with the young man’s fury, but he did as his father instructed. His mother put a hand on his arm, but he shook it off and glared at the table.

Rachid spoke as if the exchange between his father and brother hadn’t occurred. “Let’s eat.”

King and prince took their seats simultaneously, a sign that power was already being conceded.

In the silence that followed, Lil’s stage whisper to Jake was easily audible to the room. “I feel like we should clap.”

Jake shook his head in wonder, but his smile made clear her comment hadn’t embarrassed him. He raised his hands and clapped three times slowly. By the third clap, everyone around the table had joined in with enthusiasm.

As the applause gradually faded, the king looked down the table and, with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes, asked, “Dominic, how are you enjoying your stay this weekend?”

Dominic flashed the confident smile he was known for. “Much better than my last visit, Your Excellency.”

“Good,” the king said. “Perhaps now things will settle down.”

Zhang looked across at the prince who was still visibly furious and who unfortunately knew that she’d gone to see Jeremy. He’d use that information against her as soon as he figured out how.

What she couldn’t quite understand was why Rachid would move up his acceptance of a title he wasn’t sure he wanted. Especially if something foul was afoot.

Unless he thought someone didn’t want him to take the crown.

Had there been a threat? Her heart sped up at the thought.

Was that what he was asking her not to get involved in? The more she thought back to how quickly his mood had changed, the more she felt her guess was right.

Moving up the coronation would force the hand of whoever was trying to stop him.

You’d only do that if you didn’t know who posed the threat. Is that what you’re doing? Trying to draw your enemy out? Oh, God, Rachid. You are not allowed to get yourself killed when I just realized that I love you.

She reached for contact beneath the table and shuddered when his large hand closed over hers. She wanted to yank on it and demand that he tell her everything, but she doubted he would even if he’d had the privacy to do so.

He smiled down at her and she swore silently,
I’m going to save you, Rachid, if I don’t kill you first for not trusting me.

Zhang was both relieved and concerned when, at the end of the meal, Rachid informed her that he had some business to address before he could come to her that evening. Another woman might have been hurt to be dismissed by her groom on their wedding night, but another woman wouldn’t have spent half the meal hoping he would accept her request for some time alone to rest.

And by “rest,” I mean “find out if Jeremy has uncovered anything yet.”
Going directly back to his room was too risky, since there was a good chance Ghalil would be waiting for her to do just that. Instead, Zhang headed to the suite of the only person crazy enough to help her.

Alone and still dressed in the suit he’d worn to dinner, Dominic answered the door. With a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, Zhang slipped inside.

“I need to talk to you, Dominic,” she said.

“Isn’t this a conversation you should have with your mother?” he asked dryly.

Already short of temper, Zhang asked, “What the hell are you talking about?”

Dominic closed the door and motioned for Zhang to sit. Suddenly serious, he said, “Sorry, an attempt at wedding humor. What do you need?”

Zhang paced the small area between the couches. “Jeremy is set up and searching files now. I told him I’d return after dinner, but Gahlil saw me leave his room. I don’t know what he thought I was doing there but it’s too dangerous for me to return. Can you do it? I don’t trust using our cell phones here. Something’s not right.”

Dominic crossed the room to where Zhang stood and agreed. “As usual, your instincts are right. Rachid’s announcement felt strategic – like he was trying to goad someone into action. Do you think it’s his brother?”

“I don’t know, but I’m hoping Jeremy found something. Will you help me?”

Abby stepped out of the bedroom, covered in a long blue silk nightgown and robe. “Help you do what?”

Zhang and Dominic looked at each other guiltily, like two children caught red-handed and trying to come up with a convincing lie.

Abby crossed the room, stopping just in front of her husband. Hands placed angrily on her hips, Abby said, “Dom, you promised me that we wouldn’t keep secrets from each other.”

Dominic took her hands in his and said, “I don’t want you involved in this, Abby. It’s too dangerous.”

With her chin held at a stubborn slant, Abby said, “Even more of a reason why I should know what is going on.”

Just as stubborn, Dominic shook his head and said, “No, Abby. The less you know the better.”

“You can’t do this, Dom,” Abby pleaded.

Looking unhappy, but set in his decision, Dominic said, “Zhang needs my help. Give me thirty minutes –”

“I’m pregnant,” Abby blurted out, sudden tears filling her eyes.

Dom sat down on the couch behind him with a heavy thud. “Pregnant?”

Abby sat beside her now pasty-white husband, took one of his hands and laid it on her stomach. “Yes. Do you understand why you have to stop seeing yourself as indestructible?”

When Dominic spoke, his voice shook with emotion. “I’m going to be a father.”

Abby nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Yes. And that means that you have to stop risking your life like it doesn’t matter, because it does. It matters to me. And it matters to our baby.” She turned to look up at Zhang and pleaded, “Please, don’t ask him to do something dangerous. I know you’ve been very kind to me, but I can’t lose him now.”

Dominic pulled his wife to his side, wiped her tears away with one hand and looked down into her pleading eyes. He said, “I’ll be fine, Abby.”

When he looked up, his eyes were full of such sadness that a profound sense of shame settled over Zhang. It was easy to forget that Dominic wasn’t a bulletproof hero, just a man who loved his wife and was torn between helping a friend and protecting his new family. She couldn’t ask him to risk more than he had.

The outer door of the suite flew open and Lil burst in. As soon as she saw Abby crying, she rushed to her side and said, “What happened? Tell me it wasn’t something I did.”

Abby straightened from Dom and sniffed. “No, this time I’m the awful person.”

No, I’m the one being selfish.
This is my problem.
Zhang said, “No, you’re not, Abby. You’re doing what any good mother would do – you’re fighting for your family.”

Lil said, “I don’t understand.”

Laughing and crying at the same time, Abby said, “I’m pregnant.”

“Oh, my God, I’m so happy for you.” Joining her sister on the couch, Lil wrapped an arm around her and said, “Okay, so why is everyone so miserable? You all look like I felt when –” She stopped abruptly and stood. “Hang on, I’m seeing a pattern here. Why did we bring Jeremy? Didn’t you learn anything from what I did?” She looked around at the stunned expressions of the three she’d walked in on and said, “You might as well tell me everything or I’ll only try to find out on my own, and you all know how that works out.”

Zhang said, “I shouldn’t have involved any of you. I’m sorry.”

Abby said, “No, Zhang. I was wrong. Dominic’s right. I can’t let my fear stop us from helping the people we love.”

Shaking her head, Zhang said, “No, you were right. This is my problem.”

Dominic stood. “It’s too dangerous for you to go back there, Zhang.”

Jake walked through the open door. “Go where?”

Dominic’s explanation held everyone’s attention long enough to allow Zhang to back out of the room unnoticed.

One hand casually pocketed, Rachid stood beneath the dim lighting of the covered patio that overlooked the inner courtyard of the palace. Realistically, he knew that his plan to draw the traitor out might take weeks, if it worked at all. He was counting on his enemy being tempted by the chaos of the wedding weekend. Temptation was another reason he’d avoided being alone with Zhang. He couldn’t involve her in this.