Prince Nadir's Secret Heir(18)

                ‘That’s not possible,’ he said briskly. ‘I should have already left for Bakaan by now.’

                His homeland?

                ‘Please don’t let me stop you.’

                One corner of his mouth quirked in a parody of a smile. ‘I don’t intend to. But unfortunately we have run out of time to get things you might need from your house. If you write me a list I’ll make sure you have everything on hand when we arrive. We shouldn’t be gone long. A day at the most.’

                Imogen blinked. ‘We?’

                ‘That’s what I said.’

                ‘You must be mad.’

                He pulled his phone out of his pocket and started dialling as if he hadn’t heard her.

                ‘Nadir, what are you doing?’

                He looked up at her. ‘Claiming what is mine.’

                Imogen waited a beat before responding. Waited for the punchline. When he stared back with all the confidence of a man used to getting his own way she felt dizzy.

                ‘I am not yours and I never was!’

                He raised an eyebrow. ‘I meant Nadeena.’

                Sanctimonious bastard.

                Embarrassed at her gaffe, Imogen hauled the baby bag over her shoulder. ‘Didn’t you just hear me? I said I don’t want anything from you.’

                ‘I heard you.’

                She shook her head. ‘I’m going.’

                Before she had time to reach Nadeena, Nadir abandoned his call and yanked the bag off her shoulder, spinning her around to face him. ‘You’ve stolen the first five months of my daughter’s life from me.’ His voice seemed to harden with every word even though its tenor didn’t change. ‘You won’t be stealing any more.’

                Stolen? Imogen’s knees started to shake and the sense of dread from earlier returned with force. ‘I haven’t stolen anything. And how do you know she’s even really yours?’

                A grim smile crooked the corner of his mouth. ‘She has my eyes.’

                ‘Lots of people have silvery-blue eyes,’ she said on a rush. ‘They’re as common as mice.’ Rats.

                One dark eyebrow rose. ‘You gave her an Arabic name.’

                ‘Nadeena was a great-aunt of mine.’

                ‘And you’re proving to be a terrible liar. Which is in your favour.’

                ‘I don’t understand this at all.’ She threw her arms up in front of her. ‘You don’t even want children. Why would you want us to go with you?’

                He widened his stance and her eyes couldn’t help but notice his strong legs and lean torso. God, did he have to be quite so damned virile?

                ‘How do you know that?’

                Gossip, mainly. She lifted her chin and focused on his hard face, which wasn’t much better. ‘Well, do you?’ she asked coolly.