Protecting the Desert Princess(20)

                ‘Am I?’ Layla said, sounding very pleased with herself.

                ‘No way are you going out tonight,’ Mikael said, frogmarching her back to her suite.

                ‘You can’t stop me.’

                ‘I’ll call your brother, then,’ Mikael said. ‘Because I’m not going to police you.’

                He pulled out his phone the second they got into her suite. There were glasses everywhere, and dresses and shoes; it was clear that Layla was seriously going all out for her week of fun.

                ‘You will not call Zahid!’ Layla roared. ‘I am an adult. I am capable of making my own decisions.’

                ‘Fine, then,’ he snapped. ‘But I’m warning you: it would be beyond foolish for you to go out in that state, but if you choose to then that’s up to you.’ He turned to leave and yet he couldn’t. ‘Where exactly are you planning to go tonight?’

                ‘I want to go to a club—to dance.’

                ‘With…?’ Mikael looked at her and tried to ignore her gorgeousness, tried to be cross. And yet he was tempted to laugh. What did she do to his head? ‘Have you got any money, Layla?’

                ‘No.’

                ‘Have you any idea of the trouble you could get into?’

                She just looked at him, and suddenly it was very easy for Mikael to be cross—just not with her.

                ‘My current client isn’t the only bastard out there, Layla.’

                ‘Mikael…’

                ‘No, you need to hear this.’

                ‘Mikael, help me!’

                He watched her beautiful face pale and her hand clutch her throat.

                ‘I think…’ Layla said. ‘I think that I’m…’

                He got her to the bathroom just in time.

                Never in his life had he done this, and never again would he do this, but Mikael stood holding her silky black hair as she knelt in the bathroom.

                ‘I should ring your brother, you know.’

                ‘I know,’ she said. Unseen by her, Mikael smiled as she continued, ‘But you won’t.’

                Yes, he really should ring Zahid and have him come and collect her—but instead he ran her a bath as he thought about her brother.

                Mikael had been worried—and with good reason. Zahid must be beside himself.

                Mikael was not a sentimental person—not in the least—but surely a text to put him at ease could not cause any harm?

                As he waited for the bath to fill Mikael fired a quick text.





                Just to let you know, Layla is fine.





                ‘Have a bath and wash your hair, and then I suggest you get some sleep.’

                ‘Can you send someone in to wash me?’

                ‘Wash you?’