Joline looked around, noticing all of the wonderful details of the store. But she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t take on the rent for a storefront in this location. They didn’t have the capital nor the brand recognition yet.
And he hadn’t heard a word she’d just said. “Where’s my purse?” she asked, a sadness creeping into her heart and her voice.
A man stepped closer, handing her the leather bag and disappearing again.
“Thank you,” she whispered. She looked inside and was relieved to see that both her wallet and her passport were inside along with her cell phone. “I have to go,” she told Rais.
Without another word, she turned and started walking towards the door.
Rais watched her for perhaps three seconds before he finally grasped that she honestly wasn’t excited about the store. He took one step and reached out to grab her arm, spinning her around to face him. “What’s going on, Joline?” he demanded. “This store is perfect for your business.”
She looked up into his dark eyes and a pain stabbed through her, somewhere in the vicinity of her heart. “Yes, it would be ideal. In a few years. But that’s not the point, Rais. You didn’t hear a word I said on the way over here, did you?”
“I heard you,” he growled. “But…”
“I have to go. I’ll call Shantra soon.”
He released her arm but only because he was too stunned by her statement. Call his sister? Why would she do that? They would be seeing her in a day or two, once their business here in…
He watched as she stepped out into the street and lifted her arm. What the hell?
Both he and his bodyguards were stunned when she slipped into a taxi. They hadn’t been expecting that! It took them several moments to react and scramble to get into the second vehicle. But by that time, the lights at the corner had changed, traffic surging forward. The guards couldn’t get around the traffic to follow Joline’s taxi!
Rais was furious that she would put herself in danger like that. He commanded his guards to find her and protect her but they were already rushing into action. They knew their jobs, but not when their protectee didn’t realize that she needed to be protected.
He stepped into his own vehicle, his mind racing with actions but at the top of his list, he knew he wanted to spank her adorable bottom for being so stubborn.
Quickly, Rais retrieved his phone from where Joline had tossed it less than thirty minutes ago and made a phone call. But his sister wasn’t answering her phone so he couldn’t get answers. Enough of this ‘trust’ issue. Joline was stubborn, but he was more stubborn. He wasn’t going to let her out of his life and she would bow to his will!
Chapter 10
Yes, Joline would bow to his will, but he had to find the stubborn woman first! He couldn’t believe she’d disappeared so quickly and so completely! His security team was tracking her credit cards, but she hadn’t used them. They’d locked onto her cell phone, but she’d turned it off. He’d finally reached Shantra, but his baby sister had only laughed at his frustration.
On the one hand, he couldn’t believe his baby sister had actually laughed. On the other hand, at least her lack of worry over one of her best friends meant that Joline was safe. He was fairly certain that Joline had already checked in with Shantra. Which made him feel better, but he wanted Joline here! With him! By his side!
Rais paced back and forth in his New York office. He’d flown back to Manhattan thinking that Joline had just come home. But no one at the store had heard from her and she wasn’t in her apartment.
Oh, that was a whole other issue, he thought. That hovel that she’d been living in was ridiculous! The woman had been putting all of the money from the store back into the business and living as a pauper.
Damn, he wanted to see her. He wanted to make sure she was okay.
Hell, he missed her!
He missed her smiles, her feisty attitude and her pretty eyes. He missed holding her and feeling her try to pull away, only to feel her press her soft curves against him when she finally accepted their passion.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Highness,” his assistant said from behind him.
Rais swung around, searching the man’s face to see if the news was good or bad. The blank expression told him that his woman had not been found.
“What is it?” he snapped.
The man extended his hand, holding a small box out to Rais.
Rais took the box but suspected he didn’t want to know what was in it.
“This was sent this morning with a note that it be brought to you immediately.”
Rais took the box and ripped open the package. Just as he expected, inside the small box was Joline’s engagement ring. No note. Just the silent message.