by Cara Albany
Rafiq drew in a deep breath. Was she really about to try to lecture him on how some of his family's money was being invested on the global markets? Surely she didn't take him for a complete idiot.
"I am aware of the numerous advantages of operating from the UK, Mia," he said curtly.
He saw her eyes narrow slightly. "Well, that's good then. Because, you know that sometimes those so-called advantages can have unintended consequences," she said firmly.
Gone were the pleasantries of moments ago. Now, Mia was in full official investor advice mode. She leaned down to pick up her briefcase, and Rafiq had to restrain the urge to swallow. The way her hair tumbled down in front of her, the firmness of the swell of her breasts as she bent down to lift the leather case, made his breath catch. What was happening to him? Why was she affecting him like this?
Mia sat upright and opened the briefcase, pulling out a manila folder and placing it on the table in front of her.
"That looks ominous," Rafiq said trying to sound flippant.
Mia rolled her eyes at Rafiq and he tried to smile at her, but she didn't smile back.
He needed to lighten the tone of this exchange, if only to regain his composure. He wondered what was inside the manila folder. It probably wasn't good news, he told himself. Perhaps some investments had turned out badly; maybe she was about to tell him he'd lost some money in the recent global market turbulence. They could take whatever loses were documented inside that folder. There was plenty of wealth in Qazhar.
Mia opened the folder and slid out a sheet of paper. "I prepared this for you," she said pushing the sheet of paper across to him.
Rafiq placed his fingers on the sheet and glanced at Mia. "What is it?"
She pointed at the sheet. "Read it," she said flatly.
Rafiq glanced down at the sheet. There were columns of figures and a paragraph of text at the bottom of the page. He saw a name he recognized. Not his own.
Rafiq drew in a breath, holding back the sudden irritation he felt. "I'd prefer an executive summary," he declared giving Mia a firm look.
He saw her eyes widen at his challenge. Mia placed her hands on the table, clasping one over the other. She fixed him with an equally defiant look, as if gauging the seriousness of his opposition.
Rafiq let his hands rest on the paper, his eyes locked upon Mia.
Mia sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'm sure Brad would have preferred you to know the details I've laid out on that sheet," she said gesturing toward the paper. "But, I suppose I can summarize it, if you like."
Rafiq gave Mia an ironic smile. "I'd like to hear it from your own lips," he said. He glanced down at her mouth
He saw her lower lip quiver imperceptibly, and her eyes widened, checking him, searching for extra meaning in his words.
Mia cleared her throat, the sound echoing in the emptiness of the restaurant. She glanced behind her just to make sure that they were still alone.
"You're getting me worried," Rafiq said with a mocking quirk of his brow.
"Well, it is something to be concerned about," Mia said.
"The suspense is killing me," he said leaning on his elbows, twisting himself so that he faced Mia directly.
Mia fussed with the papers that remained in the manila folder. Rafiq glanced down at the sheet. "Okay, I'll read this," he said.
"No!" she blurted out suddenly. Mia reached across and laid her hand across his arm. Rafiq lifted his gaze, seeing the obvious concern in her eyes. There was genuine alarm in her gaze. This was serious. He looked down at her hand on his arm and felt a surprising sensation make its way up to his shoulders and down to his chest.
"I think I can put it in simple terms," Mia said. "Although, it might come as a surprise. We have always striven to do our best. It's just that sometimes things slip through the cracks."
Rafiq rested his hand across Mia's and peered into her eyes. He saw her cheeks flush at the exact moment of his touch. "It can't be that bad. Brad has always done the best he can. I have complete faith in him. We go back a long way," Rafiq declared.
Mia nodded, looking slightly relieved. She looked at Rafiq, a firmness in her gaze. "It's about Sayid."
Rafiq stiffened and lifted his hand away from Mia's. "What about Sayid?"
Mia swallowed and frowned. "Well, you know that Sayid has had countersigning rights giving him access to funds under certain circumstances."
Rafiq nodded. "Of course. It's been that way for a long time."
"Well, it seems there are some irregularities in the accounts."
Rafiq felt a heaviness in his chest. He sat back in his chair and stared at Mia. "What do you mean irregularities?"
Mia paused. She pursed her lips, thoughtful for a few seconds. "Money is missing," she announced bluntly.
Rafiq's eyes narrowed. "Missing? What are you talking about?"
"Gone. Just disappeared," she replied.
"How much?"
Mia rolled her eyes. "A lot."
"How much?" Rafiq insisted.
"A significant sum," Mia said flatly.
Rafiq felt his eyes widen, incredulous. "Thousands?"
Mia nodded. "A very large sum. We're still checking, but it is a major amount of money."
Rafiq gasped and laughed sarcastically. "This is a joke, right?"
Mia shook her head solemnly. "No joke." She looked as if she feared he would explode in a rage. But, the truth was, all he felt was stunned disbelief. Sayid had stolen from him? He'd known Sayid since boyhood. They'd been best friends back in Qazhar; had grown up together sharing everything. Sayid had been by Rafiq's side in so many things. And now, Mia was telling him that Sayid had possibly embezzled money from the investment funds. The rules for accessing money were strict, requiring full disclosure. How could it have happened?
But, there was one other thing that galled Rafiq about what Mia was claiming Sayid had done.
"I'm sorry," Mia said. "We should have noticed it sooner."
Rafiq cut her off. "Are you sure about this?"
Mia frowned as if he'd questioned her integrity. "Of course I'm sure. I've been over the figures myself."
"It's not some accounting error?" Rafiq insisted.
Mia scowled at Rafiq. "It's not an administrative error. And, frankly I'm surprised you'd even suggest such a thing," she said glowering at Rafiq.
Rafiq drew in a deep breath. "It's just that this is a serious accusation."
"I know that," she said rounding on him. She jabbed at the sheet of paper in front of Rafiq. "If you'd take the time to read that..."
"I don't have to," he said, cutting her off. "I know what you're accusing Sayid of doing."
Mia squinted at Rafiq. "It's not just an accusation."
"I need to be sure," Rafiq declared.
Mia started to shuffle through the papers inside the manila folder. "Here are the figures," she said.
"It's not about the figures, Mia," Rafiq said sharply.
Mia froze and stared at Rafiq. "Then, what's it about?"
Rafiq leaned back in his chair and stared up at the stucco decorations of the ceiling. Could he tell her? What good could possibly come of letting her in on the one thing that burned him up, the source of his pain?
Rafiq glanced at Mia. He saw the expectant look on her oval face, her ice blue gaze cutting deep into him, and knew he had to tell her, because he wasn't going to just accept this. He had to be sure and he needed Mia's help to obtain that certainty.
"Sayid is my best friend," Rafiq said to Mia.
She nodded and looked silently at Rafiq.
"You've just accused him of stealing from the investment fund. That may be true. I don't know."
Rafiq saw Mia begin to object but he held up a hand, silencing her.
"If what you say is true, then that's not the only thing he has taken from me in recent weeks."
He saw Mia frown but pushed on, determined to let her in on the painful truth. The words almost caught in his throat, but he forced them out.
&
nbsp; "Sayid took my bride from me. He took the woman I was to marry and made her his wife."
CHAPTER TWO
Mia gazed, incredulous, across at Rafiq. His bride had been taken by Sayid? How could that have happened?
Mia hadn't heard anything about Sayid getting married. It wasn't any of her business. She'd been busy adjusting to her new life, the life of work and business. Mia's head had been so deeply buried in piles of paperwork that it would have taken a war to drag her attention away from her task. That was how she had always been, she realized. Stubborn, single-minded and focused. There was no time for anything else except work. Certainly no time for relationships, she thought, glancing over at Rafiq. Hadn't that been one reason why she had resisted his advances during that summer?
Mia didn't know what to say, how to react. After a moment, all she could summon up was a tentative, sympathetic comment. "I'm so sorry, Rafiq. I had no idea." Should she even be offering Rafiq sympathy? Mia wasn't sure, but it seemed like the only thing to do at this moment.
Rafiq sighed heavily. "It's nothing. Not even relevant," he said with a dismissive wave.
But, Mia could see just how much it did mean to Rafiq. His dark brows were furrowed into deep ridges; his chocolate brown eyes hinted at a barely contained inner rage; the twist of his lips curled at the corner into a sardonic expression.
Rafiq ran his hand through his dark hair. "Are you sure about this?" he asked glancing at the papers on the table.
Mia rifled through the contents of the manila folder. "As much as I can be. I only found out about it a couple of days ago."
Rafiq frowned. "I can't believe he'd do such a thing," he muttered. "Let me have a look at this."
Mia saw his head dip as he started to read through the sheet she had given to him. Since she'd seen him for the first time in years, Mia had been impressed at the changes in Rafiq. Gone was the slightly too thin, lithe, athletic looking man who had tormented her during that one crazy, sweet summer at her family's residence in the depths of the English countryside.
The sight that had greeted her when she had stood to welcome him was a wholly different person. Rafiq had filled out, was noticeably broader in the chest, a more imposing presence than his younger self. His chiseled, handsome features had caught Mia unawares; the feral glimmer in his eyes had held her frozen like a startled animal. He seemed taller than she had remembered, but that could simply be down to the utterly primal, dominating aura he exuded. Even here, in the emptiness of the hotel restaurant, his untamed desert spirit seemed to fill the space around them. He exuded force and casual authority. His voice had an edge of decisiveness to it. His every movement and gesture seemed designed to draw out an effect from Mia. It was taking everything in her power to shield that effect from Rafiq.
Mia was sure he hadn't noticed her reactions to him. She hoped he hadn't, especially when she'd had to take a step backward as he'd leaned forward, obviously intent on hugging her. Mia couldn't have trusted her reaction to being in his arms again. Not that, she had told herself. Anything but that.
It had taken too long to get over their first encounter all those years ago.
Rafiq had visited for a few weeks, a guest of her brother, Brad. It had been the last summer before Mia had gone off to University to study finances and investment. While staying with her family, Rafiq had become the center of Mia's world during that summer. Every time she had been near him, her body had declared war on her, overwhelming every intelligent thought that had fought to keep her a safe distance from Rafiq. Because, that was what she had needed above everything else whenever she had been around Rafiq. Safety from his irresistibly intense presence.
They had duelled and clashed in every delicious way imaginable during those weeks, and all through that time Mia had fought to keep him at bay. Mia was convinced it was her innocence that had triggered his passionate pursuit. He was a few years older than her, and seemed to have descended from a different world. He'd seemed like a being from another more exotic, unbelievable world.
She had known he could have swept her off her feet, putting paid to all her plans, turning her world upside down. If she had succumbed she knew her entire destiny would have been altered. Irrevocably.
And that, she had not wanted. Or so she had told herself every night as she had lain in bed, trying to drive images of Rafiq out of her mind.
It had been a interminable summer of delicious torment.
But, she had kept him at arms length, in spite of every nerve and fibre in her body craving him, needing him.
It had been the longest summer of her life. Rafiq had tried everything possible to conquer Mia. Being the focus of the Sheikh's attentions had been exquisite and tempting, even flattering, making Mia feel incredibly special.
But, in the end, Rafiq had been denied his pleasure with Mia. She had made sure of that.
By the summer's end Rafiq had finally admitted defeat. In a private moment in the garden, he had brashly announced to Mia that he had been toying with her all summer; he'd declared with typical arrogance and pride that he had been teasing her, playing with her.
He told her that if she thought she had been victorious over him, she was deluding herself, because he hadn't really wanted her; hadn't truly craved her; that she had merely been suffering a teenage crush on the Sheikh who, after all, needed no woman to make him happy. That last statement had been made with a proud upward tilt of the chin, bravado filling his voice, a slight sneer at the corner of his mouth.
Mia had been crushed at his apparent confession of disinterest in her; hadn't seen him since that crazy English summer; had been grateful for the years of hard work which had consumed her since then.
And now, he was back in her life.
For now, at least.
She knew she would have to maintain a professional distance; understood how important it was to once again keep the undeniably handsome Sheikh out of her heart.
His admission that he had recently been rejected by another woman caused her to see him in a different light. How many lovers had he had since she had last seen him? She pushed the answer to that question firmly out of her mind. No sense dwelling on that, she told herself.
Rafiq looked up from the paper, his eyes filled with questions. They were such amazing eyes, filled with emotion She felt her heart skip a beat as she regarded them. Mia quickly lowered her gaze as she saw inquiry stir in his eyes. He had noticed the way she had looked at him. She couldn't lead him on. Not this time. Even if there were treacherous emotions stirring from their dormant slumber.
Rafiq sighed and pushed the paper away from him with an angry flick of his fingers. He took a sip of his coffee. The silence in the empty restaurant seemed cacophonous.
Finally he spoke, peering into her eyes. "I need to do something about this."
Mia nodded. "I agree. You can't let this go. There are legal issues to consider, too."
Rafiq nodded. "However, I'm not convinced."
Mia frowned. "What?"
"I need to be sure. He has been a friend to me for so long. I find it incredible that he would have done something like this."
Mia gestured toward the papers. "But, the evidence..." she started to say, but Rafiq cut her off with a sharp twitch of his hand.
"Not enough," he said curtly.
Mia stared at Rafiq. "What more do you need? The evidence is staring you in the face."
Rafiq shook his head and peered intently at Mia. She felt the full force of his penetrating stare. Her breathing stalled for a moment, and she wondered if it was to do with his anger or how devastatingly handsome he looked when he was furious. She couldn't decide, but the pounding of her heart was a sign of something else entirely.
Rafiq leaned across the table and peered at Mia. "You must have more documents than these," he said.
Mia frowned. "Of course. I just brought along a summary. But, surely that is enough."
Rafiq shook his head. 'No. It's not," he said with utter finality and she knew he wouldn't b
e persuaded. There was an unflinching determination in that dark gaze. Mia suddenly understood some of the things Brad had told her about Rafiq; how he was ruthless in business; how he was relentless in hunting down investment opportunities and then handing them to Brad to finalize. She could see that savage will, sense its primal power, the unbending resolve.
Mia hesitated, momentarily unsure what she could offer him. "I suppose I can put together a more extensive file for you to go over."
Rafiq nodded approvingly. He was a man used to having his way; she could see that. It was yet another way he had changed from the immature young man who had pursued Mia during that summer. The sheikh sitting across from her was a different being from the man she had once known.
Mia stretched across and took the single sheet of paper Rafiq had just finished reading. As she started to ease the sheet toward the manila folder, Rafiq reached out and placed his hand over hers. His hands were warm, his skin rough against the back of her hand. Mia looked at Rafiq, suddenly startled at his touch. His dark gaze was softer now.
"Please accept my apology, Mia. I hope I haven't been too rude to you," he said quietly. He glanced at the folder. "This is a shock. A surprise. I hope I didn't speak inappropriately."
Mia shook her head. "No. You didn't."
"I'd hate to think we got off on the wrong foot. After all, it's been a long time. I still remember that summer at your parents' home."
Mia tried to look surprised. "Really? That's nice," she said weakly, trying to convince him she didn't really care. Her pulse was racing furiously and she could feel the breath catch in her chest. Rafiq moved his thumb along the side of her wrist, and Mia felt an electric tingle race all the way to her middle. The thudding of her heart was suddenly hard and insistent. She pulled her hand away from Rafiq and saw him glance down at the gesture, a slight smile of resignation easing across his full lips.
Mia hurriedly put the manila folder back inside her briefcase and placed the leather briefcase back down on the floor next to her chair. When she looked up she caught Rafiq watching her, his gaze filled with what looked suspiciously like appreciation.
