Chapter 27
Laith stared at his twin brother, wondering what was being said on the other end of his phone call.
The expressions on Rafi’s features were a hilarious combination of surprise, shock, and confusion.
He didn’t say much, but nodded his head several times.
Laith could hear the caller and it was definitely a female voice, and she was yelling, but he couldn’t quite understand her words.
Finally, Rafi ended the call without speaking beyond his initial “Hello”.
“What was that all about?” Laith asked, spinning the ice cubes in his drink. He wanted to find Andi and hold her, to finally discover what had happened the last night in London. But she wasn’t answering his calls and hadn’t answered when he knocked on her apartment door.
He’d stopped by her apartment, but maybe she’d been out.
He wanted to see her, to understand what had happened.
Now was the perfect time to have a conversation and spend more time together, away from the prying eyes of her coworkers.
If he went over to her apartment now, they could hash this out, figure out a plan.
Because there was no scenario he could accept in which he and Andi weren’t together. None!
Unless she didn’t want him any longer. If that were the case, then he would respect her wishes. He wouldn’t like it, but he’d accept that.
But damn, he wanted her ! Not just in his bed.
He had things to say to her. Nothing serious, he just wanted to talk to her.
Hear her thoughts. He wanted to feel the warmth of her smile and relax with her.
He wanted to know what she was eating and ensure that she slept well.
Was she working this weekend? He hoped not.
He’d have to order her, and the other members of the team, not to work when they were off on the weekends.
They worked long hours all week. Everyone needed to relax on their days off.
“What’s going on with you lately?” his brother asked, leaning back and stretching his long legs out in front of him. “And why are all of your bodyguards talking about a box?”
Laith sighed and tried to relax as well. “Boxes,” he corrected, shaking his head at the absurdity of the message in that diorama.
Rafi sipped his drink. “That’s the rumor.
One of my guards heard from one of your guards that more threatening boxes had been delivered.
” He sipped his drink. “What the hell is going on with boxes and why is everyone so concerned?” Rafi looked at his brother.
“Are you seeing someone? And if so, who the hell is sending your woman packages?”
Laith thought about Andi. Was he “seeing” her?
No, what he was doing with Andi was much more significant.
“I’m in love with a woman on my investigation team,” he admitted.
Saying the words out loud felt damn good!
Then his brother’s words hit him. “What do you know about boxes?” He leaned forward, his drink forgotten.
“And threats? What’s going on with threats? There haven’t been any…!”
Something clicked in his mind. Had Andi gotten a threat and not told him about it?
Rafi continued, unaware of his twin brother’s sudden thought. “Yeah. I overheard something about threatening messages and boxes, but I didn’t really understand.” His eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know!” Laith snarled. Had Andi received more than just the two boxes? Had she just not told him? Had one of them contained a genuine threat?
Rafi shook his head. “Your woman is in trouble and you’re just sitting here drinking? Go find her and help her out.”
Laith was already on his feet, heading for the club’s exit.
His bodyguards were right behind him, one of them muttering into the microphone hidden on his wrist. By the time Laith and Rafi were out of the club, both of their vehicles, as well as their security teams, were ready to go.
Laith ducked into the back of his SUV, unconcerned with where his brother was going.
Andi was in trouble. That was his only focus.
“Get me to Andi’s apartment. Fast!” he snapped.
The SUV was squealing away from the curb before he finished the command.
Fifteen minutes later, Laith was racing up the stairs to Andi’s apartment building, muttering curses about the pathetic security system in the building.
They were let in by someone coming out of the glass doors, no questions asked.
He didn’t bother with the elevator since Andi lived on the third floor.
He simply took the stairs, two at a time.
Laith was vaguely aware of his guards spreading out, but his attention was focused solely on getting to Andi.