8
L eila
“Where have you been?”
Zayn swings around at the sound of my voice, halfway between the helicopter and the castle entrance. Ethan and Jack, on either side of him, pause, too. Zayn mutters something to them, and they move on, leaving him to face me.
I’ve been to see Megan for my final checkup and was on my way back myself when I spotted the chopper just coming in to land. I’d hoped to see him but hadn’t really expected to.
“Leila, how are you?” He greets me as though nothing is wrong. As though he didn’t just disappear for the best part of a week. As though he didn’t send all my calls to voicemail and never phoned me back.
I advance on him. “Where did you get to?” I demand.
He just grins at me. “Nowhere much. Just business.”
“What business? Why didn’t you take my calls?”
He shrugs. “Phone must have been turned off. Or flat.”
“Missed calls?” I remind him. “Don’t you ever check those?”
More shrugging. “I’ve been busy. I’m back now, and I’m told you’ll be heading over to Stirling tomorrow. We should do something to celebrate.”
“Are you so glad to be rid of me?” I know the sarcastic snarl in my tone is probably undeserved, but it comes out anyway.
“No,” he answers, as calm as you like. “I’m just glad you’re moving on.”
“Same thing,” I hurl back. “Is it because of what happened? In my room?”
He tilts his head but makes no pretence of misunderstanding me. “No. Not that.”
“Then what? Why are you avoiding me? Ghosting me? If you’re not interested, you could just say so. It’s not as though I’m going to fling myself on you and have my way.”
His amusement is almost palpable. It’s all he can do not to laugh out loud. I’m tempted to punch him.
Who does he think he is, laughing at me?
“Arrogant git,” I mutter.
“Leila, chill. I was busy, I swear. As for what happened in your room, it was good. I’m glad that we…that you… Oh, fuck.” His dark gaze softens. “Can we just be friends, at least for now? Please?”
Just friends? Is that all?
I return his gaze, and, with no other choice, reluctantly nod. “Friends.”
“Good.” He wraps his arms around me and gives me a quick hug. “I’ll come to Stirling with you, help you settle in.”
“There’s no need. Magda’s doing it. She’ll fly me over to Glasgow, then drive me to Stirling.”
“Will you be okay on your own?”
“I’ll be fine. Ethan told me my uncle was warned off and there’ll be no more trouble from him, or my cousins. I just wish I could be in touch with my sisters, let them know I’m all right. They’ll be desperately upset by me just disappearing. But he told me not to.”
“He’s right. Keep a low profile, get started on your university course.”
“I know. That’s the plan. Even so…”
“Promise me you’ll do as Ethan says, at least until we’re sure that Abdul really has given up.”
My heart lurches. “You don’t think he’ll?—”
“No, I don’t. But it pays to be cautious. And for that reason, I got you a little present.”
“A present? For me? There was no need to…”
“Ethan suggested it, and I got this made for you.” He pulls a long, narrow box from his inside jacket pocket. “Here. Open it.”
“Is it jewellery?”
“I said, open it.”
I do, and gasp. A beautiful gold necklace glistens at me from the confines of the silk-lined box. A delicate twist of gleaming white gold, the chain links are interspersed with tiny orchids.
“It…it’s lovely,” I breathe. “But it must have cost a fortune. I don’t understand.”
“I’m glad you like it. Put it on.”
“Now?”
“Of course now. Here, let me help.” He takes the necklace from the box and places it around my neck. “The clasp is a bit special.” He snaps it into place. “There. It’s locked. The only way to unlock it is with this key.” He extracts a minute white gold key from the box and pockets it. “I’ll keep this.”
I finger the clasp. “You mean, I can’t take it off? Ever?”
“Hopefully not. It has two functions.”
I tug at the necklace, but it isn’t budging. “What functions?”
“One, it reminds you that you and I have unfinished business. We started it in your room that day, and we’ll finish it when the time is right.”
My eyes widen when the meaning of his words sinks in. Unfinished business?
“And two, look at this.”
He reaches for the clasp at the back on my neck and pulls it around to the front. His knuckles graze my throat, causing a peculiar tingle to pulse through my body to my core. Oh my.
“See just here, there’s a button.”
“I can’t see.”
Give me your hand.”
I obey, and he places my index finger on the clasp. “Feel it? That tiny flower, slightly raised up?”
“Isn’t that just to open it?”
“No. Only my key does that. Press on the flower.”
I do as I’m told, and the necklace starts to beep. “How on earth…?” I let go immediately. “What was that?”
He gets his phone out and shows it to me. The beeping is coming from the device, not my necklace, and the screen is flashing. “The button activates an alarm that’s connected to my phone.” He taps a couple of buttons. “And it’s a tracker, too. See?”
He turns the phone around, and I see a red dot. He zooms out to reveal more background. It’s a map of Caraksay, and the dot is right in the middle of the island.
“There’s a What Three Words reference as well,” he adds. “Foolproof.”
“But, why…?” I’m baffled and more than a little overwhelmed.
“Call it additional insurance. You’ll always be wearing this necklace, and now, if anything goes wrong, if you need help, just press that button and I’ll know. And I’ll find you. It’s Wi-Fi enabled, so the range is limitless. And the metal is toughened in case anyone tries to remove it by force, which would activate the alarm automatically. I gather there are muggers, even in Stirling.”
I simply stare at him. “I don’t know what to say.”
“What about? Our unfinished business, or my sudden rush of caution?”
“Both.”
“Then say nothing for now. Just be safe and become a doctor. This is your time. You have dreams, go out and get them.”
“I…thank you.”
His smile is dazzling. “You’re welcome, may-ri-jaan .”