Chapter 5
“Would you like a glass of wine?” Zahir asked.
Mandy stood just inside the door, looking around at the overwhelming elegance. “Um…no. I’m fine,” she replied. She’d been summoned to this beautiful living room, but didn’t know why. She looked around, noting the robin’s egg blue walls and creamy yellow curtains that framed the tall, Palladian windows. The elegant furniture was done in the same colors and didn’t look particularly comfortable. The furniture would look more appropriate in a museum surrounded by those red, velvet ropes warning people not to sit on them.
He poured something into a glass, then brought it over to her. She looked at it, impressed with the fruit and something green floating amidst the ruby red liquid. “What’s this?”
“Sangria,” he told her. “I thought you might prefer that instead straight wine.”
She took a sip, then sighed with happiness. “Oh, this is really good!”
He chuckled. “I’m glad that you like it.” He gestured to one of the sofas. “Why don’t we talk over here,” he told her. “How is the candidate sorting coming?”
She walked over and perched on the edge of one of the blue-embroidered brocade chairs. She was right. It was miserably uncomfortable! Plus, the silk fabric made her feel as if she might slip right off at any moment.
Concentrating on his question, she thought over the work she’d gotten through in the past twenty-four hours. “I’ve finished the reviews of each candidate’s financial background. Raven and I used that information to eliminate five of the candidates, and then your security team discarded three more.”
“That’s good,” he replied, nodding. “And what about your investigations into the agency heads?” he asked, his voice lower.
She shifted, pursing her lips as she looked down at her glass of sangria. “About that,” she began, then lifted her eyes. “It would help if I could get access to the information accumulated by your security team,” she started out. “I’ve started looking into each person’s background, but if I knew what information your guards already gathered, then I could compare it with my information. That would give me insight into the security department’s processes as well.”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he jingled the ice cubes in the crystal glass of scotch. “Do you remember an incident involving a storage facility about two months ago? It might not have reached the headlines in the United States.”
Her eyes narrowed as she mentally sifted through the headlines coming out of Sidrina. “Are you referring to the attack in the northern territories of Sidrina?” she asked. The only reason that the story had caught her eye was because the headline had been accompanied by a picture of Zahir. Ever since she’d met him at Bailey’s place several months ago, Mandy had to admit, to herself at least, that she’d been fascinated by him.
Not that she thought anything could come of her fascination to the Sheik of Sidrina! Nope, that wasn’t her place and she wasn’t attracted to him.
Despite the fact that her eyes continually returned to his shoulders and arms, enjoying the way his muscles flexed beneath the fabric. Perhaps there was…a bit of attraction. Just a smidge.
Still, she didn’t like the man. Not a chance! And besides, he was looking for a wife! She wasn’t even on his radar! Mandy had seen the candidates and there wasn’t a chance in hell that she could compare to those women.
Not that she was trying, she reminded herself. Nope!
“Yes,” he replied, leaning forward so that he could brace his elbows on his knees. “After that incident, there were several other…problems. Events that we were able to keep out of the news.”
Mandy looked into his eyes, anger unexpectedly simmering inside of her at his words. “Perhaps you should explain,” she told him, aware of an icy fear seeping into her heart that was out of proportion to how she should feel. Mild concern would be appropriate right now. Not this nearly choking terror as she stared at the man sitting next to her. “Please don’t leave anything out, Your Highness. I need to know everything. Even the smallest detail can be revealed in financial data.”
He lifted a hand, swirling the ice in his scotch, but he didn’t take a sip. “You’re right, but I honestly didn’t want to think that the events were related until yesterday.”
“What happened yesterday?” she prompted when he continued to stare into the amber liquid.
He finally took a sip, then looked at her. “Several of my council heads didn’t bother to show up for meetings. And I don’t know where they were.”
“Is that…a problem?”
He nodded. “It is unprecedented.” As he spoke, his eyes hardened. The look he gave her was one of absolute determination. “Later that day, there were rumors that I was unwell. That I’m sick. The rumors were vague enough that nothing could be confirmed.”
Mandy’s heart pounded against her ribs. She knew what vague rumors of instability could do to stock markets. Not just the stock markets, but banks would start to worry about the stability of the government. That meant that banks would “pause” in mortgage approvals and bank loans. They might call their biggest loan customers and demand larger payments to ensure that they had enough cash on hand to pay their other customers. If the everyday person heard that the banks weren’t stable, they’d all rush to their banks and withdraw their savings. Banks usually didn’t keep large amounts of cash on hand and they would have to close their doors, further increasing the general population’s fears. Rumors start small, but they gain momentum quickly.
“Okay, I’m listening,” she told him. She set the sangria down on the coffee table, not wanting the alcohol to dull her mind. “What do you need me to do?”
He sighed, folding his hands together as he leaned forward. “Several months ago, there was a blast in one of the out-buildings of the palace. Did you hear about that?”
She nodded. “Yes. I read a small headline about it, but the news downplayed the incident. I read that the explosion was caused by someone mixing the wrong ingredients in a cleaning supply room.” Mandy leaned forward. “That’s what I heard at least.” She narrowed her eyes on Zahir’s strained expression. “I’m guessing that there was more to the story?”
He nodded. “That’s exactly what we wanted the world to hear.”
Mandy was starting to understand. “But the truth is a bit different?”
“The truth is that someone deliberately sabotaged the outbuilding. There was no accident. It was an actual bomb that was triggered and killed two of my security guards. The same ingredients were used in the storage facility several months ago. We suspect that the storage facility was a test to see if the mixture would work properly.”
“Oh no!” she gasped, horrified that the minor news article had hidden such an incident. “Who built the bomb?”
“We don’t know, but the bomb closer to the palace revealed that the security team was compromised.” He eyed her carefully. “That’s why I asked you to come and help, to investigate each agency’s money issues. At first, I thought that the problem was just embezzlement. But after yesterday’s absences during a council meeting. And until yesterday, when the new rumors began, I thought that we had time to figure out who is doing this. But there have been too many incidents and they are creating more rumbles about instability.”
“Obviously, the wife candidates aren’t really a priority.”
He smiled faintly, then shook his head. “No, as I mentioned before, that was a legitimate reason. I’m thirty-five years old and I need to marry. Hell, I should have married several years ago and produced an heir by now.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe if I had an heir, then last month’s incident wouldn’t have happened and those two men who were killed at the storage facility would still be alive. If I had an heir, then whoever is behind the rumors of my health wouldn’t be so bold. But getting me out of the way creates a power vacuum and that’s always dangerous. Any time a government is destabilized by desperate factions, that allows extremists to gain control.”
“You’re blaming yourself?”
He shrugged and stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked outside. “If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in the day to day workings of my government, if I’d been concentrating on the bigger picture, I might have seen the signs that someone was trying to infiltrate my government.” He turned around. “Because of my error, my tunnel vision, two people died and more problems have come up.”
Mandy’s heart ached for the man. He seemed so powerful, so determined! And yet, there was someone trying to hurt him. She wanted to find the person and do something horrible right back to them! Although, her expertise meant that she could…maybe empty their bank account. Not the most dire threat, she knew.
Standing up, Mandy moved closer to him. “I don’t think that you can take full responsibility for the actions of a terrorist,” she asserted firmly, taking a few steps closer. But she halted before she was within arms’ reach. Her reaction to his problem meant that she might be more vulnerable to him than she’d realized.
His reaction was a huff of air that some might translate to a brief laugh, but it sounded more self-deprecating. “I don’t blame myself for the actions of the murderer. I blame myself for not being a better leader. It’s my responsibility to lead my people, to protect them. And I couldn’t even do that inside the palace walls.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I need to find out who infiltrated my security team and who is spreading rumors about my health in the hopes of destabilizing my government. I don’t know who to trust, Mandy. Which is why I brought you here. First, I need a wife and you seemed like the perfect solution,” he explained, his eyes intense as he looked into hers. “The more we talk, the more convinced I am that you are the solution.”
Mandy heard the words and her heart pounded against her ribs. His word choice seemed…odd. As if he were trying to tell her something, but she was too flustered to understand. So she relied on her professional training. It was all she had at the moment.
“I’m honored that you are willing to trust my investigations, Your Highness.”
An impatient hand sliced through the air. “Would you please call me Zahir? I have to hear every damn person within this place call me ‘Your Highness’ but it sounds wrong when you say it.”
Mandy reared back, startled by his request as well as by the vehement tone. “I…I don’t…think that would be professional, Your Highness.”
He chuckled, and this time, there was a great deal of amusement in the sound. “I don’t want professionalism, Mandy. Not between us. I want…” he paused, his head tilting slightly as if he were choosing his words carefully. “Authenticity,” he finally finished. Then nodded firmly. “No, that’s not exactly right, but I’ll settle for authenticity for the moment.” He rubbed his forehead slightly, then looked at her again. “Will you give me that? For now?”
Mandy still didn’t understand what the “for now” implied, but she smiled and nodded. “Yes, Your…Zahir,” she replied. “If using your first name enhances your trust in me, then yes, I’ll give you that.” Her smile shifted to a grin. “It’s the least I can do.”
He laughed and the tension that had been sparking and flaring between them seemed to settle down to a mere zinging. “I’ll take that. For now.” He turned and walked over to a table. Hefting a heavy stack of files, he turned to look over his shoulder at her. “Can you come here so I can explain this?”
“More women you want me to investigate?” she asked, walking over to the couch. She tried to hide her trepidation at being so close to him, but when his large body sat down next to her, she could feel the heat radiating from his thigh. Because his shoulders were so wide, Mandy had to shift her own shoulders so that he wasn’t touching her. Although she had to admit that it was very tempting to lean into him and just…perhaps let her shoulder brush against his. Just for a moment, she thought. What would that feel like?
She didn’t do it, of course. That would be embarrassingly unprofessional, she admonished herself silently in her head.
He was speaking, Mandy suddenly realized. And looking at her expectantly. She stared back at him, having absolutely no clue what he’d just said.
“I’m sorry,” she finally replied, shaking her head to get her focus back on work issues. “I was going through…something…in my mind. Could you repeat that?”
Mandy watched him and saw the flare of heat in his eyes. But it was quickly tamped down. What had just gone through his mind? Had she let some of her personal desires show through? Was he angry with her?
He remained silent in response to her unspoken questions, opting instead to reiterate his explanation. His voice took on a deeper tone as he spoke, emphasizing his point. Regarding the files, he began, at first glance, it may seem like I am considering a larger number of women for marriage. However, if you take a closer look at the initial pages, youll discover that they are actually profiles of government officials who could be involved in spreading the rumors Ive been hearing. Some of them hold positions of leadership or are deputies within various agencies. Others are officials engaged in suspicious activities. He scrutinized her expression carefully. And there are also individuals whom I simply dont favor or suspect of holding grudges against me or my political policies. He swiftly flipped through the top file, displaying the contents to her. Mandy struggled to concentrate as he was sitting too close. Moreover, his fragrance was captivating, reminiscent of a blend of woods and masculinity, intoxicating her senses. When he looked at her expectantly again, Mandy had enough brain cells firing that she was able to nod as if she understood. “That sounds great, Your…Zahir,” she corrected quickly, smiling to apologize for her slip. “I’ll look at these files and will get back to you shortly.”
They both stood up and she took a step backwards. Being this close to him, Mandy had to tilt her head back to look into his eyes. “The social events start tonight. The dinner that Astra has organized will be the first of a series of conferences that the palace is hosting in order to casually introduce you to the various ladies.”
“That’s good. I haven’t even looked at my schedule for today, but I had heard vaguely that the social events would start soon.”
Mandy stared at him, surprised that he wasn’t more interested. She started to open her mouth to say something, but snapped it shut. It wasn’t her place to demand that the man be more involved in the search for his new wife.
Nevertheless, his nonchalant approach to the search served as a warning, reminding her that he wasn’t the kind of man she should desire. It served as a reminder that affluent and influential individuals operated under different norms than the general populace, and that casual attitude could break her heart.
Ignore the attraction, she reminded herself for the millionth time. Ignore it and get the job accomplished, then go home and find a nice, comfortable man to marry and raise a family.
“I’ll have an update for you by the end of today,” she told him, collecting the files and pivoting towards the door. The recall of his casual attitude towards his prospective spouse, his lifelong companion, spurred Mandys eagerness to return to the security of her desk.
“You’ll be at the dinner tonight, correct?” he called out just as she touched the doorknob.
She spun around, clutching the file folders to her chest. Dinner? Tonight?
Mandy looked down at the floor for a moment, then lifted her gaze. “I wasn’t planning on attending. I know that Raven was going to be there. She will be watching the body language and speaking to the candidates in order to glean more information.”
“I’d like you to be there as well. As I mentioned before, Raven will be talking with them, but they might also reveal something that would prompt more financial questions.”
Right. Yep. He’d said that. And he was right. It was amazing how much people revealed about their financial situations in casual conversation.
“I’ll be there as well,” she promised.
“Excellent. Save me a dance.”
Dance? There would be dancing tonight? She hadn’t heard that.
Still, Mandy nodded, forced her lips to smile politely, then gripped the doorknob and yanked the door open. She nearly stumbled when she turned around, her feet not following her brain’s orders. Thankfully, her tight grip on the door saved her from complete humiliation. She looked over her shoulder, praying that the man hadn’t noticed her stumble.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t that lucky. He was staring at her, one of those dark eyebrows lifted as if he wanted to ask her if she was okay.
“I’m fine,” she blurted before he could ask. Then she hurried out of the room, forgetting to pull the door closed behind her as she rushed down the hallway. She suspected that he was still watching her so she pulled her shoulders back, trying to appear confident even while her stomach was roiling with embarrassment.
And jealousy.
Tonight, he would meet several of the candidates. He would meet the beautiful women, one of whom would become his wife. Jealousy was such a miserable sensation! Even though she knew that Zahir wasn’t the man for her, the thought of him dancing with other women felt…awful. As she walked back to her office she shared with Raven, Mandy reminded herself repeatedly that Zahir had hired her, in part, to find him a wife. There would be no emotions involved with his selection. He was choosing a wife based on political expediency. And she was helping him do that! How could she be jealous of a man who would choose his wife without any sort of emotional commitment? Without any feelings at all?
And yet, she couldn’t deny the aching in her chest at the thought of him marrying one of the beautiful women that she and Raven were investigating. It was yet another mystery she was going to solve!
Zahir watched Mandy leave, wondering if she’d understood the meaning behind his words. She’d appeared startled by the statement, but did she grasp his intentions?
Probably not. There was something in her past that was holding her back from admitting an attraction to him. That incident with her father during her childhood? Mandy had brought it up last week, but hadn’t gone into detail. Perhaps it was time that he spoke with Raven about what might be going on in Mandy’s head.
Except…he didn’t want to violate Mandy’s privacy by going to Raven. Or his security team. Of course, his security team had already done a deep background check on Mandy, but he hadn’t read the file. Zahir was going on instinct with Mandy, trusting in his past interactions to guide him. If there had been something truly sinister in her past, his security team would have warned him. Or Levi would have given him a head’s up.
Now that he thought about it, Zahir acknowledged that his trust in Levi and Clarissa’s judgement and friendship with Mandy was what had allowed him to consider the lovely accountant as a romantic partner. His friends’ trust in, not just Mandy’s professional skills, but also their personal friendship with her, was what had first attracted him to Mandy.
No, that wasn’t true. It had been her smile. And her figure. And the sparkle in Mandy’s eyes every time she discussed numbers that had attracted him to her initially. Plus, she was so damn good at her job! He’d heard the stories about how Mandy had helped not just Clarissa fight off her father’s malicious accounting firm, but also when Matteo was struggling with a vicious attack by his narcissistic father. Mandy’s loyalty nearly eclipsed her beauty, in terms of her attraction.
However, there was still something more, something powerful, that kept drawing his attention to her. Something indefinable. And it had nothing to do with her financial skills or her loyalty and open honesty.
Zahir was relieved that Raven also thought that Mandy was a good candidate. The woman was an excellent judge of character!
From a distance, a dark shadow watched. The exchange between the beautiful accountant and His Highness was…intriguing. Could the illustrious leader be distracted further by a romantic interest in the woman? A distraction could definitely help his cause.
That was something to think about and bring up at the next meeting with his companions. Sheik bin Aristi was a formidable opponent. He and his comrades needed to take advantage of any distraction that would aid their cause.
“Everything go okay?” Raven asked as soon as Mandy stepped into their shared office.
Mandy glanced up and sighed. “Yep. Everything is just peachy.”
“The ladies for tonight’s dinner have already arrived,” Raven announced. “The first five candidates are here and I’m having lunch with them in,” she glanced at the time on her computer monitor, “Thirty minutes. You’re coming with me, right?”
Mandy hesitated, but Raven’s sharp eyes were watching her.
Obviously, Raven thought she needed to tempt Mandy further. So, she added, “Astra mentioned that she requested pasta with a heavy cream sauce and a chocolate cake for dessert.” She let out a sound that was surprisingly close to a giggle, but Mandy couldn’t believe that someone as sophisticated as Raven would giggle.
“That sounds delicious,” Mandy replied, her mouthwatering at the thought. “I love pasta.” She tilted her head slightly. “Why are you so amused by the menu?”
Raven grinned. “Because the five candidates that arrived for the ‘conference’ today are all stick thin.” She ran a hand over her soft curves. “I’m going to be able to watch their expressions as the meal is set in front of them. I’ve even instructed the serving staff to pace the serving in order to give me time to watch each woman’s reaction.” She giggled again. “This is going to be so much fun!”
Mandy laughed, shaking her head. “And I was just starting to think that you were a nice woman!”
Raven’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “What in the world gave you that silly impression?”
Mandy chuckled again, grabbing the first file from the new pile of folders. “What time is lunch served?”
“In thirty minutes,” she explained. “But I wanted to start my interviews right now. The ladies should be in the receiving salon. Are you coming?”
Mandy had just flipped open the first file, but sighed and closed it again. “Yep. I’m coming.” She paused to slide the folders into a desk drawer, then locked the drawer. Raven did the same thing with her stack of folders, then they both pocketed the keys. “Let’s do this,” Mandy announced.