Chapter 9 #3
She tried to catch Owen’s gaze as he climbed in, but he offered his hand like a gentleman to help Aliyah into the seat before her, then he hiked in next to her.
“I am truly sorry for Ghalib’s violence,” Aliyah said, her pretty face wrought.
Without responding, Owen peered out the side window as it pulled away.
Leighton probably shouldn’t, but she found a perverse delight in the way he ignored the princess the whole half hour that delivered them to a plain with chest-high vegetation.
In the distance, a scraggly tree gnarled its branches over the terrain and supported a cheetah that was lazing about.
It looked so chill and uninterested in the entourage.
“Look!” Aliyah caught Apollo’s arm and pointed to something behind them.
He looked and visibly tensed.
Leighton checked to see what made him startle and spotted a lioness ambling in their direction. A thread of amazement wove through her—along with one of fear. It was so close.
“Do not get out,” their driver said in both Arabic and English. “Keep your hands to yourself.”
Heart pounding, she watched as a lion emerged from the foliage and loped alongside the female. Ohhhh, he was so beautiful. Regal. But…were they safe in the Land Cruiser? Could the lions get inside?
Aliyah and Rafi used their phones to take pictures, and not for the first time did Leighton wish she had hers to capture the breathtaking moment.
Unbelievably, the pair ambled past, the human intruders apparently so commonplace that the beasts were unfazed.
The driver resumed their slow trek across the plain.
It was crazy seeing the wildlife amid the backdrop of the bustling city of Nairobi and its skyscrapers in the distance.
Her mind wrestled with the dichotomy of being around wildlife yet feeling safe.
They saw more African buffaloes and a herd of wildebeests trudging toward a small watering hole.
Even as a headache threatened, she heard the driver announce it was time to head back to the lodge because the rising temperatures would make wildlife seek shelter and be less likely to interact. Disappointment clung to her as they turned around.
Back at the lodge, she climbed out of the vehicle.
Even as her boot hit the ground, she felt…
off. Out of sorts. She shifted and glanced back, immediately searching for Apollo.
Wondering why she so keenly felt the loss of his presence when he was not someone she was used to being around. They’d only known each other a week!
But where was he? Wasn’t he supposed to be guarding her? She glanced around and finally located him with Aliyah and Inas. Why was he with the princess? Again! When he finally looked at Leighton, she stepped back at the ferocity in his eyes. The hard edge. What…?
That’s when she noticed Ghalib storming in her direction. What did I do now? The guard barked at Rayan to come with him and kept moving.
Kindness ever his shield, Rayan inclined his head. “I will see you later.” With that, he intercepted Ghalib, and they both joined the crown prince. When the entourage of men spared her a glance, then left in a huddle, she had a bad feeling.
They’d pulled Rayan away… Aliyah was distracting Apollo… Was this it? Was this when they planned to kill her?
Weary of the tension and cruelty, she couldn’t help but look at Apollo, who was even now staring after Aliyah as she hooked arms with Inas and headed into the lodge.
Sadness infiltrated her weariness. It was no big surprise that a gorgeous guy like Owen would be into a beautiful princess with cute dimples and a sweet laugh.
But surely he saw through her sweet act?
Just like Leighton saw through Rayan’s. After all, Ghalib had all but attacked him for saving Aliyah earlier when she “tripped.” No way any of them would authorize a relationship between an American and their apparently sacred bloodline.
“Where is your guard?” demanded Prince Maaz from the other side of the stone courtyard.
Turning, she felt an explosion of icy heat hit her with his ferocious scowl. “I…”
“Right here,” Apollo said, manifesting at her side.
Stiffening, she shot a look between the two alpha males.
“Stay together,” Maaz ordered, then returned to the other men with him.
“Walk with me.” Apollo started toward the open field that hemmed in the lodge, café, and pool.
You know what? She was really tired of being ordered around.
“Why? Is Aliyah too busy?” Leighton nearly choked on her jealous words but was relieved when he kept moving.
Though she felt catty, it miffed her more than a little that it hadn’t earned at least some kind of a reaction from him.
As the distance grew between them, she felt the prickly gaze of the royals on her back and made herself follow.
Each step, however, pounded her irritation into a roiling ball of anger.
“What is your problem?” she hissed when she got within earshot.
He said nothing but stopped, scanning the wheat-like field, eyes narrowed.
“And what is with ordering me around? I expect that from them, but not you!” Heart pounding, she gritted her teeth that he hadn’t looked at her or replied. “What are you doing? I’m talking to you!”
“Quiet,” he hissed.
She lifted her brows. “Excuse me?” Fists balled, she shifted around. “Why won’t you…?” Awareness stabbed through her, the intensity in his expression. Nerves and fears thrummed. Had he seen a wild animal in the tall grass? She swallowed and stepped back “What is it?”
Recognition hit his gaze and he shifted course, moving to the right.
Resisting the urge to catch his sleeve—half out of protection and half out of the pulsing need to smack him for ignoring her, she stayed at his side.
No idea what he was doing. But hey, they were away from the royals, and he needed to understand about the princess.
“Don’t you think Aliyah is acting weird? ”
His shoulder lifted in a shrug. “Not really.” Again, he seemed to be searching for something, frowning.
“Really? All that—I’m falling and need you to catch me?”
His blue eyes swung to her with a smirk that had more than a little amusement in it. “Hold up—is that jealousy, princess?”
“Do not call me that,” she growled. “And no! It’s not jealousy.” Liar. “Something isn’t right. They’re acting strange.”
“So, it’s okay for you to flirt and carry on with Prince Rayan, but when I can’t seem to ditch Ali, you—”
“Ali?”
“—you suddenly say something is wrong.”
“That’s not—it’s not—” Ugh. She hated her tied tongue and inability to make him listen. To think past her own drumming heart. Had to set aside whatever it was that had her making inane comments about the princess and get to the point. “They’re being too nice, Apollo. Her and Rayan.”
“I know.” He gave a cockeyed nod and returned his attention to the terrain. Tilted his head again, craned his neck as he squinted, then moved in that direction.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, exasperated.
“Look, I don’t have many people that I can talk to, so can you stop ignoring me and get over your jealousy that Rayan actually seems interested in me?
” Okay, she had zero idea why she’d said that, because she didn’t want the prince interested in her.
And she especially regretted her words the instant his gaze rounded on her. “Forget I said that. I—”
“Hey.” He shifted to her. Set a hand on her arm. His gaze was weighted, blue eyes shifting past her, toward the house. “Just…don’t scream.”
Breath trapped in her throat, she froze. What had he seen? “Is it a lion? Jackal?” Fear strangled her and forbade her from moving.
“The royals are watching.” Apollo extended a staying hand to her, then spoke quietly, “Go ahead, Rawlins.”
Rawlins? What in the world—
“You sure?” came a preternatural voice from directly at her feet.
She tried. Sweet mercies, she tried not to scream, but confusion and shock arrested her good sense when she saw the grass roll…and reveal a heavily camouflaged face. She stumbled back with a strangled yelp.
The voice continued. “Sounds like this lover’s quarrel isn’t done.”
“Hey,” Owen rasped to her, lifting his eyebrows in meaning. “Easy.”
Inhaling a breath at what was happening—someone he knew was here, in the grass—she saw disappointment in Apollo’s gaze that she’d reacted when he’d warned her not to.
But what really churned so much outrage through her chest was that this was one of his team, which meant he’d completely ignored her wishes.
Air staggered through her lungs, easing the clamp on her chest. “Are you kidding me right now?” she snarled and flung a hand toward the lodge. “They’re right there!”
“Nouri—”
“No!” she snapped and drew straight. “No!” She stomped a foot.
Turned, then seeing the curious gazes focused on them, whipped back to him.
Stabbing a finger at him, knowing the royals would just assume the same thing his buddy had.
“You do not get to chide me!” She shoved her palms against her forehead and pushed up till she dug her fingers into her hair.
“I told you—told you I did not want this.” She pointed down, too late realizing the mistake.
“I can’t believe you.” Backing up, she shook her head. “I thought better of you.”
“Nouri!” Owen thought to go after her, but there was a reason Rawlins had put his sniper skills to use and low-crawled this far in, putting his life at risk.
Pivoting back, he threw a fist in the air—half for good measure since he was being watched and half because he was ticked.
“Why are you here, Rawlins?” he spoke straight ahead, hoping it would look to the royals like he was ranting to the elements.
“Your comms isn’t working.”
He stared toward the high-rise in the distance, recalling when Hassan had struck him in the neck. “A throat punch will do that.”
“Some guys just have all the fun. Comms device at your feet,” Rawlins stated. “Extraction at Masai Mara. Be ready.”