“Obviously, it was after that as well.”
Something wasn’t right. His bodyguard had tensed and was refusing to look at him. “Melka,” Samir breathed. “You’re lying to me. I can see it. What the hell is going on?”
They pulled onto the airport runway. “We’re here,” the taxi driver announced.
“Get out,” Melka ordered. “We need to get you to safety.”
Samir didn’t budge. He stared at his old friend in horror as the realization dawned. “No,” he moaned. “Please tell me that you didn’t just demonize Poppy.”
“She was distracting you,” Melka said stubbornly. “She would have hurt you. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Did you blow up that building?”
“You need to take this situation seriously!” Melka exploded.
“What situation? I didn’t even see the letter that you claimed to have found!” A look of guilt flashed over Melka’s face, and Samir moaned. “You faked it. You faked this whole thing. Why?”
“You needed to learn a lesson!” Melka growled. “I’ve watched you with all these women. You have no idea the danger that you put yourself in by bedding them. Anyone of them could be dangerous. I’ve protected this family for a long time, but you are my number one concern. I love you, Samir. I won’t see you hurt because of some slutty American blonde or any other bitch who would use her sex to seduce you and harm you.”
Samir stared at his bodyguard as the taxi driver shifted uncomfortably at being witness to this argument. Staring at Melka, what he had said sunk in.
“What do you mean, you love me? Melka…”
Interrupting him, “As a brother,” Melka said quickly. “We’ve spent so much time together, how could I think anything but.”
Realizing that he was lying, cold fury wrapped around Samir. Narrowing his eyes, he glared at Melka. “Your feelings for me were inappropriate. You were in my family’s employ.”
“Just as that slut was but you had no problems bedding her. Why should this be any different?”
Shaking his head, Samir put a stop to it as he watched the taxi driver’s interest in the conversation through the rearview mirror. “I considered you my friend, Melka, nothing more. But a friend would never do this. Get out.”
Melka’s eyes bulged. “What? Samir, someone could still be out there. I have to protect you.”
“You jeopardized my safety because you were out there. This taxi driver could have called a hundred tabloids by now. Hell, Poppy, in anger, could have called the Press. You put me out in the open because you were jealous! How can I trust you to protect me now?”
“I would never do that,” the driver said solemnly.
“Get the hell out, Melka. Right now!” His voice was clipped with anger, and Melka must have seen the truth in his words.
“I’m sorry, Sheikh,” he said softly as he cast his eyes downward. “I didn’t think. I only wanted to protect you but you’re right. Oh, God.”
Moaning in despair, he opened the door and climbed out. “Forgive me, Samir.”
Reaching over, Samir slammed the door shut. He ordered the driver to return to the apartment, but the snow was increasing, and the drive was even slower. By the time they got there, Poppy was long gone.
Rattling off the address of the safe house, he gripped the headrest in front of him urgently. The driver shook his head. “At this rate, I’ll never get this car up there. We’ll be stuck on the side of the road. I’m sorry, Sheikh. I do want to help you.”
Rubbing his chin, he stared out the window. Dawn would be here soon, and Samir couldn’t let the night pass without finding Poppy. He needed to apologize to her. Beg her forgiveness. After everything that he’d said to her, she’d be a fool to take him back, but he had to try.
“I have an idea.”
15
“No, no, no, no.” Poppy pushed on the accelerator again only to hear the tires spin under her. She knew she was digging herself deeper in the snow, but she couldn’t help it. Not only had she been falsely accused, dumped, and exiled from the country, but now she was going to be stuck in the snow miles from the house, and her gas was running dangerously low. If someone didn’t come by soon, she was going to be trapped in the snow without heat.
At least the sun was coming up.
The snow started to fall harder, and she beat her fists against the steering wheel in frustration. She’d never make it to the house. Having already passed Taj’s house, there wasn’t another house for miles. How was this happening to her? This was supposed to be her best Christmas ever, and now it was a nightmare.