‘Yes, My Lord. He can’t find her.’
Zachim rattled off a string of curse words Nadir hadn’t heard in a long while. He smiled and came around the desk. ‘I’d love to stay and help but...’
His words faded as Zach, his mind already on the disaster that awaited him, strode out of the room.
Nadir headed for the door himself and stopped. ‘Staph?’
‘Yes, My Lord?’
‘What did you tell the wedding guests who have already arrived?’
‘Nothing, My Lord.’
Nadir gave him a faint smile. ‘You’re a sly old dog, Staph. I hope your faith in me isn’t misplaced.’
‘I would say not, My Lord.’
‘And Imogen and my daughter?’ He cleared his throat. ‘Where are they?’
‘In your suite.’
* * *
Imogen sorted out what she would need for Nadeena for the plane trip back to London and searched around for some sort of bag to put it into. Nadir had luggage in his dressing room but no way was she going back into his bedroom ever again.
What he had said to her before...she still couldn’t digest it because it felt as if he’d ripped a hole in her heart and inserted a stick of dynamite for good measure.
The only thing she was thankful for was that her daughter would never know how it felt to have an absent father because she would be used to having him part-time in her life and Imogen only hoped he would be good to her when he had her. That he wouldn’t have a string of stick-thin models parading through his house who— Oh, God. Imogen felt her stomach heave and leant against a chest of drawers to steady herself.
It was so ridiculous to feel like this because she had known all along that once the reality of marriage and parenthood set in then he would run a mile and she’d been proven right. And the prize? She shook her head at her reflection in the mirror. Her prize was a broken heart the size of Asia.
‘Imogen? Habibi? Are you all right?’
Imogen swung around at the sound of his voice, fire pouring out of her eyes. ‘What are you doing here?’
He stopped short and she was thankful that she had wiped all her make-up off after her initial crying fit and dressed in her T-shirt and jeans. She intended to go home exactly the way she had arrived. Well, almost.
‘I needed to see you.’
To make sure she was all right? She couldn’t fault his manners. ‘Well, now you’ve seen me, please go.’
‘Habibi, I—’
‘Do not call me habibi.’
‘Okay—fine.’ He held up his hands as if she were a wild thing about to pounce on him and maul him to death. What a pity, she thought, that shape-shifting was pure fantasy. ‘I know I’m the reason you’re upset and I just want to talk.’
‘No.’ Imogen shook her head for emphasis. ‘No more talking. I’m done here, Nadir.’
He looked around the room and frowned when he saw the minuscule amount of clothing on the bed. The empty cot. ‘Where’s Nadeena? Isn’t she due for a sleep?’
‘Yes, but since we’re leaving, Minh is trying to keep her awake so that she’ll sleep on the—oh, this is not important. Could you please just go?’ The last thing she wanted to do was break down and sob in front of him and the longer he stayed the more likely that was to happen. It was too painful to see him. Too painful to be near him.
He cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘It’s probably good that we talk about him and get it out of the way.’
‘Talk about whom?’
‘Your friend, Minh.’
‘What about him?’
He looked at her and his throat worked as he swallowed. ‘Do you love him?’
Did she love him? ‘Why are you asking me that?’
‘Because I need to make sure I’ve done the right thing in letting you go.’
‘Letting me go?’ She shot him a fulminating look. ‘You told me to go. You’ve reconsidered, remember—you don’t want to marry me.’
‘Of course I still want to marry you. I only reconsidered the reason for our marriage.’
Imogen shook her head. ‘You’re not making any sense. You cancelled the ceremony.’
‘Yes, but I didn’t want to.’
‘Then why do it?’
‘Because you told me the reason you were marrying me was because we had Nadeena and I wanted more.’
‘More?’
‘Hell.’ He swiped a hand across his face. ‘I need to start again. What I’m trying to tell you is that I love you.’
‘You love me?’
Her shock must have registered on her face because his expression turned grim. ‘Yes, but if you prefer Minh then I’ll walk away.’