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.She braced her hands and hopped up onto the desktop, rattling off Vance Waverly’s phone number.Then she listened in astonishment as Raif made Vance an offer he couldn’t refuse.If they’d let him take Ann to Rayas, he’d give Waverly’s Cosmo’s documents of incarceration into Traitor’s Prison, signed by Princess Salima’s father.As provenance went, it didn’t get any better than that.The Gold Heart’s value would go through the roof.Done with the bargain, Raif put the phone back into his pocket.“You are amazing,” Ann told him, in genuine awe.He shrugged.“I don’t like wasting time.”“You knew he couldn’t say no.”“That was the entire point.If you make someone a genuinely valuable offer, they don’t say no, and everyone goes away happy.Come to Rayas, Ann.Let’s put this mess behind us.”Ann wasn’t sure she’d call herself happy, but she had run out of reasons to say no.SevenThe air in Rayas was hot and humid, saturated with the scent of jasmine and a sticky salt-tang that blew in from the Mediterranean.Ann gazed over Raif’s shoulder through the small doorway of the Gulfstream to the red carpet and the lineup of forty officials waiting to greet him.“You have got to be joking,” she muttered under her breath.“He’s been gone over a week,” said Tariq from close beside her in the small airplane foyer.“I could be gone for a year, and I’d be lucky to have Darby slow down for curbside pickup.”Raif chuckled in front of them.“Stop,” he ordered.“What?”“Making me laugh.I’m supposed to look dignified right now.”She moved to pat his shoulder, but Tariq snagged her hand.“Not in public,” he warned in an undertone.“Seriously?” she couldn’t help but ask.“Seriously,” he responded.Raif started down the stairs, and a band immediately began playing.“I’m assuming we won’t have to pick up our luggage at baggage claim?” she muttered to Tariq.“It will be brought to your room at Valhan Palace,” he answered.“I was making a joke.”“You’re very amusing.Remember, five paces behind him through the receiving line.”“Wouldn’t want to get thrown in the dungeon.”“Who told you we have a dungeon?”“Raif.”Tariq grinned.“Then he’s amusing, too.”“Are you saying Rayas doesn’t have a dungeon?”“In Traitor’s Prison.But that’s a historical tourist attraction.”“The rat.”“Who?”“Raif.He lied to me.”“Probably don’t want to call him that in public.”“Why not?” she scoffed.“Now that the dungeon’s off the table, how much trouble could it possibly cause me?”“It would be a serious breach of protocol.He’d have to kick you out of the palace.Probably there’d be pressure to kick you out of the country.”Glancing at Tariq’s profile, Ann realized he was serious.He could go from joking to dead serious in the blink of an eye.Raif reached the row of dignitaries, the first half dozen of them in military uniform.No women, she noted.As Tariq started down the short staircase, Ann tried to recall if she only had to stay five paces behind Raif, or if she was supposed to stay five paces behind Tariq, as well.Taking a chance, she started down directly behind Tariq, not wanting to be left on her own to negotiate the lineup.Then she sobered as she watched Raif moving his way along the line.The military officers offered him snappy salutes, while other men, some in business suits and some in traditional robes, gave abbreviated bows, one or two of them exchanging a word with him.At the end of the line, two men took up positions on either side of Raif, speaking rapidly and flipping through papers as they walked toward a row of limos.The car at the front had twin flags and bright door seals.She made to follow Raif, but a female military officer appeared from somewhere to walk beside her.“This way, ma’am,” said the woman, in accented English, gesturing to one of the other cars.“I’m with Raif.”The woman frowned.“I mean, His Royal Highness,” Ann quickly amended.“This way, please,” the woman repeated.“Can I at least ride with Tariq?” Ann wasn’t thrilled about being abandoned this quickly in Rayas.“The palace has arranged an escort.”Ann still hesitated.“What kind of an escort?”The military woman glanced around, looking uncomfortable.“This way, please.”Ann felt compelled to give in.Raif was already in the decorated car, and Tariq was climbing into the one behind.It looked as if Ann could either travel in her own car or be left behind at the airport.“Fine.” She nodded to the woman, moving in the direction she’d indicated.The chauffeur moved to the back door of a black SUV.Its windows were tinted, preventing her from seeing inside.The woman spoke to the man in rapid Rayasian.Ann could only cross her fingers that it was something good.He opened the door for her.As she climbed into the seat, she realized she wasn’t alone.She met the curious gaze of a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties.She was classically beautiful, with delicate features, subtle but artful makeup, a long ivory dress and a lovely gold, purple and white scarf partially covering her hair.“Welcome to Rayas,” the woman said in a lovely voice, with barely accented English [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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