So why was she so shocked? She felt almost ill at the thought of them together.…
She couldn’t let it affect her like this. She was weak and unable to process it right now. She needed to give herself time and a little space. She slowly got to her feet and headed for the bathroom. Her muscles felt sore, but she could move with more litheness than she had thought possible. A hot shower would help, and then she would try to clear her mind of the picture that Teresa Romano had insinuated there. She didn’t know if that was possible.
Lovers …
CHAPTER
17
“He’s in the driveway.” Teresa came into the bedroom. “I thought I’d meet him there, but I changed my mind. I told Santara to bring him directly here.” Her gaze went over Jane in the cream-colored flowing silk pants and matching blouse. “You’ll do very well. Elegant, but sexy.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t put me in a harem outfit,” Jane said sarcastically. “Or something you’d picked up from a local bordello.”
“Oh, I would have if I hadn’t thought it would turn him off. Caleb is much more subtle.”
“As you said, who’d know better?”
“Exactly,” Teresa replied. “You’re being more aggressive than when I left.”
Jane met her eyes. “I had to recover sometime.”
“Don’t be too aggressive. I’ll be patient only so long.” She tilted her head. “I think I hear him.” She threw open the door. “Caleb, how good it is to see you.” She stepped aside for him to enter. “Particularly at this time and place. I see you’ve rushed to our Jane’s side.” She smiled. “But then I knew you would.”
“So you told me,” Caleb said as he entered the room. “You never lacked confidence, Teresa.” His gaze went to Jane. “I’m sorry that you became involved in this. Are you all right?”
She nodded. “Stiff neck. Headache. How is Macauley? Santara didn’t know or wouldn’t tell me.”
“Broken ribs and arm. He’ll live.”
Jane felt a rush of relief. She hadn’t realized how worried she’d been about Macauley. It was good to know he’d survived that death and carnage. “I’m glad.”
“So was MacDuff. Santara didn’t leave him much to be grateful for. You know about the other three men?”
“Yes. Terrible.”
“Enough,” Teresa said impatiently. “That’s not why I brought you here, Caleb. You have a job to do. I promised to tell you who your target is going to be.”
“Tarik El Haroun,” he said. “On the flight down here, I checked pending surgeries within that forty-eight-hour window you gave me from the list that Ben Kemal got for you and Santara.” His lips twisted. “Haroun’s the big fish. You wouldn’t have wasted your time on anyone else.”
“No, I wouldn’t have. But you know how it annoys me to be thought predictable.”
They knew each other so well, Jane realized, looking at them. No affection. No desire. But their familiarity was very clear.
Caleb smiled. “I could hardly trust you to tell me the truth. I had to find out for myself. You didn’t tell me because you weren’t sure that I wouldn’t betray you because I don’t like to be controlled. You couldn’t be certain that Jane would be a strong enough draw.”
She smiled back at him. “But here you are. So I must have been right.”
He looked at Jane. “Perhaps. Give me your offer.”
“She lives. You live. Tarik El Haroun dies. I get on a plane for Moscow, which has no extradition policy, that same day.” She smiled. “Just in case you’re not as skilled as I believe you are. Though the stories I heard about how you eliminated all those cult members who killed your sister did impress me.”
“You’re not mentioning Gino. I take it that he’s no longer included in your plans.”
She shrugged. “I won’t have him dragging behind me. He’s been annoying me lately. I’ve put up with him for too long. What do you expect?”
“Nothing less.” His gaze returned to Jane. “I could take her with me now. I guarantee that you wouldn’t be able to stop me.”
“Of course, as I said, I delight in all those bizarre stories about you. But one of Santara’s men who are guarding the house would stop her. You must have noticed how many men are patrolling the estate. I gave orders that if she escapes, they do not take her alive. She’s to be shot on sight.”
Caleb shook his head. “Now that would be truly unfortunate.”
Jane had had enough. “It’s truly unfortunate that you’re talking about me as if I weren’t here. Are you going to let me speak?”
Caleb smiled. “Not unless you have something to offer her that I can’t. I don’t believe that’s the case.” He turned back to Teresa. “I don’t care anything about this Haroun. I don’t see why I should let him rob me of something I want.”
“I thought you’d feel that way.” Her tone was almost purring.
“Then you were right. I’ll need to come and go as I please until the operation. I have free access to the woman whenever I want. No damage is done to her. After I take care of Haroun, you deliver her to me immediately. Agreed?”
“It sounds reasonable,” she said warily.
“And you don’t try to cheat me,” Caleb said softly. “I’m going to a good deal of trouble to have her, Teresa. I won’t be forgiving or forgetting.”
“How suspicious you are.”
“And I don’t have reason?”
She shrugged dismissively. “That was a long time ago.”
“Precisely. And in the end, you learned a lot about me, didn’t you? It would be wise of you to remember what I taught you.”
To Jane’s surprise, Teresa’s cheeks suddenly flushed and she looked away from him. But then she raised her chin and stared at him defiantly. “As I recall, I was the teacher. That’s all I remember.”
“But then, you always did prefer to delude yourself.” He changed the subject. “Now get out of here and let me have an hour or so with Jane. I can see how upset she is about all this, and I’ll need some time to make it right. You might send some food after I leave her. Have you fed her?”
“No.” She paused, taken aback. “You’re being very— I wasn’t expecting—”
“You don’t tell me how to treat her.” He was staring her in the eye. “We made a deal. I own her. She belongs to me. I treat her as I please. Do you understand?”
Teresa nodded, still frowning. “It’s not what I expected. Do what you wish.”
“Oh, I will. In any way I wish. But it’s my way. You don’t call the shots … ever.” He opened the door for her. “I’ll need a car to take me back to Dubai in about an hour. I’m staying at the Grand Hyatt. I’ll study the hospital plans tonight and I’ll pay a visit to the hospital tomorrow to plan the best place to have access to Haroun. I don’t need to be within touching distance during the operation, but I need to be close.”
“You’ll need a security badge. I’ll arrange to—”
“No, I’ll call an associate and have him deliver one to the hotel tomorrow morning. My job. My way.”
Teresa hesitated. “You were always an arrogant bastard.” She shrugged. “Why should I care? I’ll make sure you’re watched every minute. And Santara has an orderly, Asad, at the hospital who will make certain that you’ve done what you promise.” She glanced at Jane. “And I do have my ace in the hole, don’t I? I’ll want regular reports, Caleb.” She swept out of the room.
“You own me?” Jane’s voice was dangerously low. “What the hell are you—”
“Hush.” He took a tiny black box out of his pocket. “Give me a minute.” He moved around the room before nodding. “No electronic devices. I’m surprised. Teresa has always had a passion for cameras.” He came back to her and dropped down in the peacock chair Teresa had formerly occupied. “Now go ahead and let it loose. I could see it building up all the while Teresa and I were talking.”
“I felt like a piece of meat in a butcher shop,” she said through her teeth. “You ask why it should bother me?”