CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Cheeks blooming with heat, Olivia threw her shoulders back. “We’ve kissed.”
“So do the French, when we greet each other.” His eyes narrowed. “Has he been inside you? Has he made you come…made you beg?”
Unbidden memories of Khalid, buried hard and deep inside her, popped in her head and her pulse jumped. Mouth suddenly dry, Olivia licked her lips.
“That’s…” she swallowed hard, “…that’s none of your business.”
“You’re right. Your involvement with him is none of my business, but you’ve just proven what I’ve thought all along.”
“And what’s that?”
“You’re fiancé will never be the man you want or need.”
“Three months in the desert and now you’re an expert on the kind of man who’ll make me happy.” She didn’t bother to keep the scorn from her voice.
Khalid nodded. “You’re beautiful and clever, but vexingly stubborn and headstrong. He’s too safe. He’ll bore you to tears.”
Irritated by his over-inflated self-importance, Olivia hissed. “And of course, you think you’re the man of my dreams.”
“No.”
Well, damn. He could’ve thrown ice water in her face and she wouldn’t have been more surprised.
“There’s a reason why pride is a sin. Had I not allowed it to consume me, I would have courted you like you deserved. I would’ve come after you, made things right. Instead, I pretended I could live without you.”
“I took a downward spiral, went down a dark path.” Khalid glanced at his open palm. He traced the brown lines etched in his hand with a fingernail. “I drank myself into oblivion, and when that wasn’t strong enough to drown my troubles, I tried every drug known to mankind and even tested my mortality. If it wasn’t for my brothers’ diligence, I would still be in some opium den or dead. So I’m no woman’s dream, especially not yours.”
Olivia was shocked and yet she couldn’t judge him. She’d experienced her fair share of darkness after she’d left him. There were days she’d prayed she would never wake up.
Khalid stepped closer. “Up until a day ago, my pride still maintained a stranglehold. If it weren’t for Harry coming to the race, I had every intention of staying away from you. But like the addict I am, I couldn’t stay away from you.”
Deep down, a part of her almost didn’t want him to continue. Why didn’t he just fade away as most dreams tended to do? Why did he have to show up now when she’d only recently moved forward with her life? When days melted into weeks then months, with him not coming for her, she’d moved on. Wanting to give Karin a two-parent household, she’d broken down and accepted Nathaniel’s proposal.
Unfortunately, he continued, “I’m not perfect. I’ll always have these demons. But I love you, Olivia, and I want to spend every day making you happy.”
Why did he have to hit her below the belt? Sucker punch her with her own fantasies? Weak-kneed, Olivia searched for the nearest seat.
“Olivia, do you—”
“Olivia…Nathaniel is here.”
She and Khalid turned around to face Nathaniel and Harry, who stood in the foyer. Trembling, yet grateful for the intrusion, Olivia excused herself.
***
Nathaniel handed her Karin’s favorite blanket. Still somewhat shaky, Olivia laid the pale yellow throw over her daughter, arranging it so she’d be able to kick her way out of it if the nursery became too warm.
Absentmindedly, Olivia smoothed the cover, while her mind drifted to Karin’s father downstairs. Professing his love had to be a cruel joke. He’d simply confused lust with desire. Khalid had once deemed her his property, and in her experience it was impossible for a zebra to change their stripes.
“What the hell is Khalid doing here?”
Startled Khalid was on someone else’s mind besides hers, she struggled to get her traitorous emotions under control. “W-w-we have an arrangement,” she stuttered.
“I know about your arrangement,” Nathaniel hissed. “I thought his visit was scheduled hours ago. Why is he still here?”
With Nathaniel hot on her heels, and a migraine of the worst kind pounding in her head, Olivia walked to the nursery door. “He fell asleep during his visit with Karin.”
“How convenient.” Nathaniel hit the light switch. “He’s not staying for dinner, is he?”
“Meredith invited him.”
“So this is her household now?” With each word, Nathaniel’s grew louder. “And what was with that display in the living room? What were you two talking about?”
Olivia quickly made her way to the stairs. Nathaniel’s histrionics were getting on her last nerve. At the top of the landing, he grabbed her wrist at the last minute.
“Wait. I’m not done talking to you,” he fumed, the muscles twitching in his jaw.
“Nathaniel, we can talk later. Dinner’s ready.” Olivia rubbed her tummy. “And I could use something. I haven’t eaten all day. For some reason I just couldn’t stomach anything.” She laughed nervously because she knew very well why she hadn’t eaten a thing. Her thoughts had been so preoccupied with Khalid he wound up being her breakfast and her lunch.
Nathaniel’s eyes drifted to where her hand rested. “You’ve been reunited for only one day and he’s already got you spreading your legs? I bet he has his seed growing in you already.”
Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “You take that back, Nathaniel Musgrove!” she demanded. “Or?or—”
“Or you’ll break off the engagement?” Nathaniel chuckled. “Again, how convenient.” He held out his hand, palm up. “Let me save you the time and effort. I thought I could make this work. Be big enough of a man to allow Karin’s father to be a part of her life. And I was fully aware I was simply a fool in love with a woman who I’d hoped would one day love me back. I can’t ignore the fact that you’re still in love with him.”
Olivia opened her mouth to disprove his accusation. Nothing came out. In all honesty, she’d grown tired of lying. Slowly, she reached down and pulled the engagement ring off her finger, and then dropped his grandmother’s platinum and sapphire ring in his open palm.
“You know,” Nathaniel reached up and tweaked his nose. “For a minute there, I’d prayed you would have proved me wrong and begged me to see reason.”
“Nathaniel, I’m so—”
He turned around before she could finish, taking the stairs almost two at a time. Before heading out the door, he halted at the dining room entrance.
“Unfortunately, I will not be staying for dinner. It was nice to make your acquaintance, Harry. You have been nothing but kind to me. Hopefully, we can remain friends.” His gaze flitted back to her and she descended the stairs. “Despite the sudden, unsavory circumstances.”
Nathaniel pivoted on his heel, and walked out the front door.
Equally saddened and relieved, Olivia slumped against the banister.
“What was that all about?” Harry asked. He along with Khalid had come to stand in the foyer.
“He called off the engagement.”
“On w-what grounds?” Harry stammered. Fists clenched, he stepped forward. Anger rolled off him in waves. At the other end of the spectrum, Khalid leaned against the door frame, cool as a cucumber.
“He claimed I didn’t love him.”
Harry seemed to deflate right in front of her eyes. “Well, that’s a shame,” he muttered. “I’d hoped…well…ah…I guess it doesn’t matter now.” He gifted her with a smile drenched in pity. “Are you coming down to eat?”
“I don’t think I’d be much company. Could you ask Meredith to bring me up a tray?”
“Will do, baby girl.”
Harry retreated into the dining room, but Khalid remained.
Also deciding on retreat, Olivia turned to climb the stairs, her eyes shooting daggers at him. The bastard simply returned her murderous glower with a contrary smile.
***
Reveling in the news of Olivia’s broken engagement, Khalid rejoined Harry at the dining room table. One of the final obstacles to winning Olivia over had just been removed. Even though she hadn’t fallen into his arms, declaring her undying love, he couldn’t help gloating.
He flicked his napkin open with a flourish when Meredith burst through the door, whistling a little ditty. Two salad plates and serving bowl in hand, she set them down in front of them.
“My sister isn’t coming down for dinner.”
“I heard, Mr. Harry.” Her gaze met Khalid’s and she winked. “As soon as I serve you your appetizer, I’ll take a tray up to her.” She placed the serving bowl between them and stepped back. “I prepared a really nice raspberry vinaigrette for your greens. If you’d like a different dressing, I also have thousand island.”
“The dressing is perfect.” Khalid chimed in, with Harry mumbling his agreement.
“Good. I’ll leave you two alone to talk and go fix Miss Olivia that tray.”
Looking as if he wanted to stuff his mouth with food more than talk, Harry dove for the salad dressing. Khalid smiled to himself when his former roommate shoved a forkful of salad greens in his mouth. It would take more than food to keep him from staking his claim on the woman he loved.
“I’m going to marry Olivia,” he declared. “Will you stand in the way?”
Harry side-eyed him while he slowly chewed his food. Khalid waited him out. “I won’t encourage it,” he finally said.
“But you won’t discourage it?”
Harry shook his head. “If you want to take responsibility for your actions and make right by my sister, I won’t stand in the way. However, if she turns you down, you won’t keep pressing her.”
“No,” Khalid lied. He wouldn’t rest until Olivia was finally his wife.
“Good luck.”
Khalid needed more than luck. He needed every arsenal in his cache to convince the most stubborn woman he’d ever met to finally accept his proposal.
Ding, dong.
Silently, Harry glanced at his wrist watch. “About damn time,” he mumbled. He set his fork down and gently dabbed at the sides of his mouth.
Ding, dong.
Drying her hands on a dish towel, Meredith hustled from the kitchen.
“Go back into the kitchen. I’ll get the door.”
Meredith frowned as he rose from his seat. “Are you sure, Mr. Harry? You’re in the middle of your meal.”
Without answering her, Harry walked to the front door. Khalid also set his salad aside. If it was Olivia’s stalwart ex-fiancé, he needed to make sure his hands were free just in case the jilted lover decided to take his woes out on him.
“Sorry for the delay…there was a domestic…five blocks over. Wife pulled …on her lout of a husband. My partner stayed…question her, while I came here.”
Khalid frowned. From the bits and pieces of conversation he’d untangled, the caller’s accent was too garbled to be the articulate young man who’d just left.
“I’m just glad you came before he left, officer.”
Meredith’s hands flew to her face. “No, Mr. Harry. You didn’t.”
“My sister’s dinner is getting cold, Meredith.”
Meredith hesitated a moment, wringing her hands and looking back and forth between the police officer and Khalid. “Ms. Olivia’s going to be mighty upset.”
“I doubt it. My sister and I discussed this last night. She knew Khalid would be here to see Karin. We decided to set up this rendezvous just in case he decided to run.” Harry’s admission felt like a kick in the gut and dashed any hopes that Olivia would come to his aid. Equally wounded, Meredith turned on her heel and rushed back into the kitchen.
“Is this him?” The officer detached a pair of handcuffs from his belt and palmed them. “The man who kidnapped your sister?”
Before Harry could respond, Khalid stood up. “I’m the man you all have been looking for.”
Without knocking, Meredith walked into Olivia’s bedroom. Lips pursed tightly, she set the dinner tray on the foot of the settee. Once done she stepped back. “Is there anything else you require, Miss Bryant?”
“’Is there anything else you require, Miss Bryant?’” Olivia parroted. Chuckling, she sat forward and lifted the warming cover from the dinner plate. “What’s with all the formality?”
Meredith kept her gaze on a point across the room. “I’m not really happy with you right now.”
“If you’re not happy about what happened between Nathaniel and me, you shouldn’t be. I wasn’t in love with him.”
“Exactly,” Meredith plopped her hands on her hips as her gaze met hers, “That’s why I don’t understand why you called the police on Karin’s daddy.”
The warming cover fell from Olivia’s hand and tumbled to the floor much like her stomach. “Called the police,” she whispered.
“Yes. He’s downstairs right now.”
“And he’s here for Khalid?”
Confused, Meredith frowned. “Your brother claimed you and he arranged the whole thing.”
Heart pounding, Olivia bolted from the room. As she descended the stairs, Harry was closing the front door.
“What have you done, Harry?”
“I did what was right,” he whirled on her. “He’s not going to get away with what he did to you.”
“Even to the detriment of your niece? He’s Karin’s father.”
Harry headed into the living room. With Olivia hot on his heels, he walked over to the bar. Made of black leather and mesquite imported from Arizona, the bar had been their father’s most treasured possession.
“Karin’s still a baby, she won’t remember him.” He plucked an aged whiskey from the bottom shelf and palmed a crystal tumbler. “Want to join me?”
Olivia ignored her brother. If he poured her a drink, she would more than likely throw it in his face.
“Then what about me? Did you think how this might affect me?”
Harry poured two thumbs of whiskey in a glass. “You are the reason why I called the police. I needed to save you from yourself.”
Confused, Olivia frowned.
“You have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, do you?” Drink in hand, Harry ambled over to the sofa and sat down. Olivia didn’t plan on getting more comfortable. As soon as she had it out with her brother, she was heading to the police station.
“I decided to call the police before you ruined your life. You only think you care for Khalid but you really don’t. It’s just an odd empathy captives develop toward their abductors. Like what our ancestors went through during slavery and even afterward, with many of them refusing to abandon the plantation. After a few years, what you feel will fade and you will thank me.”
Olivia placed her hand over her middle, the other on the fireplace to steady herself. By helping her, Harry had ruined her life.
“I not only care for Khalid, I’m in love with him.”
Harry looked at her over the rim of his glass. “I deduced that when you informed me of your broken engagement.”
Eyes swimming with tears, Olivia reached up and swiped her hand over her brow. Her head was pounding. “But you’re wrong on two things. I’ve always loved Khalid. From the first moment I met him. I denied it and fought my feelings, even going so far as to turn down his marriage proposal.”
Harry slowly lowered his glass. “He asked you to marry him? When?”
“The first night I met him. We were intimate in the greenhouse.” Harry shot from his seat, and she rushed to explain. “We didn’t do anything. We kissed and that was it,” she lied, too embarrassed to elaborate. “Afterward, he asked me to be his wife. I refused, putting my career first.”
Harry folded his hands behind his back and began to pace. “And when you told us you were going to Washington to see your old college mates, specifically Nathaniel, he went all ‘alpha’ and kidnapped you.”
Not surprised her brother was able to put the pieces together, Olivia nodded. “So you see how I’m at fault as well,” she implored, latching onto her brother’s arm.
“Because you played some silly feminine game of jealousy you think that justified being kidnapped?” Harry shook off her arm. “Wake up, Liv. You didn’t deserve to be taken halfway across the world, and then shipped back home, knocked up by the way, to be taught a lesson.”
“Khalid didn’t send me back. I left him.”
“Oh, the web we weave when we practice to deceive,” Harry sighed heavily as he resumed his seat on the couch. “Spill it.”
“I left Khalid because I was madly in love with him, but I was afraid he would get bored with me and throw me aside like all the other women he’d seduced.”
Frowning, Harry swirled the liquor in his glass. “He would’ve done just that. I know Khalid better than you. I lived with him for four years. I saw him run through dozens of women. All of them bedazzled by his handsome looks and all of them in love.” Harry’s shoulders slumped. “I thought I’d raised you better than that, baby girl.”
Olivia took the seat next to him, and took his hand in hers. “You were a great parent and I’m grateful for everything. Unfortunately, I can’t help who I love.”
“I hope I’m not going to regret this.” Harry squeezed her hand. “Go get dressed, and make sure it’s your Sunday best.”
“Why my Sunday best?”
“Because right after we bail that bastard out of jail, the two of you are getting married.”
Two hours later, Olivia and Harry walked into Manhattan’s 32nd precinct.
Located on Manhattan’s upper west side the police station covered Central Park and the neighborhoods running from 86th to 110th Street. Other than a lone cop sitting behind a raised dais the lobby was empty.
Olivia nibbled on her bottom lip. Hopefully, the arresting cop was still on duty. She’d hoped to get their sooner, but after going upstairs to change, Karin had awakened, and she’d spent the good portion of an hour feeding, changing, and trying to rock her daughter back to sleep.
Ruddy-faced, the officer set aside the evening post. “Can I help you twos?”
“We’re hoping you can. I’m Dr. Harry Bryant and this is my sister Olivia.” Telling from his impassive expression, Harry’s formal introduction didn’t impress the other man in the least. “Well…we’re here to retrieve Khalid Francois Du?s. Officer Britton brought him in over an hour ago.”
The officer glanced at his watch. “Visiting hours ended at eight o’clock.”
“I thought as such, we’ll come back.”
Unwilling to give up so easily, Olivia stepped forward. “We’re not here for a visit. You see everything was all a big understanding. A spat between lovers. Can we speak with Officer Britton, please?”
The officer eyed her for a moment, then reached over and pressed a button. “Britton. Paging Officer Britton. Come to the lobby.”
Olivia mouthed “thank you” to the burly cop, earning her a brick red blush and a nod of the head.
“I didn’t expect to see you so soon, Dr. Bryant,” Officer Britton said as he joined them in the lobby.
“I didn’t either, “Harry replied tightly, “but it seems I made a mistake.”
Officer Britton planted his hands on his gun belt. “A mistake, huh?”
“I was never abducted. I went with Khalid willingly.”
“You do know you can go to jail for lying to an officer.”
His eyes narrowed as if trying to pry into her soul. Gulping, Olivia nodded. “Cross my heart and hope to die. I love him and he loves me.”
“Well, I wish I could help you but it’s outta of my hands.”
“Has he already seen a judge?”
“Mr. Du?s wasn’t even booked,” Britton replied. “Lover boy has connections in high places. The Commish not only demanded we release him, but give him a ride to the Walcott Hotel.”
“We’re providing curb service now?”
“Don’t rub it in, Richter.” Britton side-eyed the other cop. “The guys have been ribbing me ever since I got back.”
Elated by the news, Olivia stepped forward and planted a kiss on Officer Britton’s cheek. “You just made me the happiest person on earth,” she whispered.
“Don’t mention it.”
Without waiting for her brother, Olivia hustled out of the building.
Harry caught up with her on the curb. “I guess you’re heading to the Walcott.”
“Already there,” Olivia confirmed as she hailed a taxi.