“That would all depend on your point of view, Ms Ahmed.”
Amy’s anger snapped. “Look, can you stop pissing about and tell me why you followed me here?”
Tariq smiled sinisterly. “You’re the active ingredient in my recipe. The icing on the cake, if you will. Please agree to meet up with me?”
Amy’s head swam with confusion. She needed to remember whose side she was on – and it wasn’t Adam’s. She was here to negotiate on behalf of Grafton Techs. Maybe she should listen to Tariq and empower herself with as much knowledge as possible… But what if he was just being a troublemaker?
And then there was the possibility that he was a murderer…
Amy tried to act cool. “You can speak openly with me here.”
“No. I need to talk to you in private.”
“About what?”
He smiled kindly. “Well, the thing is, Ms Carter, it’s confidential, so I can only tell you in private.”
“Then we’re at a deadlock, aren’t we? I think you need to leave. I really have nothing to say to you.”
“Very well, I’m sorry if I scared you. I honestly mean you no harm.”
“Tariq,” Preti said, “Leave now, or I’ll call the cops – I mean it.”
“For the crime of what, Ms Ahmed? Walking into a boutique? Requesting a conversation with a person? You know as well as I do the Quinlans are up to no good.”
Preti leapt to their defence, but Amy interjected. “What kind of ‘no good’?”
Tariq opened his mouth to speak.
“Amy,” Preti said, “Don’t listen to a word he says. He’s trouble.”
Tariq stood firm. “Perhaps we can meet up later to discuss things, Ms Carter? Without an audience.”
Awkwardness surged through her. If she agreed, she’d be betraying Quinlan Brothers – who were after all about to become her company’s new owner – but worse, she’d possibly be arranging a rendez-vous with a murderer.
But she desperately wanted to know what was going on, so she opened her mouth to ask him again. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the chance to speak, because Carmel stepped forward.
“I believe it’s time for you to leave,” she said. “This boutique is a haven of harmony. You are disrupting the tranquil vibes.”
Tariq nodded. “Very well. Sorry to have bothered you, Ms Carter. If you change your mind, you can find me online – it’s not very hard to find people these days, as I’m sure you know.”
Amy glanced down at the shiny floor. “Right.”
“Well, goodbye, then,” Tariq said.
He turned and left, leaving a tarnished atmosphere behind him – as seemingly was his habit.
Preti’s expression was severe. “Don’t contact him, Amy. I know he seems nice, but he’s trouble. And I’m not just protecting my business interests. I like you, okay.”
Amy smiled. “Thanks. Don’t worry, I plan to stay away from him. Now, how much is this dress going to set me back?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Adam gave me a free reign on his credit card. Shall we go get our hair and nails done? I know a wonderful little beauty parlour. And then we’ll hit Barney’s for some shoes, okay?”
Amy chuckled, feeling the tension slip away. “Sure, why not!”
Chapter Ten
Adam stood by the entrance of the bustling hotel lobby, with his gaze fixed on the elevator, waiting for his date to appear. His chest filled with anticipation as each second ticked by. Jesus. What had Amy done to him? He’d never usually let a woman invade his mind like this; his body tingled with desire just at the thought of seeing her again. He noticed a blonde woman striding down the carpeted marble staircase on the other side of the lobby and his heart squeezed with nerves. Disappointment smothered him as he realised it wasn’t Amy.