When he reached her, it had hit her square in the chest. The smell was unmistakable. Coffee. Warm, dark coffee was spreading over her white clothing, soaking the fabric, revealing the outline of her breasts. Fury slashed him.
The man was already running but Amir was quick. He reached into the crowd and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him towards through the rope line.
‘Your Highness.’ Johara’s voice was urgent. ‘I’m fine. It doesn’t matter.’
But Amir barely heard her. He was not a violent man but as he held this person in his grip, he found his other hand forming a fist, and he badly wanted to use it.
‘We will take him away,’ Ahmed said, moving between Amir and the culprit. The man, to his credit, had the sense to look terrified.
‘If you are going to act in this manner, at least stand and face your consequences. Coward,’ Amir said angrily, but Ahmed was already pulling the man away, and two security guards had intervened to move Johara into the back of a waiting car.
He followed behind, sliding into the empty seat. Only once they started moving did he turn to her. Her skin was pale, her fingertips were shaking slightly but she was otherwise unharmed.
If there weren’t two guards sitting opposite them in the limousine he would have reached across and put a hand over hers. Hell, he would have pulled her onto his lap and kissed her until she forgot anything about such an assault.
‘I apologise, Your Highness.’
Her eyes met and held his. ‘It wasn’t your fault.’ She reminded him of what he’d said the night before.
‘I assure you, the man will be punished—’
‘Don’t do that either.’ She sighed. ‘You said it yourself. You can tell people we are at peace but you can’t make them feel it in their hearts. Why should he be punished for doing something that six months ago he would have been lauded for?’
Amir ground his teeth. ‘For the simple reason I have said it is wrong.’
She laughed. ‘You are powerful, but not that powerful.’
‘You are here as my guest,’ he muttered. ‘And your safety is my complete responsibility.’
‘And?’ She fixed him with a level gaze. ‘I’m safe, aren’t I?’
‘It could have been—’
She shook her head. ‘It wasn’t.’ She looked down her front. ‘At worst, I’m embarrassed.’
Her phone began to vibrate. She reached into her pocket and pulled it out. Her brother’s face stared back at her. She looked at Amir; it was obvious that he’d seen the screen.
She angled away from him a little.
‘Mal? This isn’t a good...’ She frowned. ‘That was quick. Yes, I’m fine.’
She was conscious of Amir stiffening in the car beside her.
‘As I was just saying to His Majesty Sheikh Amir, it was only a cup of coffee.’
‘I don’t care.’ Malik’s voice showed the strength of his feelings. ‘What the hell were you doing standing so close to a crowd of wild Ishkani—?’
She glowered at the window. ‘How do you know where I was standing?’
‘It’s already on YouTube.’
‘Geez,’ she said again, with the shake of her head. ‘Thank you, Internet.’
‘I want you to come back here.’
Her heart stammered. She looked at Amir unconsciously. ‘Nonsense. Because of a bit of coffee?’
‘It could have been a bomb. A gun.’