“No.” She sent him an apologetic grimace. “I just want to get out of here.”
He nodded. He understood. “I’ll see you soon.” And Ra’if hoped, rather than knew, this would be the case. He wouldn’t blame her if she decided she wanted nothing more to do with the pair of them.
It was cold in the evening air, and Olivia fumbled the key in the ignition of the car. It dropped from the position and fell to the floor. “Damn it,” she groaned, cranking her door open and sending a panicked look back to the facility. All was quiet. She crouched down on the gravelled ground and felt around for the key. It was under the brake pedal. She pulled it out and stood, but banged her head hard against the steering wheel.
“Damn
it!” She repeated, and took a deep breath as she rubbed the already-present egg on her skull. “Get a grip,” she muttered, the incantation reminding her of her mother, who had said it often.
She was still rubbing her head when he arrived.
Olivia knew he was there without even turning around.
“Give me the key.” His voice was husky. His words were accented. She felt a swirling of remembered affection. She ignored it.
“No.”
His laugh was a thick sound from the base of his throat. “It is not a request.” He held his hand out and she turned now, her eyes sparking with the depth of her feelings.
“How dare you?”
“Exactly my thoughts.” He took the key from between her fingers, and she was so afraid of touching him, that she let him slip it from her grip. “But I would prefer to discuss this with you privately.”
“I don’t want to discuss anything with you at all.”
He sent her a look of derisive impatience and stalked away. Olivia belatedly galvanised her legs into action. “Hey! Give me back that key.” But Zamir was handing it to one of his servants, waiting in a black SUV on the other side of the drive.
“He will drive the car back to town. You will travel with me.”
“Like hell I will.”
“You could, of course, go back to my brother.”
Nausea rolled in her gut. However much his accusations hurt, that he believed them hurt worse. She knew that she’d never trust him again, but she wanted him to know how wrong he was. “Fine,” she agreed stonily. “You can drive me home.”
He held the door open for her and Olivia climbed in. There were no servants in the car. Nor was there a Marook. It was just her and Zamir.
He took the seat behind the wheel and flicked the engine to life.
“Can you even drive?” She demanded, rubbing the egg and wincing.
He saw the action and thought of asking if she was okay.
Only he didn’t want to. He wouldn’t admit to himself that he cared for her.
In response, he pointed the car down the drive and floored the accelerator. She gripped the handle of her door. “Okay, fine. Point made.”
He slowed down and concentrated on setting the car towards the city. It was a long drive, and he intended to use it to his advantage. “So you are in love with him now?”
“No.”
“The doctor tells me you visit Ra’if every day. Why?”
She turned her face so that she could stare out of her window. It hurt too much to look at him. “Why do you think?”
“On the flight over, I ran through many different possibilities. In the end, I could not decide on one only. So you tell me.”
She closed her eyes. “Because.”