‘I’m not going to askhowyou know.’
‘I’ll have you know I’m a mine of information, most of it useless.’
‘Getting back to the pearls,’ he drawls languidly.
‘I don’t do early morning house calls.’ I swat his shoulder with my hand.
‘But seriously,’ he says, grabbing my hand and pulling it into his chest. ‘I was thinking about us last night, while you were sleeping. About being together more often.’ Bringing my fingers to his mouth, he kisses them, moving my hand to reveal a wide smile. ‘I’m going to get you an apartment.’
‘But I’ve got one.’
‘Yes. One tied to your job. I thought perhaps you’d like to tutor privately, at some point. Or not,’ he adds hurriedly, watching my expression.
‘On top of my job? It’s against my contract.’
‘I meant instead of working, or maybe you might like to work somewhere else.’
‘Why would I want to leave?’ A sinking feeling pulls at my gut. I’ve only been employed at Al Mishael two minutes and I know dating Kai has caused some complications, but I’m not ready to leave on his whim. I like my job. I’m only just settling in.
‘It’s something to think about. I could get you an apartment, help you with—’
‘Money?’ I can’t hide the unpleasantness in my tone, even if I’d wanted to. ‘Move me into an apartment, give me money. Clothes and a car?’ With each word spoken, my voice increases in volume. ‘So you can visit when you feel like it, maybe stay over occasionally? Because you’re not talking about living with me, are you?’
Dread pervades as a bland expression descends on his face. ‘I can’t. Not officially. You know that, at least not now, but I’d spend as much time as possible with you.’
‘I bet you would, when you’re not at the hotel or at your own house, which incidentally, I haven’t been invited to yet.’ My snide tone thickens becoming seriously unpleasant. But he can’t mean that, surely? Not after what Essam did. Is he trying to offer me the same?
‘You don’t need an invitation.’ His expression shifts to confusion, his hand tightening against my waist. ‘I’m rarely there and I’ll give up the hotel, be with you all that I can. I want to be with you, this is as close as I’m able to offer—’
‘To a proper relationship.’
‘You think this isn’t real?’ From confusion to a frown, his hand tightens on my waist. ‘I love you, Kate, and I want to be with you. Provide for you, give you options. You don’t understand how things work out here.’
‘Oh, I think I’ve got a pretty good grasp of what you’re saying.’
‘I’ve told you, things in my family are fucked up. If Faris decides to make us an issue, you risk your job and your home by being with me.’
‘Make an issue—what’s that supposed to mean? You said you’d take care of everything, told me not to worry. You’re a grown man, Kai. You get to make your own choices.’ I find it hard to believe that his father would go to these lengths, let alone have the power.
‘I do. Of course I make my own choices.’ He sits suddenly, but I don’t move. ‘But I’ve learned to stay one step ahead of Faris. If you leave the school, he has no power. He won’t be able to interfere. I didn’t want to worry you, but this thing with Arwa, her warning you, that came from him.’
‘Do you really expect me to believe that?’
‘He knows I’m serious about you, Kate, and you aren’t in his plans.’
‘What about your plans? Don’t you get a say?’
‘I live as I want and I always have, but I have no power over what goes on at the school. I can’t protect you there. You need to understand, this,’ he waves an indicative finger between us, ‘will interfere with his fucked up plans. Serious he has an issue with, and I’m serious aboutyou.’
‘It makes no sense.’
‘Why would it?’ He laughs bitterly, one hand rubbing his head, hair standing to attention. ‘Your family is obviously sane. He’s under the impression he’ll choose who I marry, that he’ll find me a wife, though a merger would be a more accurate description.’
‘He thinks you should have an arranged marriage?’ I repeat incredulously.
‘It doesn’t matter what he wants, I’m not getting married. Ever. Marriage is a one-way street to disaster.’
I blink back the tears teetering on my eyelids, Niamh’s words rising like a spectre in the room.He won’t marry you. Ridiculous. Just stupid. If he were any other man in any other place in the world, marriage wouldn’t even be on the periphery of my thoughts. I should just be happy with the now. Not happy about right now, the conversation in this bed, but happy that he loves me.
