Givon moved close and put his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Tell her you love her.”
Kardal glared. “I do not need your fatherly advice at this late date.” He reached for Sabrina’s arm. “Enough of this game. Return to your rooms at once.”
“Not even on a bet.”
She jerked free of him and hurried to the helicopter. As she settled in her seat next to Cala, a man appeared in the door. Rafe! She gasped.
But he didn’t grab her or haul her out. Instead he stared at her for several seconds.
“He’s a stubborn man,” he said finally.
“I don’t expect him to change. I simply refuse to play his game anymore.”
Rafe surprised her by smiling. “You have backbone. I always figured you were exactly what he needed.”
She knew that Rafe was only trying to be kind, but his words were a knife to her heart. Why did everyone see that she and Kardal belonged together except Kardal?
“I can’t wait around until he figures that out,” she said.
Rafe nodded. Kardal approached. Rafe quickly shut the door, then stepped back and gave the pilot a thumb’s-up. Seconds later they were in the air, moving away from the City of Thieves.
Sabrina glanced out the window at the ancient castle. She’d been happy there. She’d fallen in love there. And now she was leaving and would probably never come back. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so broken and sad.
Cala touched her arm. “Things will work out. You’ll see.”
Sabrina didn’t say anything. Words of comfort from a woman who had lost the love of her life for thirty-one years didn’t make her feel better.
“I will not stand for this,” Kardal raged.
He paced the length of his office, unable to believe what was happening. One moment everything had been fine with Sabrina. The next she was in tears and threatening to leave him. More than threatening. She was gone.
“How could you help her?” he demanded of Rafe as he walked past the other man. “You work for me. You should have stopped her from leaving.”
Rafe shrugged. “So fire me.”
Kardal didn’t want to lose the other man, so he ignored his impertinence. He turned his anger on his father.
“Where are they? Tell me this instant.”
Givon leaned against a corner of the desk. A gleam of humor lit his dark eyes. “You’re not the only one with a secret castle. Both Sabrina and your mother are perfectly safe. When you’ve figured out what the problem is and how to fix it, I’ll take you to them. Until then, you’re on your own.”
“Problem?” Fury filled him. He understood Sabrina’s need to throw things. Right now he wanted to throw both these men across the room. “There is no problem except Sabrina is gone. I wish her to be returned to me, immediately.”
He paused in front of his father and glared at him. “We are engaged. You have no right to keep her from me.”
“The lady does not want to marry you,” Givon said calmly.
“I can’t blame her,” Rafe offered helpfully. “You’re being an idiot, Kardal.”
He stared at the two of them. Had the entire world gone crazy? “I am Kardal, the Prince of Thieves. I have made no mistake.”
“So why did Sabrina leave you?” Givon asked.
“Because she is a woman and prone to hysterics.”
“Then one would think you are better off without her.”
One would think so, Kardal thought grimly. Yet he couldn’t imagine the palace without her. In the past few weeks, she’d become a part of his life. Almost of his very being. He needed to hear her voice and her laughter. She was someone he could talk with. She understood so many things.
“I will find her,” he announced.
“Good luck,” Rafe said cheerfully. “I’ve heard rumors about Givon’s secret palace. It’s way the hell and gone out in the Indian Ocean. You ever try finding an island in an ocean before?”
Before Kardal could respond, there was a knock on his office door.
“Go away,” he yelled, but instead of doing as he requested, his secretary stepped into the room.
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir,” Bilal said, obviously uncomfortable. “However, I’ve just been informed that King Hassan of Bahania has arrived. He says he’s here to check on the welfare of his daughter.”
Chapter 15
Chaos exploded upon them. King Hassan burst into Kardal’s office. He was not as tall as Givon or Kardal, but he had about him an air of authority that spoke of many years of being the respected leader of a sovereign nation.
“I heard she’s not even here,” Hassan announced by way of greeting. He paused to nod at Givon, then turned his steely gaze on Kardal. “I trusted you with my daughter and you have misplaced her.”