“My brother. Rami.”
The floor seemed to shift under Rachel’s feet. She felt the blood drain from her face. The man saw it; those cold gray eyes narrowed.
“You know of him?”
She knew. Of course she knew. And if this was Rami’s brother—if this was Karim of Alcantar, the all-powerful, stone-hearted, ruthless prince …
“I’m going to let go of you,” he said. “If you scream, you will regret it. Is that clear?”
Rachel swallowed hard. “Yes.”
Slowly, carefully, his eyes locked to hers, he took his hands from her.
“Obviously,” he said, “I was correct. This place is my brother’s.”
“I—I—”
“You—you, what?” he growled with imperial impatience. “What are you doing here? This apartment
belongs to Rami.”
It didn’t. It never had. It was hers and always had been—though that hadn’t stopped first Suki and then Suki’s lover from moving in.
Now, thank goodness, they were both gone. She lived alone …
Oh, God!
Her heart, already racing, went into overdrive.
She didn’t. She didn’t live here alone—
“Who are you?” the man growled.
Who, indeed? Her head was spinning. She should have known this would happen, that, sooner or later someone would come.
His hand shot out and manacled her wrist.
“Answer the question! Who are you? What are you doing here?”
“I—I’m a friend,” Rachel said. And then, because she had no idea what this man knew or didn’t know or, most of all, what he wanted, she said, “I’m Rami’s friend. His very good friend.”
CHAPTER TWO
KARIM’S mouth thinned.
Friend, hell.
She’d been Rami’s woman.