Page 54

Second in line to the Emirate of Rheadur

Three months after Elina and Odin's Masquerade Ball

“I got some footage from video cameras at a hotel in Manhattan that showed His Excellency walking in and out of the venue with a lot of security guards. He was dressed in Western clothes, but I have no doubt it was your brother, sir.”

I feel like rolling my eyes at my assistant’s formality. No matter how many times I tell Amin, my childhood friend, that he can be more natural when it's just the two of us, the man never listens to me. “Why would Naim go to the United States secretly?”

He doesn't say anything, just raises an eyebrow, and I think we're both thinking the same thing: my older brother—the sheik of our Emirate—has gone after some woman. Naim has always had a soft spot for the female sex, and more times than I can remember, his boundless lust has gotten him into trouble.

In our country, my father managed to hush up the scandals, as far as I know, because I was never around long enough to be sure. The problem is that then Naim began to cross borders, leaving a trail of destruction across Europe and now, perhaps, also across the United States as well.

“Any idea who she is?”

“No, but he visited the island of Argyros quite a few times recently. At the time, there was only one of the Argyros girls left for him to be interested in. The blonde one who is now the wife of Odin Lykaios.”

“Investigate this, although I don't think it's very likely to lead anywhere. Not even my brother would be so stupid as to go after another man's wife, especially someone as dangerous as Lykaios.”

“ Dangerous ?”

“Yes, he doesn't fool me. That refined CEO facade hides a savage man. Trust me, he's not the kind of man you want as an enemy.”

“And what if that's the case? If he has something to do with His Excellency's disappearance?”

“Then I'll have to find out what happened. Get the plane ready. I'm going to the US tomorrow morning. I need to see firsthand what kind of trouble my brother has created for himself. His wives and daughters deserve an answer.”

Besides that, finding Naim will give me back the freedom I long for.

After Amin leaves, I stare at the photograph on the table.

What have you gotten yourself into this time, you idiot?

Despite having a tendency to let the opposite sex make him forget about all his obligations, he's never been gone for this long. Disappearing for months without sending any news home is too much even for my irresponsible brother.

I need to find him quickly, or my father will continue with the insane idea that I must take over the Emirate.

I don't want to lock myself into that kind of life, let alone be forced to choose a wife like he ordered me to, so it's essential that I bring Naim back.