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.” Now Raif wanted to throw the marquess out of the palace for insolence alone.But then it hit him.Niles Hammond Walden-Garv.“You are Niles?”“I am.”“The Niles.”“I’m going to say yes to that and assume Lila told you at least part of the story.Though, judging by your expression, she told you enough.”“Do not call her that,” Raif ground out.The door burst open, and Tariq rushed in.“Raif!” He gasped.Raif turned to confront his cousin, his tone cold.“Can I help you?” He was furious with the interruption.“It’s Ann and Kalila.” Tariq glanced at Niles then began speaking to Raif in Rayasian.“They’ve been taken.”Raif gave his head a quick shake, trying to make sense of Tariq’s words.“At the docks,” Tariq added.Raif’s stomach turned to ice.“How? Why? Where are they?”“Jordan’s men saw them, but only from a distance.They were disguised.”“It has to be a mistake.”“No mistake,” said Tariq.“Jordan’s men were watching Zeke’s warehouse.”“Who in the hell would take the princess to the docks?” Raif roared.But he was already moving toward the door.Whoever had aided them was about to be severely punished.“It seems they did it alone,” said Tariq, falling into step.“We think they left through the tunnels.Before Jordan’s men could get to them, they were abducted.”“Where are they now?” Raif demanded, his anger turning to sickening fear.“Jordan’s man is following the car.”“I’m coming with you,” Niles said in heavily accented Rayasian.Tariq drew back in shock, while Raif glared at Niles.“You will not,” said Raif.“He speaks Rayasian?” asked Tariq in obvious surprise.“Li—Princess Kalila taught me.” Niles ignored Raif’s order and kept pace with them.“This is Niles,” Raif growled to Tariq.Tariq gave Niles a once-over.“He might prove useful,” Tariq said to Raif.“They sure won’t connect him to the palace.”“I’m not planning anything remotely covert,” said Raif.“We’re storming the place.”In the hallway, a security detail immediately fell in behind him.“They’re not going to let you put yourself in danger,” said Tariq, glancing at the six men behind them.“They’re not stopping me.” He turned to the men.“Support me in this, or be instantly fired.” There was no force on earth that would keep Raif from getting to Ann.Niles spoke to Raif in English, determination dripping from every syllable.“And you’re not stopping me.”Raif didn’t have time to worry about the Brit.Ann and Kalila were in peril.“Do whatever you want,” he responded, continuing on his way.* * *When she regained consciousness, the first thing Ann realized was that she was cold.A second later, she realized her wrists and ankles were bound.She was also wet, lying on a wet, stone floor.Then her brain was filled with the knowledge that something had gone horribly wrong.She was immediately terrified for Kalila.Voices around her were harsh and guttural, men speaking to each other in Rayasian.She forced her eyes open, blinking in the dim shaft of light that streamed down a worn stone staircase.She couldn’t tell if it was night or day.The walls were gray stone, and she seemed to be in some kind of a basement.She heard a woman whimper beside her and craned her neck to focus on the sound.She tried to speak Kalila’s name, and it was then she realized her mouth was taped shut.It wasn’t until that moment that sheer, stark panic overtook her.She struggled to look around, desperate to know that Kalila was all right.Had the kidnappers recognized the princess? Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Would they let her go for fear of Raif? Or would they hold her for ransom, or harm her?Ann focused on the woman who’d whimpered.She was up on a chair, though she was also bound, and her brown eyes were wide with fear.It wasn’t Kalila.The woman’s skin was white, her hair blond.But there was something oddly familiar about her.Kendra? Was it Kendra? What on earth would her assistant be doing in Rayas?Ann blinked at the fuzzy image, wondering if she could be hallucinating.She remembered a sting on her neck when the men had first grabbed her.That combined with the woolly taste in her mouth and the sluggishness of her brain convinced her she’d been drugged.The voices suddenly rose to an excited pitch.Men shouted.They jumped up and seemed to be running in all directions.A few of them grabbed guns and fired as bright flashlights bounced down the stone staircase.Ann could only duck her head and squeeze her eyes shut as the shots and screams and shouts rang out.It was all happening in Rayasian, and she had no idea what was going on.She prayed it was the police come to rescue them.Suddenly, strong arms grasped her, lifting her, carrying her.There was more shouting, but the shots had stopped.“You’re safe.You’re safe,” came Raif’s gruff voice, as he held her fast against his chest.Ann opened her eyes to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating again.But it was definitely Raif who carried her up the stairs, out into the humid Rayas night.He took her across a darkened street to a waiting SUV.There, he carefully pulled the tape from her mouth.“Kalila?” Ann managed to rasp.“Tariq has her.” Raif guided Ann gently into the backseat of the SUV.He shouted some instructions into the distance
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