An unreasonable offer

Aziza woke with a dry mouth and the unpleasant certainty that someone was watching her.

She kept her eyes closed.

There was a soft, regular beeping nearby. Her left shoulder hurt. When she tried to shift it, the pain sharpened enough to stop her.

Hospital.

The casino came back in pieces. Broken glass. A woman in silver. Daniel turning away from her just as she saw the man on the balcony.

She had been shot.

“You can stop pretending.”

Daniel.

Of course.

She opened her eyes.

He sat beside the bed in a clean shirt, his sleeves rolled up. There was a dressing near his temple. He looked tired, though the way he watched her suggested he had enough energy left to be difficult.

“I wasn’t pretending.”

Her voice sounded rough.

“You frowned when I moved the chair.”

“Perhaps it’s an irritating chair.”

He reached for a cup on the bedside table.

“Water?”

She nodded.

He helped her lift her head. The movement hurt, and she caught his wrist before she could stop herself.

He paused.

“Slowly,” she said.

“I am.”

He sounded almost offended.

She drank, then let her head settle against the pillow. His hand remained behind her for a moment, waiting until she was comfortable.

“Where am I?”

“A private clinic.”

“Yours?”

“Does it matter?”

“It tells me who gets to throw you out.”

His mouth twitched.

“The doctor. He’s already threatened to.”

“I like him.”

“You haven’t met him.”

“I like his principles.”

Daniel set the cup down.

For a few seconds, neither spoke.

Without her earpiece, the silence felt wrong. Rebecca should have been commenting on his expression or telling her where she was. Aziza resisted the urge to touch her ear.

Too late.

His gaze followed the movement of her good hand.

“Looking for something?”

“My phone.”

He picked it up from the table.

“Someone called.”

Aziza held out her hand.

He gave it to her.

That surprised her enough that she looked up.

“What did she say?”

“I didn’t say it was a woman.”

She closed her eyes briefly.

Wonderful start.

“I don’t have many people who would call.”

“She knew my name.”

“You own the casino.”

“You have an answer for everything.”

“I’m trying. I’ve had a difficult night.”

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

“So have I.”

She looked at the dressing on his temple.

“How many?”

He knew what she meant.

“Two of my men are dead. The rest of the injured are being treated. We’re still getting updates.”

Aziza lowered her eyes to the phone.

Two men who would not go home because she had arrived with a warning and still failed to see the attack coming.

“The woman we helped?”

“Alive. Her husband’s with her.”

She let out a breath.

Daniel was quiet for a moment.

“Lilian told me what you did.”

“She helped too.”

“I wasn’t referring only to the woman.”

Aziza studied the edge of the sheet.

She knew exactly what he wanted to ask.

“Where did you learn to shoot?” he said.

There it was.

“I had lessons.”

“So did half the people at that casino. They didn’t do what you did.”

“Your people did.”

“They work for me.”

“Perhaps you should hire better guests.”

“Aziza.”

No amusement now.

She looked at him.

“My mother knew what kind of man my father was. She made sure I could look after myself.”

The lie came easily. She hated that more than the pain.

Daniel considered it.

“And the woman in your ear?”

“A friend.”

“Who apparently has people outside my casino.”

“Would you have gone to that meeting alone?”

“No.”

“Neither did I.”

He sat back.

She couldn’t tell whether he believed her. Probably not. But disbelief and proof were different problems, and she could only deal with one at a time.

“The docks,” she said. “Did you check?”

“Yes.”

“Then you know I told you the truth.”

“About the docks.”

A knock interrupted them.

A nurse came in, glanced at Daniel and then at the monitor.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been shot.”

“That sounds about right.”

Aziza liked her immediately.

The nurse checked on her, asked about the pain and explained that the doctor would come shortly. Daniel moved out of the way without being asked, though he remained close enough to hear every word.

“Could I have a few minutes?” Aziza asked him.

He looked at the phone in her hand.

“To call your friend?”

“To use the bathroom, if you need a more uncomfortable answer.”

The nurse hid a smile.

Daniel stood.

“I’ll be outside.”

“Take your time.”

He gave her a look before leaving.

When the door closed, the nurse helped her adjust the bed and checked that she could reach the call button.

“He’s been here all night,” she said.

Aziza looked towards the door.

“Has he?”

“Hasn’t gone far.”

She left before Aziza could decide what to do with that information.

Rebecca answered on the first ring.

“Tell me you’re alone.”

“For the moment.”

“How bad?”

“It hurts.”

The line went quiet.

“Rebecca.”

“I heard you stop answering.”

Aziza swallowed.

She could picture her friend sitting over a screen, listening to the shots, calling her name into a connection that had suddenly become useless.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t do that again.”

“Getting shot wasn’t on the schedule.”

“Neither was making me tell your grandfather you’d taken a bullet for Daniel Asherway.”

Aziza closed her eyes.

“You told him?”

“What was I supposed to do? Wait until he saw the news?”

“What did he say?”

“That you were coming home.”

“No.”

“That was my prediction too.”

Aziza looked at her bandaged shoulder. For the first time, the size of the setback settled on her.

She couldn’t simply get dressed and leave. She couldn’t pretend the casino had gone according to plan. Daniel had seen too much, and her grandfather would have very little patience left for assurances.

“Tell him I’m being treated. I’ll call him myself when I can speak properly.”

“You’re speaking properly now.”

“You know what I mean.”

Rebecca sighed.

“Your cover is holding. He’s checking Trade Inc., but we expected that. Don’t add anything unnecessary to the story.”

“I haven’t.”

“Good.”

Aziza watched the door.

“He stayed.”

“Who?”

“Daniel.”

“Yes. He answered your phone. We’ve met.”

“You could have been a little less memorable.”

“I was upset.”

Despite herself, Aziza smiled.

Rebecca’s voice softened.

“We can get you out. You don’t have to finish this today.”

Today.

As though the deadline would allow them to put everything aside until her shoulder stopped hurting.

“I need him to listen to the proposal.”

“You nearly died.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

Aziza had no answer that wouldn’t make the argument worse.

“I’ll call again,” she said.

“Please do.”

Daniel returned after the doctor had finished examining her.

He carried coffee for himself and another cup he placed beside her water.

“Tea,” he said. “If you want it.”

“Thank you.”

He seemed to notice how easily she said it. She hoped he wouldn’t make anything of it.

“Your friend?” he asked.

“Still irritating.”

“She sounded like it.”

Aziza settled back against the pillows.

“We need to talk about Trade Inc.”

He pulled the chair closer.

“You’ve just woken up.”

“And you’ve already questioned me. I’m entitled to a turn.”

“Go on.”

“I meant what I said about the distribution network. Together, our companies could compete for contracts neither can secure alone.”

“My company is considerably larger than yours.”

“Then you’ll enjoy explaining to your executives why they missed an opportunity I found.”

He watched her over the rim of his coffee.

“You don’t give up.”

“Not easily.”

“I’ve noticed.”

She shifted, winced and immediately regretted it.

He put down his cup.

“Stop trying to sit up.”

“Stop arranging my pillows.”

His hand paused beside her shoulder.

Then he withdrew it.

“Fine.”

Aziza took a careful breath.

“You need a safer way to operate, Daniel. Last night proved that.”

“You think a company agreement will stop men shooting at me?”

“No. I think having a future worth protecting might persuade you to stop giving them opportunities.”

He looked away.

For a moment, she thought she had pushed too hard.

“You saved my life,” he said.

“I didn’t come here to collect a reward.”

“I know.”

She hadn’t expected that answer.

He rested his hands together, looking down at them before meeting her eyes again.

“I won’t pretend your story makes sense to me. It doesn’t. But when you had a chance to leave, you stayed. When you saw that man aiming at me, you tried to pull me out of the way.”

Aziza felt heat creep into her face.

“You would have done the same.”

“Perhaps.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“I’m trying to be honest.”

The words landed harder than he could have intended.

She looked at the cup he had brought her.

“Then be honest about the offer. Will you consider it?”

“I have a different one.”

She looked up.

“What kind?”

“You need protection. I need someone beside me who can hold her own.”

Aziza stared at him.

No.

Surely he wasn’t about to say what she thought he was.

“Daniel—”

“Marry me.”