Daisy sighed. “My friend thinks that having Abia would be good, because of her smile.”
At that, Maysa smiled too. “She is the song of my heart. But sometimes she can be full of mischief, that one.”
Daisy laughed. She could see it. “We could come back tomorrow. Would that work?”
Maysa nodded.
“So tell me a little bit about your article,” Leo asked Rayi.
“Yes, I’m interested as well,” Doug said.
Leo had called Doug when they were in the car back from the camp. He knew he needed someone official from W.A.N.T. to back him while questioning Rayi, and Daisy wasn’t objective enough. That’s why Doug was lying in wait for Rayi and Leo when they came in through the lobby and had pulled them away from Effie and Daisy.
“What do you want to know?” Rayi asked pleasantly. “Shall we sit down?” He indicated some seats in the lobby.
“Let’s,” Leo said with a smile.
“I want to know what kind of bullshit article you’re writing that people in Afghanistan would be interested in knowing about W.A.N.T.,” Doug said.
“You underestimate the people of my country,” Rayi said. “Also, you underestimate me. My articles are often picked up internationally, and I feel comfortable that this one will be as well.”
“When Daisy gave you such close access did she put up any parameters? Did she say that Effie would have to review the article?” Doug asked.
Rayi’s smile got big. “No, she did not.”
“Fuck,” Leo growled. “What the hell was she thinking? Scratch that. She hasn’t been thinking, she’s too tired.”
“And she was too upset about her father,” Rayi nodded. “This is true.”
“And you’re taking advantage of her?” Doug stood up and yelled down at Rayi. “What kind of man are you?”
Rayi didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest. Leo started thinking of all the ways he would convince Rayi that he was not going to print this story.
“I did not say that I wasn’t going to run the story past your public affairs department, I just said that Ms. Squires didn’t request that of me. I am very aware of her vulnerable state of mind right now. I also know that is not normally her, and I don’t intend to write her in that light. It would be a disservice to her and my readers.”
Leo felt something ease off his chest. Maybe this Rayi guy wasn’t all that bad.
“I don’t want Effie to read it, I want to read it too,” Doug said, still standing over Rayi.
“That is fine with me. Now, are we finished here?”
Leo and Doug both nodded.
Leo.
He’s coming to my room tonight, right?
She swiped the razor against her right leg trying not to cut herself. That’s what she needed—to be a bloody mess as she tried to seduce the man again. For God’s sake, she’d attacked him last night.
Okay, only one nick, now for the other leg. Maybe her hand would be less shaky.
Don’t think of Leo. Don’t think of Leo.
God, his chest. His lips. His eyes.
It was his eyes that did it for her. He spoke with his eyes, and he seemed to be saying a lot of things. Things that she couldn’t bring herself to believe. He couldn’t be emotionally into her. She’d dated sometimes. There’d been that man—well, boy really—in Guatemala where they were both working on an assignment. He hadn’t really cared. The only thing she allowed herself to care about was W.A.N.T. and family. Not her father. Because people let you down.
But Leo, he seemed to care, but she was just projecting her feelings onto him, wasn’t she?
Ah fuck, I have feelings!
“Ouch!”
She looked down at the blood streaming down her leg.
She felt frustrated tears welling up.
No feelings. No feelings. No feelings.
Feelings got you hurt. Expectations got you hurt. People always left you when you needed them the most.
So I’m stupid to expect Leo to come to my room tonight. He’s seen who I am and changed his mind.
“And I shouldn’t be shaving my legs!”
She looked down at her half-shaved leg. Well, she couldn’t leave it like that, for God’s sake. She finished up and then got out of the shower. She slathered some ointment on the cuts and it stopped the bleeding.
I’m going to read a book. I like books.
She put on a denim skirt and a yellow scoop neck T-shirt, then sat down on the bed and picked up her e-reader. She wasn’t going to call him. He could call. He was good at calling. I’m not projecting feelings, and I didn’t see feelings in his eyes. There are no feelings. No such thing as feelings.
She went through her list of books, looking for one that she could cry to, and found To Kill a Mockingbird.
21
If he spent one more second in his head wondering why she hadn’t called, he’d call Cullen for dating advice. Yep, that would be the kind of punishment he’d deserve for being so goddamned wishy-washy. But seriously, he’d followed her halfway around the world, followed her around the camp, come to her hotel door yesterday, and they’d made love all day and night. Not once had she made one call or come his way. Was he kidding himself?
“Fuck this noise. I’m not going to call Cullen. I’m taking a page out of Nic’s playbook. He’s all about assuming the win. God, twenty-four is so damn young. But I’m assuming the win.”
He looked at his bare feet, then looked at his boots.
Fuck it. Assume the win. Taking off my boots just takes more time.
He left his room and ignored the couple who stared at his feet the entire time he was in the elevator.
He
