Death and Desire (Love in Cairo #1)

Chapter Five

V iolet pasted a pleasant smile on her lips before entering the restaurant, ignoring the agitation gnawing at her gut. “Good morning, Father.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek, inhaling the familiar, comforting scent of his sandalwood cologne.

“Violet.” He set aside his newspaper and eyed her over his spectacles before removing them. “I trust you slept well?”

“I did,” she lied as she slid into the chair beside him.

“Still set on visiting the museum today?” he asked, sipping his coffee.

“I am.” Violet allowed excitement to bubble to the surface as she poured tea. “Dina says it’s quite an extensive collection.”

“So I’ve heard.” His gaze skimmed the passing patrons. “Where is your brother?”

“Still sleeping, I assume.” She took a bite of a konafah, a type of cream-filled pastry. It melted on her tongue.

Her father’s brow furrowed. “I was under the impression he would join you at the museum today?”

“He is.” She licked a crumb from her lip. At least she assumed he would join her. Since their arrival in Cairo, Isaac had seemed distracted. Perhaps she should speak to him to find out why. David might know, although judging from his similar disposition, she feared they were into some sort of mischief.

“Be sure he does.” Her father brightened and stood.

The sudden movement startled Violet, until she looked up to see a familiar face looming over her table as a man shook hands with her father.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, frowning at Khalid.

“You’ve met?” Her father turned, his brow raised in question.

“We’ve crossed paths.” Khalid bowed to her. “Good day, Violet.”

He wore a tailored English suit and cradled an Italian hat in his hand. The delicate musk of his cologne drifted toward her, jasmine and frankincense. As enticing and alluring as the night she’d danced with him. Violet shifted in her seat, trying to dispel the memory before her body betrayed her.

She offered a stiff smile before turning to her father, wondering whether Khalid was truly there for her protection or if he harbored ulterior motives. What if he only wished to enter her father’s good graces through her? The mere thought was infuriating. “This is the man you’ve hired to ensure my safety ?”

“Khalid comes highly recommended.” Her father’s gaze locked with hers, as though tempting her to challenge his judgment.

“I’m sure he does.” Violet wiped her hands on a napkin and tossed it aside.

“Hiring someone to ensure your safety might seem a bit overbearing, but you are a woman alone in a foreign country.” He straightened his waistcoat. “As my daughter, you’re a target for brigands and thieves.”

“You’re afraid someone will kidnap and ransom me?” Violet scoffed, noting the impassive expression on Khalid’s face as the scene unfolded before him. She shifted uncomfortably and refocused her attention on her father.

“There are always those who would exploit our relationship for financial gain.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” she muttered beneath her breath, earning her a stern look from both men. “And yet, when we visited London last summer, you didn’t require an escort.”

“Your brother accompanied you on that trip.” His brow arched. “And when you managed to shuffle off without him, I had someone keep a close eye on you.”

“You hired someone to follow me in London?” Violet’s temper peaked. She stood, ignoring stares from neighboring tables. “I should have known.”

“Violet...” He extended a hand, but she stepped out of reach. He clenched the hand into a fist and dropped it back to his side. “I will not apologize for wanting to keep my daughter safe.”

When she did not respond, Templeton nodded. “Enjoy your day. I shall see you at supper.”

After he left, Violet swallowed the frustration building inside her. A flash of black caught her eye. She narrowed her eyes at Khalid, who stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his presence unwavering. He regarded her for a few moments, his expression a blank canvas.

“Don’t think for a moment I am pleased about this arrangement,” she grumbled, stepping close to him. “How do I know you won’t disappear into thin air?”

“Your father is wise,” Khalid said, his voice low, drifting only between them. “To allow such a jewel to remain unguarded is dangerous. I will uphold my vow to your father and ensure your safety.”

Had he just complimented her? Violet shook her head and sighed. “I have no choice, it seems.” She pushed past him, heading for her brother’s room. “Come along then,” she said, pausing beneath the archway.

Khalid fell into step beside her. “Do you miss her?”

“Miss who?”

“Your mother.”

Those two words brought her heart to a shuddering halt. She stopped walking and braced one hand on the wall while the other wrapped around the locket at her throat.

“Why would you ask such a question? Of course I miss her. Every day, I long to hear her voice, see her smile.” Violet blinked away the threatening tears and bit back the grief rising like a tidal wave in her chest. “But she’s gone. Life carries on.”

“Yes, it does.” Khalid’s solemn response left her stunned.

Without another word, they continued down the hall. Her mind churned with questions and curiosity. Who was he that he could so easily see inside her mind and tug the thread at the heart of her discontent? The driving force behind her desire to come to Egypt had been her mother’s love for Cairo. A chance to see the city in the stories she’d told and the experiences she shared. This strange connection to Egypt unnerved her as much as it soothed her. It calmed the tension her father’s overbearing nature pulled to the surface, and yet, it left her melancholy with bittersweet memories.

Determined to enjoy her exploration at the museum, Violet pushed her vacillating emotions aside.

After Violet retrieved her brother and David, who both looked as though they’d had no sleep with red eyes and sallow skin, their group returned to the lobby in search of Dina.

Her friend waited by the hotel entrance, wearing an oversized white hat and a flowing linen pantsuit with matching top, complete with gold beading. Dina smiled as they approached, her eyes widening at the sight of the stranger.

“What have you unearthed?” Dina whispered to Violet as she kissed her cheek in greeting.

“This is the escort my father hired to accompany us. Khalid.”

As if summoned, he stepped forward, bowing to Dina.

Her red lips rounded in a perfect circle as her gaze snapped to Violet. “Is he...?”

“Yes. I’ll explain later. The museum?”

“Oh, of course.” Dina linked her arm through Violet’s. “Keep up, boys.”

Grumbling, David and Isaac lumbered behind them as they stepped into the sun-filled Cairo street. Khalid remained a few paces behind, his watchful gaze sweeping over the crowd as they wandered through the busy streets.

“You said he was tall, dark, and handsome, but by the pharaohs, you never told me he was a god .” Dina stole a glance at Khalid over her shoulder before nudging Violet’s arm. “How did you convince your father to allow him to be your protector?”

“I didn’t.” Violet damn near hissed as her frustration rose to the surface once more. “My father seemed surprised we knew each other when he introduced us this morning.”

“Do you think he’s following you?” Dina’s eyes flew wide. “Perhaps he wants to kidnap you for ransom. I wouldn’t mind being his captive.”

“Dina!” Violet shook her head, although she couldn’t deny the thought of being Khalid’s captive was not as repulsive as it should have been.

“I can’t believe you danced with him.” Dina sighed dreamily. “What is he like?”

“Distant. Mysterious. Calculating.” She pondered for a moment but came up with nothing more. That alone made her curiosity grow. “He’s very observant...which probably makes him the best candidate for the position of nursemaid.”

“Stop.” Her friend nudged her playfully even though she laughed. “I cannot believe I haven’t seen him before. He definitely has a dominant presence about him.”

“Yes, he does.” Violet stole a glance at him as they rounded a corner. Khalid’s dark gaze rested on her, and a flutter of awareness stirred deep within her soul. Had fate truly brought them together? Or was something sinister at play? She pushed aside the thoughts and instead turned the conversation to their destination. “Tell me about the museum’s exhibits.”

By the time they arrived, Violet’s excitement was tangible, a delightful hum just beneath the surface of her skin, a smile on her lips. Not even her father’s hired man could dim the thrill rushing through her, and she endeavored to ignore him completely. Her thoughts turned to her trips to London, where she’d been to the museum and read all the reference books she could find, but nothing had prepared her for the history awaiting her here.

Hours passed in a blur of exhibits and inscribed text. They wandered the corridors for hours, much to the growing distress of her companions. Violet basked in the experience, in the rich, vast history of Egypt.

By late afternoon, David and Isaac managed to extricate themselves from the excitement in search of a nearby café by claiming starvation was a criminal offense. At their departure, Dina wavered, and with Violet’s encouragement, her friend joined them, leaving Violet alone to admire the exhibits to her heart’s content.

Well, almost alone.

Khalid remained three paces behind her, silent as the grave. She attempted to ignore the draw of his presence, the desire to invite him to join her in conversation. To ask his opinion about the intricate carvings on a sarcophagus. The need to uncover his secrets became almost as pressing as the need to understand the ancient items displayed before her.

All the reading in the world could not have prepared her for the details, and yet, she found no concrete answers. If only there were someone who understood these things, had experienced them. That was madness. No one could possibly understand things that had transpired thousands of years ago.

As she stepped into the next room, she drew in a sharp breath and suppressed a squeal of delight.

“Are you well?” Khalid asked, coming beside her.

“Yes. Well...see, this is my favorite part of Egyptian history.” Violet pointed to the statues standing taller than her. “Ever since I was a little girl, my mother told me stories of the gods and goddesses of Egypt.

“This one is Amun Ra.” Violet gestured to one with a disc behind his head. She took a step, pointing to each statue in turn. “Horus. Seth. Isis. Osiris. Bast.” Down the line she went, matching images to the deities burned firmly in her memory.

“And this one?” Khalid gestured to a statue of weathered stone bearing the head of a jackal and holding an ankh in one hand.

Violet inclined her head, admiring the statue’s details and the hieroglyphs carved in its base. The faded colors showed the tarnish of hundreds of years in the elements but did not detract from the strength of the sculpture’s presence.

“Anubis. God of the dead, according to most scholars.”

A muscle in Khalid’s jaw twitched.

“There are some who claim he is merely the god of funerary rites, embalming, and a protector of the dead, but I believe he’s more than that.” Violet studied the flaking black paint on the muzzle of the Anubis statue. She longed to touch it.

“What do you believe?” Khalid’s soft question reverberated through her.

“I...” No one had ever asked her opinion about this before. She was far from a scholar, just an ardent admirer of all things Egyptian. He wished to hear her thoughts, yet she hesitated, afraid she would make a fool of herself with a passionate explanation. Violet pinched her eyes closed for a moment and inhaled deeply. “I believe he is the ruler of the Netherworld.”

Khalid turned to face her, his eyes glowing in the flickering light. “Is that so?”

“When someone passes from this world to the next, they need a guide, someone to show them the way to the afterlife. But Anubis does more than ferry them from one place to the next. He cares for them, eases their fear and apprehension before showing them the path to judgment. Anubis is an immortal protector. He takes his tasks seriously and fully dedicates himself to his mission. He watches. Listens. Shelters those who pass through his realm.”

Violet turned to Khalid, suddenly self-conscious of her rambling. “You think I’m crazy.”

“Not at all,” he said, taking one last glance at the statue.

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“How is that?”

“Like you couldn’t be less interested in what I have to say.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth.” His lip twitched, and he offered his arm. “Come, the hour grows late. I do not wish for your father to worry.”

She took his arm, but the mention of her father put her in a foul mood. After such a lovely day, she didn’t wish to fight with him. Her decision to pursue her own passions trumped her father’s overprotective nature. She didn’t require a husband, regardless of his wishes. Although he’d been presumptuous to hire Khalid to accompany her, the man’s companionship wasn’t tiresome. In fact, the longer she spent in his company, the more she desired to learn more about him. And yet, their return to the hotel progressed in silence.

Inside the lobby, she found her brother and David lounging near the open windows with Dina, drinks in hand. They waved in invitation, but Khalid’s hold on her arm stopped her.

“Have a care, Violet. Even beneath this roof, you are not as safe as you believe.”

“Why do you speak in riddles?” Violet chuckled, slowly drawing away from his touch and missing it immediately.

“I speak only the truth.”

Violet brushed his words aside. “Would you care to join us for a drink?”

“I must go.” He lifted her hand and turned it, pressing his lips to the sensitive skin inside her wrist. “May you have pleasant dreams, little flower.”

With those parting words, he left her standing speechless in the lobby of the Continental. No quantity of liquor in Cairo could wipe away the lingering sensation of his kiss just beneath the jeweled bracelet.