Kajistan a few days ago, and hearing the wise thoughts of the Emir, he knew he would never be so foolish again as to think he even had a say in the matter.
'Oh, Zahir...' Turning towards him, Gina knew her lovely blue eyes glistened with tears. 'To be standing here, gazing at such an incredible sight...I feel utterly awed and privileged. Jake would have been beside himself to see the jewel as I am seeing it now.'
The sickening flash of jealousy that slashed through Zahir's insides was like having his legs kicked away from under him. 'Then how unfortunate that he so rashly decided to cut short his stay and go home,' he murmured, unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice.
'Yes...it was.' Her expression confused, Gina dipped her head.
'Are you sad that he left?'
Her head whipped up again. 'No! Why do you say that?'
'Because for you to mention that insignificant man at such an important time as this displeases me greatly, and it also has me thinking that perhaps you care for him more than you have admitted.'
'That's absolutely not true. He's a colleague—that's all. A colleague who worked as hard on researching the jewel as I did, and longed to view it for himself.'
'Then he should have stayed longer, instead of running away and insulting me by believing his very life was jeopardised by staying at the palace!'
His temper spilling over, Zahir stalked away from the cabinet to move across to the door. He could rationalise his emotionally charged response by telling himself he was still a little overwrought at all the events that had recently unfolded, but this was patently not the way he'd imagined the scene when he finally showed Gina the jewel and told her how he felt. A turbulent mix of anger as well as despair twisted his gut, and his mind took him down an even darker road.
'If it is not Jake you honour with your interest, what about the other men you must have met since we parted that night three years ago?'
'What other men?' The blue eyes widened indignantly, like dazzling twin lakes. 'I never had an intimate relationship with any other man except you, Zahir—not in three years. I already told you that.'
'Even so...my fear is that you are merely saying that so as not to disappoint me.'
'I wouldn't lie to you. I want you to know that after we were together that night even the mere thought of being with another man that way was repugnant to me.'
Zahir sucked in a steadying breath. To learn that Gina had been intimate with him and only him rocketed his previously sinking spirits to the moon and back. He ventured a smile. 'Can't you tell how jealous I have been at the idea you had slept with other men after surrendering your virginity to me? If I've handled it badly and offended you, I sincerely apologise.'
She crossed her arms in front of her chest and sighed. 'I accept your apology... But, like I said, after we were together I simply wasn't interested in any other man but you, Zahir. And while we're still on the subject of my colleague Jake,' she continued, 'he simply couldn't help being fearful. He's an urban man who lives alone, and he has had no experience of much other than his books and his work. There's an old church near where we work, and every time its clock chimes the hour he practically jumps out of his skin. It's just not in his nature to be brave, Zahir. He's not like you. Some people confront their fears head-on, and others find themselves retreating to protect themselves because they can't cope with anything shaking them up. Are you going to condemn him for what is, after all, quite a common human weakness?'
Clenching his fists down by his sides, Zahir shook his head. 'You didn't run away. You even bit the man who assaulted you to get away from him—yes, bit him—without knowing how he would react and possibly risking more harm to yourself!' Unable to contain the great tide of strongly felt emotion that washed over him, he moved swiftly back to Gina's side. 'I die a thousand deaths ever time I relive that scene in my mind and imagine that you could have been killed or maimed for life.'
'But I wasn't killed or maimed.' Her plump lower lip trembled. Shakily she moved her hand to brush back her hair.
The tumult inside Zahir's chest slowly started to subside.