Tori felt herself flush and anger took root. “You can’t set private investigators on all the men in my life.”
“We don’t discriminate. We had them check up on your female friends as well.”
Her jaw dropped. “That is completely unacceptable, Rafiq.”
“Damn. You weren’t supposed to tell her,” said another deep voice.
She turned and found Kadir striding up the stairs to join them. He was slightly shorter than his older brother, but filled out his tuxedo coat with a bit more brawn. His eyes held a glint that told her he intended to enjoy the drama his brother had unwittingly created.
“Kade, explain to me why the al Mussad family seems so bent on poking into my life.”
“Of course. You see, Tori, this is what we do. And don’t call us the al Mussad family. We are your family.” He sent her a steely gaze. “You have no parents to watch out for you and no man of your own to protect you. But you do have three brothers.”
“Yes, but I did not ask for three overprotective, busybody brothers. You really should find better things to do with your time. You have a country to run.”
Rafe and Kade exchanged a look before Rafe shrugged. “That is true, but our country is peaceful. Ensuring your well-being is a good hobby.”
Kade’s stare drifted down to her hand. His eyes narrowed. “Do you have some news you wish to share with us?”
She glanced at the fake ring. They matched the fake diamonds around her neck. The woman at Harrods insisted they went with the dress. Tori had paid fifty pounds for the necklace and matching earrings. She had to admit, they looked good. They were much better fakes than the CZ ring she’d bought off an infomercial. Before she’d put them on, she held them up to the light and watched them sparkle. “You have your secrets. I have mine.”
Rafe lifted her hand and examined the ring. “Did they tell you this was real? Which one? I wish to have a talk with him.”
She pulled her hand out of his. “What does that mean?”
“It means I’m not stupid, Tori, but I am confused,” Rafe said, his eyes sweeping over her.
“I am, too.” Kade stood by his brother as they exchanged a few words in their native language.
Tori really wished she’d caught on to the language.
“What’s going on?” Piper walked up the stairs, escorted by her husband.
The Sheikh of Bezakistan looked at his brothers with a narrow glare. “I thought we agreed to do this in private.”
“Look at her left hand,” Kade murmured.
Damn. Her two worlds were colliding. She hadn’t even thought about the fact that Piper or her husbands would question the ring. She’d been thinking about how Oliver, Rory, Callum, and Claire were picking her up in their limo. “It’s nothing.”
Piper gasped and her whole face lit up. “I knew it. Which one of them is it? The soccer player, right? He’s a doll.”
“Football, please,” Talib said with an elegant shake of his head. “Americans are the only ones who call it soccer and, sweetheart, really look at that thing.”
Piper frowned. “So what if it’s not real. Money isn’t everything.”
“These men have billions and they propose to my sister-in-law with such a paltry token?” Talib smoothed down his tuxedo coat. “I’ll talk to them about expectations.”
She couldn’t let that happen.
“They didn’t buy me anything. I bought it all for cheap, even the ring. I know it’s a fake. But I don’t think it’s that bad. I did good with the dress and shoes. I only paid two hundred pounds for the lot.” She lifted the hem of her gown to show off the gorgeous shoes that had been on clearance. “The engagement ring is to keep men from hitting on me. Okay? So back off, you lovable Neanderthals.”
Piper raised a brow. “I can’t believe you’re lying to the Thurston-Hughes brothers about a fiancé. I’ve seen the way they watch you. They’ll discover your ruse and they will not be happy.”
“At least one of them already has,” Rafe said. “Or they no longer care that she is ‘taken.’ Whoever bought you that dress is putting his brand on you.”
She wasn’t sure what he was talking about. “I told you, I bought the dress.”
Kade huffed. “Not for two hundred pounds. Are you certain you didn’t run up your credit cards? I didn’t think your line of credit would extend far enough to purchase all that. Why go into debt? Why refuse to use the accounts we offered you?”