Page 19 of The Geek and the Sheikh

“Hi, Idella.”

“I have a place in London if you need a safe house. It isn’t associated with me, so no one is likely to track you there. It will be a good place to hole up until Yahya and Hyder get there,” she offered.

“That would be great,” he said.

“Tell Bugs to check out my ruby slippers. I’m sure she’ll love them,” Idella added.

“Why does she want Bugs to check out her ruby slippers?” he asked his brother when Tarek came back on the line.

“Maybe it is a woman thing. Please tell me you didn’t go to London alone,” Tarek said.

Jameel’s eyes connected for a moment with James in the rearview mirror and he gave the man a crooked grin. Technically, he wasn’t alone.

“No, I have James with me,” he said.

Tarek’s muttered curse made him wince. “Find Bugs, get to Idella’s place, and stay put until Yahya and Hyder arrive.”

“You got it,” Jameel promised.

He ended the call and stared out of the window. James whizzed through the evening traffic with the skill of a race car driver. Relaxing back in the seat, Jameel pulled up a map of the Tower Bridge Hotel and the surrounding area to familiarize himself with possible escape routes.

“James.”

“Yes, sire?”

“How familiar are you with the Tower Bridge area?” he inquired.

“Very familiar, sire. I look forward to escorting you and your young lady to safety,” James answered.

“Thank you.”

“It is my pleasure to be of service, sire.”

Jameel stared out of the window again. Unlike his brothers, he had never been in the field. Even his twin had served a couple of years in the military as a doctor. Jameel had spent his life behind the safety of a computer screen in a nice air-conditioned room.

He rubbed his damp palm along his thigh and breathed deeply. He wasn’t without some physical skills. Thanks to his upbringing, there had been self-defense training. While he had never needed to use them in a real-life situation, he had kept up on the skills because they relaxed his mind and body.

I will protect you, Bugs. You just have to be there for me to do it.

* * *

Junebug stood in the entrance of the hotel coffee shop an hour later and scanned the crowded interior. It didn’t take her long to find the woman she had seen in the hallway. The woman was tapping her fingers impatiently on the tabletop, her gaze sweeping over Junebug before dismissing her. Amusement swept through Bugs.

She must think blondes can’t be smart.

The thought made her smile. She loved it when people under-estimated her. A bloke walking toward her slowed and returned her smile with a speculative expression. She pursed her lips together, raised an eyebrow, and shook her head in dismissal. The guy’s inflated chest sunk to his waistline as he passed her.

“Seat yourself, luv,” a server called out.

Junebug hugged her backpack to her side and wove her way through the filled tables. She noticed that the woman had chosen a corner booth and had slid into it so her back was to the wall. The position would force Bugs to sit with her back to the entrance if she chose the chair across from the woman.

Junebug grabbed the back of the chair and pulled it to the side of the table. She sat down, smiled at the server, and requested a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Junebug's adversary scowled at her and slid to the far end of the bench seat.

“I’m waiting for someone,” the woman stated.

“There aren’t any other tables,” she replied with a shrug.

“Not my problem,” the woman retorted.

---