Cavin’s POV
The meeting at the hotel had been a complete waste of time. I’d walked in expecting to confront the Sheikh, only to find some imposter trying to string me along with rehearsed lines and fake pleasantries. It took everything in me not to strangle him on the spot. The realization hit me hard as I stormed out of the hotel—this was a setup, a distraction.
And I had left Eliza vulnerable.
The thought clawed at my mind as I raced to my car, slamming the door shut and gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. I dialed her number, my heart pounding harder with each unanswered ring.
“Pick up the damn phone, Eliza!” I growled through gritted teeth, but it went straight to voicemail. Again and again.
My chest tightened as dread began to creep in. She’d promised me she’d stay locked in her room. Promised. But the little rebel never did know how to follow orders, did she?