Taming of the beast - Completed.

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Callie, I think you better see this," sitting back on her calves, pulled off her rubber gloves, Callie turned towards Charles.

"What has he done now?" she asked, standing, brushing dust off her knees, after getting to those hidden corners with lots of dust.

"I'm not sure of your reaction, this time." Intrigued, she followed him out into the hallways and followed him towards the front door, down the entrance stairways, and around the corner, stopping dead, covering her mouth with a hand, eyes popping.

"He didn't," she squealed, racing across, gasping as she skimmed fingers over the red slick lines of the powerful sports car. Ferrari. "I can't drive that!" Frantically, she waved a hand at the car.

"His lordship doesn't own a Ferrari, so maybe it's for him."

"Oh, really, how many cars does he need?" Then shook her head. This made little sense. Why would he buy himself another car, when he didn't even know if he was coming back permanently? "Put it in the garage until I find out what's going on. Maybe the heat's getting to him," she mumbled under her breath.

Riyad needed to come home, back here where he belonged. She couldn't think of the other that he might already be home. Callie headed back inside and went back to cleaning until she was too tired to care, and crawled into bed after a light late supper.

She didn't even Skype Riyad.

A light knock on the door disturbed her restless sleep. "Phone Callie. It's his lordship, and he insisted that you speak to him." Sighing, she rolled over and accepted the receiver when Charles entered, answering. She had been ignoring the ringing of the phone on purpose.

"What's going on, Callie?" Riyad demanded from the other side of the line.

"Sorry?" she yawned, scratching her head. Charles departed discreetly.

"Did I wake you?" he asked cagily.

"No, not really, just tired." Sitting up more, she flicked her hair back over her shoulder. "Did you order a new car?" she asked out of the blue.

"Ah, I see, not quite the reaction I expected."

"Reaction? Did you buy it for me? Because if you did, I want you to take it back!"

"Calysta," he warned.

"Don't you dare call me that, Riyad!" There was a pause. She breathed heavily, chest heaving.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to upset you, but you need a car to get around in. I knew you would not use mine, so bought your own car. I knew you would not."

She gulped, taking a deep calming breath, heart beating wildly. He had brought it for her, and wouldn't have known any different. "That's very generous of you, Riyad, but a fancy sports car." She needed to calm down. "I'm sorry it was a lovely thought, it really was, but I wish you wouldn't."

"I am just seeing to your needs Callie, what kind of husband would I be if I did not?" A much better one, if he was here, not there, in her bed making love to her, then again they were only married on paper. Easily annulled.

"I have a roof over my head and food in my belly, so I think you have been looking after me very well. I mean, I have my own French chef, few people could say that."

"Habibti, I hate to tell you this, but a new chef straight out of school will impress no one."

"Well, she impressed me," she sniffed.

He laughed softly. "Then she must be good. Now tell me how to fix this."

"First, take it back. I can't drive a car like that. I just need a cheap runaround."