Beauty and the Sheikh (21 page)

Already he envisioned waking her with a slow kiss and hearing the shift in her breathing as she reached for him.

Rafiq opened the door to the bedroom and stumbled over his own feet.

Holly was indeed in bed, but not asleep, and in bed was probably not the correct terminology. She sat on the edge, fully dressed, with a suitcase at her feet.

His heart began a slow thud. “Are you going somewhere,
habiba
?”

“I’m leaving.”

He tried to force an amused laugh, even as his stomach clenched. “Are you now?”

“Our deal expired at midnight, Rafiq. If you hadn’t noticed, it’s been three months exactly. I’m free to go.”

Had it been? No, it couldn’t be possible. Not this soon. But by the stoic determination on Holly’s face, he knew all he needed to do was find a calendar to prove her words true. “You don’t need to leave.”

“Don’t I?” She arched a brow, but he saw the pain flicker in her eyes. “Would you have me stay and handpick your future wife?” 

“Of course not,” he said tersely. 

“You said you needed to marry. Well, your plan worked. Mothers are throwing their daughters your way. Women watch you wherever you go—though they always have.”

He ignored her foolish ramblings and shook his head. “I want you to stay.”

“Perhaps Nuha Albujar?”

Was she trying to drive him mad? “I don’t want her.”

“No, you don’t. You want me.” It wasn’t a question, but nor was it a gloating reply. Holly spoke the word tonelessly, an indication she knew how impossible it was.

“I can’t marry you,” he choked out.

“Yes, you can, Rafiq. You admitted it hours ago, but you won’t.” She stood and reached for the suitcase next to her. “Just as I won’t be your mistress any longer. I respect myself too much for that.”

He curled his fingers around her arm as she moved past him. “You can’t leave. Not…not this time of night.”

“I’ve hired a car to take me to the airport. It’s better this way. By the time the paparazzi are aware I’ve left the palace with my bags, I’ll be gone.” She gently pried his fingers from her arm and stepped away. “My flight leaves just after dawn.”

“Please.” Desperation clawed at him as she walked toward the door. He curled his hands into fists, knowing how close he was to running to the door and blocking it. 

You can’t make her stay
. 

“I don’t want to lose you,
habiba
.”

“And that’s just it, Rafiq. You don’t have to.” She paused but didn’t turn around. “You realize that refusing to marry me won’t guarantee my safety.” 

Wouldn’t it? With her as his wife, she would always be a target and could always be used as leverage against him.

“I want you to realize the truth. I really do. Because you deserve happiness.” Her voice broke, showing the emotion he knew she didn’t want to reveal.

He tried to form a response, find the perfect words to convince her to stay. But they could never be the ones she wanted.

Holly’s shoulders crumpled before she again straightened them. With a slight nod, she strode out the door and out of his life.

Rafiq stared at the closed door and didn’t fight the heavy desolation that swept through him like a desert storm.

Chapter 18

She should have been terrified. Holly stared out the window of the jet over the tarmac as they continued boarding, but couldn’t summon the energy for fear. 

Or perhaps her phobia of flying was nothing compared to facing the reality of leaving Rafiq. Part of her wanted to climb off the plane and take the first taxi she could find back to the palace.

But then, it would just hurt all that much more later, because someday she
would
have to give up being his mistress when he needed to settle down with a wife. 

A sob caught in her throat and she bit her lip to swallow it. There were no more tears to cry, and at least being put through the emotional wringer meant she’d probably fall asleep after a few minutes in the air.

The engines roared to life on the plane and her heart constricted. She was leaving; it was too late now.

There was a jolt as the plane began to back up, away from the terminal.

Holly stared at the expanse of orange desert and the rugged mountains behind them as the plane moved to line up for takeoff. Shoot. She’d thought the tears had dried up. Grabbing the tissue from her lap, she dabbed the corners of her eyes again.

Despair settled over her, heavy like a wet blanket. Closing her eyes, she prayed for sleep to take her. 

Maybe she fell asleep, or just got lost in the darkness of her thoughts, but when the hairs on the back of her neck lifted she knew something had changed.

The engines were quiet and they certainly weren’t in the air, she knew that much.

Holly held her breath as she slowly opened her eyes again.

Rafiq.

Her heart slammed against her ribcage as she saw him board the plane. He watched her as he strode down the narrow aisle, his determination apparent in the hard slash of his mouth. 

Hope flared inside her, but she quickly snuffed it out. Rafiq wasn’t used to being denied, and likely he’d come to try to force her into staying. It wouldn’t work. Not this time.

He stopped in front of her row, ignoring the passenger next to her and seeking only her. “You must leave the plane at once, Holly.”

Did he think he could intimidate her in front of all these people? She shook her head. Thank God many of them probably didn’t speak English. “I’m returning to the States.”

“If you don’t leave the plane, the pilot will have you forcibly removed.”

He wouldn’t! She opened her mouth to deny it but then saw the pilot making his way down the aisle.

“You can’t do this, Rafiq.”

“It’s already done.”

Biting back every curse she wanted to fling at him, Holly unfastened her seatbelt and maneuvered her way from the seat. She would hire a car to drive her across the desert if needed, but she wouldn’t be forced to stay with Rafiq one day longer.

Rafiq plucked her bag from the overheard and indicated for her to leave first.

She strode down the aisle, her cheeks warming but her chin raised. Everyone watched them—they knew it was their Sheikh who’d boarded the plane and probably realized now who she was.

Out on the tarmac she spun on him. “Rafiq, you can’t—” 

“Please, let’s talk in the limo.”

“I’m not getting in there with you.”

“Holly.” Her name was a husky plea on his lips, breaking her willpower.

She gave a small nod and climbed inside. Once they were at the palace, she would arrange transport out of Raljahar.

Rafiq climbed in a moment later and slid up the window between the backseat and the driver.

“I hate you for doing this, Rafiq.” 

“Understandable. I hate myself for letting you go.” 

His confession killed the furious words she had loaded and ready to fire. She watched him slide his mirrored sunglasses up onto his head and caught her breath.

Rafiq’s eyes were bloodshot, dark circles lingering beneath. There was an anguish in them that she knew mirrored her own.

“I tried to sleep,” he muttered savagely. “I tried to let you go, but I knew you were right. I kept envisioning the car crashing. The plane exploding—”

“Well, that’s awfully morbid.”

His laugh cracked. “The point is, you were right, Holly.” He moved to sit beside her. “It doesn’t matter if I marry you or not. I can't keep you safe from everything. I can't control the events that transpire in life—I can barely control myself when you're around. But I do
want
you around."

Her heart slammed against her ribcage. “What are you saying?”

“I am saying I love you and that you’re the only woman on this planet I want as my wife. I will take the risks if you will, and ultimately it is your choice. I know I’m about five hours too late—”

“You’re not too late.” Holly flung herself across to his seat and buried her face against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I didn’t want to leave you. I hated that I was.”

“Then don’t. Stay in Raljahar.” He cupped her face gently and pressed his lips against hers. “Marry me and be the mother of my children.”

“Yes. Oh yes, Rafiq.” This time, when the tears fell she knew they were for the right reason. “I love you so much.”

He brushed his lips over hers again. “And I love you.”

She hesitated. “But if I stay, I have one stipulation.”

His brows came together, worry flickering in his eyes. “Anything. What is it?”

“I have a cat named Butterball. She’s entirely too fat and prone to bladder stones, but I’ve had her since I was fourteen and I love her—” 

“She’ll be here within forty-eight hours,
habiba
.” 

“Thank you.” She grinned and slid her hands over his solid chest beneath his robe, the relief and joy so overwhelming she was shocked to feel the familiar stirrings of hunger. “And maybe we should get started on that mother-of-your-children part immediately.”

Rafiq groaned. “I love the way you think.”

So did she. She met his mouth in a fiery kiss that sealed their passion and promised their future.

     One year later

 Holly adjusted her son in her arms and watched as her husband swam another lap in the pool. A few minutes later he climbed out, approaching her where she sat in the wicker chair.

A sigh fled past her lips as he blotted the droplets of water from his upper body. 

“How is my son?” he asked, crouching down to drawn a finger down the curve of the baby’s cheek.

Holly glanced down at their child and smiled. “Sleeping now, it would seem.”

Yaasir’s thick lashes fell on his pink chubby cheeks. Each breath he drew in raised his little belly.

“I did not think I could love anyone else as much as I love you, Holly,” Rafiq’s confession was husky. “But my heart grows larger with our family, it seems.”

“I like the sound of that.” She smiled, watching him through her lashes.

His gaze reflected the love in her eyes and her heart did a little flip. “I’ve missed you,
habiba
.”

She knew what he meant. It had been several weeks since they’d last made love.

Holly’s pulse quickened as she stared up at her husband from beneath her lashes. “We have several hours before Andrew arrives to meet his nephew,” she said softly. 

Her brother had done remarkably well after his time in rehab. Hadn’t gambled since and had moved to Raljahar to work for Rafiq. 

“Perhaps we should let Yaasir sleep in his room and have a bit of time for ourselves,” she continued.

Rafiq looked at her, his eyes alight with heat and uncertainty. “It is not too soon?”

Her cheeks warmed. “The doctor said I am fine…and I’m up for it if you are.”

Rafiq gave a quiet laugh and helped her to her feet. “Ah,
habiba
, I am most definitely
up for it,
as you say.”

They left Yaasir with his nanny in the nursery and then returned to their room. Holly savored every moment as Rafiq proceeded to remind her just how much he loved her. 

~ The End ~

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Turn the page for an excerpt from the next book in the
A is for Alpha
series, coming late July! 

The Billionaire’s Baby Bargain

With his body still burning with the need to touch her, Andrés gave a slight lift of his shoulder and gestured for her to step out.

“
Sí
, I will take you home.”

When she didn’t move, Andrés moved around her, stepped out and then took her arm to pull her from the limo. 

“What are you doing?” her voice sharpened with alarm and she struggled to keep up as he guided her to the plane. “Andrés?”

“Taking you home,” he said flatly, hoping to avoid any confrontation, but knowing he was being idealistic. 

“On a plane? I live ten minutes from the restaurant!” She tugged at her arm and dug her feet into the ground. “If you think for one moment I’m getting on that plane, then you’re obviously nuts.”

Andrés stopped and turned on his heel to face her, gripping both her elbows and putting his face next to hers.

“
Basta!
! You will get on that plane, Chloe, if I have to carry you onto it,” he said resolutely. There was no room to be gentle or let her try to talk her way out of this. If he gave even an inch, he had no way of guaranteeing the safety of his child. 

She grew so pale he almost hoped she’d faint. Then he could simply scoop her up and carry her onto the plane without incident. But then she shook her head, her eyes sparking with fury.

“I don’t care how much money you have, you can’t just do whatever you want.” She tried to jerk free, but he tightened his grip.

“You know that I can, Chloe.”

“I’ll scream,” she threatened as the panic settled into her eyes now. 

“And who do you think will come to your aid? Everyone around you is employed by me,” he reminded her. “Do you really think they would go against my wishes to help you? Besides, they’ve been informed that you are reluctant to come with me, but are depressed and at risk of hurting yourself.” 

“They’ll never believe that!”

“Won’t they?”

She stared at him for a moment, dismay still bright in her gaze. He watched as her lips began to tremble and her expression shifted into one of helplessness. For a moment, he hesitated, but then he reminded himself he was doing this for the wellbeing of his child. A child whom he would protect at any cost. It had nothing to do with how he felt about Chloe. He clenched his jaw. There was very little he felt for her beyond lust and anger.