The Sheikh's Island (Sheikh's Wedding Bet Series Book 4) (7 page)

T
ension rippled
in the air as Wynifred sat down. The beautiful woman next to Haris watched her with an interested look on her face, and Haris had a satisfied smirk plastered across his. Wynifred had a terrible feeling that things were about to go very wrong.

When no one said anything, and Rameez continued to stand at the edge of the table, she cleared her throat and stretched her hand across. "It appears that the gentlemen here are going to glare at each other all night, so I'll introduce myself. I'm Wynifred."

The lovely woman took her hand and shook it. A sly smile spread across her face. "It's lovely to meet you. I'm Qaura."

As soon as the woman said her name, Wynifred gasped. "That's right! You're the model that made Jules Dennison so famous!"

Qaura laughed. "Well, I'm not sure I made him famous as much as he made me famous."

"Nonsense! Not a single person had heard of the designer until you stepped on that runway. Every single photo of that event is of you, and it wasn't until your name was well known that anyone started paying attention to the designer. You graced the cover of almost every single women's magazine that my grocery store carried," Wynifred laughed. "Haris. You've got great taste!"

Rameez finally sat down next to her, and Qaura lifted an eyebrow and turned her head. "Haris? Is there something here that you're not telling me?" she asked in a musical voice.

Wynifred looked at the three and frowned. "You're not here with Haris?"

"Well, I thought I was until you showed up," the model said, her voice suddenly strained. "Now it appears that I'm being used. How long have you and Rameez been dating?"

"We're not," Rameez growled. "Haris, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Haris opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by the waiter. The man leaned forward with a bottle of wine in his hands, but he froze when he saw the two men glaring at him. "Should I give you a few more minutes before pouring the wine?" he asked in a small voice.

Wynifred shook her head. "Actually, you should probably go ahead and pour it. I have a feeling we're all going to need it."

The waiter silently did as she asked and slipped away from the table. Haris picked up his glass and swirled it leisurely. "I don't see why you're so upset, Rameez. I thought you'd be happy to see an old friend." He took a sip and smiled at Wynifred. "Rameez and Qaura used to date. Three years was it?"

Rameez dated this gorgeous creature for three years? Suddenly feeling very small, Wynifred picked up her wine glass and drank deeply. Finding her composure, she buried her feelings of jealousy and returned Haris’ smile. "I see. And you thought that inviting her here would help the two of you in some way?"

"It certainly helps him," Rameez muttered. "This is so typical of you. We're supposed to be fixing things, and you're digging up the past!"

"I'm a thing from the past now?" Qaura asked with a frown. "That's humbling."

Haris and Rameez both ignored her. "I thought Wynifred would like to talk to people from your past. After all, it's not like you actually have any friends to talk to."

"What the hell are you talking about? I have a ton of friends!"

"You have people that you use. Like the Khalidizacks, whom you conned an entire island out of," Haris argued. "Why would you be upset now? Surely, you don't still have feelings for Qaura, do you? And if you do, maybe now would be a good time to explore them."

Their voices grew, and Wynifred realized that half the restaurant was looking at them. She tried to clear her throat, but Rameez leaned closer to Haris in a threatening manner. "I'll tell you exactly what you can explore….”

"Qaura, would you like to join me on the patio?" Wynifred asked politely.

"I would love to."

The two men stared at them as they rose from the table. Gathering their menus, Wynifred reached over and snagged the bottle of wine. Without a second look back, she sashayed through the tables to the patio.

"Ladies?" the waiter asked hurriedly as he joined them.

"We'd like a table outside," Qaura said pointedly. "And the gentlemen will still be paying our tab."

"Of course. Right this way." The man held the door open and guided them to a small table at the edge of the balcony. It overlooked the concrete steps that led down to a large lit fountain. Below them, people still milled around even though the shops around the area had long ago closed.

"That was extremely embarrassing," Qaura muttered as they sat down. "Maybe you can explain to me what's going on."

"I'm a mediator. I'm supposed to be mediating a truce between the two of them, but their proving difficult. I have a feeling Haris invited you out tonight to get a rise out of Rameez, which is exactly what happened."

Qaura clicked her tongue against her teeth. "Sweetheart, Haris flew me in from New York. He had more on the brain than upsetting Rameez. How long have you known them?"

"Not long. Two weeks," Wynifred admitted. "Do you have any idea what makes them hate each other so?"

"I don't. I met Rameez at the very beginning of my modeling career. His consulting business was mobile at that point, so he traveled with me when he could. When he started working for the Crown Sheikh, he stopped traveling as much. I didn't mind. I love it here, but things were strained. I didn't even meet Haris until well into the relationship, but he consumed Rameez's thoughts."

Wynifred leaned forward. "I don't mean to pry, but what happened?"

Qaura gazed to the window where the two men were brooding and staring at them. "That's a story for another day," she said softly.

The waiter came over and took their order. As he gathered the menus, Wynifred noticed the charm bracelet that jangled around Qaura's wrist. Inhaling sharply, she reached over and grabbed the other woman's arm. "Are you a member of Phi Gamma Chi?"

"I am!" Her eyes danced with delight. "Are you?"

"Defining success one woman at a time." Wynifred quoted the sorority slogan, and just like that, the tension eased. "I haven't thought about that place in years."

"Really? I still try to attend at least one chapter alumni meeting a year, but it can get tricky," Qaura admitted.

"Those years really brought me out of my shell. When I started college, I was a complete introverted bookworm. My roommate had to drag me kicking and screaming to parties. My friend said if I pledged to one sorority house, she'd let me live in the library in peace." Wynifred laughed at the memory. "I had absolutely no idea that I'd be accepted. Before that first semester was over with, I'd finally learned how to balance my time. I was still a huge bookworm, but with the help of my sisters, I started networking, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do."

"Mediate?"

"I had a gift, but it never occurred to me to turn it into a career. The world needs to believe in love again, and I really wanted to make that happen." A cool breeze lifted her hair slightly, and Wynifred sat back and smiled. "Not to sound like I'm terrible at my job, but I think this is the most relaxed I've been since I got here."

"I'm surprised Rameez agreed to hire you. He doesn't like to accept help from others."

"He didn't," Wynifred admitted. "Technically, I work for Haris, but I made it very clear that mediation wasn't about taking sides. I like to think that Haris hired me because he knew that they would need help."

"And now?"

Wynifred shook her head. "It's like they feed off their hatred of each other. I've never seen anything like it. People fight and hate each other all the time, but there's a reason. Usually it's adultery or betrayal of some sort, and sometimes its little things that mount up. Leaving a towel on the floor. Forgetting to turn the coffee pot off. People keep things bottled up, and when they finally explode, it's hard for them to reconcile after that moment. But all anyone can say about the Molamid cousins is that they've always hated each other. No one knows why, or if they do, they're not saying."

Qaura cocked her head and frowned. "Maybe you're not talking to the right people. They weren't always from here.”

"They weren't?"

"I don't know the whole story, but I know that they moved here after Rameez's father died. Rameez would have been a teenager. Haris’ father got a job here, and he asked Shifa to come with him so he could help support her. Haris’ father passed away not too long after that. Before that, they lived in Dhahashken."

Stunned, Wynifred leaned back in her chair. "Why would Shifa keep that from me? Whatever happened to the boys happened long before they got here. I've been talking to the wrong people."

"I don't know. That is strange." A slow smile spread across Qaura's face. "But then, there's something that you're not telling me."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw the way Rameez was looking at you when you two entered the restaurant. You're telling me that there's nothing between the two of you? You've never…" Her voice trailed off.

Blowing out her breath, Wynifred shook her head. "I don't know what you think you saw, but Rameez only sees me as an irritant. There was a moment when I thought that maybe there was something there, but I'm a professional first and foremost, and he thinks that I'm working with Haris and against him. Trust me. I'm fairly certain the man hates me."

"He drove you here," she pointed out.

"There have been a string of robberies of taxi passengers in the area," Wynifred said easily. Qaura stared at her, and Wynifred frowned. "What?"

The sound of the door opening caught their attention, and they looked up to see Rameez and Haris cross the patio together. They stopped hesitantly at the table, and Haris cleared his throat. "We wanted to apologize for our behavior. We'd like to join you ladies for dinner."

"I don't know. Wynifred?" Qaura asked teasingly.

Wynifred wanted to join in on the torment, but she had a job to do. "No more fighting tonight,” she said sternly. “Qaura and I are having a lovely time and you will
not
spoil it with your petty squabbling."

They nodded and took their seats. "You're not talking about me, are you?" Rameez asked wearily.

"Why would we talk about you?" Qaura said as she winked at Wynifred. "We're talking about our glory days in Phi Gamma Chi."

Haris stared at them as if they'd grown a second head. "What?"

"It's a sorority. It turns out that we're sorority sisters," Wynifred said with a chuckle. "I think we're going to be good friends."

"Good friends," Haris spluttered. "You're kidding me!"

"Does that surprise you?" Qaura asked, her voice suddenly cold.

For the first time since they sat down, Wynifred had a sneaking suspicion that there was something going on between the three of them. Something that no one was telling her. She tried to push her annoyance down, but there was a bitter taste in her mouth. Everyone was keeping secrets, and it was only making things worse.

R
ameez grunted
as he took another swing at the punching bag. Jaymin held it still and grumbled with the impact. Next to him, Masoud and Adil were sparring. It was their weekly session at the gym, but Rameez wasn't only trying to get a workout in. He had some rage that he needed to release.

"Easy," Jaymin snapped as Rameez hit the bag again. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Gasping for breath, Rameez pulled off his gloves and leaned against the wall. "Sorry, Jaymin. I got a little worked up."

"A little? You've been simmering with rage from the moment you stepped into the gym."

Adil and Masoud separated and walked over to them. Grabbing their water bottles, Masoud tossed one to Rameez. He drank greedily, both to hydrate and buy himself some time.

"Want to tell us what's going on, or did you simply want to pummel me some more?" Jaymin asked darkly.

"Haris invited Qaura to the city," Rameez growled. "He actually brought her out to dinner last night. I know damn well the only reason that he did it was to shake me up."

"Is it working?" Adil asked curiously.

"Of course not," Rameez snapped. "Qaura and I have been over for two years now. There's no love between us."

"So you're beating on the next Crowned Sheikh because you're not pissed off?" Masoud said with a wry smile.

"No. Yes. Go to hell," he snapped.

"Well, if it doesn't have anything to do with Qaura, then it must have something do with Wynifred," Adil said. He stretched out Wynifred’s name and winked at his brothers. "Afraid Qaura is going to tell Wynifred how you really are in bed?"

"I don't want to take Wynifred to bed!"

"Please," Masoud snorted. "She's the only thing you've been able to talk about for a week. I've seen pictures of her, and I have to say, if you don't want to take her to bed, you're blind or stupid."

"I'm sure your wife would love to hear you say that."

Masoud shrugged. "I'm married, not blind or stupid."

"If you want my advice," Adil started.

"I don't."

The youngest Khalidizack didn't miss a beat. "Sleep with her. Get it out of your system so you can actually focus on the problem at hand. You know Haris only hired her to distract you, or to use her against you, so take control of the situation. Bring her around to your side."

"That would make me no better than my cousin," Rameez growled.

"So you're not sleeping with her because you don't want to use her. That would mean that you like her, right?" Masoud asked innocently. His brothers immediately agreed. Scowling, Rameez headed for the lockers. If he had any idea, the three brothers would be so annoying, he would have worked out elsewhere He was supposed to be releasing tension, not making it worse.

Unfortunately for him, they weren't about to let him go. "Samine thinks we should have her over for dinner," Adil said with a wink.

"You told your wife about her?" Rameez demanded as he shook his head.

"She's the love of my life. I tell her everything." There was a time when Adil would have never admitted anything so openly, but marriage had changed him. In fact, it had changed all three brothers. While Rameez was pleased that he'd won the island, he was starting to wish the Khalidizacks weren't so damn cheerful.

"The last thing I need are your wives getting involved," he muttered. "Stay out of my love life."

"Love life?" Masoud asked with a raised eyebrow.

Groaning, Rameez left the three brothers to take a shower. Their laughter followed him all the way to the end of the locker room.

Stripping off his clothes, he pulled the curtain closed and let the hot water stream over his body. Despite his anger with the Khalidizacks, they weren't wrong. Rameez knew that Haris had only invited his ex-girlfriend down to wedge her between him and Wynifred. The worst part was that Rameez hadn't actually thought there was something between him and Wynifred until he'd felt the first pang of fear when he saw Qaura. She knew Rameez more intimately than any other woman did, and he shuddered to think of the things that she might tell Wynifred.

Suddenly, the idea of Wynifred and Haris together spiked his pulse and he balled his fists in rage and nearly punched the tiled walls. Wynifred belonged to him, and there was no way in hell he was going to share her with his cousin.

His. All emotion drained from him when he thought of her. She belonged to him. When did that happen?

Not that it mattered. After everything he'd done, he was surprised that she was even speaking to him. There wasn't a chance in hell that she'd actually agree to go out with him again.

Her probable rejection wasn't the only reason that he couldn't ask her out. Things were too delicate right now to add romance into the mix. He didn't have time for her.

Even though he told himself over and over again to leave her alone, by the time the water ran cold, Rameez was certain of absolutely one thing.

His instincts told him that Wynifred would be worth the fight. And his instincts were never wrong.

* * *

H
aris had turned
off his computer when the door opened with a loud bang. Rameez strode into the office, and Haris’ secretary followed behind him. "Do you want me to call security?" she asked anxiously.

There was dark fury swirling in Rameez's eyes. Haris waved his secretary away. "No. Leave us," he muttered. The woman scurried out and closed the door softly behind her. Alone with his cousin, Haris leaned back and rested his hands behind his head. "Cousin. What can I do for you?"

"That little stunt you pulled last night was interesting," Rameez said through gritted teeth. "What did you say to Qaura to get her to fly out here?" And more importantly, what did Qaura say in return?

Smirking, Haris shrugged. "I told her that my dear cousin was making some bad decisions, and I really thought her influence might be helpful. She didn't even ask questions. Just hopped on a plane and flew out here. She must still be devoted to you," he said snidely.

Rameez placed both hands on the desk and leaned forward. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but it ends right now. You tell me what the fuck you want in order to put this whole mess behind us, or you can forget it. We're done."

"It would break your poor mother's heart if she could hear you now," Haris taunted.

"You leave her out of this," he hissed. "You're lucky that she even thinks fondly of you at all. If she really knew you, she'd be thankful that I don't want to have anything to do with you."

Haris put his hands down and tried to ignore the guilt that flowed through him. The truth was that Rameez was right. If his aunt Shifa had even an inkling of what he'd done lately, the woman would never forgive him. She was like a mother to him.

"It is time to put this whole things behind us," he said stiffly as he stood. Walking over to the window, he gazed out at the people below. What he said next would completely sever whatever relationship he had left with his cousin. Although he loathed Rameez, he knew that his cousin was still family. After today, there would be no family. His aunt would probably never speak to him again. But one way or another, he was going to have to dig his own grave. It might as well be sooner rather than later.

He'd planned on having Wynifred by his side to coax things out of Rameez, but things had spiraled out of control. There was something brewing between her and his cousin, and it cut him like a knife.

"Murharraq Island," he said quietly.

For a moment, Rameez didn't say anything. Without even turning around, Haris knew that the atmosphere in the office had changed. It went from piercing anger to a deadly silence.

"What did you just say?" Rameez asked in a low voice.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to face his cousin. "Sign over that island of yours, and I'll never bother you again. I'll attend family functions, I'll say the most wonderful things about you, and we can pretend that we're one happy family. You get what you want, and I get what I want."

Haris could see the vein pulsing in Rameez's forehead. His cousin didn't say a word as he turned around and slowly walked out of the office.

The blood drained from his face. He'd expected yelling and insults. Anger and threats. But silence? Rameez didn't do silence. He always made his opinions known.

"What have I done?" he muttered as he stared at the closed door. "What have I done?"