The Sheik's Furious Bride (Love By Accident) (6 page)

Rashid’s eyes narrowed and he put his hands on his hips. 
He’d never heard her talk about anyone so harshly before and was astounded that her diplomacy was gone when she’d been raised to know better. 
“And how would you know all this?  You’ve never even been to his country.”

Isla knew she was trapped.  But in this case, she didn’t care.  Her whole future was at
stake
here. “I have seen it. First hand and his people are starving!  The medical care over there is minimal at best and non-existent in some places.  There’s an entire generation of children who can’t read, the streets are filled with potholes and everyone is terrified of their ruler.  You can’t give me to him!  I’m begging you to reconsider!”

Rashid shook his head, firm in his decision. 
He knew that what she was saying was true in some places, but they were the exceptions instead of the rule.  He was friends with Hussan and knew that Silaria was much better off
now under his rule. 
Hussan
was benevolent and powerful, but with a tight grip on what happened within the borders until he could eliminate the remaining factions that were causing his people distress.  To hear his sister malign a man Rashid respected so deeply was just not right. 
“It’s done, Isla.”

Isla couldn’t believe that her brother was being so firm about something like this.  Didn’t he understand that marriage was more than just political?  It was personal! 
“No!  This can’t be happening!  He’s ugly and gross and….
hairy!
”

“You will stop immediately!” Rashid commanded with a raised voice.

Isla stopped but she glared at him, horrified that he would sell her like this.  “I’ll never forgive you for doing this!” she said and spun on her heel, wanting to vacate the room and his presence before she broke down in tears. 

But instead of running away, she ran into a brick wall. 
A hard, immovable force that stopped her in her tracks.
  She gasped and looked up at the man who was stopping her, his hands holding her arms as he watched her carefully
with dark, fathomless eyes that showed no emotion
. 
Not even a flinch of pain when she ran into the shoulder she’d just stitched
up for him about a week ago even though
it must still be tender.  There was no way a wound that deep could have healed so quickly.

“What are you doing here!” she turned and looked at Rashid, wondering if this man had told
her brother
what
she did during the nighttime hours
. 

Spinning back around, she snarled at the man who was holding her arms, wrenching her body free from his touch.  She didn’t care that he
wasn’t to blame.  She was hurt, scared and angry at her brother for marrying her off to a man who was loathsome in her mind.  This man, so tall and handsome, so rugged and….well, he was just a target because he made her nervous which shouldn’t have filtered through t
o
her anger! 

She gasped as her mind finally figured out what had happened. 
“No!  This all makes sense now!  You told him what I do at night.”  She turned to glare at Rashid.  “And you’re punishing me by making me marry the man who slaughters his people.  How could you!”

“Silence!”
Rashid commanded.  He couldn’t believe that his normally obedient sister was making such a fuss.  Rashid actually thought she would be happy with his choice of a husband once she’d met him.  Never in his wildest imaginings had he thought she would be this
unconscionably
rude to her future husband.  “The papers have been signed.  You will marry
Hussan El Hamin
so stop fighting this and insulting the man!”

Isla tried to push out of this man’s arms, furious that he’d witnessed her unladylike behavior but more terrified of her impending groom.  She hated to think that Rashid would be so cruel as to punish her like this.  And
how could her brother
have found out?  Only if this man had told him could he
r brother
know
her secret
so all of her fury was directed towards this stranger. 

“Get your hands off of me!  You bastard!  I can’t believe you’ve gotten your master’s way by telling on me.  How juvenile!  And all my team was doing was helping anyone who needed
assistance
.  That’s not a crime and it wouldn’t be necessary if your leader weren’t such a
n evil
power monger
!”

“Isla!
  You will cease right this instant!” Rashid roared. 

Isla spun around, shaking her head. “I won’t!  I’ll tell the whole world what a horrible man you’ve sold me off to.  And there’s nothing you can do about it!  Every pre-wedding interview will be a news conference
on how horrible the conditions are in that poor country with all the people suffering.  Just
you wait!  If that disgusting pig is going to make me marry him, then I’ll damn well tell the whole world what he’s done.”

Hus
s
an looked at his friend and raised an eyebrow.  “If that’s the case, would you mind if I took measures to limit the potential damage to Siliaria’s reputation?”

Rashid was looking at his sister, dumbfounded at her behavior.  The only time he could remember being angrier was when his security forces couldn’t find Sidra.  Things had turned out well with her and he was now happily married to the beautiful woman.  He looked up at the man he respected possibly more than any other and nodded. “Do what you need to do,” he replied. 
“With my blessing.”

Isla had no idea what they were talking about, but she couldn’t get her arm free, no matter how much she tried to shake off
this huge man’s
hold.  She’d probably have several bruises tomorrow, but right now, she was too hurt by her brother’s betrayal to worry about that. 

She knew that her future husband wouldn’t care that the brute he’d sent to sign the papers had bruised her skin.  No, he’d probably take pride in the fact that she’d had to be disciplined.  “Let go of me!” she snapped.

Rashid was livi
d at this un
-
precedented
lack of decorum on his sister’s part.  She’d never behaved in this manner. 
“Is there anything I can do to help with this situation? 
And please, I apologize for her
rudeness.”

Hussan
dismissed the apology
, almost smiling with anticipation.  This woman surprised him with her spunk.  He was impressed and actually enjoyed her movements.  Beyond that, a
pparently his future wife needed an education in what was really happening in Silaria and he was just the man to do it.  “I’ll handle this with all the respect she deserves at the moment.”

Rashid almost smiled at his friends reply, knowing exactly what was about to happen.  It was
precisely
what he’d do although he might be a bit more bruising than
Hussan
was probably going to be.  Rashid could see in his sister’s eyes that she had no idea what was going to happen and he tried to hide the smile of satisfaction.  She’d made her
bed,
she could just lie in it. 

With a nod to Rashid,
Hussan
bent slightl
y,
then
picked the unsuspecting woman up, tossing her over his shoulder.  He quickly walked out of the dining room, heading directly for the exit. 

Isla was so shocked that she was actually being carried over the man’s shoulder, her butt stuck up in the air like she was some kind of…..
well,
she just couldn’t even imagine what he was thinking! 
“What the hell do you think you’re doing
?
” Isla screeched as she pushed her hair out of her eyes.  “You can’t do this to me!  Put me down this instant!”

Hussan
simply ignored her and walked down the long hallway, uncaring of the servants who were witnessing the scene
, their mouths literally hanging open in shock
.  A part of him knew he shouldn’t do this, should show her the respect she probably deserved
if only due to her status and title
.  But after hearing her call him a monster, among all those other things, he wasn’t in the mood to be delicate to his
future bride.  She’d been yelling loudly enough for the servants to hear her through the closed doors, so he wasn’t going to let them think she could get away with that.  He had a reputation
, one which he’d been carefully building over the past several years,
and she’d maligned his character.

Besides, she felt good and he liked the way she wiggled.  She needed to gain some weight though.  She was definitely too thin. 

He was impressed with Rashid’s guards.  As he carried his woman out of the palace, they’d already been informed and had the gates open.  Not a single guard smiled, at least not while he was passing
with their princess over his shoulder,
even though the slip of a woman continued to try and give him orders. 

“You’re such a jerk!” she snapped when she felt the sunshine on her back indicating that they had left the palace building. 

In response, he simply smacked her bottom.  He couldn’t let her get away with calling him
a
name, he thought with a grin and a wink at the guards he passed by as he left the front entrance. 

To their credit, they didn’t blink an eye, but he could see the amusement in their eyes and he had to smother his own laughter at the ruckus
his little beauty
was making. 

When he reached the large, bullet proof SUV his
personal
guards insisted that he travel in, he set her
back
on her feet and looked down at her. “Are you going to behave?” he asked ominously. 

Isla was so
furious
that he would do something like this to her she could barely speak.  “Behave?” she
sputtered,
her eyes wide with her anger and humiliation at being carted through the palace, her home, like a sack of potatoes.  “You’re asking me if I’m going to
behave?
”
She couldn’t even begin to desc
ribe how angry she was to this N
eanderthal!  She’d never been treated so callously, so heartlessly!  And in such a publicly humiliating manner, no less! 

He raised one eyebrow as he continued to patiently stare down at her. 
“
T
hat was the question.  Repeating it
back to me
won’t give me an answer.”

Isla took a deep breath and released it, trying to find some measure of dignity while at the same time, calm her raging temper.  This man seemed to think he could do things like that to her, but she had to set him straight.  She would never be man-handled like that again! 
“Listen to me you big brute…” she started to say but didn’t get any further. 

Hussan
wasn’t taking anymore.  He couldn’t believe that she would rather rail at him in the palace courtyard rather than simply getting into the SUV with dignity and grace.  “Isla,
you are an engaged woman now
,” he said softly so only the two of them could hear.  “
You will behave or I will put you over my knee and spank you.  Don’t challenge me on this either.  Remember, I’m the monster here.”

She glared right back up at him, wishing he weren’t so tall so her neck wouldn’t hurt, but such was not the case so she’d make due with showing him her indignance through her body language instead of
intimidation. 
“So his minions are just as horrible as the great man himself!  Wonderful!  I have so much to look forward to.”

Hussan
considered his options and sighed. 
He didn’t want to start off their relationship in this way, but he couldn’t have her spouting nonsense like that.  Besides, she needed to understand that she wasn’t in charge here.  He was and he wasn’t going to take that kind of language from her. 
“Isla, get in the car or I’ll make you.”

Isla looked
inside,
saw the driver looking straight ahead and no one else.  “Where are the rest of the guards?” she demanded.

He looked down
at her with amusement lurking on
those sexy lips. 
“Do I need additional guards to keep you in line?”

She considered the various ways to answer, swallowing painfully but sh
e refused to back down from him
or any other man. 
“Yes.  I can guarantee that I will be the most trying prisoner you’ve ever had to deal with.”

He stepped closer and smiled, “I think I’ll enjoy trying to control you.  If you don’t get into the car, I’ll start those methods immediately.”

Isla looked around, considered making a dash for it, but he stopped her with the simple words, “Don’t even try it.  I’ll have you over my shoulder and tossed into the car before you take two steps.”