The Sheik's Secret Bride (31 page)

He should have told them good-bye, he thought. He should have said something to
Bethany
. But he couldn’t face the pain in her small face, or the disappointment in her mother’s expression.

The irony was that a single phone call would prevent both of them from leaving the country. But to what end? Liana had made it clear that she didn’t want to be here any longer, and he couldn’t blame her. A heavy yet familiar weight settled on his shoulders. Once again he’d let his people down. News of his wife’s departure would spread quickly, and everyone would know he’d failed again.

He should never have married her, he told himself angrily. She knew nothing of the pressures of royal life. He should have allowed his father to arrange a suitable match with someone appropriate.

But despite all that happened, he could not regret his time with Liana. Given the chance, all that he would have changed was the fact that he had hurt
Bethany
.

He closed his eyes and wondered how it had all gone so wrong. She was a young child—he knew what it felt like to be abandoned and alone. Telling
himself
she had her mother wasn’t an excuse, so he didn’t allow himself to take comfort in the fact. He had thought he was a good ruler, a decent man of strong character. Ironic that it had taken a nine-year-old girl to show him that he was really nothing more than a selfish bastard.

“There you are, my son.”

Malik
turned and saw that his father had joined him. The king walked over to the edge of the garden and stared at the view of the palace grounds.

“Liana is gone,” the older man said unnecessarily. “The women are up in arms.
Fatima
is raging and I suspect Dora and Heidi of plotting. Already Jamal and
Khalil
are concerned they will have no peace from their wives until this matter is settled.”

Malik
shrugged. “They will get over it in time.”

“Perhaps.
But their accusations weren’t all directed at you. Some of the sharpest barbs were thrown directly at me.”

Malik
glanced at his father in surprise. The king was nearing sixty, but still stood tall and strong. Gray blended into the dark hair at his temples. His mind had never been quicker, his health was excellent and he could easily rule for another twenty years.

But that had never been his plan. He’d often talked about giving
Malik
time to get his personal life settled and grow comfortable with his responsibilities. Then
Givon
would step down while
Malik
was still relatively young. It had been that way in El
Bahar
for a thousand years.

“Why are they angry with you?”

The king shrugged. He touched the iron balcony railing. “Do you remember your mother much?”

The odd question surprised
Malik
, but he searched his mind for an answer. “She died when I was eight so I should, but I never saw her much after I turned four, so no. Not really.”

“She was a wonderful woman.
Beautiful, intelligent, caring.”
The king sighed. “Her greatest flaw, perhaps her only flaw, was that she adored me to the exclusion of all else. She denied me nothing. Not even my oldest son when I came to take you away.”

He looked at
Malik
. “I believe we have many wonderful customs in our country, but the practice of taking the Crown Prince away from his mother and siblings is wrong. I hated it when it happened to me, yet I did it to you. I’m sorry I didn’t change the old ways, but it’s not too late for your son.”

Malik
grimaced. “I doubt I will have one.”

“Because Liana is gone?”

“Yes.”

Givon
studied him. “You could marry again. I can arrange it.”

“It doesn’t matter,”
Malik
said, staring into the distance. Was she at the airport yet? In a matter of hours she would be gone and he would never see her again.

“Would it matter if I told you that I am proud of you and I believe history will find you one of the greatest leaders of our country?
That I’ve often wondered how I was so fortunate to be blessed with such an heir.
I don’t worry about the people or the country. You will always do the right thing. But I do worry about your heart, my son. I have always loved you and I never told you before.”

Malik
didn’t dare look at his father. He felt odd inside. His chest tightened, and yet he felt as if some heavy burden had lifted. He swallowed. “I, ah, thank you, Father.”

A strong hand settled on his shoulder. “I loved your mother, as well. Loving her made me strong, just as loving Liana will make you strong. Love is what holds us together in times of trouble. It heals us and gives us the courage to try to be better. I would have walked through the fires of hell for her if she’d but asked, and I have never regretted loving her.”

Malik
finally faced the king. “Is that why you never remarried?”

Givon
nodded. “My ministers pressured me for a time, but I already had you and your brothers. I didn’t need more heirs. I have had companions over the years, but I could not imagine taking another woman for my wife. My heart had been given away, and I didn’t have it to give to someone else. I suspect you would experience the same problem if you tried to marry again.”

His father’s words flew around him, stinging and buzzing until they finally started to make sense.

“I didn’t have a choice about losing the woman I loved,” his father said. “You do. Bend on this matter,
Malik
. Bend and speak the truth. Then you will know a strength and peace of mind you can’t begin to imagine.”

“I don’t want to go,”
Bethany
said, tears running down her cheeks. “I want to stay in El
Bahar
.”

It was all
Liana
could do to keep from crying as well. They were already seated in their plane and about to push back from the gate.

She hugged her child close and wished she had words of comfort to offer. What she’d told
Malik
was true. If it had just been her, she would have taken the chance of making him fall in love with her. But she couldn’t play with her daughter’s feelings. Ever since
Bethany
had figured out that
Malik
didn’t love her, she’d been like a broken doll. She refused to go riding, barely ate and wasn’t sleeping. Liana knew it would take time for her to recover, but the process would go a whole lot smoother when they’d left El
Bahar
.

“Mommy, don’t make us leave,” her daughter begged.

“It will be okay,” Liana promised, understanding
Bethany
’s conflicting emotions. Liana felt them as well. On the one hand she knew in her head that leaving was the best thing for all of them. But in her heart, she thought she was going to die.

She didn’t know how she was supposed to survive without
Malik
in her life. He’d become her husband, her lover and the keeper of her heart. For
Bethany
, he was the only father she’d ever known.
And what about
Malik
himself?
Liana hated to think about all that he would have to go through as news of her departure spread throughout the kingdom.

But she didn’t have a choice. He’d hurt Bethany and she couldn’t allow that to happen again.

The plane moved slowly backward as they were pushed away from the gate. Liana continued to hold her daughter close and murmur soft promises of better times ahead. Her own eyes filled with tears as she wondered how long it would take to stop loving
Malik
. What other man could measure up to the glory that was her handsome prince?

She had a bad feeling that she would love him forever. She would grow old with only her memories for company. She thought of the condoms they’d used and birth control pills she now swallowed faithfully and had the fleeting regret that she wouldn’t have his child.

Bethany
looked up at her. “Maybe he would have learned to love us back,” she said. “Can’t we give him another chance?”

“I wish we could,” Liana said. “But some people don’t change. He hurt you, sweetie, and I didn’t want him to go on hurting you.”

“I’m better,” her daughter said through her tears. “Please, Mommy.
Just one more chance?”

Liana was tempted to jump up and demand that they let her and Bethany off the plane. But she resisted the impulse. “It will be easier when we get home. You’ll see.”

The lie tasted bitter. Being home wouldn’t help. Nothing would help for a long time. But eventually time would start the healing process and they would—

“Mommy, look!”

Bethany
pointed out the window. Liana stared,
then
blinked. In the distance a group of men on horseback rode toward the plane. Dust billowed up around them until they reached the paved runways. The plane lurched to a stop.

“Ah, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. There’s been a slight change in plans.”

He continued talking, but Liana wasn’t listening. She recognized the man on the lead horse. Despite the robes and headdress, she knew his face, his body, even his heart. Gladness filled her. More tears spilled over, but these were of promise and joy.

“He’s not letting us go!”
Bethany
screamed in delight. She unfastened her seatbelt. “Hurry, Mommy. Let’s meet him at the door. Oh, I knew he wouldn’t let us go.”

Liana gave a slight smile to the stunned passengers sitting around them. She and her daughter slid into the aisle and started toward the front door. As it opened, a stunned flight attendant tried to stop them.

“You’ll have to return to your seats,” she said in a stern voice.

“Don’t mess with her,”
Bethany
said. “She’s gonna be the queen.”

Liana didn’t say anything. She simply maneuvered herself and her daughter past the woman. But before they reached the door, a tall handsome man entered the plane. His dark gaze found her at once, and his hard expression softened.

Her heart rose in her chest, and her body began to shake. Her love for him filled her.

“I couldn’t let you go,” he said, then looked at
Bethany
.

To Liana’s surprise and great relief, he crouched down to child level and held open his arms.
Bethany
cried out his name and barreled into him. She wrapped her thin arms around his neck and clung as if she’d never let go.

“I’m sorry,”
Malik
said quietly. “I was very wrong to hurt you, and I promise to do my best to keep it from happening again. Of course I love you. You are the daughter of my heart. You will always be my sweet
Bethany
.”

“Are you my daddy now?” she asked.

Malik
looked at Liana as if waiting. She nodded.

“Yes,” he told the little girl. “If that is what you want.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

Malik’s
eyes closed briefly as he held her tighter. “I love you too, daughter.”

Then he rose to his feet. Still holding
Bethany
’s hand, he reached for the microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen.
I’m sorry for the delay in your departure. You’ll be on your way shortly.” He paused, then set the microphone back in place and turned to Liana. “You left me because you thought I did not love your daughter.”

“You’re right.”

“You said you were willing to take a chance on me if you didn’t have to worry about her.”

“I still believe that.”

“So you will now stay?”

“If that is your wish.”

He smiled.
“Liar.
You want more. You want it all.”

Her joy grew.
“Of course.”

“Very well.
I am
Malik
Khan, Crown Prince of El
Bahar
. This is my land and these are my people. You are Liana Khan, wife of the Crown Prince. Your place is at my side. Stay.” He held out his free hand to her. “Stay because you are the possessor of my heart. Stay because I need you. Stay because I love you now and will for all time.”

As her daughter had before her, Liana threw herself at him. He caught her against him and held her close. “I love you,” she whispered as spontaneous applause broke out among the passengers. “And I will stay with you forever.
On your land, with your people.”

“My wife,” he said gently and kissed her.

For
Malik
, the sense of homecoming was complete. The last crystal of ice surrounding his heart melted, and he knew that he’d found the one thing he’d been searching for all his life. As he acknowledged his love for Liana and
Bethany
, he felt the peace and strength flowing through him.