Like the princess she was, he thought.
She was safe and he turned around, running back across the desert to the trees. He thought he heard someone call out, but ignored it, intent on getting back to the safety of Padar. He drove furiously, unconcerned with his personal well-being. He even turned on the headlights, revealing himself to everyone if they cared to attack.
It was only by chance of fate that he made it back to the border and into his own country, not by any skill or stealth on his part.
Chapter 13
Talia stared as the tents were disassembled and packed away into the trucks, all of the additional supplies distributed to the villagers. It had been two weeks since that fateful night with Santos and she hadn’t heard anything more from him. She’d stayed here in the village, living in that horrible tent and sleeping on that cold, unforgiving cot, wishing he’d come to his senses. She woke up every morning early, showered and dressed, then stood waiting for him to sneak into her tent as he had those first two mornings. But he hadn’t come to her. He hadn’t even texted her or responded to her texts.
There was just silence. Absolute, miserable silence from the man she’d fallen so madly in love with.
“Is there anything else, Your Highness?” Rachel asked, keeping well back.
Talia blinked, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. Forcing her lips into a smile, she shook her head. “No. I think we’ve done all that we can.” The houses that had been destroyed had been removed and were in the process of being rebuilt by the owners with special subsidies from the government, although their homeowners’ insurance would cover most of the costs. Electricity had been restored last week and everyone seemed to be settling back into their normal schedules.
She should have ordered the emergency services to move on a week ago. It’s what the protocols demanded, but Talia hadn’t wanted to move on. She didn’t want to go back to the palace and her normal routines.
Moving on meant giving up on Santos. It meant giving up on her hopes and dreams.
But since he hadn’t responded to any of her messages in which she’d denied his accusations, pleading with him to believe her…and that was truly insulting, she thought…it was time to get back to life.
Her guards stood awkwardly to the side, watching the villagers as they moved on with their day. She was proud of the work they’d done here. Her team of emergency responders had done an excellent job of providing basic necessities for the villagers after the attack. Amit had connected with the Padar government and explained about the fort.
So, where did that leave her? Talia sighed and headed towards the SUV that would take her home. Back to the real world. Back to facing reality and a future without Santos. She’d spent too much time waiting for him, she told herself firmly. It was time to move on.
One of her guards held the door of the SUV for her and she smiled her thanks as she slipped into the back. The driver pulled away and she leaned her head against the window, staring out at the village one last time. She’d cried after that horrible morning.
She hadn’t cried since, but now, as she drove away from the site where she’d lost her hopes and dreams of a long, wonderful life with the man she loved…had loved, she corrected firmly…she let the tears fall. She let them slip down her cheeks, ignoring the drops when they fell onto her hand as she closed her eyes, willing her heart to stop aching. It was pointless and Santos didn’t deserve her heartache.
Her hand moved over her stomach and the tears fell even harder. She was pregnant. Pregnant with a child conceived out of passion. Stupid, ridiculous passion and recklessness!
“Are you okay, Your Highness?” Rachel gently asked.
Talia wiped her cheeks and sat up in the seat. “Yes. I’m fine,” she replied. “Just really tired. It’s been a long two weeks.”
Rachel nodded and she turned to look out the window again. It was a long drive back to the capital, she thought. Lots of time to think. It had been so frantic over the past several weeks, she hadn’t really had time to think about anything until she slipped into her tent at night. Then she’d thought about things too much. Unable to sleep, she’d tossed and turned, trying to figure out what had gone so wrong. Her feelings for Santos had vacillated between anger, resentment, and a deep, painful love for the man she’d met back in New York and on that first morning when he’d snuck into her tent. The man on the second morning…that wasn’t the man she loved. He was a stranger. Any man who accused another without proof wasn’t a man worthy of her love. He was a bastard! He was a jerk who’d pushed her away, stomping on her tender feelings and crushed them.
Sooner than she’d thought possible, her guard pulled into the underground parking lot at the palace. Blinking at the abrupt dimness of the underground area, she straightened up, hurriedly wiping her cheeks.
“That was fast,” she said to her guards, hoping for a teasing tone but she suspected that it had come out sounding a bit pathetic.
Her car door was yanked open and her oldest brother, Amit, stood there, frowning down at her.
For a long, startled moment, he assessed her tear-stained face. Finally, he nodded, his eyes sharp and alert. “They were right. You’re upset. What’s wrong?” Amit demanded.
Talia stepped out of the SUV, directly into his arms. She closed her eyes as her brother’s strong arms enveloped her gently. “It’s just good to be home,” she told him.
A moment later, before she was ready, Talia pulled away and, without looking up at Amit, stepped around him to go into the palace. Rachel stood just inside the doors, obviously eager to discuss what was probably a whole litany of issues and meetings, but Talia held up a hand. “Is there anything urgent?” she asked softly, still walking towards her apartment.
Rachel took one look at the dark circles under Talia’s eyes and closed her mouth. Shaking her head, she said, “Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow.”
Talia smiled her gratitude at her always efficient assistant and moved down the hallway. As fast as the drive from the southern border to the capital city had felt, the walk from the parking garage to her private apartment took forever. Her legs hurt, her body ached, her heart felt numb, and the senseless tears spilled down over her lashes despite her efforts to control them.
“Aunt Talia!” Two little voices called out.
Talia turned and spotted Elsa and Ellora running down the hallway. She forced herself to smile and knelt down as the two little darlings barreled into her arms, wrapping their now-chubby arms around her neck.
“We missed you!” Elsa announced, speaking for both of them.
“Oh, I missed you two as well!” she replied honestly, closing her eyes as she hugged them close.
Ellora pulled back and Elsa followed, both of them looking at her curiously. “What’s wrong, Aunt Talia?” Elsa asked, her finger reaching out to pat her cheek. “You look sick.”
Talia grimaced. “That bad, huh?”
The girls eyed her carefully. “Are you sick?”
“No, not at all,” she replied quickly, reassuring them as their expressions started to show that old anxiety. They’d lost their parents about a year ago and Talia suspected that any more losses to their newly secure world would be devastating to them. “I’m fine. Just really tired. The people in Lucent needed lots of help. But my team fixed everything up and the people are all safe again.”
“That’s good. Why don’t you go take a nap and we’ll see you tonight at dinner?” Ellora suggested in a very grown-up tone.
Talia laughed, recognizing the excellent advice she’d given them on several occasions. “You know, that’s an outstanding idea,” she said, then gave them another hug. “I’m already feeling a little better though. Your hugs definitely make me feel better!”
In response, the girls squeezed her harder, then pulled away. “Okay, go rest and, during dinner tonight, we’ll tell you everything you’ve missed while you were gone!”
A moment later, they turned around and, grabbing their nanny’s hand
s, hurried away.
Talia watched them go, her hand fluttering over her stomach as she thought about her own child. Her nieces would be almost seven years old when her baby was born, she realized with a start. For some reason, that idea made her pregnancy a touch more real.
Still, she should get a pregnancy test before she announced it. She didn’t want to infuriate her brothers without confirmation. And yes, Talia knew that her brothers would be livid at the news that their unmarried sister was pregnant.
With a sigh, she turned and walked into her apartment. Without hesitation, she stripped off her clothes and headed into the shower. A warm, wonderful shower! After two weeks of camp showers, she luxuriated in the sensation of the warm water streaming over her sore muscles. She’d worked hard over the past two weeks. She wondered if Amit had learned anything more about who had shot the missiles. She should have asked, but, as she shut off the water and reached for a fluffy towel, Talia knew that she didn’t have the energy to listen. She barely had enough energy to dry off, pull on a tee shirt, and slip in between the soft, silken sheets. Sighing, she pulled her pillow close and, for the first time in two weeks, fell asleep without crying.
Chapter 14
“What the hell is wrong?” Gaelen demanded.
Talia jumped and turned around, startled by her brother’s abruptly harsh tone. She stood in the small salon, sipping a glass of juice, her new normal pre-dinner drink. At three months along in her pregnancy, Talia was miserable. She’d thought that pregnancy would be a magical time, but she was sick pretty much every moment of the day and wished that she could just hide away somewhere so that she could curl up in a ball of misery.
“I’m fine,” she lied, trying to appear serene even though she worried she was going to throw up.
Tarin stepped into the room, his glare just as vicious as Gaelen’s. “Did she tell you what’s wrong with her yet?”
Gaelen shook his head. “No, but I just got here.”
A stunning blond woman stepped through the door and Gaelen automatically reached for her, lacing his fingers through hers. Savannah, his fiancée, beamed up at him and leaned her head on his shoulder.
Talia turned away from the look of absolute adoration on her future sister-in-law’s features. It was painful to watch those two. They were so much in love. Their wedding was still a few months away but they already acted like they were married. Protocol dictated that Savannah have her own room in the palace until they were married. But Gaelen had laughed it off. Savannah lived in his apartment and they spent a great deal of time alone. Too much time, Talia thought with increasing resentment.
“You two are annoying,” Tarin grumbled, making Savannah laugh.
“Jealous?”
Tarin scoffed and turned away, refilling his glass.
“Stop baiting him,” Harper admonished, waddling into the room. At six months into her own pregnancy, she couldn’t really do the walking-like-a-queen thing, Talia thought, and smiled with love and excitement for her sister-in-law.
“Where’s Amit?” Talia asked of Harper.
Harper waddled over to one of the chairs and sank down into it, smiling her thanks when one of the waiters brought her a glass of juice. “He stopped to get Elsa and Ellora. They got into trouble again today. Sneaking down to the stables when they were supposed to be doing their French lessons.” She shifted in the chair, trying to get comfortable. “Amit’s in lecture mode.”
Talia laughed, delighted with her mischievous little nieces. “It’s good that they’re daring to venture out now.”
Gaelen laughed. “Don’t let Amit hear you say that. He’s at his wit’s end trying to control those little hellions.”
Talia agreed. “Better this than that horrible silence they went through right after…” she let the sentence trail off, not wanting to say the words out loud.
“I agree,” Tarin announced. “That was miserable. They were just shells. Now, they’re normal little girls.”
Amit stepped through the doorway, a dark haired, hazel eyed girl holding each of his hands. Elsa and Ellora looked a bit subdued, but Talia knew that their usual excitement would return once they’d gotten over whatever punishment Amit had doled out to the little darlings.
“They are forbidden from riding their ponies for the next week,” he told the family.
There was an almost tangible feeling of relief at that news. Amit could be somewhat harsh in his punishments towards the girls. But he also spoiled them terribly. They were good kids, struggling to find their way in a new family order.
Talia quickly glanced over at Harper and saw her pleased smile and knew that the relatively lenient punishment had been her idea.
Elsa and Ellora looked at each other, then at Harper. “What kind of juice are you drinking tonight?” Elsa asked, releasing Amit’s hand and walking over to lean against Harper’s chair. As usual, she laid a chubby hand against Harper’s belly, always excited when she felt Harper’s baby kick. Ellora didn’t follow, being a bit freaked out by the kicking under her hand. Instead, Ellora walked over to Tarin, climbing on his lap and leaning her head against his shoulder. Tarin wrapped his arm around her, securing her in place and silently showing her that she was loved completely and unconditionally.
Talia watched the whole scenario, wondering if her child would be accepted like that. Would her brothers eventually get over their fury at her being an unmarried mother and love her child the same way? She certainly hoped so, but this was uncharted territory.
Elsa squealed and jerked her hand away, obviously having felt the baby kick. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she turned and rushed over to Talia. Tilting her head back, she grinned as she said, “Can I feel your baby too?”
Talia almost dropped her glass of juice as every eye in the room turned on her.
A horrible silence descended upon the room.
Talia couldn’t breathe for a long moment, her mind racing, trying to decide what to say. Should she deny it? But if she did that, the lie would eventually be discovered when her stomach swelled.
Although Talia hadn’t yet figured out how to tell her brothers that she was pregnant, this definitely wasn’t what she’d had in mind.
“Talia?” Amit asked, his voice harsh.
She wasn’t ready to look at him, and kept her eyes on her juice. She could feel the weight of his glare. Juice. She remembered Harper explaining to her nieces that she couldn’t have alcohol while pregnant, which was why she only drank juice during their pre-dinner gatherings.
Talia looked up, glancing around the room. Gaelen’s eyes had narrowed in suspicion and Tarin was on his feet, still holding Ellora’s hand. Harper’s mouth had fallen open; she clearly hadn’t recovered quite yet. Savannah’s eyes widened slightly, and she pressed herself against Gaelen’s side. Talia wasn’t sure if Savannah was trying to soothe her future husband, or stop him from going after Talia.
Slowly, Talia’s gaze moved to her oldest brother. Amit looked like a storm cloud had enveloped his head. She wouldn’t be surprised if she saw smoke billowing from his ears like a cartoon.
Taking a deep breath, she looked at everyone, taking in their horrified confusion with another sweeping glance. “I’m fine,” she told the room firmly. Taking Elsa’s hand, she brought the young girl to her side. “I’m perfectly fine, but I think I’ll pass on dinner tonight. I’m not hungry.” She hugged Elsa, winked at Ellora, who giggled, and, with her head down, hurried out of the salon.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped into her apartment, thinking that she’d escaped for the night. At least she’d have a few hours to figure out what to say to her brothers in the morning.
Unfortunately, she was wrong. Apparently, her brothers had followed her. As soon as she closed the door behind her, it exploded open again.
Spinning around, her hand flew to her throat as she watched three huge, furious men stalk into the room, Gaelen slamming the door shut behind them.
“What…?”
“Is it true?”
Amit demanded.
Tarin stepped in front of their oldest sibling. “Who is the father?”
Then Gaelen, not to be outdone by any of his brothers, stepped in front of Tarin. “You’re getting married!”
If this weren’t so serious, Talia might have laughed. In fact, a small, hysterical bubble of amusement made its way up her throat, but she covered her mouth with her hand, schooling her expression carefully.
The three, in various dominant poses, stepped into a line of solidarity, glaring down at her. If she didn’t know these men so well, she might have been intimidated. Okay, she was a little intimidated. They were big and angry, after all. But seriously, what could they do?
Squaring her shoulders, she looked at each of them. “Yes. I’m pregnant.” She looked each in the eye. “I’m not telling you who the father is because he is completely out of the picture and,” frowning up at Gaelen, she shook her head as she declared, “I’m not getting married.”
They bristled with fury at her words.
Amit stepped forward, obviously the angriest of all three. “When did this happen?” he demanded.
Talia could have said that it was back in Lucent, but she folded her arms over her chest. “My body. My business.”
“It’s our business too!” Gaelen roared. “You will be married! No sister of mine is going to…”
“Don’t even go there,” she told him poking him in the chest with her finger. She turned to glare at Tarin and Amit with her eyes. “This is my baby. Suffice it to say I thought I was in love with the father. I was wrong. The father is a bastard and I guarantee with absolute certainty that none of you would want him in my life. Ever! So, we’re going to drop the issue of the father.”
“Like hell!” Tarin growled, moving forward an inch.
She shook her head. “No! This is my baby. My business. If the three of you can’t handle this, then tough! It happened and I’m dealing with it.” She took a deep breath and continued in a calmer voice. “I’m truly sorry for bringing shame on the family and getting pregnant, but I love this baby!” Her hand moved to her stomach. “It was a stupid, absolutely inexcusable, irresponsible accident. Yes, I know better. And no, I wasn’t on birth control because I hadn’t been sexually active in…”
The Sheik's Scandal (The Raminar Family Book 3) Page 10