“I’m a big girl,” Aisha protested. “You don’t need to sleep with me.”
“You are a big girl, and you don’t need me to sleep with you. But maybe I need to sleep with you. At least, for tonight. Is that okay?”
The girl was already drifting off to sleep. Amy glanced at the clock on the beautifully carved dark dresser against the wall. She’d give it an hour, and if Aisha’s temperature still hadn’t gone down, she’d have to resort to more drastic measures, like a cold bath, although she wasn’t sure how she was going to manage that in the middle of the desert.
Holding the empty water container, she crept out of the bedroom.
Bahir and two of the guards were waiting for her. “How is she?” he asked her gruffly.
“She’s still running a fever. I gave her more aspirin to help bring it down. We’ll see in the next hour if it works. I’ll need to get more of the children’s aspirin and something for her diarrhea. We might also want to get some medicine for her nausea, as well. In addition, I’m going to need some tea, lemons, honey, apple cider vinegar, and some turmeric paste.” Amy watched as the guard scribbled everything down. “You have to realize that this isn’t going to do a whole lot of good if she has a bacterial infection. This addresses the symptoms, not necessarily the cause.”
“I’m sending word back to the palace. I don’t trust the village doctor to look after her. Within a day or two, my personal physician will be out here to look after her. In the meantime, you will do what you can.” Bahir looked at the empty container. “Taysir will get you some water.”
The guard stepped forward and took the bottle from her.
That left Amy and Bahir alone, and Amy swallowed hard. Without anything left to argue about, she had nothing to focus on except how her body reacted to him. Alone with him, the feelings intensified.
Nervous, she tightened the hijab around her head, and he smirked as though he knew what she was thinking. “You don’t have to wear that here.”
“I don’t want to show any disrespect.” Swallowing in a desperate attempt to wet her throat, she chewed on her bottom lip. He took a step toward her, and she wanted nothing more than to step back, but she held her ground. Slowly, he reached out and lowered the fabric.
“You’re far too lovely to want to do me harm,” he whispered. “Although, usually it’s the most beautiful women that you have to watch out for, isn’t it?”
“I’ve only been in your kingdom for a few months, and I don’t even know you,” she whispered. “Why would I want to do you harm?”
“So then what are you doing with my daughter, American?”
“Running away,” she answered honestly. “I was running away from my life.”
His eyes narrowed as his fingers lightly stroked a long strand of her hair, and she shivered in spite of herself. “And what would you have to run from?”
Remembering the pain of her broken heart, she finally stepped away. “Why don’t you tell me where you’ve been for the past few years while your daughter has been living in an impoverished orphanage?”
His eyes darkened even more, becoming pools of ink. “A child born out of wedlock is an embarrassment to the royal family. My uncle thought he was protecting me by keeping my daughter away from me, but now that I know about her, I’m not going to let anything get between us.” He pressed forward as he talked, and instinctively she shrank backward, away from him, until her back encountered a wall. He trapped her there, pressing the palms of his hands on the whitewashed wall behind her.
She jutted her chin up. “I’m not standing in your way, Sheikh. I’m simply looking out for the girl in my charge. I don’t know anything about a rebellion.” She cleared her throat and sought to take another tack. “I’m a writer. I came here looking for a story.”
“And a bunch of orphaned children make a story for you?” he asked, disgust plain in his voice.
“Impoverished orphanages that are banished to the outskirts of an otherwise wealthy kingdom is a story. I’m not the bad guy here, Your Highness. Maybe you’ll find him in the mirror.”
The guard returned with her water, and she ducked under Bahir’s arm, collected the container, and scurried to the bedroom. Closing the door, she closed her eyes and leaned against it.
Her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn’t decide if it was the fear of confronting one of the most powerful men in the kingdom or desire because she wanted him.
For her sanity, she prayed it was the former.
7
Bahir pulled up the email on his phone and was happy to read that Iman had already deployed guards to the village to try and identify the rebels while his younger brother, Riyad, gathered several guards to escort the palace doctor to the safe house. They planned to be there tomorrow, although Aisha was already showing signs of improvement. Her fever had broken last night, and this morning, she’d eaten a large breakfast. So far, she was holding everything down.
Now that his daughter was alert and curious, Bahir found himself keeping his distance. He had no idea how he was going to explain that he was Aisha’s father or how he might bond with her. Only recently, he’d become an adoring uncle to Iman’s Iris, but there was a huge difference between being an uncle and taking on the role of a father. He could spoil his niece Iris silly, but in the end, it was Iman’s job to protect and raise her. Now, it was Bahir’s job to do the same for Aisha, and he had no idea how to go about it.
He shook his head at his brother’s current attempt at advice. Clearly, Iman still had to work things out for himself before he offered anything useful to Bahir. Thankfully, Natalie’s frequent emails contained far more helpful questions and advice. She agreed with the guess that Aisha probably had rotavirus, and she’d laughed when he confessed that upon their first official meeting, since the aquarium didn’t count, Aisha had thrown up all over him. Bahir didn’t know whether to be appreciative or concerned when Natalie warned him of much more to come. More of what? Vomit? He was fairly certain that smell was never coming out of his dress shirt.
He thought back to their brief meeting at the aquarium; he could kick himself for not remembering them sooner. The little girl had been so sweet and animated as she talked excitedly about the reef sharks. So much so that he’d made sure to go back to look at them again before leaving. He snarled to himself, remembering how that catty woman had treated his daughter; something she wouldn’t have dared try if she had known who the father was. Not that he would have allowed her anywhere near the little girl.
He briefly puzzled over what that woman’s name had been and shrugged it off as irrelevant. She’d only been there to look good for the press coverage for the new aquarium, and after the incident, he’d no intention of spending any more time with her.
Bahir remembered thinking that the woman who came to Aisha’s rescue at the aquarium had been a spitfire as she’d tried to fight off one of the guards to get to her charge.
The beautiful American vexed him. Cursory reports showed that she’d bought her plane ticket only a week before she flew out. She had no ties to any rebel groups, and she’d almost immediately started working for Shatha. Unless the whole orphanage had ties to rebels, which there were no reports to prove, then Amy was nothing more than an innocent worker, and a volunteer at that.
He could claim all he wanted that the intent behind bringing her along was to tend to his daughter, but truth be told, he wanted her. It would be better to keep her at arm’s length and fantasize in private, because the longer they spent time together, the harder it was becoming to keep his hands off her.
She was beautiful. Hair darker than sin, framing her petite face. Large glacier blue eyes and full, red lips. Her skin was sun-kissed, but when he’d watched her walking around yesterday, the neckline of her shirt had slipped enough to reveal a tan line. Beneath her concealing clothing, her skin was almost alabaster. He couldn’t help but wonder where her other tan lines were, and his cock stirred at the thought.
Did she wear a bikini back in
Florida? Was her abdomen dark? Would her tan lines show that she wore strappy bathing suits? Maybe even a thong?
Would she moan when he traced the lines with his finger?
Cursing under his breath, he tried to push the thought away. He was here to protect his daughter, not to bed her caretaker.
“Your Royal Highness?” Mohamet, his other favorite guard, stepped forward. “The King had to call some of his guards back after there was an incident at the palace. Would you like me to continue the inquiries in the village?”
“Incident?” Bahir looked sharply at him. “What kind of incident? Is everyone okay?”
“Yes, sir. It would seem that there is a traitor within the palace. One of the maids. Her letters were discovered.” The guard paused and then delivered the rest of the grim news. “She revealed the news of your daughter. They’re still trying to determine the extent of the damage and whether she was acting alone. The King has pulled Sheikh Riyad and the doctor back as well. It appears the maid also disclosed his intent to travel, and the King felt it would be best if he remained at the palace.”
Bahir gritted his teeth. That meant they couldn’t go back to the palace until the danger had been cleared. “What’s her connection to the rebellion?”
“The letters are to her brother. Guards are working with the authorities to locate him.”
Bahir inclined his head, thinking rapidly. “We’re secure here,” he said at last with a nod. “By all means, go and help. The sooner we can go home, the better.”
Mohamet nodded and stood straighter. “Yes, sir. It’ll be my pleasure to help bring these bastards down.”
Just then, Amy walked around the corner with a mug in her hand. She stopped short when she saw them and then continued on without a word.
Dismissing the guard with a jerk of his head, Bahir followed her into the kitchen. “How is she?” he asked. For some reason, he found it necessary to clear his throat.
“Better. She has some sniffles and has been coughing, so I’m going to make her another cup of tea to help.” Pouring some water from the jug, she lit the small fire and hung the teakettle over the flames. While they waited for the water to heat, she turned and started getting some of the other ingredients from the kitchen. The area was small, which meant that as he followed her movements, moving with her, they kept bumping into each other. Finally, she sighed and glared at him. “Is there something else that you wanted?”
“What does the tea do?”
“The steam loosens the congestion. The honey and lemon help coat her throat to ease the cough, and the turmeric reduces inflammation. My mom used to make it for me when I was sick.” She smiled at the memory, and Bahir narrowed his eyes and studied her.
“You loved your mother very much,” he said quietly.
“I did.” She didn’t say any more, but Bahir was curious about this woman who had packed her bags and moved halfway across the world with no apparent reason.
“Is that why you came here?”
“No.”
It was obvious that the American didn’t trust him, and he couldn’t blame her. He had uprooted her from her chosen place and forced her to come with him. “Her name was Amalia,” he said quietly. “Aisha’s mother. We had a casual relationship eight years ago. I had no idea that she was pregnant. According to the letters I found, she was cast out by her family because of her pregnancy.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Why are you telling me this?”
With a shrug, he rubbed the back of his neck. “You think I’m a monster. I suppose I do, as well.”
“How did you find the letters?”
“I was actually sitting at my uncle’s desk,” a faint smile touched his lips, “and bothering my brother. In goofing off, I discovered a hidden compartment in the desk, and there, we found the letters. They were addressed to me,” he paused, “and stained with tears,” he admitted ruefully. His chest tightened, and he cleared his throat. “As it turns out, one of the maids who works in the palace is connected to the rebels. That’s how they found out about my daughter.”
He thought her face softened toward him, and she visibly relaxed. “Everyone I’ve met talks about your family with reverence. Why would they rebel against you?”
“My father started to relax some traditions. He wanted to bring Haamas into the modern era, and he managed it, slowly and wisely. The unrest didn’t become concerning until my brother married an American. Most of our people love Natalie, but there are a few who don’t approve.” Anyone who saw Iman and Natalie together could see the love they had for one another, and that love strengthened them. Bahir had never been the romantic type. Though now he had a daughter, he knew he would probably never find such a woman, yet he was happy for Iman. He knew that Natalie was good for Haamas.
Amy suddenly cocked her head, recalling his attention to her face. “Actually, I went to the marketplace to do some shopping for the children a few weeks ago, and a group of men followed me a little way. I didn’t think a whole lot about it. It was crowded, and even though I tried to blend in, I knew I stood out,” she knitted her brows in remembrance. “One of the vendors warned me to go home before the sun went down. Do you think it could have been the rebels?”
It might have been the rebels targeting her because she was an American, or a group of men targeting her because she was pretty. Either way, he wanted to rip their throats out. The sudden possessive streak surprised him.
As the kettle began to whistle, Amy turned away from him, and he realized to his relief that she hadn’t seen his reaction. He pressed on with a question. “Do you think you can describe them?”
Using the hook, she lifted the kettle and carried it to the counter. Grabbing a potholder, she carefully poured boiling water into the mug. “Not a chance. There were so many people there. Ouch!” she hissed suddenly and nearly dropped the kettle. Setting it down, she quickly stuck her finger in her mouth. “Hot. I’m not used to making tea this way.”
“Let me see.” Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and held her fingers up to ascertain the damage. Her beautiful blue eyes immediately dilated, and he couldn’t help but rub his thumb along the palm of her hand while he inspected the burn.
Her chest rose as she inhaled sharply. “It’s a minor burn, that’s all,” she whispered.
Staring intensely at her, he lifted the burned finger to his lips and kissed it. “Hopefully it won’t leave a mark. It would be a shame to let anything mar this beautiful skin.”
“Heart attack,” Amy blurted out suddenly after a moment thick with silence. “My mother. She died of a heart attack when I was ten. I went into the system after that. Excuse me. I need to get this tea to Aisha before it gets cold.”
She was an orphan herself. No wonder she was so defensive of his daughter. “Let me,” he said as he took the mug. “You go dip that burn in cool water and then wrap it up. I’ll tuck Aisha into bed and let her know that you won’t be sleeping beside her tonight.”
“I won’t?” Her eyes widened in alarm. “I thought you trusted me.”
“Take care of that burn, Amy,” he said with a small smile. “I don’t want you distracted tonight.”
8
The burn gave her barely more than a twinge, but she soaked it until she felt the sting begin to subside. As she headed to the bedroom, she stopped outside Aisha’s room and listened to Bahir speaking in that low, soothing tone of his. Amy could tell that the small girl was feeling better because she fired a thousand questions in rapid secession, and he patiently answered each one.
Amy smiled. Although she’d only known Bahir for a few days, her opinion of him was changing. He was obviously taking his fatherhood duties seriously. His guilt was all too evident. Even before he’d admitted the truth, she had seen it hovering around him like a dark cloud. It weighed heavily on him, and she found herself wishing she could help him lift that burden.
He was going to make an excellent father. He was already shining, and in such horrible circumstances. His
daughter was ill, they were hiding in the middle of nowhere, and they were all in danger from a rebel group, yet the laughter in Aisha’s voice was enough to make everything better.
Bahir was already in love with Aisha. That much was evident, and if Amy wasn’t careful, she might find herself in love with the man.
And that must not happen.
Abandoning Aisha’s door, Amy entered the sheikh’s room and found that her bag had already been brought in. She quickly took advantage of the momentary privacy to change out of her jeans and T-shirt and into a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. It wasn’t the most appropriate thing to wear in the presence of royalty, but she hadn’t expected to be in this position when she’d packed for Haamas.
Grabbing her notebook, she curled up on the small couch across from the bed and began to scribble some notes. She couldn’t bring herself to include Aisha’s real identity and Bahir’s role in the story, but the rising rebellion was too good to pass up. The Herald had already purchased the six-story series, but Amy only had enough notes for two articles. She needed to up her game if she was going to complete six stories.
Including Bahir’s story would certainly make for a scandalous story, but scandal wasn’t her intent. She wanted to make a difference in the world. She wanted to bring light to the struggles here in the Middle East, struggles that were easily drowned out by the happenings in the war-torn nations around them. Salacious stories like bastard royal heirs wouldn’t raise awareness.
Instead, she focused on Aisha’s illness and the difficulties she’d faced to find a doctor and get the treatment she needed.
“You look like you’re hard at work,” Bahir said quietly from the doorway.
Startled, she looked up sharply and dropped her pen. It rolled a good distance away on the vibrant blue rug. Bahir walked slowly toward her and bent down to pick it up. “I suppose I should be concerned that I’ve kidnapped a reporter.”
“How did you know?” She narrowed her eyes. “You ran a background check on me from the middle of the desert?”
The Karawi Sheikhs Series: The Complete Series Page 14