Okay, so yeah, she’d thought he was crazy. Or a con man. That scenario made more sense since Kular’s clothing hadn’t indicated any sort of mental health issues. Plus, there was an intelligence in his eyes that had called to her. Yes, he was handsome in a raw, powerful way. Of course, there had been handsome men who had drifted through her life, but none had broken through that layer of protection she’d insulated herself with over the years.
Several hours later, Rayne was exhausted and, thankfully, Kular sensed this and stopped the shopping expedition.
“You need a nap,” he told her as he kissed her softly.
Rayne tried to protest, but he pulled her closer and, by the time the limousine pulled out of the shopping area, she was asleep on his shoulder.
Chapter 14
“No!” she gasped, sitting up in the too-comfortable bed and looking wildly around.
“What’s wrong?” Kular demanded, hurrying in and scanning the room for potential threats.
Rayne lifted her hand, shaking her head. “Nothing.” She pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I just…I woke up and remembered I was pregnant.”
He sat down on the bed, his hip resting against hers.
“And this frightens you?”
Rayne toyed with the light blanket that he’d laid over her during her nap. “Um…I’m not frightened of being pregnant,” she admitted, her eyes filled with wariness.
“What startled you then?” he asked, his hand moving over her thigh. This time, his touch was more about reassurance than sexual intent, but it still caused her body to tingle with awareness.
Rayne looked up at him, wondering if she could tell him the truth. As she looked into his dark eyes, she knew that he’d have to find out sooner or later. Better that he find out about her past now. That way, he could get back to his own life and she could…?
Rayne pushed her hair out of her eyes as she acknowledged that, once he disappeared back to his previous life, she could get on with the task of healing her aching heart. Yes, she was in love with Kular. It scared her like nothing in her life ever had, and that was saying a lot!
She pushed a pillow behind her back, settling herself in, and also bracing herself for his reaction.
“My older sister’s father disappeared as soon as my mother told him that she was pregnant,” Rayne explained, looking at him with a challenge in her eyes. Rayne knew that he wouldn’t understand that challenge. Not yet.
For a moment, Rayne felt his fingers tighten on her thigh. “He just…left her? With child?” he growled.
“Yes,” she replied with an emotionless voice. “My mother is…was, a very vivacious person. Plus, she worked in a hair salon where she ran into many men, all of whom preferred to wait for my mother to cut their hair. She was one of the most popular stylists. My mother was very friendly and,” she smiled slightly, “really pretty. People booked her services months in advance. She was that good,” she told him, pride for her mother’s skills coming through in her voice.
“She sounds like a wonderful woman,” he replied.
“She was,” Rayne confirmed, then shifted slightly. “Remember me telling you that the Abbot women have a weird level of fertility?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“My grandmother got pregnant with my mom the first night she had sex with my grandfather. Sloane came along almost forty weeks from the night my mother had sex with the man who donated sperm.”
“Her father?”
Rayne shrugged. “We don’t refer to them that way,” she shook her head and continued. “Anyway, my mother was an eternal optimist. After a long time, she finally agreed to go out with another man. Unfortunately, she fell in love and risked sex, again. Almost forty weeks later, I came along.”
His eyes narrowed more tightly, a muscle flexing along his jawline. “And where is your father?”
Rayne glared at him, daring him to judge her. “I don’t know. He disappeared the day after my mother informed him of my conception.”
Kular muttered something under his breath, but she didn’t understand the word. “I’m guessing that the same thing happened with Pepper?”
Rayne’s chin jutted up slightly. “Yes. Three men. Three sperm donors who abandoned my mother as soon as they discovered they’d fathered a child.”
She waited, bracing herself for what he might say next.
“I think I finally understand why you are so distrustful of men.” He smiled slightly. “You initially thought I was a gold digger. Then a con man. And now,” his hand rested on her stomach. “Now you are waiting for me to leave you as well.”
Rayne simply shrugged. “Except for Josh Starke and Jefferson, the men who have come through my life haven’t been very…dependable.”
“And if I don’t leave you?” he asked.
Rayne didn’t answer. She stared up at him, waiting for him to…Rayne had no idea what he might do next. But her heart thudded against her ribs, waiting for whatever reaction he might have next.
He leaned in, kissing her gently. Despite herself, Rayne’s lips moved under his.
“I love you, Rayne. And I love this baby. What’s more, I intend to dedicate my life to proving that to you.”
He stood up and took her hand. “Right now, it’s time for dinner. You only ate half of your lunch and you need to eat more. So come, let’s have dinner and you can tell me more about the men who have abandoned you.”
Rayne followed, not because she trusted him yet. But more because she was curious. She’d been so exhausted earlier today due to the combination of seeing Kular, their very active night of lovemaking, and then the emotional roller coaster of the morning, as well as their afternoon shopping excursion. She felt as if she was on a roller coaster of craziness.
“Your eyes are wary. Why?” he asked, holding out a chair at a small but beautifully set table.
She pulled the linen napkin down over her lap, watching as he sat down across from her. “Hmmm…let me see. In the past twenty-four hours, I’ve reunited with a lover, discovered I’m pregnant, seen my peanut-sized baby for the first time, discovered said lover was actually ruler of a very powerful country, and then was shuffled around from store to store being dressed like a doll.” She sipped her water. “I guess I’m just waiting for the next crazy revelation to hit.”
Kular lifted a hand and a man stepped closer, opening a box filled with sparkling jewelry. “I hate to disappoint you,” he teased, then examined the diamonds. “What do you think? Emerald cut or classic oval?”
She couldn’t speak, never having seen so many diamonds in one place. “I don’t…!”
“Emerald cut,” he decided for her. Then lifted one out of the box and looked at it. “I think this one would look perfect,” he said. With a nod, the man left, disappearing out of the elegant suite through a mysterious doorway.
When they were alone again, Rayne stared at the ring in his hand, not sure what to say.
“I don’t need that,” she said, curling her fingers into fists and hiding them in her lap.
“I need it,” he countered, and took her hand, slowly, gently but relentlessly uncurling her fist before slipping the ring onto her finger. “That looks perfect.”
Rayne stared at the ring for a long time, utterly speechless.
“We will be married in two days. I wanted to fly back to Contirra this afternoon, but you were too tired. We’ll fly out tomorrow and be married the next day.”
Her eyes lifted to his, trying to determine his sincerity. “Married?”
“Married,” he confirmed. “We will be married, Rayne. This will be a real marriage. I love you and you love me too.
Her mouth opened and closed, then she shook her head. “I don’t.”
He winked at her, and lifted his hand again. A waiter appeared, bringing food. “You do,” he argued. “You don’t trust me. But you love me. And that’s why your logical mind is struggling to accept the truth. But now that I know why you don’t trust me, then I can work on that, and we can mo
ve forward.”
A man interrupted them and Rayne froze, watching the lean, evil looking man approach.
“I apologize for the interruption, Your Highness,” the man murmured, bowing slightly as he offered a cell phone. “This is urgent.”
Kular grimaced at the phone, but accepted it with a sigh as he stood up. “I’ll just be a moment,” he told her, lifting her hand and kissing her fingers.
Rayne smiled tightly in his direction, absently admiring his body as she wondered about the shorter man still standing at attention beside the table.
There was silence for a long, awkward moment as she remembered that morning in Monaco. This man’s words had been…vile!
The diamond ring flashed in the overhead light, reminding her that she was…well…Rayne hadn’t agreed to anything. But obviously, this man was an important member of Kular’s staff. She needed to mend fences, even though the man was the one who should apologize.
Intending to do just that, Rayne turned her head, smiling at the man. But he remained coldly polite, his back stiff and his hands behind his back in a formal pose.
“I was…” she started, but his eyes sliced down to glare at her with uncompromising menace!
“You should leave,” he growled through gritted teeth. “You are unworthy of His Highness.”
Rayne was so stunned by his harsh words, she couldn’t speak for a long moment. Finally, she whispered, “Excuse me?”
The man had been staring straight ahead, but with her question, he looked down at her and she’d never seen a more evil looking man. “You are unworthy of his attention. Leave, before you humiliate yourself!” With that, he lifted his head and stared straight ahead again, obviously telling her that she wasn’t even worthy of his gaze.
Rayne sat there, stiff and offended, not sure what to do. Then her fingers curled around the diamond ring and she realized what he’d just said.
Was she unworthy?
No! She was very worthy! And that was one of the problems she’d had from the beginning. She hadn’t considered herself worthy of the love and respect of a man. The man who had donated sperm to create her life two and a half decades ago hadn’t thought her worthy enough to stick around long enough to even name her. The vile landlord at their old apartment complex, who had evicted her and her sisters from their apartment years ago hadn’t thought they were worthy either.
But dammit, Rayne was worthy! She’d pulled herself up out of the gutter, literally, and had made something of herself! She’d put herself through school, had an advanced degree, and got her work team back on track! She was incredibly worthy!
She trailed a thoughtful finger over the beautiful diamond. Kular thought she was worthy! From the first moment he’d seen her, he’d considered her worthy! Good grief, the man had proposed to her before he’d even known her name! Rayne knew that Kular wasn’t a fool.
Furthermore, Rayne knew that she was worthy simply because of who she was! She was an Abbot woman! She was good and kind and worthy of Kular’s love! Damn it, she’d run away last time because this man had made her feel like trash. She wouldn’t do it again!
Standing up, she slowly moved so that she was standing directly in front of him. “Don’t you ever,” she paused with the force of that word, “speak to me like that again. In fact, don’t you ever speak to me again, ever! The last time I saw you, you called me a prostitute!” she snapped. In the back of her mind, she heard a noise behind her, but she was too angry to focus on it just now. “And now, you declare me to be unworthy of your employer? I don’t think so! Don’t you dare tell me that I’m unworthy! You are the unworthy one!”
“I agree!” a deep voice added.
Both of them swung around to discover that Kular had returned. The rage in his eyes was shocking.
Kular’s gaze fell on his aide. “How dare you speak to my fiancée that way?” Kular hissed. “Get out!”
The thin man’s mouth fell open in shock. “Your Highness,” he groveled. “I didn’t know that this…that she…!’
“Get out!” Kular snapped. “I don’t want to see you ever again. Your desk will be cleared out and your clearance ended immediately.”
The man turned to glare at Rayne, who smirked at him.
The man looked around helplessly as Kular roared, “Guards!”
Immediately, several men with guns drawn stepped into the room. “Escort Hashim out of my sight and make sure that he is never allowed near me or my future wife again!”
The man was literally lifted off of the floor and carried out of the suite. There were several demands for the guards to release him, but he was ignored.
Rayne had just breathed a sigh of relief when strong arms turned her and lifted her up against Kular’s chest. “Damn it, love. I’m so sorry! I hadn’t known he’d said that, or I would have gotten rid of him months ago!”
Rayne lifted her arms to encircle his neck, burying her face against his chest as he held her. “It isn’t true!” she finally said. “I am worthy!”
“I know you are, love!” he told her, caressing her hair. “You’re so damn worthy! You’re the most worthy woman I’ve ever known and I can’t wait to marry you.” He pulled back and looked down at her. “Please say yes. I can’t stand the thought of not protecting you.”
She smiled, the words exactly what she needed to hear. “Yes!” she replied, and with that one word, her heart soared, released from the prison she hadn’t even known existed. Laughing, she bounced excitedly, channeling her younger sister, Pepper, who was always bouncing with excitement and happiness. “Yes!” she repeated.
“Damn, Rayne.” He might have said something else, but she wasn’t aware of it since he covered her lips with his. “I love you,” he muttered, then kissed her again.
A long time later, still breathing heavily, Rayne rolled over, the sheets tangling around her legs, and cuddled up against his chest. “I really do love you,” she told him, kissing him gently. “I can’t believe how much I love you.”
“I’m sorry that it required hearing such hateful words for you to feel free of your past, love.”
Rayne giggled, an actual giggle! “I feel free, Kular,” she admitted. “And it’s all because of you. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Epilogue
“Momma!” Siri called out as she barreled through the door to her bedroom. “Momma!”
“What’s going on, love?” Rayne asked, bending down just in time to catch Siri as she threw herself into Rayne’s arms.
Standing, Rayne stifled a groan. Her daughter might be only five years old, but she was all muscle, which meant she was heavy!
“Andres is trying to scare me,” she announced, and laid her head down on Rayne’s shoulder.
Rayne turned and waited, counting. One. Two. Three.
Before she reached the count of four, their seven year old son burst into the room, his dark eyes wide and filled with mischief. “I didn’t do it, Mom!” he vowed with dubious sincerity.
Rayne smiled, looking down at her “innocent” daughter and her never-innocent son. “What didn’t you do?” she asked.
Kular stepped into the room silently, leaning a shoulder against a marble column as he listened to the explanations with amusement.
Andres shook his head, his dark curls dancing slightly with the effort. “Whatever she said, I didn’t do it.”
Rayne laughed, delighted with her children. At that same moment, Siri turned to Rayne, and there was a smile on her delighted features. “He did, Momma!” Siri whispered in her ear. “He pretended to be an alligator and said he was going to chomp me!”
Andres shifted guiltily on his feet, his eyes moving from his younger sister to his mother. Unfortunately for his video gaming privileges, Andres couldn’t quite mask his guilty grin. “Okay, I might have done that. But she was…”
“I didn’t do that!” Siri yelled and Rayne reeled from the power in her young daughter’s voice so close to her ear.
“Goodness!
” she sighed, shifting Siri on her hip.
Kular noticed and waded into the fray, scooping Siri out of Rayne’s arms and lifting her up into the air. “What did you do?” he demanded.
Siri loved pranks and couldn’t resist getting back at her older brother whenever he instigated anything. So it wasn’t a shock when Siri slapped her chubby hands over her mouth. “I might have pretended to be a fish, Daddy.”
Kular sighed, shaking his head as he lowered his daughter. “You’re both in trouble,” he warned. “But right now, your mother needs to get ready for her television interview.”
Rayne groaned. “Do I really?” she sighed.
“Yes,” he told her, kissing her cheek. “Everyone is clamoring to hear news of your latest project. So yes, you have to.”
Rayne swallowed another groan, as she braced herself and walked over to the mirror, checking for damage from her daughter’s enthusiasm.
“Right. Well, here goes!” she said and walked out of the bedroom. The reporter had set up the cameras in the formal living room. Rayne walked in, cloaked in dignity after years of representing both the United States as well as her adopted country of Contirra. She’d refused to give up her citizenship when she’d married Kular, and he hadn’t objected.
“It’s an honor to speak with you, Your Highness,” the reporter greeted Rayne with a slight bow.
Rayne tilted her head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. “Thank you. Shall we begin?”
Kular stood in the next room with both children on his lap as he watched the interview in progress. With intense pride, he realized that she’d done so many of these interviews over the years that she was cool and dignified, controlling the questions as easily as she controlled him. He beamed, thinking about the past several years. She’d grown into her role as his queen and he loved the glow that seemed to surround her right now. What the rest of the world didn’t know was that the crazy Abbot fertility had struck again. His beautiful Rayne was pregnant with their third child! Damn, he loved her! Then she turned and looked directly into the camera and Kular knew – she was looking right at him.
Pregnant With the Sheik's Heir (The Abbot Sisters Book 2) Page 12