by Leslie North
The Sheik’s Secret Princess
The Quabeca Sheiks Series Book 3
By Leslie North
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Dedications
I dedicate this book to you, my loyal readers. Thank you for all the lovely e-mails, reviews and support. Without you, this wouldn't be possible.
Table of Contents
The Sheik’s Secret Princess
Dedications
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 1
Queen Amira and Lady Tiana stared at Saja as she sat uncomfortably across from them at dinner. While they had met her in the reception line at her wedding, they had yet to spend any time with her and both women were curious about the foreigner who managed to ensnare the heart of the King’s younger brother, Prince Basil Al-Qadir. This past month had been challenging for both women, as the King was insistent that they leave her alone while she recuperated from her kidnapping by her father’s family. Not women to be denied, both were relentless in their demands to see Saja and the King finally gave in when he agreed to a family dinner.
Saja smiled awkwardly at both women as they scrutinized her. Squeezing her husband’s arm painfully, she attempted to shrug off mentally the feeling that she was under a microscope, as both women continued to stare at her. Basil, clearing his throat loudly as he attempted to shake off his wife’s grip, broke the tension as Saja reached for her wine glass. Looking at both women, you could tell which one was the queen and which the mistress. Amira was visibly older but beautiful with a stern face. She carried herself with grace and elegance. Tiana was very beautiful as well, younger than the queen by at least ten years, and appeared less serious.
“Are you feeling alright now, dear?” Amira; the queen asked Saja. “You have been through a lot, poor thing.”
“I am doing well,” Saja replied with a smile.
“Will you be coming to the Ball on Saturday?” Tiana; the King's mistress asked. Later that week there was a formal Ball attended by members of other royal families and sheiks. Saja looked at Basil. It was the first she heard of it.
“Of course, they will attend,” the King interjected. He picked up his glass and took a long sip of wine. Saja smiled at Tiana.
“I would love to come,” Saja replied with a strained smile. Raised in London by a working single mom, Saja was abruptly introduced to this new world when her absentee father summoned her to Basrat to marry Prince Basil Al-Qadir in a political move to save his family from financial ruin. Unfortunately, his eldest son was caught embezzling large amounts of money and in an attempt to save face; Saja’s relations kidnapped her for ransom. While Saja was attempting to embrace her new life for the sake of her husband, she was not big on these kinds of events, as she found the politics and constant manoeuvring for position underwhelming. She hoped that it would be quick and painless. Saja couldn’t understand why many of these people were constantly seeking more power and wealth, but did nothing with it other than spend it on themselves.
The dinner went better than the King had expected. Both Amira and Tiana were well behaved and kept up a neutral conversation as they questioned Saja on her completion of her housemanship and decision to specialize in cardio-thoracic surgery, as well as her more positive experiences in Quabeca. The King grunted in approval at their ability to maintain positive appearances when necessary. He wished it would be that peaceful always but he knew it was only for the sake of Saja and Basil that they remained civil throughout the meal.
Ever since the King brought Tiana into the palace as his mistress, battle lines had been crossed. Despite cautionary warnings from friends and family, the King was incredibly unhappy in his marriage to Amira and Tiana had brought new life into the palace. Married for political purposes only, try as he might, the King simply didn’t love the queen and factions from both sides were pressing for an heir.
Oo00oO
The King was eating breakfast with his queen and mistress a few days later. He dreaded those meals. Thankfully, it was not every day that he had to dine with both of them, but this morning was more difficult than usual.
“Did you sleep well, my King?” Tiana asked. Amira rolled her eyes. She felt as though Tiana was always kissing up to her husband. It was nauseating to watch.
“I slept well,” he replied quietly as he carried on eating.
“Do you have a busy schedule today?” Amira asked. She was more about business and politics. She never bothered to kiss up to the King.
“It is not too busy,” he replied. He always kept his answers short and simple whilst speaking to the two of them. It was better to speak less in order to avoid conflict.
“You can't even ask how your husband is,” Tiana said and rolled her eyes.
“I can see he is well. I do not need to kiss up like you do,” Amira replied. The King rattled his newspaper in agitation and decided to tune them out. He was growing increasingly fed up with their constant arguments particularly since they would treat him as if he wasn’t even there.
After breakfast, he dismissed himself from the table and headed out without a word to either of them. He was relieved to be away from them as their constant feuding was suffocating him. He shrugged his shoulders as he recalled his brother's words. Basil had warned him not to get a mistress despite the political pressure placed on him to do so. It was ironic. Basil was the one who hated the idea of marriage and yet he was happily married to Saja. At the wedding, they could not keep their eyes off each other. Their first dance was beautiful. The way he looked in her eyes, the King had never seen his brother look at a woman that way before. The King couldn’t help but envy his younger brother. While the original intent behind his union with Saja was for political reasons, he married for love. The King often wished he had that option.
He decided to walk around the palace. It was a beautiful, sunny day, the sky was clear and he needed to clear his head before he reached his office. Spending any time with either of his women created constant storm clouds for the King and when they were all three together, the endless bickering had him contemplating moving both of them out of the palace. But he knew that without cause, the ramification for doing so could affect the entire country. He strolled with his hands in his pockets. His small security detail and a maid who went with him everywhere trailed along at a respectable distance.
Before he knew it, the King found himself in the laundry facilities. He walked into the large room filled with washing machines and dryers. Everything was neatly organised and smelled of soap. He had never been in this part of the palace before and the maids gasped when they saw him walk in and quickly bowed their heads to him. He nodded at them and kept walking toward the nearest exit.
He halted when he saw one of the maids carrying a basket of wet laundry. She was walking toward the rail to hang the clothes when she suddenly tripped over her own foot and dropped the basket, scattering the clothes on the ground. “Oh no,” she cried out and started picking them up. The King stepped forward to help her pick up the wet clothes.
“Oh, thank you,” the maid said and tucked a curly lock of hair behind her ear. “I need to stop dropping the washing otherwise I'll lose this job,” she added. The King laughed softly.
�
�Does this happen often?” he asked her. She stopped picking up the clothes and looked up when she heard the unfamiliar voice. Her eyes widened when she saw the King crouching in front of her picking up wet clothes.
“Your Majesty!” she cried out. The King did not respond. He picked up the last item and put it in the laundry basket before rising to his feet. The maid slowly rose next to him. She had never seen the King in person and here he was helping her with her laundry. She bowed her head to him. She felt nervous, as she had no idea how to behave around him.
“Will you have to wash them again?” he asked her. She nodded silently. She kept her head down and stared at the ground. The King couldn’t help but notice her long, dark-brown curly hair, which cascaded around her honey-coloured skin. Her face was enchanting with her dark eyebrows, round hazel eyes that screamed innocence, a small straight nose and full lips. He detected a light scent of strawberry under the smell of the soap from the wash that could only be hers.
The King nodded to her before walking off with his security detail toward his office. He had quite a day ahead of him.
Oo00oO
The King was propped up in his bed reviewing tomorrow’s schedule when Tiana showed herself in. It used to please him when she would surprise him. Now, it was as if she always had an agenda. At almost forty, the King had yet to bear children and it was no secret that both women wanted to be pregnant first. Both were hoping for sons for whoever mothered a son could be the mother of the next King.
The queen was meant to give birth first, but because of the lack of love and attraction between them, their sexual relations were non-existent; although for the sake of appearances, neither spoke of this. It would not look good if the King and Queen never consummated their marriage. Pressure from other factions within the country to return to the old ways and bring in another wife, in the hopes that an heir would be produced, prompted the King to bring in Tiana. In the beginning, he was attracted to her and he had hoped that their union might be something more than political, but those feelings rapidly devolved as things got much more complicated. Tiana was determined to drive a wedge between the King and Amira, and she had been successful for the most part, but despite spending most nights with the King, he had refused to consummate their relationship.
“Tiana, what brings you by?” the King asked her as she approached his bed.
“Can’t a woman visit her husband’s bedroom?” Tiana asked as she sat on the bed next to him. He watched her move closer to him and rest her hand on his chest. She was dressed in a creamy silk robe and he could see hints of lace under it. Her straight black hair was brushed to a high gloss and her scent filled the room. Normally, the King enjoyed her perfume, but tonight, he found it overpowering.
The King returned his attention to his paperwork. He knew very well what Tiana wanted. “Not tonight,” he said to her curtly. Tiana threw herself backwards on the bed. She was growing increasingly frustrated at constantly being put off by the King. Before becoming his mistress, rumours of his unquenching thirst for intimacy were rampant, but she had yet to experience them; something she feared sharing with anyone. The humiliation would be too much for her if word got out that the King was not attracted to her.She sighed deeply, as the King cleared his throat. Rising slowly, she gave him her best sultry look, but he was already ignoring her. With a huff of indignation, she left his quarters glaring at the maid who shut the door behind her.
Chapter 2
The King decided to take another walk around the palace. Since discovering the laundry facilities, he realized that there were many aspects of the palace that he knew nothing about. As he was walking, he spotted the same curly-haired maid running toward the laundry room. The King raised an eyebrow as he watched her run. Intrigued, he walked into the laundry room and saw one of the other maids berate her for being late.
“She was running an errand for me,” the King said calmly, as he stood in the doorway. The maids turned to see the King standing there. They quickly bowed their heads. The curly-haired maid’s eyes widened when she saw the King. She quickly bowed.
“My apologies, your Majesty, I did not know,” said the other maid.
“No worries,” the King replied and gestured for the curly-haired maid to follow him. They walked outside to where the bed sheets were hung. “Your supervisor?” the King asked her.
“Yes, thank you for getting me out of trouble,” she replied as she exhaled in relief. She had been late again. This would have been the last straw if it weren't for the King and she really needed the job.
“What's your name?” the King asked her. She was standing a few paces away from him looking at the ground.
“Zara, your Majesty,” she replied and bowed her head. The King grunted and slid his hands in his pockets as he regarded her. There was something fascinating about this girl and he wanted to know more.
“How did the re-washing go last time?” he asked her. She gave him half a smile.
“I got in trouble for that.”
“I am sensing that this is an ongoing occurrence.”
“It's not like that, your Majesty, honestly. I don't do it on purpose.” Zara was already in panic mode and she didn’t want him thinking that she screwed up all the time. The King laughed softly.
“Relax, I am teasing.”
Zara sighed deeply. She did not know how to react to him teasing her. The whole situation was strange for her. She was a lowly palace maid but here she was standing with the King. It all felt unreal to her.
The King smiled and turned to leave. “Thank you once again, your Majesty!” Zara called out behind him. The King gave her a nod and carried on walking as he headed back to his office. Zara watched him walk away. This was far too odd. She was an ordinary laundry girl and yet the King had spoken to her for the second time. No doubt, there was going to be talk.
Oo00oO
The King dressed in a black tuxedo and a crisp white shirt. They were expecting a larger crowd at the Ball this season once word that his younger brother, Basil and his wife, Saja would attend. These events had grown tiresome for him because he had to spend most of it with the queen on his arm and pretend that everything was perfect. Perhaps this time, some of the novelty of the Prince and his wife would take the pressure off him.
The queen walked into the King’s quarters. She was dressed in a long, silver evening gown that complemented her shape and colouring. She kissed the King on both cheeks. “You look handsome,” Amira said as she adjusted his bowtie. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her. He couldn’t remember the last time she complimented his appearance. He detested that he was constantly scanning for ulterior motives anytime his women sought him out or said anything out of the ordinary.
As they entered the ballroom together, the queen linked her arm around his. Everyone turned to watch them walk in as they smiled in greeting. Tiana rolled her eyes as she sipped her champagne. It should have been her on his arm. Being the unofficial wife had its downs. She always had to be present at public events but in the shadows.
Saja stood next to Basil with her arm linked around his. She had to smile constantly as the guests greeted them. This kind of event was new to her, but Basil was a pro as he greeted each person with a smile. They all bowed to him with so much respect. Saja was impressed at how easily Basil found something to say to each person. He was so at ease while all Saja could think about was how soon they could leave.
The King went to his younger brother the first moment he saw an opportunity. He had been occupied with many of the sheiks hoping to bend his ear, as everyone wanted his attention. He smiled as he approached his brother and sister-in-law.
“How are you finding the Ball?” he asked Saja.
“Quite alright,” she responded with a smile.
He raised his eyebrows at her. He did not believe her answer. “Lies,” the King said. Even Basil knew she was not being honest. She had not spoken the words but she was bored to death with the whole thing.
Saja laughed, “I am
trying to get used to it all.”
The King held out his hand to Saja and the other tucked behind his back. Saja placed her hand in his and accepted his offer to dance as the two of them walked to the dance floor. The King gently placed his hand on her lower back and held her hand in his other hand keeping a friendly distance as they danced.
“She is marvellous,” a familiar voice sounded from behind Basil. He turned to find the beautiful and tempting Tiana standing there with a champagne glass in her hand.
“The most beautiful woman in this room,” Basil added.
“Not I?” Tiana laughed playfully. She was used to being the best-looking woman wherever she went. Basil laughed also. “Not long ago, you were set against marriage.”
“Why does everyone feel the need to remind me of that?”
“Because we were all taken by surprise. Seems like there is a heart in there,” Tiana placed her hand on his chest. Basil grunted in response. Tiana took his arm and led him to the dance floor. Since she could not dance with the King, she went for the second best man in the room.