by Ali Parker
Father pulled me aside before we could make our exit, lightly grabbing my arm. For the first time in a long time, his expression was tight, but it wasn’t directed at me. His eyes cut at Mother before he spoke. “How about you show Sophia around for the day tomorrow until the banquet? I’m sure with both of you having some time away from work, you will enjoy each other’s company for a little while.”
I nodded. It wasn’t Sophia’s company that he cared about. It was removing the both of us from the company of my Mother.
She remained in her seat, her eyes lowered to her plate. She hadn’t looked up once.
I had the urge to do something rash, like throwing my chair to the floor to startle her enough to look at me. Heat coursed through me as I glared at her.
“Take Sophia to her room,” Father ordered.
Mother’s cheek twitched. It was the only reaction she’d given the entire night. While I knew I didn’t need her approval—I outranked her technically—I didn’t want her to mess this up for me. Father and Abir were convinced. It was all I could do to keep that going.
I took Sophia’s hand and gave Mother the cold shoulder on the way out. Father probably expected me to say something to her, but I couldn’t wrap my tongue around any pleasantries.
All words failed me as I walked Sophia back to her room. I knew Mother wouldn’t approve, but I thought after I brought Sophia in front of her and my family, she’d at least try to be civil. Her actions at dinner were inexcusable. I knew I’d be angrier if Sophia had been my real girlfriend, but I was disgusted nonetheless.
“I’m sorry,” I said when we reached her door. It was all I could muster. Mother’s actions spoke for themselves, and I hoped that Sophia wouldn’t think that this arrangement was too complicated for her. It was only the first day, and Mother managed to ruin the entire meal with her hurt pride.
“It’s fine,” she said.
“It’s not—”
She touched my hand and twined her fingers through mine. I glanced down the hallway. There wasn’t anyone in sight.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I don’t take it personally. She’s watching her little boy dote on another woman other than herself. I can imagine it’s difficult.”
“Why are you saying this?” I asked.
“Because coming here with you, this place, that dinner, it was the best time I’ve had in a long time. Parents are supposed to embarrass their kids. I know you have a lot on your plate, and if I can be the one person you don’t have to worry about, let me be that person, okay?”
“Okay,” I said, relaxing my shoulders. She was right. I did have a lot to worry about. Hearing her understand that and take it in stride opened up something inside of me. While she was obviously attractive, there was something deeper growing between us. Whether she saw it or not.
I had the urge to kiss her again. I stepped closer to her as her gaze fell to my lips.
We were a breath apart before I muttered the words, “Good night.”
She blinked and stepped away from me, a forced smile stretching her lips. “Good night.”
When the door closed, I still didn’t move. The rustling sounds from inside the room were overpowered by the rush of blood in my ears, pumping to the sound of my heartbeat.
In her way, Sophia had latched onto my heart. In the past, no one brought out the myriad of feelings and emotions the way that Sophia did. She was kind, understanding, and intelligent. While we had come here on the pretense of being fake lovers, a large part of me wanted that to be true.
More than anything.
18
Sophia
I woke on my own the next day. It was the first time in a long time that I hadn’t set the alarm. Though I had no idea where my phone was, even if I had set one. I hoped Mr. Fraser hadn’t called, but we didn’t have an appointment scheduled. Since I couldn’t have anyone overhear our conversation about the story, I made a mental note to contact him on Sunday after the interview with Luke.
The previous evening’s events flooded my mind as I sat up in bed. I fluffed my pillows, pushing them against the headboard and pulling the covers over my chest. I wasn’t quite ready to get out of the soft coziness of my bed.
The conversation at dinner was pleasant, other than the silence from the other end of the table. While I tried to ignore it and keep Abir and Erol talking, Luke had been aware of his mother the entire time. I had never seen him so angry before, and I hoped that I would never have that expression directed at me. As a dutiful girlfriend would, I tried to calm him by catching him when I could, touching his hand to draw him out of his head.
I tended to expect the worst of any situation, which made me feel better when my low expectations were exceeded. So, I had assumed that Gia would be a tough nut to crack. Instead of trying with her, I had focused on the men in the room, further strengthening our story that Luke and I were happy and in love.
A few times, I caught myself getting a little too comfortable with Luke by my side. The lines between our lie and reality started to blur.
Then, the dreaded moment came as I relived it. I couldn’t believe I almost kissed him. I buried myself under the covers, desperate to get away from the image in my mind. He’d stiffened and bid me goodnight in the politest way, but that hadn’t stopped the creepy-crawly feeling under my skin. I’d read all the signs wrong, and I wished I could have sunk into the floor at that moment.
I hoped that Luke thought it was me playing the part instead of really wanting to kiss him. It was all I could think about every time I saw him, even when he wasn’t near me but close to my thoughts.
I’d fallen for our own ruse, and I hoped I didn’t screw it up before I got my story.
The rejection was clear, and I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. If he wanted to kiss me in front of his parents to prove something, that would be fine, but I had to keep it strictly platonic when no one else was around.
It took a few minutes for me to get out of bed. The small clock on the side table said it was early. While I knew the staff would probably be awake, I wasn’t sure if Luke would be.
I took my time getting ready, showering and doing my makeup. I didn’t put any lipstick or blush on, but I had enough concealer to make my skin smooth and blemish free. Luke didn’t want me to grab too much attention by way of makeup or the way I dressed, and I accepted that. Since we were going out this morning—and probably for the whole day—I adhered to his wishes and picked an outfit appropriate for a day out. There was a pair of wide-legged pants that fit with most of the shirts he’d bought for me. I grabbed a black shirt with a high neck that cinched at the wrists. Both of the fabrics were light, and after I dressed, I went out onto the small balcony outside of my window. The sun was behind the palace, but the heat already clung to my skin.
My hair frizzed within a few minutes, and I decided to wear another headscarf to hide it. Luke would have suggested it anyhow, and I wanted to stay ahead of him so he’d trust me to make my own decisions. Keeping me in the background while he did what he had to do here worked well for me. If I was to discover anything else going on at the palace, I didn’t want him to keep too close of an eye on me.
There were several options in the armoire, and I picked a gray headscarf, giving another shade of depth to my outfit. I wanted to appear inconspicuous, but I had to add a little of my flavor to the outfit.
I did a onceover of my outfit before heading out of the room.
Standing in the hallway, I realized I had no idea where I was going. Luke said nothing about going to breakfast or what time we’d meet. I had no urge to see his mother without him by my side, so I went in search of Luke’s room.
I wandered around for a few minutes until I came upon a servant.
“Excuse me, can you tell me where Lu—Prince Luke’s room is?” I had no idea about the formality that I needed to use to get what I wanted, but it worked.
The servant pointed me in the direction of Luke’s room, and I thanked him.
A
ball lodged in my throat at the prospect of seeing Luke again. While I didn’t want to show him my feelings, I wasn’t able to hide them from myself. I allowed myself to revel in them for a moment before bottling them up again and knocking on his door.
It opened a few seconds later. I stepped back to drink him in. He was already dressed. He wore robes—a more traditional outfit like his father—and this guy never stopped surprising me. A wave of heat rolled across my neck, and my hairs prickled under the scarf.
“You look…” I trailed off.
“Ridiculous?” he hinted.
“I was going to say like a prince,” I said.
He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. Was I mistaken about his feelings for me? I felt every inch of his gaze moving down my body and then back up to my eyes. “Thank you.”
I shivered. “What’s on the agenda?”
“I’m getting you as far away from my mother as possible.”
I laughed. “She’s not that bad.”
“Were we at the same dinner last night?” he asked.
I wasn’t going to badmouth his mother, no matter how shitty she’d been. While I was sure he was pissed at her, he and his family were the only ones who could be allowed to speak negatively of her behavior. Besides, I had no claim on his heart, and I had nothing to lose. Well, there was the interview, but I’d already earned that just by coming.
He offered his arm to me, and we walked down to breakfast.
It was just him and me for breakfast. He noted that his Father and Mother were eating in their chambers, and Abir tended to sleep in.
Breakfast wasn’t a big affair, but it was delicious nonetheless. I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to eat the fried foods back in Dallas after tasting what fresh delicacies were around the world. Or maybe I’d have to be a bit pickier when choosing places to eat. Matt had always tried to get me out of my shell. Maybe it was time to follow his advice.
I hadn’t texted Matt since I’d left the UK. I probably had a bunch of messages on my phone waiting for me. I’d check them later. My curiosity for where Luke was taking me had pushed my need to answer Matt’s burning questions to the back of my mind, even though I was sure he had a lot.
“Where are we going?” I asked Luke as two servants finished clearing our plates. I didn’t like talking to them as if they weren’t there—as the rest of the family did.
“I thought I’d take you to some of the local landmarks. For lunch, I thought we could head out on one of our family boats so we can eat as you take in the view.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said.
I didn’t press Luke to go inside any of the mosques that we saw on the way around the city. It wasn’t customary for a Western person to go inside their places of worship, but I could imagine how they looked from the outside.
There were so many people walking the streets. We had several bodyguards, but they weren’t as visible as what I’d seen in some American movies when royals were involved. Most of the women kept their heads down when other men were around. It was still strange to see them covered up like I was. In Dallas, there was no shortage of short-shorts and cowboy boots. I supposed dressing like that here would be scandalous.
At lunch, we headed to the marina. I’d never been on a billionaire’s boat before, but just like the jet and the palace, it didn’t disappoint.
We sat on the deck at a two-person table while enjoying the warm breeze coming off the water.
“This is the life,” I said, tilting my head back and feeling the warmth of the sun on my cheeks.
“It is my life.”
I dropped my head to watch his expression turn from happy and carefree to closed off and almost pained.
“What’s your hesitation about becoming king?” I asked, eating a forkful of my salad.
“To be honest, I’ve always felt like an outsider in our family. Since I’m not blood-related, I feel like I’m overstepping Abir’s birthright.”
“You said he wouldn’t be a good king,” I said.
“I never said that. He’d make a great king, but I know it’s something he doesn’t want, either.”
“In a way, you feel obligated?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I suppose I do.”
I considered it. Luke seemed always to be constantly warring with himself. No wonder he had such a tough exterior. As a prince, he had to keep up with the image that he was the next in line while feeling as if he wasn’t adequate for it since he wasn’t a blood relative. Did he want to be king but feel an obligation to his brother, too? Abir was young. Maybe he wanted time to be a teenager before taking over the kingdom. But if Luke stepped in before that, would it cause trouble between the brothers?
I couldn’t imagine how Luke felt. Even though I needed to get the story for Mr. Fraser, this wasn’t the time.
I changed the subject, asking about the buildings that were on the shore. They were almost carbon copies of each other, spread apart by some distance. He said they were residential buildings. What a view the water must be for them. At home, I was quite a distance from any ocean views, so I took a moment and imagined what life would be like living in such a warm place all the time with fantastic views.
“What are you thinking about?” Luke asked.
“This is quite a beautiful place,” I said. “I’d visit here all the time if I were you.”
“I can take you back here whenever you want,” he said.
I glanced at the servants who were coming toward us with more plates of food. I smiled at Luke, knowing the thought was purely for their benefit. I tried to focus on how good it felt to be there instead of how quickly all of this was going to end.
Since the banquet was in the early evening, we headed back to the palace right after our late lunch. Instead of walking, we took a car, which got us back to the palace much sooner than I’d hoped. I did look forward to the banquet—not Luke’s mother—and the idea of dressing up and meeting other dignitaries intrigued me. So I wasn’t hard pressed to leave Luke while I got ready in my room.
He almost looked as if he’d wanted to say something important as I caught him staring at me from the doorway.
Before I could ask, he closed the door and left me.
It was the strangest thing, but if he wanted to tell me something, I had no doubt in my mind that he would. We’d talked a lot about his future that day, so I wondered if I’d left him with a lot to think about. I hoped he sorted his answers before our interview in two days.
Meanwhile, my focus was on the armoire. There were four different outfits that Luke had mentioned were appropriate for the banquet
The one that attracted me the first time I saw it was a purple gown. The color was so dark that it almost appeared bluish. A black belt cinched the waist, and the thick fabric billowed down, overtaking the other dresses by a long shot. If I was going to impress anyone with my outfits, it would be with this gown.
19
Luke
Sophia gave me a lot to think about during our time together. She wasn’t fishing for information, but I’d told her my innermost thoughts about how I felt about the kingdom. I hoped my insecurities didn’t show up in her newspaper, but there was enough respect between us for her not to exploit me. I could tell she was having a good time, and I was having more fun with her than I’d had with anyone—even Maddox—in a long time. Seeing my country through her eyes opened my own and gave me an opportunity to take a hard look at what running the country might feel like.
The time passed quickly, and I hoped the rest of the evening did as well. I didn’t want to be in the presence of Mother, let alone in the same room. Her attitude from last night still bothered me. I hoped that she would be too preoccupied with her guests to notice me at all. I only had one more full day in the palace, and it was big enough to avoid her if I needed to.
Heading back to Sophia’s room, I steeled my nerves. I couldn’t let my fondness for her show until we were in front of others. During that time, my affecti
on would seem appropriate, and Sophia would think I was playing a part instead of revealing how I really felt about her. It would be hard to let her go when this was all over, but at least I’d have this trip to remember her by. And who knew? Maybe she’d stay in touch with me after everything.
Though that entirely depended on where her story went. I couldn’t imagine she would blast me in the newspaper, but she didn’t work for me. I couldn’t control what story she chose to run with.
When I reached her door, I pushed all of that aside. I wanted to enjoy this evening with her as though it were our last.
After knocking, I heard her thumping footsteps before the door opened. She backed away from me and gave me a little twirl.
Seeing her brought a smile to my face. I had hoped she would pick that dress for tonight. It was one that I had to choose when I was back at home in England in preparation for the trip. After our shopping spree, I’d sent Sophia’s measurements to the palace, and the servants had picked what would suit her best.
And this dress did just that. A thin black belt accentuated her tiny waist and in turn, hugged all of her curves.
“How do I look?” she asked.
“Like a princess,” I said.
Her face fell. “Is this a princess’s gown?”
I shrugged. “I doubt it. These gowns were specifically chosen for you.”
She tugged at the hem of her sleeve at her wrist. “That’s nice.”
“I would have done it for anyone,” I said, then immediately regretted it. She should know that she was the only person I wanted to have in her place.
If she was offended at the thought of me pretending to be in a relationship with anyone else, she didn’t show it.
“Did I do the scarf okay?” she asked.
I stepped into the room, feeling a little bit of a thrill by doing it. If anyone caught us, I was sure to be reported to Father, but I had a feeling that as long as we weren’t having sex on the floor with the door open for everyone to see, he wouldn’t mind too much if I was caught adjusting my girlfriend’s hijab.