Sheikh's Unexpected Triplets

by Sophia Lynn

  He gestured towards the crossed out scrap of paper where she had penned what she thought was going to be her goodbye. Bedelia flinched a little. She knew very well what was written there, and it hurt to imagine Jahin reading it.

  "I couldn't believe it," he continued caustically. "When I came home and found you gone, it was as if someone had carved the heart out of me. For a moment, I thought you were kidnapped, not that you had left, and when I realized that you had left, I had to also realize what a fool I was."

  "Why did you call me back? Why did you ask your men to find me?"

  He scowled at her, and she thought that if she were capable of feeling anything right now, she would be afraid.

  "Because I needed to find out why," he growled. "I have been open and honest with you, and despite the evidence that lies in front of us, I believe that you have been open and honest with me. You fleeing for the United States...that is the part that feels strange and dishonest to me, like it is something that does not fit.

  "You are a woman of passion and truth," he said, and it had never sounded less like a compliment in his tone. "What the hell would send you running back towards the United States?"

  There was a practical voice in the back of her head telling her to lie. It was there, it told her that if she said enough cruel things, if she whined and groaned and begged, then he would let her go. But she was tired, and as she watched him, something occurred to her.

  This man was the father of her son or daughter. Whatever role he took, whatever the circumstances of the pregnancy, that would never change. In that moment, she realized she could not lie to him, and she lowered her eyes, giving up.

  "I am pregnant," she said, her voice soft and without inflection.

  He was still so long that she thought he hadn't heard her, and then he was across the space between them, his hands rough on her shoulders, hauling her up to look at him. She gasped at his strength and speed, and then she was looking up into his copper eyes.

  "What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded.

  His quick and sudden motion somehow jump-started the emotions within her that had felt so frozen. This man was the father of her child, and right now, his grip on her shoulders ached. She couldn't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes, and she put up her hands to push him away. She knew it would be like a gnat trying to stand up against a storm, but for her safety and her child's, she had to try.

  "I'm pregnant," she shouted, lurching away. He was so startled by her pushing him off that his hands fell down by his sides, and his expression would have been funny if she wasn't so pained.

  "I'm going to have a baby, I am going to have our baby," she said, hugging herself, and she watched as the bafflement in his face skyrocketed up into rage.

  "And you never thought that I might have something to say about this?" he snarled. "Did you think you were really going to simply sneak off into the night, keeping my child away from me?"

  "What could you have to say?" she demanded. "You're not my husband, and we both know this relationship is going to end sooner rather than later. There's nothing between us, Jahin! There is nothing, and I refuse to allow you to...to fulfill your bloodline and take this child away from me."

  "Do you understand that what you have done would once have been considered treason?" Jahin growled.

  She glared at him defiantly. "Are you going to charge me with treason? Do you think that I won't yell my head off at anyone who will listen about me and my baby? Do you think I'll be too ashamed to get the help I need?"

  "You are incredible," he said with disgust, shaking his head. "I have given you everything a woman could want, and you decide that you need to kidnap my firstborn because...because what? You couldn't abide by the relationship we had set up?"

  "Everything's changed!" she cried. Why couldn't he see it? Didn't he understand that the child changed everything? "I was afraid you were going to take my child and..."

  The scene in front of her wavered, and she scowled until it came back into focus.

  "I...I can't. I can't explain to you what it felt like when..."

  The words were barely out of her mouth before it felt as if the floor was rising up to meet her, arching up and gravity pulling her down. She grabbed onto the chair beside her, and it stilled her fall long enough for Jahin to catch her. She had just felt the safety of his arms around her when the room swam, and she was gone.

  Chapter Thirteen

  When Bedelia regained consciousness, she was startled by all the white around her. Everything was so clean that it seemed to glow, and she was in a bed she had never been in before. It was so new and she was so raw that she couldn't prevent a small mewl of panic, and then she felt her hand squeezed gently and comfortingly. When Bedelia looked to her right, she saw a grim-faced Jahin sitting next to her, his hand covering hers.

  "It's all right. You are at the hospital, and you are stable."

  "The hospital...?" A sudden gasp of fear took her. "Oh god...the baby..."

  "As far as the doctors can tell, everything is fine. You weren't out that long, but soon enough, someone will come in with an ultrasound machine and tell us more."

  Bedelia bit her lip, her free hand stealing over her belly. Had something she’d done hurt her child? Oh god, what if something was wrong? She thought of all the times she had felt tired and sad. What if they had been signs that she was ignoring?

  She felt Jahin's fingers tighten over hers, and she looked up at him. There was still an invisible wall between them, but his eyes were warm, and somehow, she was comforted.

  "It will be fine," he said. "I will accept no other option."

  She smiled at him a little. "I am glad that you are confident."

  There was still so much to say between them, but for the moment, they simply sat in silence. Every part of her except for the hand that he held felt cool, almost cold.

  It felt like an eternity, but it was likely only a half hour before the doctor came in to see them. He was an older man with a jawline beard and a friendly smile that made Bedelia feel instantly comfortable. She had to let go of Jahin's hand to shake his, but Jahin reclaimed it instantly, which made her feel oddly safe.

  "I am Dr. Saati, and I'm here to get you on track," he said briskly. "It seems as if your blood pressure spiked, which is not uncommon for women who are pregnant, but is something that should be watched. Do you have an OB/GYN?"

  Shame-faced, she had to shake her head.

  "I only found out about my condition a day ago," she said softly. "I haven't spoken to any doctors yet..."

  The doctor frowned, looking surprised. "That startles me a bit. Usually women are aware of their pregnancies by this point."

  "I knew I was putting on a little weight," she hazarded, "but that's all."

  The doctor asked her a few more questions, and she was nervous when she realized she was not giving him the answers he was looking for.

  Finally he shook his head. "Well, let's see what the ultrasound has to say. That should give us a good picture of what is going on, so to speak..."

  The jelly that they spread on her belly was terribly cold, and she saw Jahin frown out of the corner of her eye. She held on to his hand tighter, and no matter what was going on between them, she was grateful that he was there and looking out for her.

  "Oh...well, this explains some of this," the doctor said thoughtfully, and she thought she heard Jahin growl very softly next to her.

  "Tell us what is going on," Jahin demanded, and the doctor swung the screen towards them. For a moment, Bedelia was simply fascinated by the display of black and glowing blue. This was her body seen in a way that she had never seen it before, but then the images resolved and her eyes widened.

  "No..."

  "Well, this is your child here," said the doctor. "And so is this, and so is this. Congratulations, Miss Lindow, you are having triplets."

  She didn't realize she was holding Jahin's hand much tighter until she shifted. Still, he never made a sound. They bot
h looked at the doctor, and then they looked at each other.

  The look on Jahin's face was not one that Bedelia could have predicted. She would have guessed that he would be shocked, or perhaps that he would be confused. She might even have guessed that he would be furious, though she would not have liked to consider that.

  However, the actual look on his face took her breath away; it was joy, pure and simple.

  "Triplets?” he said finally when it was clear that Bedelia was breathless. "Truly?"

  "Yes," said the doctor with a nod. "Not usual, certainly, but far from incredibly rare. Do either of you have multiple births in your family?"

  As a matter of fact, both Bedelia and Jahin could come up with at least a few relatives who had produced twins, but triplets seemed to be an altogether new idea.

  "Is it dangerous?" asked Jahin, his voice oddly tight. "One of my cousins, she had complications with her twins, and one did not survive."

  Bedelia was startled to hear the grief in his voice. There was sadness there, and a very real fear that she slowly realized was all for her.

  The doctor reassured him that it was not dangerous at all as long as proper monitoring was performed. She would have to check in with the OB/GYN on a regular basis, and of course she would have to watch her diet, but other than that, it was relatively safe.

  The three of them talked a little longer about what changed with triplets and what they could both expect, but finally the doctor held up his hands.

  "There is a lot of information to cover, but I am afraid that if I give you more of it, I am going to swamp you. There is literature I can give you, and research I can recommend, but at the bottom of everything, I want you both to relax and simply take it easy. Please stay calm, and remember, this is a joyous occasion. There is nothing wrong here at all, I promise.”

  The doctor took his leave, and Bedelia turned to Jahin.

  "Jahin, please, I need--"

  "No." His voice cracked like a whip, making her jump.

  Her eyes widened as he pulled his hand away from hers and got up to pace. Not knowing what to do, she folded her hands over her belly and watched him. It was like being in a room with a dragon, unsure whether it was going to strike or lie down quietly.

  "This changes things."

  She wasn’t sure she had ever heard words quite that frightening before, and she clasped her hands tightly, trying to stay calm. There was nothing to be afraid of here, she tried to tell herself, but from the dark look that Jahin was giving her, she wasn't quite so sure.

  "Does it?" she murmured.

  He glared at her. "It must. You must have known that, or you wouldn't have tried to flee to America."

  He watched her to see if she would dare argue, but she stayed silent. He was right. If not for the pregnancy, she would never have left, but something deep inside her had told her that she had been right to do so. She needed control, and when she was with Jahin, no matter how kind and generous he was, she would never have it.

  "Our former arrangement is done," he said harshly, and despite how she had steeled herself for what he was going to unleash, she couldn't stop herself from flinching away from his sharp words. "That agreement ended when you tried to leave without my knowledge."

  "And I suppose the one who is going to create our new arrangement is you," she said bitterly, and the look he gave her was shuttered and distant.

  "I am. There is much for me to think about, and perhaps I should have thought of this a long time ago, but I am damn sure that I am going to think of it now. But first, you are staying in Muneazil. That is non-negotiable. My child...my children will not be born outside of this emirate's borders. If they are ever to inherit much of anything from me, they must be citizens."

  "So you are going to keep me a prisoner here?" she demanded, and he lanced her with a dark look.

  "Do not tempt me," he said distinctly. "There is a part of me that would like nothing better than to have you actually confined while you are pregnant, to suspend your passport and make sure that no one in the outside world can reach you at all."

  She gasped at his flat tone.

  "You are talking about actual imprisonment," she whispered in shock, and he nodded grimly.

  "I see that you understand what I can do. I do not want to do it. It would mean breaking the law, it would mean doing something grossly unethical, and it would be cruel. I do not want to do such a thing, but Bedelia, I absolutely will do it. There is nothing in me that is going to hesitate if I think that you are going to take my children away from me. Show me that you understand."

  Jerkily, she nodded. He watched her with those bright, intent eyes, and when he had ascertained for himself that she would abide by his rule, he nodded.

  "There is a great deal for me to consider," he said. "I am...angrier than I have ever been, and that will take some time to figure out. Until then, you will stay at one of my family's townhouses. There are going to be guards posted at the door for your protection, as well as to provide me with a little insurance that you will not flee again."

  "But where will you be?" she asked, and despite the charged nature of the situation, she could not keep a slightly plaintive note out of her voice.

  She had thought it would be a simple question, but in the space of a heartbeat, he had crossed the room, cradling her face in his hands. His touch was gentle, but tension made him tremble, and his eyes were alight with fury.

  "I will be at the penthouse," he growled out. "It does not matter that you are carrying my children in your belly, and it does not matter that I still want you as much as the land wants the sun. After what you did and what you tried to do, I cannot be close to you right now."

  Tears welled up in her eyes, and he released her with a tight nod.

  "I see that you understand," he said caustically. "Don't worry, you will see me again, Bedelia. But first, I need to think."

  With nothing more than that, he spun on his heel and stalked out, leaving Bedelia feeling more cold and lost than she ever had before.

  She supposed that in another few minutes, a nurse would come in and let her know that there was an escort for her. Perhaps it would even be the two kind men who had taken her from the airport. They would take her to the townhouse where she would be staying for the foreseeable future, and that would be that.

  If someone had told her that Jahin would say such terrible words to her, she would have expected to burst into tears. However, it seemed as if some things were beyond tears, beyond grief, and instead, all she could do was muster up a wild, lost and cold feeling, one that felt as if the life had been taken out of her.

  Tentatively, she got out of the bed, finding herself satisfactorily stable. Her purse and things were laid out for her on a nearby table, but she felt a distant chill when she realized that her phone and identification were gone. She could feel a distant echo of the violation and fury that she would feel later, but right now, it was all she could do to hold herself together.

  "We're going to be all right," she whispered to her belly. It was still hard to believe that there could be three children in there. "I promise, we'll all be all right."

  ***

  JAHIN HAD SAID that he was going off to think, but the truth was he was going off to drink. He was not a man who was given to strong drink at all. He’d had a few wild nights while he was at school in England, but overall, he was much better off without the stuff.

  Apparently, there were some pieces of news that called for alcohol, however, and he went back to his penthouse with that in mind.

  After slamming back a shot of good whiskey and relishing the burn, though, he realized how empty it felt. No matter how numb he got, the feelings would still be there waiting for him, and eventually he would have to deal with it.

  He would have to deal with the fact that Bedelia had tried to leave him, and he would also have to deal with the fact that unless he had come home early, he would never have known, and he would never have been able to stop her. There was something ter
rible about that most of all, how close he had come to losing it all.

  In another world, one in which he had simply stayed in Dubai, she would be in the United States before he figured out what was going on, their children living who knows where and completely unaware of their heritage at all. It was enough to drive something in him mad.

  He reached for the whiskey again, but then, shaking his head, he put it down. There was nothing there for him, and if he was to consider what needed to happen next, he needed a clear head.

  Jahin sighed.

  If he were a wise man, he would never see Bedelia again. He would wait until she bore the children, and then he would send her away. Throughout her pregnancy, he would keep her in the lap of luxury, making sure she got everything she needed, and he would keep his damn distance. There was something about her that altered his judgment, that kept him blind to what was going on around him.

  In a word, she was dangerous, and no sheikh could allow his judgment to be compromised like this.

  He sighed, shaking his head.

  That was going to be impossible. It might be the smarter thing by far to do. It might be the thing that would save his sanity and his emirate. However, Jahin knew himself and his heart well enough to know that he couldn't do it. There was something that bound him and Bedelia together. The ancients might have called it fate, or perhaps there was some darker word for the pull between them.

  No, he couldn't be rid of her, and he couldn't go to her as he wished to do, either.

  For a moment, unbidden, he fell into a fantasy of what he should be doing right now. He itched to see her naked body, to catalog all the ways that it had changed since she had started growing the new lives inside her. He wanted to touch her, even now, run gentle fingers over her curves, see her smile, lean down and kiss her, gently at first and then with more passion. It seemed like the cruelest thing in the world that he could not do so.