“Hardly a bad quality. So you sent, and I’m here. What do you want?”
“Rasha and the other women are very pleased with all you did, as am I.”
“I enjoyed helping them. They have a great business and they can use the extra money.”
“Their husbands support them.”
“For now. What happens if one of them does the ‘I divorce thee’ three times or however it works?”
“That is not El Deharian law.”
“Fine. One of the men goes on a camel-stealing rampage and his wife is kicked out onto the street. My point is a woman having an independent income is good for everyone. She gets to feel a little self-worth, and he has to stay in line.”
“I suspect you are more interested in him staying in line.”
She smiled. “Maybe, but you get what I’m saying, right?”
He sighed. “Equality for all.”
“Is this where you point out that I’m difficult?”
“No. I’m saving that for later. I had an interesting conversation with Rasha yesterday. She reminded me that not enough women from the village and the desert tribes are going to college. It is not traditional for them to attend and many fathers are uninterested in doing much more than acquiring a good husband for their daughters.”
Victoria sprang to her feet. “Are you aware of what a waste that is for your country? There are brilliant minds not being used. Who knows what could have been invented or discovered or improved? But no. Let’s keep the women home for breeding. This just really pisses me off.”
“I would not have guessed.”
He leaned back against the cushions, obviously more amused than annoyed. She narrowed her gaze.
“You told me this on purpose,” she snapped.
“Yes.”
“You knew it would upset me.”
“I suspected you would have a strong reaction.”
“Do you want me to threaten you or something?”
“No. I wanted to see if you were as passionate about the subject as I had thought you would be.”
“And?”
“And you should sit down again.”
She wasn’t sure what he was up to, but she sat back on the sofa.
He leaned toward her. “It has come to my attention that you have one of those brilliant minds we were speaking of a few minutes ago. You see need and you fill it, especially where women and children are concerned.”
His assessment pleased her. “Men can take care of themselves. They’ve had the money and power for centuries.”
“We won’t debate that now,” he said. “Don’t try to distract me from what I want to say.”
“I don’t know what that is. How could I distract you?”
He stared at her until she squirmed. “Fine,” she muttered. “Talk away.”
“Should you not be pregnant, what are your plans when you leave here?”
The unexpected question made her glad she was seated. She didn’t want to think about leaving, about being away from him, never seeing him again. But was there a choice? He’d already shortened her time with him from six months to one.
The thought of leaving in a week or two hurt more than she could have imagined and she knew the reason. Love made her vulnerable. Love made her want to stay always, made her want to promise anything so he would keep her around. She’d actually considered offering to be his mistress permanently, knowing he would be marrying someone more appropriate. Which meant she had to leave as soon as she was free. She couldn’t stay here and be a doormat for a man who wouldn’t or couldn’t love her back.
He waited patiently while she struggled to remember the question. What were her plans?
“I thought I would go back to the States,” she said at last.
“Eager to leave the desert?”
“Not really. I like it here. But once we’re…” She cleared her throat. “Once it’s time for me to go, I will. I don’t think I’d be comfortable staying in El Deharia on my own.”
“You don’t want to continue to work for Nadim?”
“No.”
“Good.” He leaned toward her. “You have a gift, Victoria. You have the ability to help others achieve their dreams. Is that something you have considered?”
“Not really,” she said slowly. Where was he going with this? “I’ve been saving since I came to El Deharia. I didn’t have many expenses and I’ve always been a frugal shopper. I thought I might take the money I have and start my own business. I just haven’t figured out what. I’ll think about what you said. About helping others.”
“I would like you to consider it seriously. With the right funding, you could change people’s lives. If you had the financial backing, imagine what you could do.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. “Is that what you’re offering?”
“Yes. I would like to start a company with you. Perhaps a non-profit foundation that gives money to people who wish to start a business but don’t know how. You would assemble a staff of experts who would help them with every aspect of what new entrepreneurs need. From coming up with a business plan to hiring, advertising, dealing with tax regulations.”
She hadn’t expected anything like this and didn’t know what to say. “It’s a wonderful opportunity,” she murmured, torn between the excitement of being able to make a difference and the reality of being tied to Kateb. It would be easier for her peace of mind to simply walk away and never have to deal with him again.
“I would like you to consider it,” he said. “You could establish the main office anywhere in the United States. Where would you like to live?”
Did he have to sound so eager to get rid of her? “I’m not sure.”
“There is time for you to decide. And while we are on the subject of your future…”
He paused and for the first time since she’d met him, she had the sense that he was hesitating. Almost uncertain. “Kateb?”
He gave her a reassuring smile that did everything but reassure her.
“I would like to find you a husband. You have said many times you’re not interested in love, but you would like to be married for reasons of security. I am acquainted with many intelligent, successful men. Men who would be interesting and good husbands, without expecting all the emotional messiness that can make relationships difficult. If you wish, I can compile a list of potential suitors and arrange introductions.”
For the second time in as many minutes, she was glad she was sitting. Every part of her body had simply stopped working and had she been standing, she would have fallen to the floor.
He wanted to find her a husband? Was that the same as helping her look for a lost shoe or lip gloss? Did he plan to put an ad somewhere or hold interviews?
But that wasn’t what hurt, she thought, as cells slowly came back to life and her heart started beating again. No, the cold ache that spread through her was about how easily he said the words. He didn’t care if she was married to someone else. It might even make him feel better about the past month. She was a problem and once he’d fixed the situation, he could move on with a clear conscience.
None of this was about her. She wasn’t a person who mattered. She wasn’t significant to him. She’d fallen in love with a man who had no trouble thinking about her married to someone else.
Until that moment she hadn’t realized a fantasy had lived inside of her. One that said Kateb would turn around and actually see her. That he would recognize they were good together, that they could be happy. That he loved her.
She knew Yusra would tell her to be flattered. The prince taking so much interest in her future meant that he cared a little. Perhaps she was on the same level as a prized broodmare or a priceless painting. Something to be worried over and put in a safe place. But not anything he missed when the object was gone.
“Victoria? Are you interested in a husband?”
He sounded so calm, she thought, hurt turning to anger because anger was so much safer. He sounded reasonable.
“What’s wrong? I’m not trying to buy you off. I want to take care of you.”
“By finding me a husband?” she shrieked.
“Why does that offend you?”
She supposed in time she would take comfort in the knowledge that all men were equally stupid. Even princes.
She stood and stalked to the door.
“Victoria, why are you angry?”
He sounded genuinely confused, as if he couldn’t imagine what was wrong.
She didn’t answer the question. She kept on walking. When she reached the harem, she looked around for something to throw, then grabbed a pillow off the sofa and tossed it.
The act wasn’t the least bit satisfying. She eyed a vase on a stand, but knew it could be priceless and her snit wasn’t worth destroying that. When she heard someone enter the harem, she braced herself for another encounter with Kateb, but found Yusra instead.
“What’s wrong?” the other woman asked. “You are pale. Are you ill?”
“Kateb is an idiot,” Victoria yelled, then walked to the far end of the room. She needed to move. Maybe if she went far enough, she could leave all this behind.
“What has he done?”
“He wants me to run a foundation to help women start their own businesses. Which is great. It’s a dream, really, one I didn’t even know I had.”
Yusra stared at her. “And?”
“And he wants to find me a husband.”
The old woman didn’t look surprised. “You need to be married.”
“What I need is to kick him in the head. He’s going to find me a husband. Isn’t that nice? One who won’t mind that I was briefly mistress to a prince. But is that a bad thing? Won’t it make a great cocktail-party conversation? This is Victoria. My wife used to sleep with an El De-harian prince.”
Her eyes began to burn. There was no way she was crying over Kateb. He didn’t deserve it.
“Our ways are different,” Yusra began slowly. “He is showing that you are important to him.”
“By giving me to another man? Oh, yeah, I’ll just stand here and feel the love.”
“Would you rather he walked away without considering your future at all?”
“No.” She wanted him to realize she cared about him. She wanted him to be unable to let her go. “No. That would be worse.”
“Then why is there a problem?”
Yusra wasn’t an idiot. She’d been around a long time and Victoria was pretty sure she’d already figured out the problem.
“You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”
Yusra nodded.
Victoria opened her mouth, then closed it. “I won’t. It’s not true. It’ll pass. Like a stomachache.”
Yusra clicked her tongue and shook her head, then walked into the harem’s back rooms.
Victoria trailed after her. “I’m not in love with him. That’s what you’re thinking, aren’t you? Well, I’m not. He should honor his original bargain and keep me around for six months. That’s only fair. Then I’d leave. I want to leave, but only after I’ve paid my debt.”
Yusra straightened a few towels. “Yes. I see how this is all about your guilt.”
“Not guilt exactly,” Victoria mumbled. “I don’t love him. That would be incredibly stupid. Love is for fools.”
“It is a woman’s destiny to love. It is how we are made. You can try to deny the truth, but it is the same as a turtle believing he can fly. No matter how he resists reality, he will always crash back to earth. So it is with you. You love him.”
Victoria sucked in a breath. “I don’t want to.”
“Does the wanting or not wanting change what is?”
“Don’t get all mystic on me.”
The older woman moved next to her and patted her shoulder. “It is good that you love him.”
“He wants to send me away and marry me off to someone else.”
“Perhaps.”
There was no “perhaps.” It was real and it was happening. “I don’t matter to him at all. Or at least not enough.” Not enough for him to want her to stay.
“He doesn’t know how you feel.”
Victoria held up both hands, palms out, and took a step back. “I’m not telling him. No way. Not me. Are you serious? Give him that much power? I don’t think so. Did you know Cantara? Am I anything like her?”
“No. She was very traditional. She had lived in the desert all her life. She was the love of his youth. He needs a new love now that he is a man.”
The words made her heart ache, Victoria thought sadly. She would give anything to be that woman. The one he cared about. The one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
“He can’t have loved someone like her and then care about me. We’re too different. I don’t bring anything to the relationship. No tribal connection, no power base. He said his marriage will be political.”
“What else is he going to say? That he doesn’t want to love and lose again? What man admits that? Tell him how you feel. What is the worst that will happen?”
She shuddered. “He’ll reject me.”
“Is that the worst? Or is it spending the rest of your life not knowing?”
Kateb knew that Victoria was angry, but he had no idea why. She was a most complicated woman, he thought grimly as he made his way to the harem two days later.
He had offered to take care of her for the rest of her life. He would give her a great business to run and find her a good husband. What more could she want? But was she grateful? Of course not.
Worse, he had sent for her twice and she had ignored him both times. No one kept him waiting—and he would tell her that explicitly.
He stalked into the harem, letting the door bang shut behind him.
“Victoria,” he yelled, “you will appear before me this instant.”
“I’m not a ghost,” she yelled back. “I don’t appear and disappear. Right now I’m busy. Go away.”
Incensed, he followed the sound of her voice, then wished he had not when he stepped into the harem bath and found her in the middle of the large pool.
The swirling water did little to conceal her nakedness from him, which would make it difficult to have any kind of serious conversation. But to retreat now would be to show weakness. He would simply ignore her firm, round breasts and the curve of her hips. He wouldn’t notice her long legs or how she’d piled her hair on top of her head. He was strong and powerful. A sheik who ruled the desert. He could resist a mere woman.
“I sent for you twice.”
She stayed under the water, looking both wary and defiant. “So I heard.”
“I am Prince Kateb of El Deharia. You will come to me when I summon you.”
“Apparently not.”
“You are my mistress.”
“For the next few days, then I’m gone. Or are you going to change the rules again? For all your claims of greatness, your word isn’t worth much.”
Fury erupted inside of him. “You dare to speak to me this way?”
She actually yawned. “I’m sorry. What was the question?”
He wanted to grab her and shake her. He wanted to pull her out of the pool and…and…
Desire swept through him. Blood pooled in his groin. Wanting was stronger than anger, and he resented her power over him.
As he stood well above her and was fully clothed, he should have had the advantage. So why did he feel she was winning?
“I don’t understand,” he said at last. “Why are you angry? I’m offering to help.”
“I don’t remember telling you there was a problem.”
“I want to ensure your future.”
“By finding me a husband?” she asked, obviously outraged.
“Yes, but if you don’t want one, I’ll give you mon
ey instead. You’ll be taken care of.” Shouldn’t that make her happy?
“What is the going rate for a month of mistressing?” she asked in a tone that warned him she was not pleased. “It’s more than I would have thought. I’m surprised more women don’t seek the position, as it pays so well.”
He frowned. “Your sarcasm is unnecessary.”
“It feels pretty necessary to me. Now please, go away.”
“You keep saying that, but I will not until this is settled.” He drew in a breath. One of them would have to be rational and as the male, the job fell to him. “Victoria, I know your past and how it has shaped you. My goal is to make sure you never worry about money again. Why is that a bad thing?”
“Why are you so concerned?” she asked, sounding almost reasonable.
“Because you are someone I appreciate. When I first brought you here, I had a different view of you. I was wrong. You should respect that.”
She stood. The water came to her waist, leaving her breasts bare and wet. His need for her grew.
“You mean I’m not the money-hungry bitch you’d first imagined? You no longer have to worry about punishing me? I’ve become worthy of your attention?”
He sensed the trap but couldn’t see it. “Yes.”
“What a terrific statement about my character. I would think you’d be more worried about my pregnancy. But you don’t seem to be at all.”
Still wary, he said, “It is unlikely. As you said, it was one night.”
“So you might have overreacted,” she snapped. “What a shocker. But we have to be sure, because it’s a royal child. Let’s see. If you’re going to give me money and a husband for a month of being your mistress, what would you offer if I had a child? The moon? The Arabian Sea?” She turned her back on him. “Just leave.”
Kateb stared at her bare shoulders. He genuinely didn’t understand her. “What do you want?” he asked. “How can I make you happy?”
An interesting question, Victoria thought sadly, wondering how he would handle the truth. Would he listen? Would he consider the words? Or would he use them against her, ripping her heart from her body and trampling it into dust?
She climbed out of the bath and grabbed a towel. After wrapping it around her body, she tucked in the end and crossed her arms over her chest.
The Sheikh and the Bought Bride Page 14