by Holly Rayner
“You know I was falsely accused. Why do you continue to perpetuate this lie?”
Lily felt Atnan’s heart pounding in his chest. His voice was laced with anger, hurt, and confusion.
Kaveh slammed his fist against the table, glaring up at Atnan.
“It was not a lie! You molested Asha in front of an entire crowd of people. Dozens of people were there to see it! Not only did you shame yourself and our family name, but you shamed me. You knew how much I loved her!”
“Yes, I did, and that was why I did everything in my power to help her see the best in you, Kaveh, even after you two broke up. You are my brother! I have wanted nothing but for us to be friends all our lives, and you have fought me on that at every turn.
“Asha knew that. She wanted to get back at you after the breakup, and she tricked me into meeting her in a public place before grabbing at me and making it look like I was the one instigating something. She is a spiteful and vindictive woman, and she had her heart set on destroying you. She just happened to destroy me in the process.”
Atnan’s words poured from him in a heartfelt plea as Kaveh listened quietly.
“No. That can’t be true. Asha was many things, but I do not believe that she would stoop so low.”
“But you believe that I would—in spite of everything you know about me?”
Kaveh spun back around, his eyes dark and stormy.
“Everything I know about you? Like how you’re the golden boy our father loved best? Like how you’ve been groomed to run this country all your life while I’ve had to work my youth away, trying to carve an existence for myself outside of the being Sheikh’s half brother? You’ve been the nation’s shining favorite all your life. What do you know about life? You’re used to having everything given to you—even women! Even when they say no!”
“You have nothing to base that on outside your own petty jealousy. Admit it! Listen to your own words! You have nothing to go on save the assumption that I believe I am better than you. I do not believe that, Kaveh. I never have. You think it’s been easy waiting for my turn to run the country, to have so many lives dependent on my decisions?”
Kaveh was silent as he took in Atnan’s words. There was clearly a lifetime of resentment sizzling beneath the surface of his bravado, and Lily watched as though observing a tennis match as the two brothers expressed years of pent-up anger.
“Even still, my mother was always seen as a replacement, second best to yours. The country loved your mother and resented mine. We were always considered beneath you, even by our father.”
“Why do you believe that? Where is this coming from? Why didn’t you tell me these thoughts sooner so I could dispel them?”
Kaveh scoffed, but his anger was slowly draining. His shoulders began to lower ever so slightly.
“That’s neither here nor there. The point of all this is that you are guilty of assault and should be imprisoned.”
“I should not. Asha came on to me, and you know it!”
Kaveh stared at him silently. Atnan’s face fell as realization dawned.
“You know it. You know it because you’re the one who had her do it, aren’t you? You wanted to frame me because you wanted me to get what you believed I deserved. You wanted me to be humbled or, worse, ousted completely!”
When Kaveh gave no response, the truth of Atnan’s words hung in the air like a hot, heavy blanket, suffocating them all.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t figure it out? I spent the past six months researching and speaking with witnesses, getting the information I needed to clear my name. I stayed hidden because I didn’t want it to be true. I didn’t want to believe my own brother would stoop so low. I suppose you must be beneath me, then; half brother barely warrants the name after what you’ve done.”
Kaveh sighed, running a heavy palm over his eyes. He looked utterly defeated.
“Of course I knew you weren’t responsible. Shiva was a jealous and vindictive woman, which was why I ended things with her. When she suggested we play a trick on you, to put a tiny dent in your perfect reputation, I couldn’t refuse. A man can be told that he is worthless only so many times before he snaps.”
The brothers glared at one another, and Lily’s brain worked quickly.
As mad as she was at Kaveh for what he had done to Atnan, the truth was that any more animosity would simply end in heartbreak for all of them. She had to find a way to get them to see that there was more to life than petty competition, especially when power was wielded by those involved. Kaveh could spend the rest of his life finding ways to persecute Atnan, and Atnan could easily have him jailed or exiled given his own status. It was a path that Lily knew neither man would walk down happily, and if she had a chance to fix it, she would.
She cleared her throat, startling the two men.
“Okay, so you guys have had some royal fights, and frankly, I think what Kaveh did was horrible. Was there ever a time, though, that you two were friends—before these issues drove a wedge between you? There has to have been a time.”
In an instant, she saw the anger melt out of Atnan.
“She’s right, you know,” he said, and Kaveh lifted an eyebrow at him.
“Doubtful.”
“Oh, please. Can you get over yourself for one moment so that we might move past all of this? I’m tired, Kaveh. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of feeling angry all the time. I am ready to forgive you and move on. As Lily said, let us remember when we were brothers together, climbing trees, having wild adventures as young boys.”
He paused for a moment, trying and failing to keep the emotion from his voice.
“You know, Kaveh, I always thought of you as my full brother, regardless of what I might have said in anger. Let us be brothers, as we were meant to be, and stop these games! You have made a life for yourself here, and a good one, too. Together we can help our country thrive. You don’t need a title to do that. You have the power to make it better, and I want to work with you, not against you. Brother, please.”
Kaveh watched Atnan with an unreadable expression, and for a moment Lily was afraid of what he might say. There was no telling what years of poisonous jealousy and resentment would do to a person.
Could Kaveh ever move on?
Chapter Fourteen
As the silence dragged on, Lily feared that their words would never get through to Kaveh. Finally, he released a gusty breath.
“You know, I have wasted so much of my life trying to be better than you. Perhaps now we can consider ourselves equals, titles be damned.”
Lily would have grinned if she hadn’t been so exhausted. She stepped aside so Atnan could embrace his brother, which he did heartily. When they stepped back from one another, they were both grinning.
“It’s a beginning of a new era,” Atnan said.
Kaveh nodded.
“Indeed it is. I imagine Father will be pleased that the charges will be dropped.”
“Yes. I imagine he will.”
For the first time, the brothers spoke without heat, and Lily was grateful that she had been able to play a small part in their reconciliation. Atnan glanced back at her and frowned before turning back to his brother.
“There is, however, the business of Lily’s visa status. I am perfectly willing to purchase a six-month work visa so that she can find gainful employment here. I believe Al Yibri would be better for her presence.”
Kaveh glanced at Lily and then back at Atnan.
“I believe that can be arranged,” he said.
Kaveh turned to face Lily.
“Miss Hawthorne, I owe you more than you know, and I will never forgive myself for how I have treated you this day, but if you ever find it in your heart to forgive me, I would be eternally grateful.”
“You have my forgiveness, then—so long as you remain a good and faithful brother to Atnan, of course,” she replied with a wry grin.
He chuckled.
“Yes, well, you see what happens when royals get into,
shall we say, little tiffs. I’ll leave you two to your own devices. There is much work ahead of me as these issues get resolved. You will not be detained on your way out.”
He held out a hand for Atnan to shake, which he did warmly.
“Brother,” said Kaveh. “I’ll admit that even through it all, I missed you.”
“And I you. I imagine Father will want to have a family dinner in the near future to hash this all out.”
Kaveh nodded. “Yes, I quite imagine he will. You might want to give him a call later and let him know he has his son back.”
“I look forward to it,” Atnan said, his shoulders slumping in relief.
Kaveh nodded, bidding another farewell to them both before closing the door behind him.
Slowly, Atnan turned to Lily. She was leaning against a nearby wall for support, but when she looked into his eyes, nothing could keep her from rushing into his arms. Striding across the room, she launched herself into his embrace, and he held her tightly, kissing the crown of her head.
“Oh, Lily,” he murmured.
“I’m so sorry, Atnan. I was such a fool. I should have trusted you.”
He rested his cheek on the top of her head, not breaking their embrace for an instant.
“No. It is I who needs to apologize to you. When I got home and saw you had left, with the door to my study wide open, I knew I had been an idiot for not confiding in you. I had been living alone, trusting no one for so long. I just couldn’t bring myself to share my shame.”
She tilted her head up to look at him and wrapped her palm around his bristled chin.
“Let’s just put the past in the rearview mirror and move on, shall we? I—” She hissed as a sharp pain shot along her heels.
Atnan’s eyes narrowed.
“We need to get you treated. Come, I have an apartment not far from here. Would you like to see my actual life now that my exile has been lifted?”
Lily nodded, smiling through the pain. The Sheikh moved to open the door, but Lily pulled him back to her, his expression curious before she put her lips on his and kissed him deeply. Not one to question the embrace, Atnan held her close, returning the kiss in full force.
He pulled away, pressing his forehead against hers.
“We need to get you cleaned up and hydrated. You’ve been through too much today, my love.”
Her heart fluttered at those words. Could they have managed to find love so soon after meeting one another?
“Can you walk?” he asked, his eyes filled with concern.
“Not very easily,” she admitted.
He nodded, bent over, and scooped her into his arms, lifting her as though she weighed no more than a feather. Smiling, Lily wrapped her arms around his neck, delighting in the sensation of being safe and in Atnan’s arms once again.
They received a few curious stares as they left the police station, Atnan unapologetically carrying Lily in his arms. Considering the charges he had faced and the reputation he had garnered, they understood the looks. Lily looked forward to the day they would no longer have to face them. She had faith that Kaveh would set things right once again.
When Atnan stepped into the late afternoon sun, Lily saw his blue getaway car parked haphazardly in front of the building.
“In a rush, were you?” she asked, smiling.
He grinned down at her.
“I had someone very important to find. I wouldn’t call her a damsel in distress, but…”
He rolled his eyes, and she laughed again, relief coursing through her as he carefully opened the passenger side door while still holding her and helped her into the seat. It was cool against her hot skin, and she embraced the sensation.
“If ever I needed a knight in shining armor, I’m glad it was you,” she said as he sat in the driver’s seat.
He reached out and took her hand, pressing the back of it to his lips before turning on the engine and pulling away from the station. As the gray building disappeared in the rearview mirror, Lily felt herself begin to relax, the world sinking back into the steady peace they had found in the palace ruins. They drove in comfortable silence, Atnan still holding Lily’s hand and occasionally planting kisses on it as he drove.
They reached a tall building that was fashioned with red clay bricks. A metallic bay door opened when Atnan pressed a button, and they drove into a shiny underground garage.
“Ah, so the modern world simply hides beneath the surface of this place, does it?” Lily asked.
Atnan nodded.
“You’ll find Al Yibri is filled with secrets. I will show you in time.”
Lily liked the sound of that very much.
Atnan pulled into a parking spot and shut off the engine before opening his door, then walked over to her side before she had a chance to open hers. Atnan opened it for her, holding out his hand for her to take. She did, stepping tentatively out of the car before he dipped her once and then lifted her back into his arms.
“I’m not that crippled,” she told him with a grin.
She instantly regretted the light protest. There was no reason for her to avoid being in Atnan’s arms. Fortunately for her, he simply shrugged and continued walking toward an elevator while holding her.
“I take personal accountability for your current condition, and I plan on providing the full remedy. There’s no use in fighting me on this, Lily. You will be properly cared for, so you might as well enjoy it.”
She laughed.
“You are as stubborn as you are kind.”
“A sheikh knows no other way,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching.
They rode up the elevator together, enjoying being locked in an embrace. When they reached the top floor, the doors opened to a narrow hallway that led to a single door. Atnan pulled a key from his pocket, deftly unlocked it, and swung it open.
Lily had to admit that there was a matrimonial feel when they crossed the threshold. To her surprise, it felt perfectly natural. She would have pondered that thought a bit more if she hadn’t been completely blown away by Atnan’s penthouse apartment.
All around them were windows, providing an almost three-hundred-sixty-degree view of the city below. Gazing out at the horizon, Lily could even see where the forest ended and the desert began. A plush brown sofa sat before them, facing the windows, with a large television just off to the side. Atnan placed Lily gently on the couch before heading in the direction of what appeared to be a massive kitchen.
“Let’s take care of those feet. Then, if you’d like, you can take a shower and get cleaned up.”
Braving a look at the bottoms of her feet, Lily winced as she saw blisters and bruises all over them. She took an inventory of the rest of her body as well, trying to discern just what hurt the most. Her skin was pink from the sun but fortunately hadn’t been terribly burned during her time trudging through the shifting sands.
Atnan returned with a basin of hot water and lavender-scented soap. He pulled up a chair in front of her and, to her surprise, lifted one foot at a time and gently cleaned her wounds. His tender caress on her skin, even though it was wounded, had her heart racing. She longed to wrap her arms around him once again and kiss him until the stars turned cold.
He finished up, placing the basin aside.
“That should do it. Now, would you like a shower while I cook us up some dinner?”
Lily gazed out the windows. The sun was setting, a creamy orange glow painting the horizon. She looked back at Atnan.
“That would be heavenly,” she said, feeling entirely filthy.
She wanted to be clean, dressed, and cuddling on the couch, as though the past twenty-four hours had never happened, as though they had simply met on a night out and were dating like a normal couple. Of course, their story was much more interesting than all that.
Atnan nodded and helped her up. After his care, walking was much easier for her, and she held his hand as he led her to a large, brick-walled bathroom. There was even a small fireplace against the wall where
the bathtub stood.
“Wow, that is awesome,” Lily said, and Atnan kissed the back of her neck, sending a shiver up her spine.
“Perhaps when you are feeling better, we can try it out.”
She turned to look up at him, her eyes warm.
“I would like that very much,” she replied.
He nodded.
“There are fresh towels under the sink, and you should be able to find any soaps you’d like. Take your time in here. I have to run to the market to get supplies, anyway.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Lily said, admiring the large, plate-shaped showerhead.
Atnan kissed her cheek before dashing out of the room. Lily almost ran after him to kiss him again, but she told herself there would be plenty of time for that. Besides, it would be much more polite to do so after cleaning the sand and sweat from her skin.
After stripping off her clothes, Lily turned on the shower faucet and allowed the water to heat up before stepping beneath the hot stream. She nearly groaned in pleasure at the feel of it. Reaching for a bottle of soap, she took her time lathering up her body, cleaning every inch of herself and removing any evidence of the ordeal she had just gone though.
When she was finished, she turned off the faucet and reached for a large, fluffy towel, making quick work of drying off. Atnan’s bedroom was attached to the bathroom, and she stepped inside and riffled through some drawers until she found a comfortable pair of pajama bottoms and a large white shirt. She pressed her nose against the shirt, breathing in Atnan’s clean scent.
As she walked out of the bedroom, braiding her wet hair, the mouthwatering scent of chicken and spices reached her nostrils. Atnan was at the stove, looking happier than he had since she’d met him. He turned and grinned when he heard her walk in.
“I’m glad you were able to find something comfortable to wear,” he said, flipping vegetables in the skillet he was using.
“I did, thank you,” she said.
There were two glasses of red wine on the granite counter and a stool for her to sit on. Just as she had at the palace, Lily took her seat there, watching as Atnan prepared what would clearly be a stunning, delicious meal.