“I think you need some serenity more than us,” Chynna replied, grabbing Rylee’s arm and walking her toward the sofa. They both sat down. “Why don’t you tell us all about it?”
“Over a bottle of wine,” Kenya added, setting Rylee’s toiletry bag on the floor in the foyer. “I came prepared this time.” Kenya had remembered that the spa was dry and brought her own supplies.
“That sounds great,” Rylee said. “It’s been a long day.”
“No problem,” Kenya said. She’d already uncorked a bottle with the wine opener and had left it breathing on the counter. She walked over to the cupboards, grabbed two wine goblets and began pouring one for her and Rylee. Chynna would have to have sparkling cider.
“I’m surprised Mama Madelyn didn’t make you try and stay,” Chynna replied. “They missed you terribly. You’d think Amar had gone and kidnapped you the way they carried on about the way you’d left on a whim. I couldn’t bear to tell them that I” —
she touched her chest — “was the one who encouraged you to go after Amar.”
“And you were right,” Rylee said. “I don’t regret that. I would certainly hope he would have done the same for me, if someone in my family were on their deathbed.”
“How did it go?” Kenya handed Rylee a glass of wine. She returned to the kitchen and poured her twin some cider.
“It was a somber time, as is to be expected,” Rylee replied, “but the hostility was so prevalent with Amar’s family, you could cut the tension with a knife. It was worse than I’d imagined.”
“Did that extend to you?” Chynna accepted the glass of cider from her twin as Kenya sat opposite her.
“You better believe it,” Rylee said. She took a sip of her wine and put it on the coffee table. “And I was made aware that I was not a wanted guest and that they all saw me as nothing more than a body that kept Amar’s bed warm. I could never live there in that culture, where women are second-class citizens.”
“Sounds like it was eye-opening,” Kenya commented.
“It was.” Rylee stifled a yawn.
“You should go get a bath and relax. We can talk more later,” Chynna said, “if you’re up for it.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” Rylee said, rising from the sofa. She reached for her wine goblet and took it with her. “Maybe while I’m in there, I’ll figure out my new lease on life.”
She doubted it would be that simple. She doubted anything would be simple again, because now that she knew what love looked like, it wouldn’t be easy to go back to her former life.
Chapter 19
“I’m really sorry, sir,” Sharif said in the limo on their way to Bishop Enterprises.
“Enough, Sharif,” Amar said as he fixed his tie on the custom designer suit he wore. He didn’t feel Sharif needed to apologize again for letting Rylee get on that helicopter when he knew Sharif had been a good friend by watching out for her. He would get her back in due time.
If Amar had his choice, he would go directly to Tucson and toss her into his car and bring her back with him to California, but he couldn’t. Some critical business deal at Bishop Enterprises required his attention in Palo Alto. He had to make a pit stop in his hometown before finding Rylee. He had a real bone to pick with Ms. Hart. Thanks to the press getting wind of his father’s death, rumors were flying around that he would be stepping down as CEO of Bishop Enterprises.
Did everyone, including Rylee, think him so fickle that he would drop his entire life at the drop of a hat, all on his father’s last whim? Well, they were wrong.
When the limo stopped and the driver opened the door, Amar climbed out, buttoned his suit jacket and sauntered into the building with Sharif close behind him.
“Good morning, Mr. Bishop,” a receptionist greeted him.
He smiled. “Good morning.” Amar stared at the signage, “B.E.,” behind her. He’d built the company from the ground up, and he’d be damned if he let anything destroy it. He had called an emergency board meeting and would Skype in several key stockholders. Since his company had gone public a couple of years ago, he had to keep them in the loop on any major decisions, though Amar had retained fifty-one percent of the stock. He couldn’t bear giving up complete control, no matter how fat it might make his pockets.
The meeting was nearly convened when Amar sauntered in.
“Good morning, everyone.”
All conversation ceased as they looked in Amar’s direction. Most were shocked that he was there. He had been somewhat absent at B.E. of late from day-to-day operations, but he was still their leader.
“I’m here today to squash the rumors that I will be stepping down as president and CEO of Bishop Enterprises,” Amar stated, looking around the room. “I’m as committed as ever to the success of this company, for myself and for all of you.” He looked at the investors on the multiple screens. “In fact, we are on the cusp of some new innovations. Sharif, show them what we have.”
Over the next hour, Amar expounded on the next acquisitions that would come under their multimedia conglomerate in the United Kingdom as well as some innovations in the works. When the meeting concluded, several businessmen and women walked over to greet Amar.
“Glad you’re staying on, Amar.”
“Knew you wouldn’t leave us to run a small country,” another said, laughing.
Amar smiled. That man didn’t know how right he was, and his father hadn’t been entirely wrong. He may not be a king, but he was definitely leader material.
After the room had cleared and it was just Amar and Sharif, Amar turned to his dear friend. “I’m leaving you here in charge as I have business to attend to.”
“Would that business be Rylee Hart?”
Amar smiled. Sharif was nothing if not observant. Amar nodded.
“What are you going to do?” Sharif asked. “What are you going to say?”
“I’m going to tell her what I should have told her a week ago — that I love her, and I don’t want to live without her.”
Sharif grinned broadly. “Smart man.” He was glad to hear Amar finally admit what he’d known from day one, which was that Rylee Hart had stolen his heart. “Go get her.”
“I’m going to do just that.”
Rylee was confused. She was starting to have doubts if she should have left Amar. She missed him. Not just the passion, which flew off the charts, but she missed their fun. She missed the quiet moments when they’d sat out on the porch just talking or when they’d gone horseback riding at Golden Oaks. It had been a time of self-discovery.
From the moment they’d met, there had been sparks. Sparks she’d tried to deny, but even Jeremy had seen it. It was undeniable. And when they’d made love, Rylee had experienced a bliss she hadn’t known possible, and it was all because of him. Then he’d gone and she’d been devastated, but there again, she’d been wrong. He’d come back for her, determined to show her and her family that he was worthy of her, and he’d nearly succeeded but then his father’s condition had worsened.
She’d doubted him again, because he hadn’t asked her to join him, but the joy on his face when he’d seen her on that plane told her she’d made the right decision. But even she couldn’t heal the rift between him and his family. The scars went too deep, were too painful. And so when faced with the opportunity of honoring his father’s last decree to be King of Nasir, he would do what was necessary. How could he not?
Rylee couldn’t see the situation ending any differently, but now she had her doubts.
“Rylee?”
She looked up to find Chynna had joined her on the hiking path.
“I’m sorry to disturb you. I know you wanted to be alone, but I also thought you might want to talk,” Chynna said. “And if not, I’m here just to keep you company.”
“It’s okay,” said Rylee, patting the large tree branch where she sat. “Come join me.”
; “You seemed deep in thought.”
“I was. I was second-guessing myself, was wondering if I made the right decision.”
“And what did you come up with?”
“I haven’t,” Rylee said, turning to her. “I just know this — I love him, Chynna.” She finally said the words out loud. “I love him.” She shrugged. “And I left without telling him how I feel. I left because I was afraid he would ask me to leave, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. But I don’t know if I did the right thing. If I told him how I felt, would it have made a difference?”
“Funny about hindsight, right?” Chynna laughed bitterly, “Things look much clearer when you’re away from the situation.”
“I guess I will never know,” Rylee said.
“Where is she?” Amar yelled. He jumped down from the horse he’d borrowed from the Golden Oaks stables to ride out to the pasture, where he confronted Noah and Caleb, who were working with the cattle that afternoon.
As soon as he’d left Sharif, Amar had returned to his jet and set a course for Tucson. He and Rylee needed to talk. He could only assume she’d left in some misguided attempt of giving him his freedom so he could rule Nasir. He didn’t need it. Or want it. He only wanted Rylee, and he was here to tell her that. But when he’d arrived and gone to the main house, he’d learned from the housekeeper that Rylee wasn’t there and had gone away for a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Hart were out visiting guests, so Amar had no choice but to find Rylee’s brothers and convince them that he needed to see her.
Noah and Caleb looked up from the cow they’d been wrangling free from a wire fence.
“What the hell do you want?” Caleb asked.
“I asked you where Rylee was,” Amar stated. He was in no mood for Caleb’s theatrics. He’d had enough from his own brothers the last week.
“And I asked you what the hell do you want?” Caleb rose from the ground where he’d been holding the steer and stood to his full six foot three to Amar’s six-foot-four stature. Caleb’s chest was puffed up as if he were ready for a battle.
“Easy now,” Noah said. He motioned to one of the other ranch hands to take over. Once the ranch hand did, Noah joined Caleb and presented a united front to Amar.
Amar took a deep breath and reminded himself that getting into a fight with Rylee’s family would be counterproductive. He needed their help and the only way he would get it was if he was straightforward and honest about his reason for being there. “I want to speak to Rylee. She left my home country of Nasir unexpectedly without even speaking to me, and we have some unfinished business.”
“Rylee called me and my wife distraught about whatever happened in your home country,” Noah replied. “I don’t want or need to know what happened over there.” Noah waved his hand around. “That’s between you and Rylee. What I do know is that I won’t have you coming back to cause my sister any more hurt. You’ve done enough.”
“That’s fair,” Amar responded, “and I respect that, but I’m not here to hurt Rylee. I hope my presence will show her that I’m in it for the long haul.”
“Meaning?” Caleb asked, folding his arms.
“I love Rylee,” Amar admitted without hesitation. “I think I have since we first met, but I never told her. And I want to tell her now. I need to tell her that I want to start a life with her.” He watched Caleb’s brow rise in surprise. “If she’s willing,” he added.
“Well, you should have led with that,” Caleb replied, smiling.
Noah chuckled. “I’m with Caleb on this one. Listen, Amar. We only want what’s best for Rylee, and if she chooses you then we won’t stand in her way. We just want you to do right by her, ya hear?” He offered Amar his hand.
Amar accepted and shook it fervently. “I hear. So, where the heck is she?”
Rylee and Chynna returned to the cabin nearly a half hour later. They didn’t recognize the car in front of the villa and went in to see who their guest was. Chynna entered first, but Rylee paused in the entryway to remove her mud-covered hiking boots.
Kenya rose from the sofa with a huge smile. “You’re back,” she said.
“Yeah, Rylee went for a hike,” Chynna replied, “and I joined her.”
“Wow! Who would have thought it? As I recall, you never liked hiking before, sis,” Kenya said.
“That’s until my hike led me to Noah,” Chynna replied. “So whose car is outside?”
“Do we have a guest?” Rylee asked, walking into the living room.
Amar exited the powder room to her left, and Rylee sucked in a deep breath at the sight of him. “Amar?”
His eyes locked with hers. “Rylee.”
Kenya and Chynna glanced at the two lovebirds and, using their twin telepathy, they didn’t speak a word and quickly left the living room.
“Omigod, I am so glad he’s here,” Rylee heard Chynna whisper on her way up the stairs with Kenya.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” Rylee asked nervously, glancing around. “Shouldn’t you be back in Nasir?”
Amar shook his head. “My place is here. With you.”
“It is?”
His brow furrowed. “Yes.” He walked toward her, but she took a step backward. She wasn’t afraid of him, but perhaps she was afraid of herself and what she might do if she were too close to him. Would she spring herself into his arms and beg him to forgive her for ever leaving him?
“Can we sit and talk?” He motioned to the sofa.
She didn’t answer, but joined him by sitting in the big armchair across from the sofa. She didn’t know why Amar was here, and she was too afraid to hope of what it could mean. She would just have to hear him out. She sat in silence and waited.
He cleared his throat.
Amar didn’t know it was going to be this hard revealing his true feelings to Rylee. He’d already said he loved her to Sharif, even her brothers. So why was it so hard to tell the person he loved that he cared for her? Maybe because he’d never told a woman that.
Rylee was the first. And the only.
There would never be another woman for him, hadn’t been since he’d laid eyes on her. He’d been hungry for her the moment they’d met, and now was no different. When she’d walked in with Chynna wearing those skimpy leggings, a flyaway cardigan and that snug tank top, which he knew housed small, but pert breasts, he’d wanted to ravish her on sight.
Instead he summoned his courage and began pouring out his heart. “I’m sorry you had to see my brother and I behave that way in Nasir the day you left.”
“That was hard to see,” Rylee said. “I’d never seen you behave like that before.”
“That’s because you and your family are so close,” Amar responded. “I’ve never had that.”
Rylee nodded. “I know, and I got to see for myself the abuse you must have endured as a child over the years. It must have been so hard for you, Amar, growing up like that, without—”
“Without love?” he offered, looking into Rylee’s eyes.
“Yes, without love.”
“It was,” he replied. “I never knew my father loved me until the barrister handed me that letter.”
Rylee wondered how someone could, in a few short words, spill a lifetime of regret. “What did it say?”
“That he loved my mother. Always had. That he chose duty over love, over me. And it was the single biggest regret of his life. It said that he was leaving the country to me as proof of his love. By defying the succession rules, he wanted to show me that he loved and respected me. But you know what?”
“What?”
“It was a little too late,” Amar replied. “I needed to hear the words in that letter long before he died. Not after. Hearing it should have given me solace, but instead it made me angry.” He rose to his feet and moved closer to Rylee. “It made me so angry that he didn’t have the guts to tell me himself. H
e thought he showed me by giving me the best in life.”
“And all you wanted was him.”
Amar nodded. How was it that Rylee seemed to know him so well in such a short time? She was truly his soulmate. “I needed time to process it all, and I’m sorry it took me all night. When I got back, I wanted to tell you that as much as I appreciated the grand gesture, I didn’t want to be King of Nasir. I never did. I just wanted to be looked at as his son and not a bastard. I came back to the palace to tell Khalid that the kingdom was his. But when I got to the suite and saw that Khalid had hit you—”
“It was an accident,” Rylee said, interrupting him.
“I know, but I didn’t know that at the time, and all I could see was all the years of love that Khalid had that I didn’t, and I lost it for a minute.”
“It frightened me, seeing you like that.” She’d been so scared of the hatred in his eyes that she’d almost, almost wondered if he was the right man for her, but deep down she knew the answer.
“I’m sorry about that, baby,” Amar said as he kneeled in front of the chair to face her. “But I was a ball of raw nerves, and seeing you hurt just set me off.”
The room was silent for a moment as Rylee processed everything Amar had just said. He didn’t want to be King. What does that mean? “So, what happened when I left?”
Amar rose back to his feet. “You mean after we stopped beating each other to a bloody pulp?”
Rylee half-smiled.
“We called a cease-fire, and I told Khalid that I didn’t want to be King. I burned that royal decree as if it had never been written.”
Rylee’s eyes grew large. “You did?”
Amar laughed. “I did. Khalid was stunned. He’d always been jealous of me because he knew I was the rightful heir and he thought I wanted to be King. But instead, I handed him the keys to the kingdom and told him to do with it as he saw fit.”
“He must have been floored.”
“To say the least,” said Amar as he rested his arm on the fireplace mantel. “I told Khalid that he was groomed for greatness and to be a good king, and then I went to look for you. Imagine my surprise,” he said, turning around to face her, “when Sharif told me he helped you escape Nasir. I wasn’t just speechless, I was furious.”
Harts of Arizona Series Page 56