The Tarnished Jewel of Jazaar

by Susanna Carr

  “Yes, as a matter of fact I am!” She pulled at his sleeve with urgency. “The groom stays in the honeymoon suite. If word gets out that I displeased you I’m in big trouble.”

  “No one would think that.” The moment he said it he wasn’t sure if it was true. Zoe was part of a tight-knit tribe. By sunrise everyone would know that she was not to his liking. She was already an outcast and this development would make life incredibly hard on her.

  “Nadir, listen to me.” Her bright red nails sank into the soft cloth of his shirt. “You can’t give me back to my uncle.”

  He knew sending her back to her family would be cruel.

  “I won’t be spared. This will bring dishonor to my uncle and he will kill me.” Her voice shook. “No one will intervene. My aunts will support his decision. The tribe will encourage it.”

  “Honor killing is forbidden in Jazaar,” Nadir said. He suspected she had been mistreated in her uncle’s house. She was very young to be this cynical. Hadn’t her uncle protected her? Had her relatives given her the scars and burns? He needed to know more about her past and her family life.

  “That won’t stop him,” Zoe said. “Please, Nadir. You can’t throw me to the wolves.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do,” Nadir said as he opened the door.

  “You’re still leaving? After everything I told you?” Zoe dropped her hands from his arm. She took a deep breath and looked away. “Are you going to annul this marriage?”

  “Don’t rush me,” he warned her as he walked out the door. “You will find out along with everyone else at the ceremony.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  NADIR strode to the honeymoon suite late the next evening. He had made his decision and he wasn’t happy about it. His plan of action had never really changed from the moment he realized Zoe might already be carrying his baby.

  He had done his best to stay away from her until now. Just as he had expected, no one had dared question his need for another room. It helped that his cell phone kept ringing. A brief mention that he didn’t want to disturb his new wife with business calls and he was given another suite.

  His upper lip curled into a sneer. He was almost as good of a liar as his wife.

  His wife. The words sliced through him like a dagger. His deceitful, untrustworthy wife. The thought of her had kept him up all night.

  Worse, he’d had trouble focusing on urgent business negotiations during the day. His mind had kept veering to the memory of her soft, fragrant skin or the way her legs had gripped him in the heat of passion. He wanted to be with her as much as he wanted to stay away.

  Nadir paused as his body hardened from the sensual memory. He had to master this raw, powerful lust. The absence of his legendary willpower was not improving his dark mood. He clenched his jaw and slid the key card into the door with more force than necessary.

  He needed to be in command by the time he saw Zoe. Show her that he would not be swayed by her feminine charm or tears. The night was going to be torture, knowing he had to play the happy groom but trying to keep all physical contact to an absolute minimum.

  He entered the honeymoon suite and his frown deepened when he realized that his troublesome bride wasn’t in the sitting room waiting for him. That was a bad move on her part, he decided. If Zoe wanted to remain married she should be ready for him, preferably meek, obedient and silent.

  He grimaced as the last thought lingered in his head. Now he was sounding like his father, with his archaic ideas and outdated values. Zoe had the remarkable ability to test his ideals and drive him crazy.

  Nadir turned toward the bedroom and saw Zoe’s two maids. They were dressed in colorful abayas and headscarves. He noticed they were knocking timidly on the closed door with their bejeweled hands.

  “Why are you not preparing the Sheikha?” Nadir asked as he approached them.

  Amina twirled around and gasped, clutching her thick necklace with a tense hand. Halima slowly faced him, flattened her hands on the door and bent her head in defeat.

  “We were adding the finishing touches,” Amina said as she motioned at the door. “Then she l-led us to the door and l-locked herself in the bedroom.”

  Nadir didn’t say anything and showed no outward appearance of concern. But he knew that Zoe wasn’t coming out of the bedroom without a fight.

  “She says she’s not going to the ceremony,” Halima added as she continued to hang her head low.

  Zoe was very wrong to give such a challenge. She would soon learn not to test him so brazenly. “You may leave,” he told the maids. “I will get my wife ready for the ceremony.”

  Amina and Halima exchanged glances. The older women were not convinced by his display of husbandly patience.

  “No need to be alarmed,” he said, with a smile he didn’t feel. “My wife hates ceremonies and she’s not used to being the center of attention. I will take care of this.”

  They still hesitated.

  “Please join the party.” Nadir wrapped the order in the form of an invitation and gestured for them to leave. “The Sheikha and I will be there momentarily.”

  The maids knew a command when they heard one and scurried away. As Nadir waited impatiently for them to leave he considered the methods his father and grandfather would have used to tame a disobedient bride.

  No, Nadir thought as he closed his eyes and harnessed the last of his patience. He wouldn’t act like his ancestors. Zoe was a modern woman and he would behave like a civilized man.

  Once the women had vacated the hotel suite, Nadir gave an imperious knock on the locked door. “Zoe? It’s time to leave for the ceremony.”

  “I’m not going.”

  She wasn’t near to the door. In fact, she sounded as if she was on the opposite side of the room. Yet the defiance rang clear in her voice.

  Nadir suspected that he was getting a glimpse of the real Zoe. Stubborn. Unmanageable. Intriguing. “Open this door,” he said with a hint of warning.

  “So you can present me to the tribe, tell them I’m not worthy of you, and toss me back to my uncle? Forget it.”

  He didn’t have time for this. There was no way he would discuss this matter through a locked door. “This is your last warning.”

  “You can make the announcement without me,” Zoe said. “Tell me how the party went.”

  Nadir took a step back and gave the door a fierce kick. He barely heard Zoe’s startled yelp over the sound of splintering wood. The door flew open and crashed against the wall.

  Zoe whirled, her gold ceremonial gown swishing around her. She was stunning. Nadir gripped the doorframe for support as his knees threatened to buckle.

  He took a long, silent look. His heart thudded in his ears as his gaze drifted to her dark hair. It was swept up in soft waves, and instead of a veil she wore a small sparkling tiara. Zoe had been transformed into a regal beauty.

  The gold caftan gleamed in the light. He couldn’t help notice that the silk skimmed her body and hinted at the curves underneath. He swallowed hard and tightened his hold on the doorframe. She was magnificent. He had thought Zoe was sexy when he first saw her, but nothing had prepared him for the impact of her beauty now.

  She stood defiantly before him. Her hands were curled into fists at her sides and her eyes flashed with rebellion and fear. “If you try to drag me down to the ceremony,” she said in a low, fierce voice, “I will kick, scream and claw at you every step of the way.”

  “I have no doubt,” Nadir said as if he was hypnotized. The beat of his heart slowed. He blinked hard to break the trance.

  Her eyes narrowed as she watched him enter the room. “I am not going to stand beside you in front of everyone only to have you publicly humiliate me.”

  Nadir approached her with caution. She was irresistible and he didn’t trust his self-control. “Behave and I won’t ask for an annulment.”

  Zoe didn’t look relieved. She looked suspicious. “I don’t believe you. Your mind-games won’t work on me.”

  “
I don’t care that you weren’t a virgin on our wedding night.”

  Zoe cast a quick look at the doorway. “Keep your voice down.”

  “I care that you are keeping secrets from me. I don’t need any unpleasant surprises. For all I know, you’re going to sabotage me at the ceremony.”

  “Right. Like I have that kind of power. Don’t try to sweet-talk me. You’ll say anything to get me down to the ceremony so you can have the pleasure of discarding me like garbage.”

  “If I really wanted to end this marriage, all I’d have to do is bring the elders up to this room and complete the necessary rituals.”

  She held out her hand. “Don’t step any closer.”

  He ignored her and kept approaching until his chest reached her outstretched hand. He felt her fingers trembling. “Zoe, you will attend this ceremony and you will stand at my side looking happy and satisfied.”

  Zoe gave a mirthless chuckle. “That’s never going to happen.”

  Nadir took a deep breath. “You need to understand that my last wedding caused irreparable damage to the relationship I have with your tribe.”

  She slowly lowered her hand. “So?”

  He took the opportunity to step closer. “The elders believe that I am too Western to one day rule Jazaar. That’s why they gave me you. An American bride. Many have used how I handled my last wedding as an example of my disrespect for tradition.”

  “So you’ll be a modern leader. They’ll learn to accept it. What’s the big deal?”

  He hesitated. Did he really want Zoe to know that he had to rely on her? She could use the information against him, but he had to get through to her.

  “Zoe, they will try to destroy me in order to protect their way of life.”

  She stilled and cautiously stole a look at him, searching his eyes to determine if this was an elaborate lie. She didn’t say anything.

  “If I seek another annulment there will be serious political repercussions,” he admitted.

  She looked away. He could tell that she was deep in thought. Was she considering what he was saying, or was she plotting his downfall?

  “Don’t think of me,” he said quietly. “Think about the ones you healed. The families you’ve taken care of and the children you have helped bring into this world. They will lose everything if they try to fight me.”

  He saw the struggle in her eyes. Zoe might be an outcast in her tribe, but she wasn’t vindictive. She truly cared about those she helped in her community.

  “You must trust me,” he said roughly as emotions squeezed his chest.

  She shook her head as if she was trying to clear her mind. “You’ve broken your promise to me before. You tossed your first wife back to the tribe, and I’m supposed to believe you won’t do it again?”

  He had to admit he was asking a great deal from her, but he expected nothing less from the wife.

  “And now you’re telling me you’re going to win any conflict with the tribe.” She folded her arm tightly. “You might suffer a setback, but I’m the one who will be destroyed. Nothing is really stopping you.”

  “And nothing is stopping me from throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you out of this room,” he replied, his voice shaking with the last of his restraint.

  Their gazes clashed as heightened tension shimmered between them. Nadir hid nothing from her, determined to show that he wasn’t lying. He hated this feeling. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt so exposed.

  Zoe suddenly moved past him. “So help me, Nadir,” she said through clenched teeth, “if you’re lying to me I will kill you with my bare hands.”

  Relief poured through him. He grabbed her wrist as she walked past him. She jerked to a standstill. He felt her racing pulse under his fingertips. “Stay at my side and take my arm.”

  She muttered something under her breath. He didn’t catch it under the roar of his blood. She clamped her hand on the crook of his arm and an unpredictable energy vibrated from her.

  Did she really believe him, or was she setting him up for a catastrophic night? Nadir couldn’t tell and he didn’t like walking into a battlefield without knowing his allies and enemies.

  He gently covered her hand with his. “Now follow my lead.”

  She refused to look at him and kept her gaze straight ahead. “Don’t make me regret it.”

  Zoe didn’t want to hold on to Nadir’s arm, but she didn’t think she could stay upright by herself. Her legs were shaking violently. Her body was numb as fear congealed in her stomach. She couldn’t obey the instincts screaming for her to run and hide.

  When a servant held the elevator for them, Zoe’s body protested against moving forward. She gulped for fresh air and her muscles locked. She almost stumbled as Nadir gently nudged her.

  She dipped her head, the world slowing down as she stepped into the elevator. Her heart raced and her skin flushed. When she heard the elevator doors clang shut, she jumped.

  “Relax,” Nadir whispered as he stared straight ahead.

  Right. Relax. Did the executioner say that to the prisoner right before he wielded the ax?

  Zoe closed her eyes and took in a shaky breath. She didn’t trust Nadir, but she wanted to. She didn’t have much practice trusting men. The idea of even trying scared her. Sooner or later they had always disappointed her. Betrayed her. Used her. Why should Nadir be any different?

  Zoe nervously glanced at him, but he wasn’t looking at her. She didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing. She needed to see his eyes. If there was a glimmer of kindness she knew she would be all right.

  “Nadir?” She hated how her voice cracked.

  He glanced up at the lights that told him which floor they were on. “It’s time to give your best performance.”

  She heard the chime and took a step back. She wasn’t ready!

  Zoe didn’t think she had the strength to leave the elevator. Nadir’s grip tightened on her hand. There was no backing out.

  She took a deep, shuddering breath. She dipped her head and silently prayed for a miracle. As the elevator door swung open she lifted her head, pasted on a polite smile and stepped across the threshold.

  The small lobby was quiet and almost empty, since many of the guests were waiting for them in the courtyard. Zoe heard light music and conversation drifting from outside.

  “Zoe!” Her cousin Fatimah was standing by the bank of elevators. She was dressed in a vibrant red caftan that was designed to turn heads.

  No, no, no. Zoe’s smile froze on her face. She didn’t need to deal with her poisonous cousin. Not now. The last thing she needed was for Fatimah to give Nadir any additional reason to abandon her.

  “Many felicitations on your wedding.”

  “Thank you, Fatimah,” Zoe said stiffly. Her cousin was never this happy for her.

  Fatimah gave a sly look to Nadir. “And to you, Your Highness. I’m so glad that Zoe has pleased you.”

  Zoe tilted her head with suspicion. There was something about Fatimah’s tone. She had heard it many times before. Her cousin was about to make the first strike.

  “But it doesn’t surprise me,” Fatimah said conversationally as her eyes glittered with menace, “considering her wealth of experience with men.”

  Zoe froze as her cousin’s condemning words flayed her like a whip. The pain consumed her like fire. She couldn’t believe the depth of Fatimah’s hatred. How could one woman cause so much damage with one breath?

  “Fatimah, be very, very careful,” Nadir said in a low voice that hinted at dangerous undercurrents. “Anything you say against Zoe, you say against me.”

  Fatimah faced Nadir as she would an unfamiliar opponent. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” she said sweetly as she studied Nadir through her batting lashes.

  “Then let me be clear.” He didn’t raise his voice, but it held a frightening quality that made Zoe shiver. “If there are any malicious rumors about Zoe, I will hold you responsible.”

  Fatimah jerked as her
jaw sagged. “But that’s not fair.”

  Nadir shrugged. He didn’t care. “You’ve been warned. I’m a reasonable man, but when I’m crossed I will show no mercy.”

  Zoe clung onto Nadir’s arm as he guided her away from Fatimah and toward the courtyard.

  “Fatimah will try to take another swipe at you,” he murmured to Zoe, “but I have declawed her. She shouldn’t be a real threat anymore.”

  “Thank you,” she said weakly. She wasn’t sure what to say or do. It had been a long time since someone had come to her defense.

  His hand tightened on hers, causing her to look up at his face. There was coldness in his expression, not one hint of softness. “I thought no one knew.”

  Zoe tensed. She would not be blamed. “I never said a word to anyone. That would have been suicide.”

  “Then your lover didn’t care enough to protect you,” he said with brutal honesty. “And you were extremely reckless.”

  “Can we not discuss this right now?” she asked as the sounds of the party grew louder.

  “With pleasure.”

  The wedding guests were waiting impatiently and greeted them with applause as Zoe and Nadir stepped onto the courtyard. Zoe desperately wanted to close her eyes and hang back. Disappear altogether.

  As they walked to the dais covered with faded Persian rugs, Zoe noticed that the greeting was cautious. Were the tribe trying to determine if history would repeat itself? Panic fluttered in her chest and the sweet fragrance of the flowers choked her.

  She fought to maintain her smile as she watched her tribesmen study Nadir’s expression. She didn’t know what they were concerned about other than money lost. They had probably placed bets on the outcome of this wedding. She was the one who would lose her dreams, her future and her freedom.

  Zoe cast a glance at Nadir. He gave nothing away. There was no smile, and yet no anger, either. His expression was somber.

  He’s not going to cast you back to your uncle, Zoe told herself fiercely as she got closer and closer to the dais where her fate would be decided. He stood up for you against Fatimah.