Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
What did she do if he still didn’t come?
What should she do?
What could she do?
The questions tormented her, and its answers only came to her just when she was about to lose all hope. It was past midnight when the door to their chamber quietly opened and the sheikh had entered. She had held her breath, watching him undress in the shadows, and when he had joined her in bed—-
She had not even hesitated, hadn’t even tried to think of what she was doing.
Harper had simply rolled towards him, and it was as if the sheikh had already known what she’d do, with his powerful arms immediately closing around her like he had only been waiting for her to come home.
She had started to speak, but he hadn’t let her, instead capturing her mouth with his while his fingers ripped her clothes away. She had gasped in surprise, but passion soon swept her away, and she willingly gave herself up to his touch. Their lovemaking was fast and furious, silent and rough. It was as wonderful as it had always been, maybe even more so after spending one night apart, and when he had come inside of her, his powerful body shuddering above hers, it really had felt like they were okay.
And she would have believed they were okay, had wanted so dreadfully to believe that – if not for the tears that had silently tracked down her cheeks.
In the shelter of the sheikh’s arms, her despair swallowed by the darkness of their chamber, Harper had prayed with all her heart. One day, one day, let him be proud of her. Let him notice what she was doing. Let him...love her.
Her heart whispered this every night, not knowing that it was asking something that God had already granted.
CONTRARY TO HARPER’S knowledge, the sheikh did know what she had been up to the past few weeks. The sheikh knew every little thing she did, was aware of every slight done to her, and had committed the name of every individual who had dared treat his queen with anything less than the utmost respect to memory. Moreover, he was not alone in such observations, with his cousins reporting to him in separate occasions about the disturbing rumors that had reached their offices. The issue had even grown so that in one of his closed-door meetings with the other sheikhs, Altair had again brought up the topic, asking in his typical take-action fashion about the Emir Sheikh’s plans for addressing the situation.
“It is not the proper time for me to interfere,” Khalil answered calmly. “There are things she must do on her own or she can never be the queen that the kingdom needs.”
Tarif shook his head, murmuring, “You are a surprisingly hard man, brother.”
The sheikh didn’t deny this, saying mildly, “It is a requisite for the job.”
“Tongues have been wagging atrociously, too,” Rayyan pointed out, “and it does nothing for our own economy when people believe the king’s marriage is less than idyllic.”
Tarif smirked. “I knew you’d somehow find a way to link this to financial matters.”
In a perfect imitation of the Emir Sheikh’s tone, the blue-eyed sheikh deadpanned, “It is a requisite for the job.”
“Airafi,” Khalil said pleasantly. Fuck you.
The other men laughed, but it was not enough for the tension in the meeting room to abate completely. All of them knew from firsthand experience that rumors could be as viciously sharp as poisoned swords, with the power to turn people away for good.
“Would you at least like any of us to interfere for you?” Malik asked finally.
Khalil shook his head. “The rumors will naturally die down once it becomes clear that I will never be in the market for a second wife. But as for the rest – it must be allowed to run its own course.” The sheikh’s tone was cold and flat, but despite what his seeming indifference suggested, he – more than anyone in this kingdom – was counting on Harper to realize her destiny. And she would. She must. The sheikh refused to entertain any other alternative. He would have no other woman in this lifetime. Only his Harper would do, but for this to happen, Harper had to find a way to show the world what he had always seen in her.
A woman, despite her commoner’s blood, who was born to be queen.
So prove me right, malakti, the sheikh thought fiercely.
Chapter Thirteen
It was the weekend of the sheikh’s birthday, an occasion that also served as the first official event that Harper would be hosting as his wife. As he was a man who already had everything, she had thought long and hard on what to give him before eventually deciding that an exemplary performance as his queen was the best gift she could give him.
For this she had woken up early – earlier even than the sheikh, which startled and momentarily gave her pause. It had been a long time since she had glimpsed his sleeping face, and she couldn’t help staring.