Page 35 of The Sheik's Embrace

“He’shere? Are you sure?”

Kaia gave her a look that spoke volumes. Tara sighed, nodding her head. “You’re right, of course. In fact, Beth Ann and Nora were arrested a couple of days ago. So, I know that Elijah is here. Either him or Ethan.”

Kaia visibly shuddered at the other man’s name. But she recovered quickly, grabbing Tara’s hand. “It’s Elijah. But he is just as dangerous as Ethan. Besides, Elijah has much more to lose if he doesn’t return to Kentucky with you. The elders haven’t allowed him to marry anyone since you escaped.”

Tara stared at her sister in stunned horror. “That’s crazy! Why not?”

Kaia sighed and pushed her dark curls behind her ear. “Tara, we don’t have time for this.”

“When did you pierce your nose?” Tara asked, distracted by the silver ring on her nostril. Normally, Tara wasn’t fond of nose piercings, but she had to admit that Kaia looked sexy with the sparkly ring.

“It’s actually not pierced,” Kaia replied, then demonstrated by pulling it off. “It’s just another disguise for me. I’ve been trying to get inside the palace to help you escape for the past week.” She huffed a bit. “This place is tough!”

“But you did it,” Tara replied with a chuckle. “And your presence here has put the guards on high alert.”

“I still have a way out. Come on.”

Tara thought about that for a long moment. But in her mind, she pictured Zayed and the way he’d looked at her several minutes ago. He hadn’t looked at her as if she were a burden. He’d held her in his arms as if she were…a lover. Did he love her? She wasn’t sure, but he had proposed to her.

But her sister was already tugging her out the door. “I can’t leave!” Tara hissed, tugging on Kaia’s hand. She placed her fingers over her sister’s grip, gentling the ferocious beauty. “Kaia, I can’t leave Zayed.”

Kaia’s green eyes widened and Tara was once again amazed at how beautiful her sister was. She was wild, beautiful, and incredibly intelligent. The fact that her sister was here, inside the palace, was proof of her brilliance.

“What do you mean? Of course you can leave!” She looked at Tara with horror. “Does this man have something on you? I know that he’s powerful, but the research I did on the man made me think that he’s fair.”

“He’s wonderful, Kaia. He’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever known.” She smiled gently at her sister. “Except for you. You saved me from a nightmarish life and I’ll never forget you. But Kaia, Zayed is a good man.”

Kaia’s eyes turned angry. “He’s aman, Tara. You can never trust a man!”

“I always thought that men were untrustworthy as well, until I met Zayed.” She gestured to the padded bench in the middle of the closet. They both sat down, Kaia reluctantly. “Yougot me this job and I’ve loved it. Every moment while I’ve been here in Pitra has been…a beautiful challenge.”

Kaia grinned. “I suspected that you would be perfect for the job. Plus, I’ve gotten to know the man over the past couple of years.” She smiled, thinking of all the things she knew about him. “He’s a good man, Kaia.”

“I don’t trust him.” Her sister was stubborn, which was one of the reasons she’d gotten them to this point.

Tara covered her sister’s hands with her own. “Kaia, you’ve done a wonderful job of protecting me. Why don’t you let me take over the role for a while?”

Kaia laughed. “Tara, it’s my job as your big sister to watch out for you.” She leaned forward, a teasing glint in her eyes. “And my instincts are telling me that we need to move, now!”

“But we don’t!” Tara insisted, with identical urgency. “Kaia, Zayed heard that I was in danger and moved me into the palace.” She tightened her hands over her sister’s grip. “You could move in here as well. He will protect you!”

Kaia stared at Tara for a long, stunned moment, shaking her head, unaware of the way her curls danced around her face. “You’re in love with him!” she gasped.

Tara opened her mouth to argue, but the denial wouldn’t come.

Kaia gasped and stood up, backing away from Tara. “You fell in love with the man and now you’re just going to stay here and let him control you?” She shook her head again, pacing the large area, the thick carpeting softening her sister’s footsteps. “You fell in love witha man!” She said the last words with a sneer of disgust.

“I…!” Tara replied, not sure what to say. It was true. Shewasmadly in love with Zayed!

“Tara, how many times have I told you that men are abusive, horrible bastards?” she hissed, coming over to kneel in front of Tara. “They don’t have the ability to love anyone but themselves! The men we grew up with, Ethan Howell specifically, doesn’t have the capacity to love. He takes bible verses and twists them around to suit his pedophile desires. And how many times has he threatened to whip you?”

Tara’s eyes filled with tears. She reached out, cupping Kaia’s cheek. “How many times did he whip you?” she whispered, her voice a mere croak as she suddenly realized what her big sister had gone through. Kaia’s eyes filled and she shook her head, but Tara could see the truth in her eyes. “How many times, Kaia?” Tara demanded. Her fury was barely contained now. “I know that Ethan and the other husbands and elders would whip girls and women whenever we didn’t follow their rules.” She let her thumb move over Kaia’s cheek. “How many times?”

Kaia stood up, backing away as she angrily wiped the tears from her eyes. “It wasn’t just when we disobeyed!” she whispered.

Tara stood up as well, reaching for her sister’s hands. “Tell me!” she pleaded. “I need to know how many times he beat you!” She clenched her jaw, trying to control the rage. “Because I’m going to find him and I’m going to beat him twice as many times as he hurt you!”

“I think I would like to help,” a deep, masculine voice broke in.

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