Page 18 of The Sheik's Vow

Kaia paced the thick carpet of the breakfast room, trying to figure out her next step. She had five minutes before Riaz would join her and she was ready to scream! She’d been here with Riaz for three whole days. They’d been delightful and relaxing, but…well, something wasn’t right.

“Problems, my dear?” Riaz asked, walking into the breakfast room early and startling her.

“Why are you here?” she demanded, huffing slightly as she watched him move to the coffee station and pour himself a cup. He grabbed a second cup and poured hot water over one of the herbal tea bags that he’d added to the extra-large mug.

He brought the mug of tea to her, then sat down at the dining room table to sip his coffee, watching her patiently. “I’m not sure I understand your question.” His voice was teasing, but that only enraged her further.

“Yes, I have problems!” she grumbled, wrapping her hands around the mug.

His eyes moved over her figure and Kaia felt self-conscious in the worn denim jeans and the green tee-shirt. She’d worn this outfit three days ago. The mysteriously efficient palace staff had washed, dried, and folded her clothes every night, returning them a fewhours later. They were always placed on the bed she was using.

“What’s going on with the investigation?” she asked, instead of listing the numerous problems she was experiencing.

“Not much has changed since the briefing yesterday,” he replied calmly, while Kaia was roiling with strange emotions. “The team of investigators that I sent to Kentucky has met up with Zayed’s team. As Dihrain mentioned yesterday, the men and women have been in place and are monitoring the situation. We’ve connected with the wireless cameras that you put in place, and we’ve added a few upgrades.”

“And Ethan? Have they seen him?” Kaia set the tea down on the table and wrapped her arms around herself, trying valiantly to control whatever was going on within her. She felt like she was going to explode if she didn’t…do something! But what the “something” was that she was supposed to do, Kaia couldn’t figure out.

“They haven’t spotted him yet. There are whispers that he’s left the compound.”

“Compound?” she parroted, her green eyes wide with surprise. “Why do you call it that?”

He shrugged and took another sip of his coffee. “What else would you call an area that is controlled and patrolled regularly? The compound is protected and the cult followers inside are nervously searching for answers as to why their leader isn’t around.”

“Cult followers?” she whispered. “You’re calling it a cult?”

“What else would you call a group of people that have been brain washed by a charismatic leader, not allowed to leave, and given daily messages, both subtle and overt, demanding complete and absolute submission?”

Her mouth fell open at the end of that statement. But after thinking about it, her head slowly began to nod with agreement.

“Yes. Yes, you’re right. Ethan does brainwash the residents.” She shivered and tightened her arms. “I hadn’t thought about it like that.”

“I’ve already contacted the Kentucky health department, explaining the problem. There is a process of deprogramming those who have gone through coercive persuasion, which is the medical term for brainwashing. It’s going to be more difficult for the people in that community because the messages they’ve been fed have been followed up with physical violence. It’s going to take a long time to break through that programming. The people will need months, probably years, of therapy.”

Kaia’s hands flew to her head and she resumed her pacing. “That’s…going to be expensive,” she whispered. Unconsciously, she tugged at her hair. “I have several thousand dollars in my bank account now.” She bit her lower lip. “Yes. Yes, when I get back, I can find a job. I can help them. I might not be able to help them all at once, but eventually, I can–”

“Kaia,” Riaz interrupted, standing up and coming to her. He lightly gripped her shoulders to stop her pacing. “Look at me, Kaia,” he repeated softly, but with a firm tone. When she looked up at him, he stared into her eyes. “Helping those people isnotyour responsibility. I know that you want to help, but you won’t be able to afford the intensive therapy, not to mention the hospital costs, that those people are going to need after we break Ethan Howell’s hold on them.” He kissed her forehead, then pulled her into his arms. Feeling her in his arms like this felt so unbelievably right. She trusted him enough now so he could hold her. After just three days of living here in Bidar, he’d gotten her to trust him this much.

For a moment, Kaia leaned into him, her arms wrapping around his waist and her cheek rested against his chest. Damn, she felt good! She might be a short woman, but every part of her fit perfectly against him.

“You’ll be…,” he started, only to have Kaia jerk herself out of his arms. “Are you okay?”

Kaia stared up at him, her big, green eyes filled with…confusion? Why would she be confused?

Then she backed away as she stared up at him. “You can’t hold me like that,” she whispered, her pretty, white teeth coming out tobite at her lower lip.

“I can’t?” he asked. Now, he was confused. “But I’ve held you like that several times over the past few days. What’s different now?”

There was a long silence and he watched as Kaia fisted her hands in her hair. She took a couple of steps, stared up at him, and…Riaz could have sworn that there was longing in her eyes. But before he could fully interpret her gaze, she looked away.

“I don’t know!” she hissed, releasing her hair so she could rub her palms against her jeans. “I don’t know what’s going on inside of me. I don’t understand why I feel so…raw and strange whenever you touch me like that! It’s making me crazy and I haven’t been able to sleep. I’ve been exhausted and feeling weird and…!” She turned and glared at him. “And you can’t touch me anymore!”

Riaz's gaze lingered on Kaia, his thoughts caught in the web of her impassioned monologue. Her demeanor seemed off—was it sleep deprivation or a descent into madness, mirroring his own struggles? The possibilities swirled in his head, yet each thread led to a disconcerting conclusion: Kaia might be grappling with the same insatiable longing he felt, but she remained oblivious to it. Was it possible she'd never experienced desire for a man? A consequence of a life on the run, haunted by the relentless specter that shattered her tranquility. Now, as Kaia unknowingly yearned for him, the tension thickened, entangled in a web of confusion where desire and the ghosts of their pasts converged.

Clearing his throat, he pulled his attention back to the present. She was standing on the far side of the breakfast table from him. “Kaia, come here,” he ordered.

“No!” she snapped, even taking another step backwards.

Riaz chuckled, enjoying this stubborn side of her personality. “I promise that I can make you feel better, but you have to trust me.” He tilted his head slightly. “Do you trust me?”

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