Page 3 of The Sheik's Vow

"Why?" He gestured towards a doorway, placing his hand back on the small of her back. “Let’s find a bit of privacy.”

Kaia nearly groaned with relief at the suggestion. She was used to living her life in the shadows, careful not to draw attention to herself. So the offer of getting away from everyone’s curious eyes was wonderful. Kaia allowed him to steer her into one of the smaller salons, eager to get off her fatigued feet. It had been a very long day. While she longed to shed her lovely gown and pull ona comfortable pair of soft leggings and a pair of running shoes, it seemed that the night still had more surprises in store.

Sitting down in the chair opposite him, she crossed her legs, balancing the glass of liquor on her knee. "Why don't you need to leave? Your role as best man yesterday and witness to the coronation today is over. Don’t you want to get back to your country?" she inquired, skepticism coloring her words.

Chapter 2

Riaz watched the delicate beauty carefully. No, delicate wasn’t the right word. She was, but that wasn’t the first description he would use. Angry. Stubborn. Careful. Strong.

And scared.

He doubted that Kaia Treon would appreciate that word, but she was. Terrified, actually. Her beautiful green eyes and that gloriously stubborn chin aside, the beauty practically shimmered with whatever threat loomed over her.

Every muscle in his body screamed to pull her into his arms and protect her from the monsters that lurked, waiting to attack her. Riaz knew that those monsters weren’t just a figment of her imagination. He didn’t know the whole story, but he suspected that the monsters were very real.

He’d have to gain her trust. Kaia had been hurt. Not just physically, but he’d heard the words she’d spoken to her sister just days ago. Kaia had been beaten. More than once. Possibly repeatedly. However, she’d risen, like a phoenix, and become stronger. She’d avoided the monster who tracked her, even getting her younger sister to safety as well.

Riaz wasn’t just attracted to the stubborn beauty. He respected her.

When she lifted a soft, brown eyebrow, prompting him, it took Riaz several seconds to remember what she’d asked.

He shifted in his chair, twirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Zayed and I have one more meeting tomorrow morning before he jets off on his honeymoon with your sister. My purpose here is to negotiate an economic treaty with Pitra," he explained, watching her carefully.

Taking a sip of his scotch, Riaz eyed Kaia over the rim, wondering what she was thinking. Why was a woman as beautiful as Kaia so wary? Even as they sat in the privacy of this room, he noticed that she sat with her back to the wall. Protecting herself? Definitely. From what? Did she fear him?

He didn’t like that possibility, but instead of taking offense, he tried to understand why she might be afraid of him.

Perhaps it wasn’t him that made her wary. Perhaps it was men in general? The man that had been apprehended yesterday…Collins. He’d held a knife to Tara’s throat.

Riaz observed the strikingly beautiful woman with careful scrutiny, attempting to unravel the enigma she presented. It was a departure from his usual encounters, where women often vied for his attention. Not that he wanted women to throw themselves at him, but the absence of such advances from the one woman he desired intrigued him.

He harbored no illusions about the motives behind the attention he received. It wasn't him they were after; it was the power embedded in his title and wealth. The unspoken transaction involved women offering their bodies in exchange for the perceived benefits his stature could bring them.

This tedious game of negotiation left a bitter taste in his mouth, which only served to heighten the allure of the brunette beauty before him. She appeared immune to the allure of power and wealth, and clearly was not seeking anything from him. In fact, if he gauged her behavior correctly, Kaia Treon would likely welcome his disappearance.

Yet, she continued to pique his curiosity. She embodied a contradictory blend of confidence and apprehension, intelligence and innocence. Her unwavering dedication to protecting her younger sister only deepened her appeal in Riaz's eyes.

That alone would have warranted his attention. However, there was an additional, enticing layer to the woman that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Something about her intrigued him beyond the image Kaia allowed the world to see. Firstly, what was she so afraid of? Besides the obvious; her monsters finding her.

But there was also something more, a shimmering challenge in her eyes that spoke of fear and something mysterious. He could definitely sense fear in her, fear of the attraction simmering between them, and an awareness that he felt the same way. But beneath that, there was a more intricate complexity lurking in those captivating emerald eyes.

Prompted by the need to learn more about her, he ventured, "You're from the state of Kentucky?"

"Technically, Kentucky is a commonwealth," she clarified. "Although, the distinction between a state and a commonwealth is negligible."

"I see. And did you enjoy living in the Commonwealth of Kentucky?"

"No," she snapped, taking a deliberate sip of her drink. He noticed a flicker of surprise in her reaction, but she composed herself and carefully placed the glass on the table. Strangely, she didn't recoil at the taste of scotch, showing that this wasn't her first encounter with the liquor.

"What don't you like about it?" he probed, determined to peel back the layers of mystery surrounding her.

She shrugged, lacing her fingers together and looking at him.

“The land is beautiful. There are rolling hills and the Appalachian mountains run along the eastern edge. There are also several rivers and plenty of grazing land.”

“So, what’s there not to like?”

She shrugged and he watched her eyes shutter with something she wanted to hide. From him? Or from the world?

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