Page 16 of Her Older Sheikh

Five minutes later, and Adam had successfully made up an excuse to get Rashad out of the luncheon. They were now in one of the many other in-house dining establishments of Paradijs, and Adam knew right away something was wrong when Rashad asked him about his feelings for Ember.

Although all four princes of Huzna were men of mystery as far as the whole world was concerned, those with close ties to the royal family were well aware that such a description was more fitting for Rashad than anyone else.

Rashad as a man of mystery would be no manufactured image. During the bloodiest years of Huznan history, Rashad's job had been of a classified nature, and one so deeply mired in the gray areas of political warfare that only those with Al-Masri blood were privy to what he was doing.

It had been a heroic but thankless job that turned Rashad into an intensely private person, and one whose sophisticated charm concealed the way he would assess every decision he made and ruthlessly dispose whatever orwhomeverhe deemed unnecessary or potentially damaging to his kingdom.

Rashad's previous role in Huzna's civil war made any kind of emotion a weakness, but something seemed to have happened in recent days, and whatever that something was had led tothis.

"I'm not serious about Ember at all," Adam said with a shrug.

"Were you serious about her at any point?"

"I think it's a pity that Ilyas knew her first," Adam bluntly acknowledged, "but only because I know Ember would have been different from all the other women I've taken to bed."

"Different..."

Adam's gaze narrowed at the other man's brooding tone. "Is this about the girl you promised to marry?"

"The betrothal might not push through," Rashad said tautly. "I met someone else."

Adam stared at his cousin in disbelief.

"And she's...different."

Adam nearly winced. Well,damn.When he had described Ember as someone 'different', he had only meant that he found her intriguing, in the sense that she had not thrown herself at him like all the other women did.

On the other hand, Adam was certain Rashad meant something else when saying that the girl his cousin met was 'different', but with the kingdom's safety possibly at stake...

"Have you told the others about it?" Adam asked finally.

Rashad's lips twisted in a humorless smile. "All of my brothers are engaged to the women they love. How do you think they'd react to this?"

Adam grimaced. "Point taken."

"You think I'm about to make the wrong choice, didn't you?"

Adam looked at his cousin evenly. "I'd choose the girl whose dowry will give Huzna's defense system a strategic advantage, and I'd do so because it's my duty."

"Even if the other girl is...different?"

"She can't be that different, since I don't believe in love."

The other man's lips tightened. "I never said I did."

"You don't have to," Adam said flatly. "That the other girl is even part of the equation says enough."

Chapter Five

Over a week has passed, and I find myself reluctantly caving in to to another one of Grandpa Paco's matchmaking attempts. Since he hasn't been as nagging as before, he really had me fooled into thinking he's finally seen the light, and he's letting me marry a man of my choosing.

Obviously, I should've known better.

The old man is a master at manipulation, and this time it's his threat to stop taking his meds that has me waving the white flag.

"His name is Brian," Grandpa Paco tells me. "He'll be waiting for you at Paradijs' lobby."

Paradijs is a membership-exclusive club, and this isn't the first time Grandpa has tried to pair me with a young man whose parents (or grandparents) belong to the same club. Sadly, all five dates have ranged from meh to bleh, and while I didn't think #6 would be any different—-

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