Page 39 of Her Older Sheikh

And that's also when I see how much I've hurt her.

"I'm sorry—-"

"Then go," she says brokenly. "If you're really sorry, just leave—-"

"I can't. I love you—-"

A choked cry escapes her. "Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"Just listen to me, alright? Just please, just listen—-please."

I tell her about the first day we met, and why I had to walk away. I tell her everything because I know now how much my lies have cost her, but all she does is look at me with glassy eyes.

It feels like she's slipping further and further from me, and I don't fucking know what else I can say or do to make her believe me.

"You can ask Adam yourself," I say urgently. "I told him about you. I told him you weredifferent,and that I wanted to chooseyouover my duty. And when I saw you with that boy, everything just became fucking clear. I knew then that I loved you—-"

But Madeleine only cuts me off. "Please stop saying that. Juststop." Her voice catches in the end, and my heart fucking splinters.

"Didn't Grandpa tell you? The island's all yours. It's yours, okay? It's all yours."

My Madeleine is babbling, and it kills me to hear her do so.

"So p-please. Please stop lying."

"I'm not lying—-"

"The island is yours," she whispers. "So what more do you want?"

"I want you," I grit out, "not the fucking island—-"

"Stop! Lying!"

"It's no lie, Madeleine. I love you—-"

I move towards her as I speak, and her hand lands against my cheek with such force that my head snaps to the side.

"I'm s-sorry." She chokes back a sob. "I didn't mean to—-"

"Madeleine, please—-"

She shakes her head wildly. "There's nothing you can say that will change my mind. So please, let's just end it here. Don't ever speak to me again. Don't ever show yourself to me again or I swear, I s-swear I'll make Grandpa sell the island to your worst enemy—-"

"Then do it."

Chapter Twelve

Rashad's face seems like it's carved in stone when he says the words, but I just can't let myself believe him. Grandpa's island can protect Huzna from future wars, and so he can only be bluffing when he says I can sell it to his worst enemy.

"You can sell the island to anyone," Rashad goes on doggedly, "and it won't matter to me. I can find another way to protect my kingdom. A thousand other ways even," he grates out, "if that's what it takes. But there's only one you—-"

"Please just stop," I whisper painfully. "Don't you think you've hurt me enough?"

The words make Rashad flinch, and I see his throat working convulsively before he's able to speak.

"I never wanted to hurt you."

Rashad's voice breaks, and when I look into his eyes, I see what I didn't want to see—-

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