Page 22 of I Accidentally Married A Sheikh

"Opposing cultures?"

"And so, because of that..."

He looks at me meaningfully, and I realize it's pointless to hide the truth. Iamthat puppy who wants his approval, and so I find myself racking my brains for an answer. "Um..."

His expression turns impassive, and when I think of how this may mean I've disappointed him—-

No, I don't want to!

—-I find myself blurting out the first thing that comes to mind.

"She ended up breaking some rules?"

A moment passes, and then his lips slowly curve, and I almost feel like singing 'hallelujah' because it feelsso, so good—-

"Exactly."

Until I realize he's staring at me meaningfully once again, and I cease feeling good.

"Are you sayingIbroke some rules?"

"A better way to put it," he says silkily, "is that what happened last night is not without consequences."

Oh God.

I find myself swallowing hard as my throat dries up in fear. "W-What kind of consequences?"

"What do you think?"

I look at him helplessly. "I don't know what to think."

"I am not only a sheikh,habibti."

I'm dead.

"But I am also a general in my kingdom."

So, so dead.

"As such, there are standards that I must uphold."

Oh, I knew it.

And because the way he's beating around the bush only makes things worse, I swallow past the lump in my throat and force myself to ask. "Are you saying—-"

"Yes."

Oh God, I really am dead.

I look at him sickly. "Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"You really are going to—-"

"I am really going to—-"

"Kill me?"

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