Page 39 of The Prince's Secret Twins

Tila blinked.

“The guards and nannies said the same thing,” Khal continued, his voice quieter now, thoughtful. “The woman was sobbing as she held Rafi, rocking back and forth, muttering about needing to get ‘her’ son home to his bassinet.” He shook his head. “She wasn’t thinking rationally.”

He nodded once, decisively. “I’ll recommend that she be treated in a high-security mental health facility.”

Tila’s shoulders sagged with relief. It was the right call.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling slightly. “I knew you wouldn’t send her off to prison where her mental health would only decline further.”

Khal said nothing, but there was a glint in his eyes—something approving, something amused.

And for the first time, Tila realized that maybe, just maybe, Khal had been testing her all along.

His mouth twisted slightly, then he shook his head. “Sometimes, facing one’s demons is even more of a nightmare than prison.”

“I hope not. She’s a very confused woman.” Tila inhaled, then let the air out slowly. “I know she lost a baby several months ago. I didn’t know her well. Just in passing in the grocery store. But I never realized she had any challenges until the day I met her in the park a while ago.”

He nodded. “That’s what her other neighbors told us.”

Tila’s eyebrows went up. “You interviewed my old neighbors?”

He grimaced and shot her an amused glare. “You never heard that.”

She laughed and relaxed. “See? This is why I tell everyone that you’re actually a softy underneath that grouchy exterior,” she teased and stood up. “I have to finish up a few ideas for my newest client.” And she headed for the doorway.

“You’re still working?”

She paused halfway to the door, turning back to her brother-in-law. “Of course. I love my job, but now I work undera pseudonym and the security team built a firewall around my business.”

Khal stood up as well, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “You know you don’thaveto work, right?”

Tila rolled her eyes. “Would you be able to sit around and do nothing, Khal?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“Tasha relaxes,” he asserted firmly. “She used to be my assistant.”

Tila walked over to the doorway, resting her hand on the handle as she paused to say, “From what I’ve heard from the staff members, your wife works harder now than she ever did as your assistant.”

She walked out when she saw his jaw drop, enjoying the fact that the big guy could be shocked. Walking back to the nursery, she was prepared to send the nannies home. They’d come back to work too early. Both of the day nannies had serious concussions, but both asserted that they were fine.

However, it wasn’t much of a surprise to walk into the nursery to find the nannies gone and Rafi and Laith on the floor with Joran. Her sons were developing adorable personalities. And it was fascinating to watch. It was equally fascinating to watch Joran, a big, huge man with muscles and a toughness that was hard to match, sitting on the floor making silly sounds with whimsical toys. She enjoyed listening to the hilarious stories that Joran made up about the “animal” toys. For a man who worked with weapons and military politics, border problems and arrogant diplomats, it was adorable to see her handsome husband making up silly stories to please his infant children.

Rafi and Laith clearly adored these stories. They stared at the animals, entranced by their father’s voice as he told a storyabout…two odd looking animals falling in love and…what in the world was he teaching their sons?

“Joran!” Tila gasped, laughing as she stepped into the room. “You can’t say those things to babies!”

All three turned their heads, watching as Tila hurried into the room. Rafi beamed as if he knew exactly what his father was saying and loved it. Laith scowled, as if he wanted his mother to go away because she’d interrupted a rather…uh…racy…story about the polka dot giraffe and a green and blue striped lion.

“What? They need to learn about these things eventually.”

Tila lowered herself to the floor and picked Rafi up, cuddling the little guy in her lap. Joran pulled Laith onto his lap, kissing the top of his dark head.

“They can learn about the birds and the bees when they are older,” she told him firmly.

She laughed and leaned in, kissing the man she loved with all her heart.

“I fired my assistant,” Joran said, his voice tight with controlled anger.

Tila frowned, caught off guard. That was the last thing she expected him to say. “You fired… but why?”

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