Page 18 of The Forbidden Sheik
She laughed, shaking her head at the memories of her first impressions. “He was a tyrant!” Her smile softened. “At least, that was my opinion at the time. I quickly discovered that there were many bad people out in the world who would try to hurt or use me.” She grimaced. “My father, apparently Khal’s father as well, was extremely wealthy, but a bit of a bastard to my mother. She was his second wife and didn’t want to live the life of a restricted woman in Lativa.”
“Are women in Lativa restricted?”
Marianna shrugged. “Khal has never restricted my activities in any way, other than to ensure my safety.”
“And how’s that working out for you?” he asked with a growl.
Marianna realized he didn’t think Khal was caring for her effectively. But she couldn’t allow him to think that. Yesterday was entirely her fault. Well, it was the kidnapper’s fault, actually.
“Yesterday, I was out riding, and rode too far from my security detail,” she admitted. “I hadn’t realized that I’d gone so far until I’d reached the edge of the palace property.”
His gaze sharpened with her admission. “Why were you so far from your bodyguards?”
Marianna eyed him for a moment, then admitted softly, “I wanted space to think.”
He waited for her to explain, but before she could work up the courage, he realized he could fill in the details. “You were captured the day after I kissed you.” He waited for her to confirm the statement. When she continued to stare into her coffee, he continued. “You were flustered and confused by the kiss. Am I right, Mari?” he asked.
Marianna was warmed by the way he shortened her name. It felt nice, almost like a private thing between them.
“Yes,” she whispered, then stiffened her crumbling determination. “I admit that I’m still confused,” she told him, standing up and walking away from the table to give herself some room. She turned and looked at him, wrapping her arms around herself. “I need to be clear, Amit. I’m still…hurt…by what you said years ago.”
He frowned in confusion. “What did I say years ago?”
She pressed her lips together, staring down at her feet. When she looked up at him, she hoped he couldn’t see the tears filling her eyes. “It was the first time we’d met. Your father sent you to Lativa to…” She paused again, blinking and turning away from him. “Your father sent you to speak with Khal about…” she swallowed hard past the lump in her throat.
“Trading you for the babies,” he supplied, standing up and walking toward the window with angry, frustrated strides. After pacing for a moment, he stuffed his hands into his pockets.
She looked at him again, hoping he couldn’t see the pain that continued to eat at her. “Correct.” She took a deep breath, then let the air out slowly. “I know you were doing your father’s bidding. However, I felt–”
“I wasn’t,” he interjected.
Startled, Marianna looked up at him. “You weren’t…what?”
He ran a hand through his hair, then shoved it back into his pocket. “I wasn’t doing my father’s bidding,” he grumped out. With a huff, he squared his shoulders and looked at her. “I wasn’t doing my father’s bidding, Mari,” he repeated. “I saw you and…well, you were so beautiful and…!” He stopped and turned away from her.
Mari stared at his back, at the tension that tightened his shoulders. “You made that up?”
He sighed and turned to face her once more. “Yeah. I made up the trade suggestion. I had been sent there to discuss something else entirely. But when you walked into the room…I couldn’t remember what the hell I was supposed to discuss with your brother.”
Well, that was a little more flattering than being traded like chattel, she thought. Still, there was something more he wasn’t telling her. She could see it in the way he clenched his jaw, the muscles flexing tightly. Mari wanted to demand that he tell her the rest, but she sensed that he was done admitting to his past…uh…failures.
He probably wouldn’t classify that moment as a failure, but she certainly did. And she was eager to find out what exactly he’d been sent to discuss with Khal. Intrigued, she tilted her head slightly. What was he hiding?
Oh, this was definitely a mystery she was eager to unravel! No one loved research more than she did. The thrill of the hunt sped her heart rate. Stepping forward, she dropped her hands.
“So, what’s next?” she asked.
Chapter 20
Amit relaxed, relieved that she wasn’t going to pursue that stupid comment he’d made eight years ago. Apparently, his stupidity had wounded her too deeply for her to forget that bungle. Still, Marianna was here now. She was his guest for however long it took to stop his idiot cousin’s ridiculous coup attempt. Of course, Amit still needed to find the bastard!
While his security forces were turning over rocks to find the pathetic cockroach masquerading as his cousin, Amit had an opportunity to get to know this lovely, intriguing woman better.Reallyget to know her. He knew that he wasn’t great at courting women. Hell, he’d never needed to. The women who entered his world were never shy about their intentions.
But it had been Marianna who had found a place in his heart and never left. Now he had time to figure out what made her tick, what excited her and, if he was very lucky, how he could convince her to stay with him.
That word startled him. “Stay”? He wanted her to…stay?
Yes. Yes, that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted,needed, Marianna to stay forever.
