Page 36 of The Forbidden Sheik
Chapter 46
“We still haven’t found her!” Angela grumbled, sliding dramatically down to the floor again with a huff. Rafi and Laith slid down beside her in perfect synchronicity, as though they'd rehearsed the move. But Zayn, the ever-determined six-year-old, stood tall in front of them, hands on his hips, his feet spread wide apart in the stance he'd seen his dad take during serious moments. He looked like a miniature general, ready to lead the charge.
“I thought we were going to get help,” Zayn said, his dark eyes big and confused as he looked down at his cousins, trying to make sense of the situation.
Laith, with his usual too-serious-for-a-seven-year-old level frustration, ran a hand through his hair. “They’re busy,” he muttered, his tone signaling his growing irritation at failure.
“Your dad is in a meeting,” Rafi added, pointing vaguely down the hallway. “They’re all in meetings.”
Zayn's little face scrunched up in confusion. His dad always told him he could ask for help whenever he needed it. And right now, he needed help. Big time. With dramatic flair, he puffed out his chest and announced, “Come on. We’re getting help.”
This time, he didn’t wait for anyone to follow. He marched ahead, his tiny feet tapping loudly against the marble floors, his determination practically radiating off him like a little sunbeam. Behind him, Angela, Rafi, and Laith scrambled to their feet and hurried to catch up, but not before Angela rolled her eyes playfully, mouthing a“He’s bossy, huh?”to Rafi, who gave a sarcastic shrug as if to say,“He’s six, what can we do?”
They finally reached the door to his dad’s office, where a frazzled assistant was in the midst of sifting through a stack of papers. Zayn frowned slightly as the papers spilled across the floor like confetti. He couldn’t help but notice that the assistant seemed to be frazzled—definitely not the best person to be in charge of helping with a kid’s important mission. Still, he couldn’t back down now. “I’d like to speak with my papa,” he announced.
The frazzled man barely looked up. "He’s in a meeting and can’t be disturbed," the assistant mumbled, practically shooing them away, but not before turning to bend down with an irritated grunt, attempting to gather the papers in what could only be described as avery unprofessionalmanner.
Not deterred in the slightest, Zayn’s eyes immediately darted to the bodyguards standing at attention in front of the conference room. There, with all the confidence of a mini-sheikh, he walked over, his head tipping back just enough to look up at the towering figures.
“I need help from my papa,” Zayn whispered, his voice soft yet serious, like a grown-up asking for permission to use the remote. He didn’t want to interrupt the meeting if it was important, but honestly? Saving Aunt Marianna felt like ahugepriority. "Can I just speak with him for a moment?"
Angela, ever the tactful one, stepped forward, flashing her sweetest but most persuasive smile. “We won’t take long. We’re just...?” She looked to Laith for help, knowing he could finish her thought better than she could.
“We don’t know what else to do,” Laith jumped in, raising his hands as if giving up. "We were told to ask for help when we don't know what to do." He finished with a frustrated sigh, the kind only a seven-year-old with a bit too much responsibility would sigh.
Rafi nodded, his curly hair bouncing on his forehead, giving a vigorous shake so that the curl danced in time with his words. “We don’t know what to do,” he echoed, looking up with big, wide eyes that only seemed to deepen the cuteness factor.
The guards exchanged a glance that seemed to flicker with—was that triumph?No, surely not. That couldn’t be right. Zayn was just about to question his own instincts when one of the guards moved and cracked the door open slightly.
Zayn couldn’t help but grin. His dad was about to get abigsurprise.
Zayn didn’t wait. He was the smallest of the four cousins, but sometimes being bigger had its downsides. He scurried to the door, his head popping through the gap just in time to see his father turn, curious about the guards interrupting the meeting. Before he could say anything, Zayn felt a soft pressure on his back. He knew exactly what was happening—Angela wanted in on the action too. So, with a little shift, he let her squeeze in beside him, both of them peeking through the crack like a tiny caterpillar made up of four little heads.
Sheik Khal watched with growing amusement as four tiny heads peeked through the door, which was only cracked open enough for the lead guard to squeeze through. The heavily armed, stoic guard stood frozen, staring down at the four little humans trying to squish their heads into the conference room. Khal stifled a laugh at their hopeful, wide-eyed expressions, he couldn’t help but find it adorable.
But beneath his amusement, a wave of relief washed over him. The kids had been searching for Marianna for what felt like days, and now, finally, they were asking for help. His heart swelled with a mix of pride and a bit of tenderness. They were brave, and now they knew when to come to him.
“What’s up?” he asked, glancing over at the guard, who seemed unsure whether to escort the children away or simply stand there, bewildered.
Zayn, that adorable little devil, was the first to speak. “We need help, Papa!”
Khal nearly burst out laughing when the other three heads nodded in eager unison. The sight was so endearing, he had to quickly smother his amusement. He tried to remain serious, lifting a hand in mock solemnity. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. My son and his cousins have an emergency that I need to attend to.”
With that, he stood up, grabbed his phone, and slipped out of the room, texting his brothers, his wife, and his sisters-in-law. Kneeling down to their level outside the conference room, he gave them his full attention, his tone now as serious as their own. “Talk to me.”
The four kids immediately began explaining—babbling over each other, filling in details about the clues they’d uncovered, the places they’d searched, and how they’d eventually come to him for help. Khal’s heart tightened with pride as he listened to their earnest explanations. He made a mental note to have a word with the guard who had come up with the “scavenger hunt” idea. It had certainly kept the kids busy, but clearly, it was time for a new plan.
And as Marianna’s plane touched down at the airport—safe, and... engaged—Khal felt a pang of mixed emotions. The bastard she’d chosen wasn’t exactly his first choice, but if Marianna was happy, he’d endure the pain of accepting the guy into the family. As much as he didn’t want to let Marianna go, he knew he’d have to.
“Alright,” Khal said, turning his attention back to the kids, his face softening as he looked at each of them with a smile. “Let’s go to my office. You can tell me all about the clues and where you’ve looked so far.”
The relief on these little faces was enough to make Khal forget the security briefing he'd just left. He couldn’t leave them hanging now—they’d asked for help, and he was going to give it.
Standing up, he glanced at the guard standing by the door. Before he could say anything, he felt tiny hands grabbing at his. He looked down to find Laith and Angela both clinging to him like their lives depended on it. He could practically hear their little voices echoing in his head:Help, Uncle Khal!
He muttered a quick, “Explain this to my sister and get her ready,” under his breath and the guard nodded quickly, looking as if he wasn’t entirely sure whether to laugh or just follow orders.
Khal followed his tiny companions down the hallway, smiling despite himself. Zayn, the tiny tornado, looked up at him with an expression that was equal parts serious and adorable.
