Page 22 of The Sheik's Pretend Fiancee
Tiro glared at his guard. He hadn’t been waiting on a phone call. In fact, Osman had cleared his schedule for these three days so he could focus on Angela.
However, there wasn’t any real need or expectation of him speaking with Angela. There was merely a need to pretend, to prove to the world that they were in a relationship to appease the conservatives that were claiming Angela to be a hussy after seeing that damn kiss.
Still, he listened to the person on the other end of the phone call. It was his security team. “Your Highness, we’ve received an anonymous tip that claims that the video was released by someone within the Lativa government. We’re tracking down the source to confirm.”
Tiro nodded, then said, “Good work.Call me back when you have something more.”He ended the call, and returned the phone to Aziz. “Randall says that he’s tracked the source of the video to someone here in Lativa,” he explained, looking around to check for eavesdroppers. The call was odd, since Sheik Khal claimed that someone in Tiro’s administration had released the video.
“We’re alone, Your Highness,” Aziz confirmed. “I checked before I brought the phone to you.”
“Thank you.” Tiro sighed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck,leaning back against the wall. “Why the hell would someone here in the Lativa government release a video that made Angela look bad?”
“We don’t know for sure, Your Highness,” Aziz said. “But the timing of the release is…suspicious.”
Tiro’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Aziz looked around as well. When he noticed the Lativa stable employees at the far end of the aisle, he leaned in closer. “The video was released right after our engineers discovered a vein of lithium in the Borosco Mountains, Your Highness.” He paused, then continued, “Perhaps someone here in Lativa was trying to make you look bad in the hopes of bringing you to the negotiating table, so they can gain more profitable terms on the lithium sales.”
Tiro snorted.“That’s a big leap! There’s no reasonto assume that I would be shamed by a damn kiss!”
“True, Your Highness, but Princess Angela is known worldwide.” He looked around, thenasked, “Do you have any idea how many people follow her activities on social media?”
Tiro blinked. “Why the hell does she have a social media account?”
“I don’t think she does, but there are more than twelve hundred accounts focused on her and her activities, all of which are dedicated to posting pictures of her.The gossip around Princess Angela is heated, with speculation rampant about when she’ll marry.” He sighed. “Las Vegas has betting odds around her eventual fiancé.”
Tiro gritted his teeth at that unwelcome news. “What are the odds in my favor?”
Aziz shrugged. “No idea, but I can ask Osman to get that information.”
Tiro sighed. “I don’t give a damn about what the world thinks about my odds of marrying Princess Angela. But if you’re right, that the video was released in an effort to get me to negotiate, then we need to confirm that before I act on the information.”
Aziz bowed his head slightly. “Of course, Your Highness. I’ll work with the team to continue looking into the situation.”
Tiro nodded and turned away, heading back into the palace. He had no idea what was next on the agenda for the day. Despite the possibility of malicious machinations, he seriously hoped that Angela might be involved in the next activity. Maybe in a dark, private closet or a well shadowed area of the palace!
He didn’t dare hope for a bed. That would be going too far. Plus, after meeting Sheik Khal, he didn’t think he could make love to Angela here in her home. Despite the man’s past aggressions, Tiro admitted that he could respect the man. The man was older by about thirty years and had experience on his side. But Tiro wouldn’t be fooled. He would be wary and conscious of the subtle signs of potential issues. He knew the rules when visiting foreign countries, although, there were a few more landmines when “courting” in the other country.
However, Angela was scheduled to visit Ginisia in two weeks’ time. Once he had her alone, and on his turf, the rules would change.
Tiro took two steps forward, then stopped. He suddenly realized what he was thinking.Was this effort, his presence here in Lativa, merely about sex?
He froze, staring into space. Yes, he desperately wanted to make love to Angela. With every fiber of his being, he wanted to explore her body, to make her cry out his name, and feel her shiver with desire. He wanted to know what she looked like when she climaxed in his arms; he wanted to know every damn thing about her.
And yet…!
No. This wasn’tjustsexual. Sex was a component, absolutely. But he wanted much more than just sex from Angela. And that was stunning.Never before had he felt this kind of…what? Affection? No, that was too tame a word for what he felt for Angela. And yet, there was affection. There was also respect, anticipation, and…lust. But it wasn’t just about lust.
Nor was his presence here in Lativa about a political maneuver. And it definitely had nothing to do with saving Angela’s reputation.
Okay, maybe it was a little about that. He still hated the fact that Angela was condemned for the passionate kiss caught on a video while he was praised for the same incident. Over the past few days, he’d literally hung up on several former acquaintances who had laughed at how he’d kissed the “ice princess”.
The world wasn’t fair, and women were often viewed as second-class citizens.
So,what was he going to do about it?Tiro knew that, in some parts of the world, women were stepping back from marriage and pregnancy. The result was a steep decline in birth rates. When women weren’t treated fairly, they fought back, demanding the respect that they were due as human beings.
Tiro respected women, had several in his advisory council and as directors of agencies. He didn’t want women to need to rise up because they were treated as “less than” in his country. He respected women, but was he treating Angela with the respect she deserved right now? The fact that he was anticipating getting her aloneonce she visited his country was evidence that he wasn’t.
Damn it!The fact that he was just now realizing the depth of the hypocrisy that women had to deal with was proof that he hadn’t considered the plight of women in the world carefully enough.
