Page 44 of Her Irresistible Sheik
“This,” Tom said, tapping the tablet screen.
A video clip played.A thin man limped down a hallway, a bloody splotch soaking through the back of his pants.Mikail leaned in and his gut twisted with recognition.
“It’s him,” Mikail snapped.“How the hell did he get in?”
“I don’t know,” Tom replied grimly, “but I’ll find out.In the meantime, Princess Nahla is in danger.”He hesitated, then said what Mikail had been dreading: “Maybe she should return to Lativa.”
“No.”Mikail’s voice was sharp and unyielding.He didn’t fully understand it himself—why the thought of her leaving turned his stomach—but he couldn’t let her go.Not yet.
As he mentally flipped through options, Tom offered one.“The Intesa Fortress.”
Mikail’s head jerked up.“The fortress?”
Tom nodded.“It’s isolated.You had pumps and solar power installed three years ago.”He moved closer, bracing his hands on the desk as he thought through the logistics.“It’s not on any current maps.”
“There are no architectural plans.No schematics.It’s just a five-hundred-year-old stone structure, built on a hill in the middle of nowhere.Easy to defend.Impossible to trace.”He straightened as he thought through the option, his voice gaining momentum.“We send a small support team—guards, food, staff—but no one else.No explanations.We fly them out under cover, and no one will know where they’re going until they arrive.”
Mikail considered it.The risks were minimal.He could still communicate if needed.And Tom was right—the fortress wasn’t used for anything but the occasional outpost drill.No one outside of the royal family even remembered it existed.
“Brilliant,” Mikail said.“Make it happen.Keep the circle small.”
Tom nodded and turned, already calling in quiet commands as he exited.
Alone again, Mikail allowed a small smile.
No meetings.No crises.No one tugging on his time.Just him and Nahla, tucked away in a centuries-old fortress where the rest of the world couldn’t reach them.
They’d eat.Talk.Debate.Laugh.Relax.
And once Tom caught the bastard who was trying to hurt her—then maybe, just maybe, Mikail could finally breathe.
Chapter 26
“Now that we’re…” she paused, glancing around, then sighed, “…in a mysterious place that presumably isn’t on the map, will you please tell me what’s going on?”Nahla demanded, stepping through the massive double doors and taking in the stone structure.Judging by the architecture, she guessed the place was at least three hundred years old.Did it even have electricity?What about running water?
“Relax,” Mikail chuckled, placing a hand at the small of her back and guiding her through another set of double doors—this pair made of thick wood studded with iron.
Still, she had no idea where they were or why they were here.Just this morning, she’d been chatting with Heather about her next baking lesson when Mikail had strode in and said, “We need to leave.Now.”Then he’d grabbed her hand and practically hauled her out of the kitchens.Nahla had barely managed a wave to Heather before they were whisked away.A helicopter had been waiting on the rooftop, with armed guards literally hanging off the sides, scanning the terrain behind their dark aviator sunglasses.
She knew they had a strategy for protecting people, but she didn’t know the details.What she did know was that she’d been yanked out of a normal day into… whatever this was.
“I need a drink,” she whispered.
“I can arrange that,” Mikail replied, continuing to lead her through the long, dimly lit corridors.The stone passageways felt more like tunnels, but theydidhave electric lights, which answered one of her questions.
A moment later, he led her into a surprisingly large room with sofas and thick carpets insulating the cold stone floors.He dropped his hand, and she immediately missed the warmth of it.
She stood still, eyes scanning the eclectic decor as Mikail crossed to what appeared to be a bar.The furniture was a curious blend of modern and ancient, with a mix of textures that shouldn’t have worked together—but somehow did.
“What is this place?”she asked.
He poured two glasses of wine, and she had to stop herself from requesting something stronger.
“This is my bunker,” he explained, carrying the glasses back to her.“It looks rustic, but it has all the amenities.”
She raised an eyebrow at the roughly hewn ceiling.“Are you sure?”
He chuckled, the sound soft and genuine—startling, even.He’d been tense all day.What had changed now?
