Page 27 of Prince of Her Heart
Still no response.Ramzi tilted his head slightly, cool and unbothered, letting Martin’s fury sputter and fizzle.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the door open again.A shaft of sunlight fell across the worn wood floor, and in stepped Tabitha.Her dark hair cast glints of gold in the light, cheeks pink from the breeze or maybe from catching the scene in front of her.
“Martin, what the hell are you doing?”
Martin spun around.His entire posture deflated the moment his eyes locked on hers.His mouth opened, but no words came.He looked small—shrunken, even—as Ramzi stood from his seat with deliberate grace.The difference in height and build wasn’t subtle.Martin’s bravado dissolved under the weight of that quiet power.
But Ramzi didn’t raise a fist.Didn’t speak.He simply stepped forward and kissed her.
It wasn’t showy.Not overt.Just a light brush of his lips against hers, a whisper of a claim.But in that one act, he silenced the room.Even the espresso machine seemed to quiet.
Tabitha stilled in his arms, then melted just slightly, her fingers tightening around the latte cup he handed her.Her cheeks flushed, soft and pretty, and her lashes fluttered as she looked up at him.
“I got you a latte,” he said smoothly, voice low.“Would you take me on that tour of the town now?”
Her voice was breathy when she replied, “Of course.”She clutched the drink to her chest, the warmth of it curling around her fingers.The sleeves of her cardigan were now draped over her shoulders, her bare arms tinged with the pink of sun exposure.
“Just point the way,” he said, pressing a warm palm to the small of her back.He gave Martin a brief nod—more dismissal than greeting—and led Tabitha toward the door.He lifted his coffee in salute to the baristas behind the counter, who stood frozen in gleeful, wide-eyed silence.
Martin made the mistake of doubling down.
“You can’t do this to her!”he shouted after them, voice cracking slightly.
Ramzi didn’t even glance back.He held the door open for Tabitha, the sunlight flaring behind them like a scene in a movie.
The man should’ve been paying attention to his wife, not chasing ghosts.Maybe then Leandra wouldn’t be sniffing around strangers, slathered in drugstore perfume and desperation.But that wasn’t Ramzi’s problem.
Tabitha was.
And he wasn’t going to make the same mistake.
Once outside, the warmth of the day pressed gently down, the scent of lilacs drifting from a nearby garden.He removed his sunglasses from his pocket and slid them on as they walked.
“So,” he said, low and smooth, “what’s so special about Hendersonville?”
She gave a one-shouldered shrug.“There’s not much that’s unique.”
“There’s a waterfall,” he said pointedly.“Take me there.”
She laughed, tossing him a sidelong glance.“You really can’t stop being bossy, can you?”
He grinned, slow and unapologetic, the light catching on his sunglasses.“Not a chance.”He tipped back the last of his coffee and dropped the empty cup into a bin they passed.
“It’s much more fun to be in charge.”His hand slid gently up her back, fingers brushing her spine.“And don’t worry,” he murmured, “you’ll understand that soon.”
Ramzi felt the tremor ripple through her and his satisfaction intensified.She didn’t say a word, just turned and led him away from the center of town, her steps steady but silent.A few blocks down, a paved trailhead opened into the woods.The trees pressed in, offering shade and a welcome break from the sun overhead.
They chatted easily for a while.Tabitha filled him in on the wedding chaos she’d picked up while catching up with Stacy and her mother.Ramzi, in turn, mentioned Leandra’s unexpected visit—carefully leaving out the more vulgar elements—but made sure to note how the woman had made her dislike for Tabitha very clear.
“Why is that?”he asked as they walked deeper into the greenery.“Feels like more than just the fact she stole your fiancé.”
Tabitha sighed and pushed her sunglasses up onto the top of her head now that the trail was shaded by tall trees.“I honestly don’t know.She was a year behind us in high school, so there was no overlap with classes.Martin and I were in the advanced track, while she…wasn’t.”
Ramzi lifted a brow.“So how did she steal him from you?”
Her mouth twisted in discomfort.“I’m still not sure how it started,” she said, stepping carefully over a downed tree limb.“One day, Stacy and I were planning my wedding.The next, I walked in on Leandra and Martin…together.”
He turned to look at her, and she gave him a flat smile.
