Page 52 of Desert King's Forbidden Temptation

He pulled away, keeping a hand curled around his brother’s arm.

‘The situation is complicated.’

Graciano’s grin took his breath away because it washissmile. The same smile he’d known all of his life. He shook his head, wading through the mess of his life to admit that in this moment, there was good. The discovery of a sibling was a blessing.

‘I anticipated you’d say that.’

‘Can I rely on your discretion?’

‘Do I seem like a man who shares his private life with the world?’

‘Nonetheless, this is particularly sensitive.’

‘I’m aware.’

‘I’m not saying I won’t speak publicly on this matter—I think that will be inevitable—but I need a little time to reflect, to speak to my mother and government first.’

‘Naturally. I didn’t come here to pressure you. Only, as soon as I knew where you were, I had to see you. I’ve looked for years...’

‘I’m glad you came,’ he said quietly, and it was the truth. It might have thrown a grenade into his life, but Tariq wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘Will you stay in Savisia awhile?’

‘I’m here another week, for the development.’

‘And then?’

‘I’m based in London. But I can come back often.’

‘London.’ He nodded. ‘There’s so much I don’t know about you. So much I want to know.’

‘It’s mutual.’

Tariq straightened, pulling away a little, needing to get his head around this. ‘I’ll have to take a couple of days to manage things here.’

‘I can wait.’

CHAPTER TEN

SHOCKMORPHEDINTOsomething else, something darker, as the day went on, and he tried to understand all the pieces of his life, all of the decisions and actions that had led him to this place in space and time.

He had been raised as a Savisian. The country was in his blood and bones, he would die for this place. And yet, he’d been born a Spaniard. He considered himself an only child and yet he had a brother, a brother he felt an immediate connection to, a brother he’d been denied for too long.

He had a future that was no longer in his hands. He had to marry Elana. Any hope of being able to find a way around it disappeared with the certainty that this news would soon be public—how could it not? If one person knew, it was only a matter of time.

Announcement of his engagement to the Crown Princess of Ras Sarat would calm most of the ruffled feathers and would placate those traditionalists who wanted to see a true royal baby on the throne of Savisia.

It would avert a possible civil war, or an uprising at least.

What would his father say if he were here?

He couldn’t even seek comfort from that because his father had laid the groundwork for this. His parents should have made sure there were no other survivors before taking him. They should have thought before acting.

He stared around the boardroom, eyes landing on Eloise and lingering with a lack of control that bothered him almost as much as the rest of the day’s revelations.

Her eyes lifted, straying to his, then jerking away, her lips parted.

Anger coursed his veins.

He was bobbing on a turbulent ocean, no anchor, no boat, no help in sight. Control was a faraway illusion. He needed to get away from this, from them. He needed to get far away.

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