Page 1 of The Sheikh's Fake Fiancée

Chapter One

Zania Akhtar stared unseeingly at the ocean’s beautiful blue vista spread out below her while tears streamed down her face. Thankfully, no one was here to see her cry and no one would care even if they were here.

She was an outcast; a pariah to even her closest friends after she’d fallen for the smooth charms of a man she’d truly believed had loved her. But Tabari Usamah had only ever really loved himself. He’d betrayed her, then rejected and abandoned her, leaving her all alone to face the harsh criticisms and accusations that had flooded her way.

Despite the midday heat, she shivered. She’d been strong and holding it together, until now. She’d been hiding out on Holly Island, taking advantage of Sheikh Hamid’s hospitality in letting her stay for another three weeks at the resort while she waited for the gossip to subside and the dust to settle.

But she’d discovered keeping the media at bay and Sheikh Kain Al Hadi at arm’s length hadn’t been anywhere near as easy.

Kain.

She couldn’t quite believe his interest in her, particularly now her character was in such disrepute. But then she no longer believed in anything or anyone…not anymore. She no longer even trusted in herself let alone another man.

The newspaper article she’d read just minutes ago in her room only confirmed it. Zania was to blame for Sheikha Aisha’s early departure from her own week-long birthday celebrations on Holly Island, just as Zania was to blame for Tabari’s exile back to his own country.

Not only had she lost her best friend, Aisha, she’d lost the one man she’d considered herself in love with.

She’d never trust anyone again.

“There you are.”

Kain.

She swung around with a sharp breath, facing the man she’d been trying to avoid. That he was also the only remaining guest from Aisha’s birthday celebrations underscored Zania’s misery. She could rot here and no one would care.

His gaze narrowed at seeing her tears, and somehow it made everything worse. The last damn thing she wanted or needed was his sympathy!

Then snap out of it! You haven’t hit rock-bottom yet! Self-pity has never been your thing, don’t let it be now.

“Kain.” She sniffed, her chin lifting. “I should have known you’d find me.”

“Oh, I knew you were here,” he said quietly, though his voice still managed to ring with authority. His white T-shirt rippled in the ocean breeze, the color a stark contrast to his dark hair and black pants. “I was just giving you some space.”

Her shoulders tensed beneath her long-sleeved abaya, her eyes burning harder still. Had he been watching her all this time? “Well, you can go now.” There was never going to be enough space between her and every other man on this planet. “I want to be alone.”

“Not happening, shortcake.”

How did his refusal raise such simultaneous sweet relief and bitter revolt? She glowered. Either way, she might be small but she was no longer a pushover. She’d learned fromthatmistake. “What do you want from me?”

“We’ve discussed that already, remember?” He stepped closer and she resisted taking a step back, though the thought of tumbling off the cliff edge and into the churning waves of the abyss below held sudden appeal. As though he’d read her mind, his eyes darkened, caution edging them. “It’s easy enough. Pretend to be my fiancée and solve both our problems.”

She dragged the back of her hand across her face, swiping dry her tears. “I’m sure any number of women would love to play the role of your fiancée. You hardly need me for that.”

“See that’s where you’re wrong. I don’t care about any other number of women, but Idocare about you. I hate to see you upset.”

“Then you must be an anomaly.” Everyone else had been busy pointing fingers at her and gossiping loud enough for her to hear.

His whole body tensed, then he exhaled slowly and said, “The way I see it, you have nothing more to lose and everything to gain. And being that I’m obviously attracted to you, I won’t need to pretend too hard to want you.”

That he was attracted to her somehow dulled the sharp agony of Tabari’s betrayal. But it didn’t stop the doubts creeping in from his proposition. “I-I’m no actress.”

“And yet you put on a brave face the entire time your name was being dragged through the mud.”

She trembled. He was right. She’d kept her head high and her eyes dry while everyone had talked cruelly about her. Even her best friend, Sheikha Aisha, the one and same woman she’d respected and loved above all others, had turned her back on her. And who could blame her? For the first time in Zania’s life she’d thought of herself first and her best friend second.

That the man Zania and Aisha had trusted implicitly had turned out to be a selfish, unworthy rat was too little too late. Zania had given Tabari her heart along with her body and she was the one who paid the ultimate price.

But though her virginity might have been taken along with her dignity and self-respect, she refused to give up her pride. She’d walk over hot coals with her chin held high if needed. No one had to know she was hurting inside and quaking with anxiety.

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