Page 58 of My Arabian Billionaire

Chapter Sixteen

Sunday morning showeredthe desert kingdom of Ramil with sunlight, and for the second day of the sheikh’s birthday celebration, a lavish breakfast spread had been prepared in the safari hall, a long, glass tunnel that also served as the palace’s direct connection to the sheikh’s private wildlife preserve. Here, guests were able to dine while enjoying the sight of the sheikh’s beloved pets. There were lions and jaguars and even a small herd of elephants that the guests glimpsed in the distance. At the end of the tunnel was another enclosure, this time an indoor jungle paradise in which exotic species lived – rare snakes wrapped around tree branches, huge camel spiders crawling swiftly on the sand, while Egyptian uromastyx flicked their tails languidly atop large boulders.

It made a breathtaking sight, one Harper usually enjoyed immensely. But right now, she just wanted to see the sheikh.

She had fallen asleep by the time he had returned to their room and was gone by the time she woke up. If not for the note he had left by her bedside table, she wouldn’t even have known he had been there atall.

And as for thenote---

Thank you for being the queen we need you tobe.

Your proud husband,

Khalil

Her cheeks flushed at the mere thought of it, and she hastily ducked her head before the guests could see her face. Damn sheikh. He wasn’t supposed to be that sweet. Or at least he shouldn’t be if he knew he’d be cooped up in his office for the rest of theday.

Her phone suddenly buzzed, and her heart swayed giddily, knowing that it could only behim.

Khalil: Missme?

Harper: No comment. Everything okay there?

A secret memo had circulated among the palace’s staff this morning, and it was through it Harper had learned of the terrorist threat that had kept the sheikh away from her bed the previous night.

Khalil: Still waiting for verification.

Harper: Keep me posted?

Khalil: I will. Are you done there?

Harper: I need to stay here for about ten minutes more if I don’t want Ms. Snape to getmad.

Khalil: You know she’ll make you pay for that, don’tyou?

Harper: She’ll only know if you tellher.

She paused then started typing again.

Harper: DON’T tell her, okay. Promiseme!

Because he likely would, knowing how much the sheikh liked seeing her in hot water.

* * *

Hell of a way to celebrate this his birthday, the sheikh thought wearily as he put aside the latest report sent by the defense department. As for now, last night’s rumblings about terrorists finding a way to enter their kingdom hadn’t yet been completely confirmed but even so, the palace remained on high security alert. He and the other sheikhs had also stayed up the entire night, monitoring all the reports, their instincts telling them not to take anything lightly.

Where there was smoke, there wasfire.

And his birthday celebration, where the world’s most powerful figures had convened, would definitely make a great place to light up the bloodiest type of fireworks. And if today wasn’t the target, then there was also tomorrow’s council, where all 120 sheikhs of Ramil would be meeting, his first time to address them as theirking.

His phone buzzed, and the tension in Khalil’s form slightly eased. If not for his beautiful Harper, his mood would have been a lot worse, and it was never a good thing for the kingdom to see their leader tense. It was just one of the many little things in which his queen was of help to him, and his mood further lightened when he read her reply.

DON’T tell her, okay. Promiseme!

Ah, his queen knew him sowell.

Khalil: I should be done here in about the same time. Come join methen.

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