by Ali Parker
She glanced up at me as if she hadn’t heard me come out. “I made him go eat something. He’s been with your father all day.”
“How are you holding up?” I asked.
She pushed herself out of her seat, her age starting to show. When had that happened to my parents? I’d been so wrapped up in my own life that I hadn’t noticed the passage of time and its effects on my parents.
“As well as I can be,” Mother said. “I wished he would have prepared us better. Though this is his way.”
“It is,” I said. “How long did the doctor say?”
She shrugged and then her lips started to tremble. “Until he stops fighting, I suppose. But he’s suffering so much.” She let out a sob, and I wrapped her in an embrace.
“We’ll get through this,” I said. “I’m not leaving anytime soon.”
She tilted her head upward. “Do you mean that?”
“Of course,” I said, knowing where that question would lead.
“You’re going to take the throne?” Mother asked.
And there it was. It was all my parents talked about—other than Mother trying to set me up with a suitable bride.
“I don’t know what to do,” I said. “It’s not the future I ever saw for myself. I always thought that Abir would want it, as it is his right.”
“It’s just as much your right as his,” Mother said.
“Where is Abir?” I asked, trying to veer off topic. There was so much going on that I could use a distraction, even for a moment.
She shook her head. “He hasn’t come out of his room since your father told him.”
“He hasn’t gone into Father’s chambers?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “You know he’s a sensitive boy.”
“He is that,” I said. Sure, Abir liked to keep to his books and daydreams, but he lived in the palace. The least he could do was sit with his dying father. Though I couldn’t blame him. If I could, I’d hide in my room all day, but I didn’t have that luxury. I had to step up and become the man that everyone, except me, wanted me to be.
“This isn’t the time to press the subject,” Mother said, getting back to the bigger topic. “But I’m sure you will make the right decision.”
Mother walked back into Father’s chambers, leaving me in the hallway with my thoughts and the heavy burden on my shoulders.
I considered going to Abir’s room and tell him to be a man, but anger wasn’t going to get anyone anywhere.
I needed to cool off somewhere. Now that Father was sleeping, I had a little time to myself to collect my thoughts before going back inside.
* * *
When I was younger and faced with a challenge in school or with my parents, I always walked the grounds to clear my head. There were acres of palace grounds, enough to walk for hours to work through whatever school assignment or argument I’d found myself dealing with. But there was no solution for Father’s problem.
I started at the back of the palace. I didn’t want to stay away long in case something happened with Father, but I hoped a short distance would bring me back to square one before dealing with the tragic situation happening inside of my home.
I wasn’t sure if it was the heat or the weight of the entire situation, but I found it hard to take a full breath as I walked. As it always did, my body adjusted itself as I moved across the grounds. My spine stiffened, and my chin lifted higher. Deep down, I was the king that Father and Mother wanted, but rebelling was always in my nature.
I couldn’t send Father off into the next life thinking that I was going to let all of his hard work fall to another.
I wasn’t sure what the council had in mind, but the fear in his eyes at the possibility broke my heart.
Raised voices outside of the palace gates broke me away from my thoughts. I almost welcomed the interruption.
Striding over to the tall gates, several of the guards huddled around one area.
People were always trying to get a glimpse of the palace, but never had one caused such a ruckus, at least as far as I knew.
A familiar female voice struck me to my core, and I froze where I stood. That voice had haunted my dreams for almost a week.
No, it couldn’t be.
I was far enough away not to be noticed but close enough to hear the conversation.
“Please, I need to see Lu—Prince Luke,” she said.
The guards muttered to each other in my native tongue. They didn’t have very nice things to say about her.
One of them moved aside, and my heart skipped a beat as Sophia’s gaze shifted from the guards to me.
6
Sophia
The trip to Qatar was much different than taking a private jet from the UK to the Middle East. The flight from Texas to the UK was fine, but the last leg was long as hell, and by the time I landed, I had no idea what day it was.
During my last trip here, Luke had accompanied me the entire time that I moved through Qatar. We’d had armed guards and all of our accommodations ready and waiting for us. I didn’t have to find a place to stay since I was his guest at the palace, and we had a private car to travel around in.
Luke hadn’t asked me to return any of the clothes that we’d bought together, so at least in that regard, I was somewhat prepared. Getting a ride to the palace was another story.
I wasn’t sure if the leering looks had happened the first time around, but everywhere I looked, someone was looking at me. I was a fish out of the water, and everyone knew it.
After inquiring at the airport for the location of the palace, I haggled with my cab driver about a price for the trip. Since I was going into this with my own money, there was no way I could act as I had when I visited the first time with Luke. He had billions and could get whatever he wanted with the snap of his fingers. While I didn’t plan on failing, I had to be frugal. If I was going to repeat my stalking habits when it came to Luke, I had to have a plan when it came to finding a place to stay.
I crossed my fingers that Luke would allow me back in his life and I could stay in the lush accommodations of his home. I knew I had a lot of explaining to do, but that didn’t bother me as much as my growing feelings for him. Back in Texas, it was easier to think that I hadn’t developed feelings for him, but being so close to him in his home country changed my mind.
There was something between us, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. It might help me get through the palace gates, but if I was going to get a story from the family, I had to be impartial. Betraying Luke wasn’t my intention, but I also had to think of my livelihood.
During the hours of flying—in between fits of uncomfortable sleep—I mulled over what story I would tell. If I overthought about seeing Luke again, my mind clouded over with how I felt about him. Getting my head in the game was a little harder with the lack of restful sleep, but this was my last chance.
In my years at the Post, I’d never seen Mr. Fraser give anyone a second chance. Either he had faith in me, or he wanted this story. I guessed it was the latter.
After securing myself in the back seat of the cab, the driver took off. I braced myself against the seat, my hands grasping the strap of my bag for dear life.
It wasn’t a leisurely jaunt around the city as it had been during my previous trip. I had some idea that I had been ripped off when it came to the price, and the driver wanted me out of the car as soon as possible.
People dodged the cab as it ripped through crowded marketplaces and small alleys. Several people shouted at us as the driver came close to vehicular manslaughter several times throughout the trip.
When we arrived outside of the palace gates, I had to peel myself off the seat. I handed over the agreed upon amount, and the driver didn’t even get out of the car to help me.
I didn’t have much, only a carry-on suitcase that I’d stuffed with everything I might need. Admittedly, I had high expectations of seeing Luke, and I hoped that he would allow me into his life again with all the luxuries included
.
I planned several things to say to him when I finally saw him face to face, but what I would say exactly depended on his reaction to seeing me again. I hoped that traveling across the world would prove that I had feelings for him. I wasn’t going to lie completely, but I hoped that Luke would accept me back into his life no matter what the circumstances. I wanted to be completely honest with him, while at the same time keeping my main goal concealed until I could find the right story to keep my job.
I hoped that not exposing his family to the media during this time would win me some points with him.
At home, it was easy to think I could cut Luke out of my life, but being that close to him brought back all the feelings I had before learning that his father was dying.
I hoped that Luke knew that, too. I wasn’t sure if we could ever be a real couple, but I had followed through with my side of the bargain; I’d stopped his mother from trying to set him up. Now I needed something from him.
The cab driver sped away the second I closed the door. The palace loomed in the distance, protected by tall stone walls and numerous guards. Being in the inner circle was a completely different experience to what I had to deal with arriving unannounced.
Swallowing my pride and the truck-sized lump in my throat, I walked toward the gates, rolling my suitcase over the bumpy pavement.
Pushing back the hem of my scarf, showing most of my face, I wondered if any of the guards recognized me.
From the way that three of them moved toward me on the other side of the gate, tightening their grip on their guns, I guessed they didn’t.
“Hi, there,” I said, trying to keep the warble out of my voice. Showing them that I was terrified of them wouldn’t get me anywhere.
“You are trespassing on private property,” one of the guards said in English. The other two spoke in a language I didn’t recognize.
“I’m not sure if you remember me,” I said, smiling at the one who spoke English. “I’m Sophia Holmes. I was here this past weekend as a guest.”
The guard eyed me but didn’t open the gate for me.
“I’m hoping to speak with Luke,” I said.
“How dare you address the prince without his title,” one of the other ones said. His English wasn’t as good as the other guard, but it got the message across.
I squared my shoulders. “He is expecting me.” I didn’t care about lying to them, but from their narrowed gazes, they didn’t believe me.
“If he is expecting you, we would have been informed,” the first guard said.
I stepped closer to the gate, and the third one raised his gun.
My life flashed before my eyes, and I skittered back a few feet, showing that I wasn’t a threat. Keeping my hands where they could see them, I tried to peer around them to see if I could spot Abir or even, Luke himself.
“I’ve come a long way,” I said.
“Move along,” the first guard said.
I wasn’t leaving without seeing Luke. They would have to drag me away before I gave up.
“Please, I need to see Lu—Prince Luke,” I said.
“Sophia?” Luke’s commanding voice sounded behind the guards.
The guards moved aside, while remaining between Luke and me.
My gaze flicked to Luke. He was in a suit, just like the first time I met him. My heart galloped as I drank him in. It looked as if he hadn’t shaved or slept all week. Seeing the effects of me leaving him wasn’t something I was proud of, but the result warmed my insides. He looked like a rugged model that might grace the cover of a women’s magazine.
“Luke,” I said, stepping closer to the gate.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, not moving from his spot.
“I wanted to talk to you,” I said.
He cleared his throat. “You could have called.”
I licked my lips. “I could have, but I wanted to see you.”
“You did?”
“Yes,” I said breathlessly, being completely honest with him and myself.
He glanced at the guards and said something to them in their language. If it was at all possible, hearing him speak added to my attraction for him.
The first guard said something to him, and Luke waved his hand at him and responded.
The second guard still stared at me, but he walked over to the gate and pressed a button on their side of the wall.
The gate opened, and I backed away, allowing it to swing open.
Since Luke was the prince, I figured he would have more control over the guards, but they had their jobs on the line too. So as Luke walked toward me, all three guards were right behind him.
Luke said something to them, and they stopped a few feet away, but they were still ready for anything.
I was careful where my hands were so they wouldn’t think I was trying to hurt their prince. I let them drop to my side, even though I wanted to throw them around his neck. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming, but I shoved that urge way down.
“I know you’re upset with me for leaving,” I said, looking up at him. I’d forgotten how tall he was.
He nodded but said nothing.
I’d have to work a little harder to get what I wanted. “There is a distinct line separating the relationship between a reporter and her subject. Somehow, being with you last weekend blurred that line. I didn’t know how to handle that, so when it came down to accepting your end of the bargain, I realized I didn’t want to write the story.”
“You didn’t?” he asked.
“No,” I said. “I’m so sorry I acted the way I did. It was childish and unprofessional. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
Luke’s chest heaved, and I could tell that he still felt the same for me. “Really?”
The sparkle in his eyes created a giddy feeling inside of me. A laugh bubbled out of me. “Yes, really.”
“What do you suggest we do now?” Luke asked.
“How is your father?” I asked.
He cocked his head, and I quickly added, “Maddox told me that’s why you’re here.”
I still had to keep Erol’s secret, even though Luke knew about his illness. I wasn’t sure what Luke would think if he found out that I knew before he did and didn’t bother to tell him. I doubted he would forgive me for that.
“He’s not well,” Luke said, glancing at the guards.
I reached forward and took his hand.
He didn’t flinch and tear away from me. Instead, he squeezed my hand and stepped closer to me to take my other one. Somehow, we ended up hugging. His lean body pressed against mine, and I closed my eyes, inhaling his scent. As far as anyone in the palace knew, we were still a couple. This was normal for a couple to do.
Luke was the first one to break the embrace. He wiped at his eyes, and I knew he was hurting inside, which made me feel even guiltier for not telling him when I first found out. I had no doubt that Luke would have liked to know sooner, but I was also an impostor and stumbled upon something that I should never have heard.
I tried to convince myself it was better this way.
“I’d like for you to come inside and see Father,” Luke said with no hint of sadness in his voice.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said firmly. “We’re still a couple—technically.” He offered his hand, and I took it. As he led me inside, he ordered one of his guards to take my suitcase inside.
I didn’t dare turn around as I felt the death stare aimed in my direction from the guard. I doubted he thought he’d come to work that morning and act as a bellhop.
“A heads up,” Luke said as we approached the palace steps. “Mother is not going to be pleased that you are here. She asked that I keep you away, but since you made that impossible,” he smirked, “I will tell her that I requested that you come along to support me.”
“I do support you,” I said.
Luke’s gaze locked on mine, and the entire rest of the world melted away. Glancing at his lips, I wan
ted to kiss him so badly.
Someone cleared their throat loudly, and I blinked, the moment shattered.
I glanced at the guard, thinking he was the one to interrupt our moment, but his head was bowed in our direction.
Looking the other way, I saw the disapproving face of my “boyfriend’s” mother standing at the front door.
7
Luke
When it came to Sophia, Mother always had a way of ruining any good moments. I was on the verge of kissing Sophia—really kissing her—when we were interrupted by Mother’s nosiness.
I was still reeling from Sophia traveling so far to see me. Hearing her mirror the same feelings I had for her had lifted some of the weight off my shoulders. I wasn’t sure why she showed up in person when she could have easily called me, but I didn’t regret her decision. Her by my side was where she belonged.
At least, that was what I thought.
Mother, on the other hand, had other ideas.
In a way, I wished Sophia would have announced her arrival. At the very least, I could have warned her that Mother specifically told me she wasn’t invited. As my girlfriend and guest, my opinion about Sophia overruled hers.
I didn’t suspect that Mother would cause any issues with Sophia while Father was sick, but I could never be sure with her. She might very well use Father’s illness as a way to push Sophia away. Like hell was I going to let that happen. Sophia would never be out of my sight again for as long as I could help it. She slipped out of my hands once before; I wasn’t going to let it happen again. Not without a fight.
With her returning to me and admitting her feelings, I saw no reason for her to leave anytime soon.
“Give me a moment,” I said to Sophia before kissing her cheek.
“I’m sorry,” Sophia said, shaking her head. “I should have called.”
“It’s fine,” I reassured her. “I want you here.”
Mother crossed her arms over her chest, and I knew I had the upper hand. I would have to going into this conversation.
