The Sheikh’s Stubborn Assistant

by Leslie North

  His jaw dropped as she gathered her things and slowly walked out. His heart sank to his stomach when he realized that he was losing her.

  He had no idea what he could say to keep her, and he wasn’t sure he was ever going to see her again.

  14

  Despite all their support, Katie couldn’t go to Mila, Liyah, or Amira. She even hid her feelings from Sahaar to ensure that her hostess didn’t call for backup. Instead, she hid the pain and punched in the number for the airlines on her cellphone in an attempt to buy another ticket.

  Apparently, all the seats were booked for all planes heading to America, and they were booked for the entirety of the next week.

  Pissed, knowing that this was Khalid’s doing, she bought the earliest ticket that she could and figured she could pass the time sightseeing. She wanted to see the Miracle Garden and visit the beach. There were a few museums that she hadn’t toured yet, only applied to, and she wanted to see the aquarium.

  For the next week, she wouldn’t be a woman desperately trying to get a job or establish a life. She could just be a tourist. It would hardly be enough to erase the pain, but it would be a start.

  Pulling out her phone, she called the one woman who wasn’t immediately connected to Khalid and made plans with Fatima. Katie would be the tourist, and Fatima agreed to be her guide.

  “It’s for the best, you know. Khalid isn’t like his brothers. He would never marry someone so beneath him,” Fatima said causally as they strolled along the beach. “Not that you don’t deserve a good man, but Khalid is a traditionalist. He’ll marry someone his parents approve of.”

  “Right,” Katie said miserably. Her relationship with Khalid was the last thing she wanted to talk about, but Fatima always seemed to be able to wrench it out of her. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better, but I don’t think it’s his parents who are the issue. I’m just a toy for Khalid. Nothing more.”

  Fatima gasped. “And you fell in love with him! I told you!” She sounded almost triumphant. “Just because Mila and Liyah were able to sink their claws into his brothers doesn’t mean that Khalid is an easy target.”

  “What?”

  Fatima’s laugh sounded forced. “Oh, that came out wrong. I love Mila and Liyah. They saw something they wanted, and they went after it. Asad and Rashid never knew what hit them. Americans are exotic here—but Khalid is different. He’s not so sentimental. If you’d listened to me from the beginning, you wouldn’t have to flee Dubai now. If you had left him alone, you’d be a rising star in the art world.”

  Katie couldn’t help visibly flinching at Fatima’s harsh words. Not for the first time, she wondered why she hung out with Fatima. The woman had been so friendly in the beginning, but now she seemed to enjoy taking potshots at Katie.

  Maybe that was just Fatima’s nature. Shoot straight. Tell it like it is.

  It wasn’t like the woman was wrong. If Katie hadn’t fallen for Khalid, if she’d held out a little longer for a job where she was appreciated for her brains, then maybe she really would be achieving all of her dreams.

  Fatima, elaborately casual, continued. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. You’re leaving, and you can start over somewhere far away from Khalid.”

  “Is that so?”

  Katie stiffened, and Fatima stopped short as the familiar male voice interrupted them from behind. Khalid walked slowly around them with a hard expression on his face. “I know you, don’t I? You’re the waitress from the lounge, the one who made Mila miserable after Liyah married Asad.”

  “What?” Katie frowned. “What is he talking about? You told me that you and Mila were friends.”

  “We are.” Fatima laughed nervously. “She was probably just joking around. I was promoted to manager right after Liyah’s wedding, so it took us awhile to find our groove—but I was very happy for her when she married Rashid. Two lucky ladies.”

  “Lucky?” Khalid narrowed his eyes. “My brothers found the loves of their lives in those two women.”

  Katie’s heart slammed in her chest. It was the first time that she’d ever heard Khalid speak about Mila and Liyah and their marriages to Asad and Rashid in such a positive light.

  “Of course.” Fatima’s voice went up a notch. “I’m very happy for them.”

  “You need to leave,” Khalid growled. “Right now. And you’d better pray that I don’t decide you are the reason that Katie is leaving the city.”

  Horror crossed Fatima’s face, and she turned to flee, but Katie reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her. “Did you befriend me just to get back at Mila and Liyah?” she asked, hurt welling inside. “Or did you think that you had a shot at Khalid?”

  Rather than face her, Fatima pulled out of her grasp and hurriedly walked away.

  Betrayed and humiliated that she’d been so duped, Katie refused to turn and face Khalid. Instead, she hugged her arms around her body and started to slowly walk away.

  “Katie, wait,” he said hoarsely. “I know that Fatima has been filling your head with nonsense, but now that I know the root of the problem, we can fix this.”

  “Root of the problem?” Angry, Katie whirled around. “You still don’t get it, do you? Fatima is a horrible person, and yes, she made me feel lower than low, but she is hardly the root of the problem. The problem, Khalid, is us. You may be happy with the way things are, but I’m not.”

  “Katie . . .”

  “No.” Struggling to keep the tears from falling, she held up her hand. “I should have said this before. Maybe it would have helped you understand why I have to do this. Khalid, I love you. I love you, and I know that you don’t love me. I can’t be angry at that. I can’t force you to feel something for me, but you have to let me go. Keeping me around just because the sex is good is unfair to me.”

  His eyes widened. “You love me?”

  “I won’t say it again, Khalid. I can’t. I’m sure that buying up all the seats on all of the planes leaving in the next week was expensive, but you can’t keep me forever, Khalid. Dubai is a fairytale city, but,” her voice broke, “it’s not my happy ending.”

  She turned to leave, but was stopped by the panic in his voice as he called after her, “Katie, wait! I don’t want you to leave. I just need more time to figure this out. It’s not just about sex for me. There’s more, I just . . . I just need more time.”

  Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the waves of pain washing over her. “That’s convenient, Khalid. But it’s cruel to play with me like this.”

  He didn’t say anything else, and she turned on her heel to leave him. How many times was she going to have to walk away from Khalid?

  She wasn’t sure she could do it a third time.

  Back at the palace, Khalid ignored the angry looks his sister was giving him. It was bad enough that their parents were there, fully involved in this impossible conversation. “You let her befriend Fatima? No wonder she wants to flee Dubai. God knows what hateful things that girl said to her. What’s wrong with you?”

  “You two are pretty much attached at the hip. If you want to blame someone for her taste in friends, blame yourself,” Khalid snapped.

  “You were sleeping with her!” Navine gasped. “She was your employee!”

  Khalid rubbed at his temples. His parents and sister had been waiting for him in his suite when he’d returned. Apparently Ziva had called to complain about the recent changes at the gallery, and his parents had decided to stage an intervention.

  That was the last thing he needed.

  “Is she the reason that you want to send out newsletters and host family events at the museum?” Navine continued. “She is using you to run the gallery?” The older man’s gaze intensified as he locked eyes with his youngest son. “You will fire her immediately and rehire Ziva’s niece with your most sincere apology.”

  “Navine,” Shekinah said softly, reaching out and taking her husband’s arm.

  Navine patted her hand, removing his attention momentarily from Khalid as if co
nfident that he’d already won. “Darling, do not involve yourself. Our son is being used by this woman.”

  The pain behind Khalid’s eyes grew stronger, and he sighed. “Can everyone please just leave me alone?”

  “Katie is not using him!” Amira snapped at their father. “She’s an exceptional woman, one that you haven’t even bothered to get to know.”

  “Amira,” Navine rumbled. “Perhaps for once you could focus on your own life rather than continue to get involved with the affairs of your brothers? I’ve given you free run of the palace, but I did not realize that it would end in my two elder sons marrying foreigners!”

  “Navine!” Shekinah hissed. “I admit that I wasn’t crazy about the idea either, but Asad and Rashid are happy, and their respective businesses are flourishing.”

  “Yes, Father,” Amira said snidely. “You should be thanking me!”

  “Young woman . . .”

  “Stop!” Khalid thundered.

  Immediately, they all fell silent.

  He looked around at their faces. “First of all, Father, I hired Katie because she shared my ideas about the gallery. I have been trying to implement policies that would allow us to make a profit from the public rather than being under the thumbs of our donors. You promised me that I could run the gallery as I see fit as long as I focused on it rather than painting. I’ve done as you asked, and you will not get involved with my choices in the gallery.”

  “But . . .”

  “No.” Khalid respected and loved his father, but their relationship had never been solid, and he wasn’t about to let his father continue to run his life. “The gallery is mine. My choices have nothing to do with Katie. End of story.”

  “So you will continue to sleep with this employee?”

  Khalid swallowed hard. “No. I won’t. Not only did she quit the gallery, but she’s leaving Dubai, so I’ll never see her again. She’s no longer anyone’s concern.”

  Amira shook her head. “Of all the men in this family, you’re certainly the thickest. You love her. Go after her!”

  “Is that true, Khalid?” his mother asked softly. “Do you love her?”

  “I canceled her ticket. I bought every empty seat on every plane going to America for the next week. I saw her this morning and asked her for more time. What else do you want me to do?”

  “Tell her that you love her!” Amira snapped.

  “I tried,” Khalid snarled at her. “I tried to tell her that there was something there, but she won’t listen to me. I waited too long, and now it’s too late.”

  “Excellent. You’re an idiot. She’s an idiot. I don’t know why I even bother,” Amira complained as she threw her hands up in the air.

  Their father cleared his throat. “Amira, Shekinah, can you please give us a minute?”

  “Navine,” Shekinah warned with a sharp look.

  The older man kissed his wife gently on the cheek. “Don’t worry, darling. I just need a word with Khalid.”

  Khalid’s heart seemed to sink to his toes in anticipation. It was bad enough to have them all there, picking apart his life—but to be alone with whatever reproaches his father had in store for him? Infinitely worse.

  His mother seemed to share his hesitation. He saw Shekinah search her husband’s face carefully, but then she took Amira’s hand and led her out of the suite.

  The best defense was a good offense. Khalid gave his father a withering look. “I’m really not in the mood to talk about the gallery.”

  “Too bad.” Navine crossed the suite toward the bar and opened the cabinet.

  Khalid raised an eyebrow. His father had never been a heavy drinker, and it was awfully early in the day for him to start.

  Navine poured himself a shot of whiskey and tossed it back. “There is something that I should have said to you a long time ago, Khalid.” He paused, head bowed, and Khalid wondered what he was thinking. No doubt he’d soon find out. And then Navine lifted his head, squared his shoulders, and said, “I was wrong.”

  “What?” Khalid was sure that he’d heard wrong. His father didn’t believe in apologies.

  “I should never have forced you to take over the gallery.” Navine turned around, and there was sorrow in his eyes. “You were so different from your brothers, so open and carefree. It wasn’t that I didn’t like that about you. I loved it, but I was afraid that you were going to be hurt. I didn’t want you to fail at your artwork, son—but I knew that you’d succeed in business. It’s in your blood.”

  Setting the topic of his artwork aside, Khalid took a deep breath. “I don’t hate the gallery,” he admitted. “I just feel strangled under the constant eye of people like Ziva. I want the public to be involved in the gallery. I want a full range of art to showcase, and I want to support the local artist community.”

  Navine nodded. “I’m afraid that you’ll lose the support of your donors, and the public won’t be enough to keep the gallery afloat.”

  Khalid tilted his head, narrowed his eyes in consideration, and said, “I have no doubt that I’ll lose Ziva’s support, and maybe a few others, but I think the public will more than make up for it.” Nodding, he added, “Katie is actually phenomenal at marketing and curating. She’s got some great ideas.” Just thinking of all the times that he’d stifled her when she’d only been trying to help turned his stomach.

  Amira was right. He really was an idiot.

  “I feel like I let all three of you down,” Navine said slowly. “I love my wife with every fiber of my being, and I just assumed that love would come as easily to you. I focused too much on raising successful businessmen and the importance of this family’s reputation. As a result, when my sons were faced with love, they couldn’t handle it. I didn’t realize the damage I was doing.” He inhaled sharply. “I should have taken more time to show you that love is not a shackle, that passion is strength.”

  Khalid closed his eyes and shook his head. “She thinks I’m too cold—incapable of love.”

  “So prove to her that you’re not.”

  “She won’t listen.”

  “So quit talking, Son! You have a week. Use your heart, and show her how you feel.” His father’s next words were astonishing to him. “You’re an artist, Khalid. You used to turn your emotions into beautiful pieces of art. Use that, and don’t let the love of your life slip through your fingers.”

  Navine put the empty glass on the counter and walked away.

  Khalid stared at the abandoned glass. It was hard for him to admit, but his father was right.

  He’d done this all wrong.

  Katie didn’t want to hear that he loved her. She needed to see it to believe it.

  He had his work cut out for him.

  15

  Katie was unpacking a few clothes to get her through the week when Sahaar knocked gently on the door.

  “You have a visitor,” the older woman said softly.

  Frowning, Katie looked past her. “I didn’t hear anyone knocking on the door.”

  As if right on cue, a knock echoed from the front door.

  Katie lifted her eyebrows expectantly.

  “His car is hard to miss,” Sahaar said wryly. “I know that you don’t want to see him, but I have a feeling that he isn’t going to give up. If you want to enjoy the next week, you should speak to him today and see what he wants.”

  Gripping a shirt in her hands, Katie shook her head. “I know what he wants. Me. He thinks that he’s losing, and he doesn’t like it. It doesn’t have anything to do with me. It’s all about his damn ego.”

  “And if you’re wrong?” Sahaar questioned.

  Katie blinked in surprise. “Sahaar, I know that things worked out favorably for Liyah and Mila, but this story is different. Asad and Rashid loved Liyah and Mila.” She swallowed hard. “Khalid doesn’t love me. He doesn’t respect me. To him, I’m just a pretty face and a good way to pass the time. I’ve already told him all that I needed to tell him, and I have nothing more to say. I’m also not obligated
to listen to him.”

  “Not even if I need to hire you temporarily?” Khalid asked casually from the hallway. Though he remained out of sight, it was obvious that he’d let himself in.

  Even Sahaar looked surprised as she whirled around.

  Katie walked to the door and peered around the corner.

  Khalid stood there, head bowed. “I apologize for intruding, Sahaar. Your door was unlocked.”

  “Her door is never unlocked,” Katie muttered as she shot Sahaar an accusatory look.

  The old woman simply smiled innocently. “Maybe it’s broken? I’ll go inspect it. Excuse me.”

  “Broken, my ass. What are you doing here, Khalid?”

  “I’m in a bit of a bind. I have that local artist event that I need curating, and I’m far too busy to do it myself. I was hoping that you could finish putting it together for me.”

  Katie crossed her arms and glared. “You do not have a local artist event planned, and it isn’t possible to curate an event from beginning to end in a week.”

  “It’s going to be a precursor to the auction. I’ve decided to add a new collection, and I want it showcased before the main event. I need someone to select ten artists and ten paintings and put together a small event. It’ll be open to the public as well as the donors.”

  He took a deep breath and ran a hand over his head. “I know that you’re leaving, but if you have nothing planned, then this is something that you can add to your resume before you go.”

  Swallowing hard, Katie tried to push down her rage. “Convenient,” she whispered. “You’ll give me exactly what I want, right before I leave. How could you do this to me?”

  His expression softened. “Katie, this isn’t a ploy to keep you here. I swear. What you said to me yesterday was all true. You deserve better. I just want to give you something before you leave, something that will help you.”

  His lips tightened, and then he added, “I know that you’re brilliant. I should have given you a chance. Let me give it to you now.”