Sheikh's Demand

by Leah Leonard

  He wandered into the hall, head hung low and sauntered toward the nurse’s station.

  To his surprise, Sarah was still there. She waited. She actually stayed. He couldn’t believe it.

  Without a word, he moved toward her, opened his arms and wrapped them tight around her neck.

  ****

  Sarah opened her arms and allowed Ghazi to embrace her. She rubbed her hands on his back, doing her best to comfort him.

  She never saw Ghazi like this before. So sullen, yet the quiet strength of who he was remained intact.

  He held her, crushing her in his arms.

  "Ghazi? What happened?"

  He expelled a heavy sigh and she knew.

  She continued to rub his back, squeezed his shoulders, wishing she could wrench his grief from his body. "It will be okay, Ghazi. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I promise." And this time, she meant it.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  When Sarah and Ghazi first reunited in Troy earlier this summer, she had often fantasized about the two of them living together in his family home. And yet, sitting by Ghazi's side, holding his hand in the back seat of the limo, she gazed out at the scenery, and instead of the hope and happiness she expected to feel at such a time, an ocean of sadness overwhelmed her.

  Aside from the Sultan’s death, Sarah still had to tell Ghazi about the baby, but how could she? Keeping the news from him pained her, but with all that happened, she couldn't bear to bring any more stress on him at the moment.

  Right now, she had no idea what the next twenty four hours would bring. The funeral preparations were already underway. Ghazi and a few close male friends of the family would meet before dusk to lay the Sultan to rest privately.

  When that was over, they would endure three days of mourning, and then Ghazi wanted a celebration to take place, a memorial of some kind, a festive gathering to remember the Sultan and bring the business partners together united under their new company leader.

  Sarah volunteered to assist with the party planning. Friends, distant family members and VIP visitors would soon arrive at the hillside palace in the mountains outside Istanbul to pay last respects, and things would be hectic. Once the commotion faded, then she could broach the subject of the future.

  Sarah glanced at Ghazi who was resting his eyes.

  As if sensing her presence, he woke with a jerk, turned to her.

  "Are you okay?" Sarah asked, with a slight squeeze to his hand.

  "Yes." His face said otherwise. His cheeks were paler than the last time she saw him, faint circles under his eyes highlighted the stress of the past several weeks.

  She wanted to convince him to rest, but knew him well enough to know he wouldn't listen. She patted his knee, turned her attention to the stunning mountains surrounding the area.

  Her mind continued to race. The Sultan had been such a positive influence on Ghazi, to think he was gone was beyond her. In the deepest part of her mind, ever since finding out about the baby, Sarah fantasized not only about her and Ghazi united as a family, but also about the wonderfully nurturing grandfather the Sultan would be. Now that was impossible. She also thought about her own parents and how they would have loved having a grandchild. Her baby would have no grandparents, a thought which saddened her deeply. A single tear trickled down her cheek. She wiped her eyes with her free hand.

  Stirred by this motion, Ghazi said, "Are you all right, darling?"

  She turned to him with a quivering lip and nodded. She had to fight her emotions. Her hormones had gotten the best of her these past few days and she would have to constantly struggle to make sure she kept herself in check. Ghazi needed her to be strong now.

  "We're almost home," Ghazi told her. "You know, before everything happened between us…I mean when you left…"

  "About that, I’m sorry. Please forgive me."

  "Why did you do it?"

  That was a good question, one that deserved an honest answer. Now was not the time to bring up the blonde though. "I was scared."

  "Why? Because you never bothered to tell me you were a virgin?"

  Sarah froze. She instinctively pulled her hand away. "What?"

  Ghazi glared. "You think I didn't know? That I didn't figure it out after you left?"

  "I…"

  “I’m not an idiot, you know.”

  “I never said you were.”

  "What I don't get is why. Why would you let me go that far?" He shook his head in disgust.

  Sarah didn't like where this was going. She couldn't very well tell him about the baby when he was still angry with her. She wanted him to trust her, she wanted to share the fact he hurt her so badly in high school by going back to Turkey and never speaking to her again, that she had never recovered, and the situation only worsened after that horrible woman showed up to the house. The car was already pulling into the palace gates. There wasn’t time for any of this now. "I don't know."

  "Okay," Ghazi nodded and sucked in a deep breath to calm himself. "God Sarah. I hope you know I would never take advantage of someone in your position."

  How she wanted to believe him, but the photograph in the magazine came flooding back to her mind. She started to mention it, but she was afraid the driver might hear.

  Ghazi continued. "Anyhow, what I was going to say before, is that prior to your little stunt, I actually imagined bringing you here to get to know my grandfather. I guess it's too late for that now. It’s too bad. He really liked you."

  ****

  The palace was a gorgeous white structure with large columns out front accentuated by pure gold fixtures and a gold tipped gate. The place appeared straight out of a fairy tale.

  Unfortunately, the entire scene was dampened by Ghazi’s sour mood. He refused to hold her hand or even look her direction. Was it grief, or did he hate her? She couldn’t tell. Still, she would wait him out. She reminded herself how temperamental she'd been after her parents died, and her heart felt nothing but compassion for him at what he must be going through.

  After exiting the limo, they were ushered by an attentive staff up a paved drive to the front of the palace.

  Before stepping inside, Sarah turned to face the surrounding area. The cliffs appeared smaller than those around Troy, but no less spectacular. The sparsely populated area had no homes that she could see. The Deniz family appeared to be the only inhabitants of this enormous expanse of land, with the exception of their servants and proprietors of the few businesses the limo passed along the roadway which were obviously set up to exclusively serve their needs. She wanted to ask Ghazi about this, have him give her a tour like the one they shared that first day in Troy. He'd been so lively and enjoyable to be around then. Times had definitely changed, and of course it would have to wait.

  Ghazi had hardly said two words to her since they arrived. That was okay, she told herself. Things would work out. What a whirlwind this had all been after she said she would join him.

  The truth was, she never gave her decision about coming here a second thought. Of course she would help with the memorial party. Why not? She had plenty of support of friends after her parents died, but Ghazi did not. He had no siblings, and she wasn't sure he had any other close living relatives. Those were the kinds of things she hoped to learn about him over time. Until then, who else but the future mother of his child should help plan the arrangements?

  Whether Ghazi thawed toward her or not, Sarah would be his support. This weekend needed to be focused on the honoring the Sultan, and helping Ghazi regain his strength and officially take over the reins of the Deniz Corporation, not on her or her baby.

  Ghazi wasn't the only person who had little to say this afternoon. Sarah had no desire to continue the conversation about why she took off several weeks ago. No, she had to wait this out. All of these issues would be handled in time.

  ****

  Ghazi watched while the servants took their bags. He didn’t want to go inside, so he sat on a bench seat near the palace entrance.

  “
Mind if I sit?” she smiled.

  He shook his head.

  She took a seat next to him and sat quietly staring out at the mountains, neither of them saying a word.

  He still couldn't believe she was here. He studied the lines of her profile as she looked out at the mountains, watched her smile light up as she marveled at the natural beauty all around them. She conducted herself in a most dignified manner, almost reminding him of his grandmother, or even his mother. A quiet strength exuded from her essence that he never saw in her before. He had an irresistible urge to hold her, although he wouldn't allow himself the luxury. Not now. He was still angry.

  He wanted an explanation as to why she took off, where she'd been, what she’d been doing all summer on his company's money, and whether or not she enjoyed the scholarship she won.

  He had planned to follow her then, but his grandfather's illness got in the way. He had been too wrapped up in his own pain to think about how must she have felt after losing her virginity like that and the fact that he never bothered to call or come to see her. Yet again, Ghazi realized he hurt her in more ways than one, and although he meant to make it up to her, the cold hard fact was he hadn't. At the time, the Sultan needed him more.

  He wished things between them could be different and that somehow they could work this out, but there was perhaps too much pain between them now. Too many unspoken feelings and broken promises to fix.

  He still wondered why she came all the way to the hospital to find him. He vaguely recalled she had something to tell him. His poor attitude earlier when she reached out to him was hardly inspiring for her to want to talk to him now. He would work on her, get her to open up sooner or later.

  Right now, his mind was primarily focused on the funeral which was set to take place in a couple hours time.

  Beyond that, he thought about how he would restructure the company, the board of directors meeting he would have to hold soon, and the most important thought one could hold at such a critical time – Sarah’s lovely legs. He fixed his gaze on the hem of her sundress and wanted to run his hands up her thighs, taste her sweet spot again, caress her back. He closed his eyes, imagined breathing her in. "Thank you."

  Sarah turned to him. "For what?"

  "For being here."

  "I wouldn't be anywhere else. Tell me what you need me to do.”

  “Tonight, as I told you earlier, I must go to bury my grandfather, as is custom. I will not return this evening. Then, we will mourn for three days, and at the end of that period, we will have the guests arrive.”

  I've planned quite a few memorials…" her voice cracked with emotion.

  “About that, once grandfather is buried and the mourning period is over, we must do our best to recover, be happy and this gathering is to be a celebration of my grandfather, and a signal to my stockholders and business partners that Deniz Corporations and Holdings are stronger than ever before.”

  “I understand,” she placed her hand on his knee. “And I’m okay if I don’t see you for a few days. I will work with the staff to get the party taken care of so you won’t have anything to worry about.”

  He loved how she cared about him, how she seemed to understand the quiet he needed right now.

  Still, she left him once. Was she the right girl to marry? He wished his grandfather was here for guidance, but without him, of course, there was no pressure to marry anymore, which amazingly made Ghazi feel the urge to do so even more.

  He leaned forward, took Sarah's hands in his and held on tight. "About earlier…you had your reasons for leaving, I am sure. For now, I insist we begin again anew and forget the past.”

  Sarah's face lit up. "I’d love that."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Once the staff got Sarah settled into her room, Ghazi disappeared.

  She was totally fine with that. Not only had the emotional impact of the day worn her down, but now that she had the baby on board, she felt especially exhausted. Having this time to herself to get extra rest was just what she needed.

  The staff helped her settle into her room, and once the door closed behind her, she fell asleep.

  The next morning, Sarah worked with the Deniz staff to plan an epic memorial to the Sultan complete with all his favorite foods and music. The party, as they chose to see it, would be attended by all the Sultan’s friends and business partners and a few distant relatives.

  Sarah didn't see much of Ghazi during the next few days. He was in the midst of the official mourning period. She had her own suite off to one side of the house and kept to herself, often passing Ghazi in the hallways or watching him pace around the balcony outside with his cell phone glued to his head. These were stressful times for him both on an emotional level and thanks to now owning one of the world's largest corporations.

  She dined by herself in a small alcove off of her room. The staff attended to her every wish, preparing the most scrumptious foods Sarah ever ate, and the environment proved to be quite restful for her, despite the melancholy tasks before her.

  She compared this trip to her time in Troy and the time she and Ghazi spent exploring the surrounding region. Not because of the spectacular scenery or the accommodations, but because Ghazi was nearby. Even when they didn't speak, he often passed her in the hall, a half smile curled his lips as his only greeting.

  Other times, she could feel him as he moved about the grounds. The closer he came to her in physical proximity, the warmer she felt. Her hand often found a resting place over her stomach, her way of protecting the secret she had yet to share with him. God how she wanted to tell him! But not now.

  He was obviously still struggling to deal with things. She of all people understood the cold hard emptiness of realizing you are without a family. Poor Ghazi! With no siblings, she knew all too well how painful and lonely that could be, and until he was able or ready to share his inner world with her, all she could do was stand by and be a friend.

  Perhaps this would make him more excited about their child. She often fanaticized that would be the case, but reminded herself at the same time that she could not count on anything. Ghazi remained internally focused and quiet and continued to keep to himself. She often watched him pace the yard below her bedroom window, staring at the mountains for long periods of quiet reflection. Each encounter and observation of him made her love him more. She wished she could purge her feelings for him, but she couldn't, not with his child growing bigger within her every day.

  The night before the party, once the three day period had officially passed, Ghazi had the chef prepare an intimate dinner for the two of them in the formal dining area. He sent a staff member to invite her.

  Sarah slipped into a new skirt and blouse she purchased in Istanbul, allowed her hair to fall free around her shoulders, applying a slight tint of lipstick to her already flushed cheeks. She wanted to wear something more formal, but the bulge she feared would soon interfere with her figure had already started to grow and the skirt was one of the only comfortable things she had in her possession.

  She walked across the house and into the dining area. Dozens of candles provided the only light. Then she saw him, and oh what a sight he was! Sitting in an oversized chair at the head of the table, Ghazi wore a starched white shirt with tight beige slacks. His slicked back jet colored hair revealed the cheekbones she'd come to regard as the handsomest she'd ever seen. His energy was better than the other day. It appeared he had come to terms with his new reality, at least to some extent.

  He stood when he saw her, walked several steps in her direction and stopped. "You look beautiful. Glowing…"

  "Thank you," Sarah blushed, hoping her condition wasn’t obvious.

  "Come. Sit." He ushered her into the seat across from his, at the far end of a long regal table. He stood, crossed the room and pulled out a brandy decanter and two glasses. "Want one?"

  "Uh…" She was surprised to see him with alcohol. Back home she might enjoy some, but with the baby… "No thanks."

  "Are
you certain?" He poured two glasses anyhow, placing one in front of her. "I understand the Sultan would never approve, but still, I think we should have a toast."

  Not willing to betray her secret, Sarah took the glass. The pungent smell made her want to vomit. She hoped she could go through the motions well enough to avoid suspicion, and lifted her glass. "To the Sultan."

  "Actually," Ghazi lifted the drink to his lips and took a sip, “I drink to you, Sarah."

  She brought the brandy to her lips, feigned a sip, and then sat it on the table near her plate. "Why to me?"

  "Everything you've done for me, for our family…"

  There he was using that word Sarah wanted to hear so much. Family.

  The flames from the candlelight flickered off of Ghazi's face, his eyes glittered with the same steamy passion they shared back on the beach, only now, there was a greater emotional depth there. The sad experience they shared these past few days somehow brought them closer together.

  Before she could reply, Ghazi stepped toward her, reaching for her hand, he pulled her close. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he kissed her deeply.

  Sarah's mind swam with emotion, her child fluttered within. "Ghazi…"

  "Come." He lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the dining area, down an empty hall and into his bedroom. "You are mine now."

  Sarah relaxed into her lover's arms. If he only knew….

  ****

  Sarah woke the next morning, and for a moment, had no idea where she was. She stared at the ceiling and heard the faint sound of breathing beside her. Ghazi! She was with him in his bed again, only this time, things had changed.

  Last night's passion had no dire consequence. She couldn't get pregnant and because of that, she allowed him to take over her body in ways she never knew possible.