“Yes, she would.”
“It’s a shame things are as they are,” Sharif added simply.
“Yes, it is.”
There was a change in the way Sharif held his damaged body, as he changed the subject to that of business. “To continue with the reason for my early release from the hospital and my visit today…We know where Zahid is going to be tonight. There’s a rather large drug deal taking place, right here in Kahani, and because it’s so large, Zahid will be participating personally.” Again, that humorless smile. “Wounded or not, I will be there. No one can keep me away. You?” His eyebrows lifted slightly.
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
He did know better than to believe their goal of the past fifteen years would be met tonight. Still, simply knowing it was possible lifted his heart.
Sharif turned his gaze to the sea. He sighed, as if he took the same pleasure in the sight that Kadir often had. “When Zahid is dead, do you think we can move on?”
“I don’t know.”
Sharif sighed again, but without the peacefulness that had marked his appreciation of the view. “Neither do I.”
She should’ve expected everything to go wrong, and all at once.
Cassandra’s parents arrived at her flat Saturday morning. Her dad had his favorite tux with him, and he declared it was just fine—even though it fit too snugly and the shirt had blue ruffles down the front and on the cuff. He swore it was not out of style, and never would be. The tuxedo was, in his opinion, a classic.
She managed to intercept Mrs. Thatcher, but wasn’t sure she could keep it up all weekend. Maybe she’d tell her mum all about the exciting events of last Saturday in a letter. Someday, not someday soon. She certainly didn’t want the news to come from a nosy neighbor.
Lexie showed up right after lunch, red-eyed from crying after her ugly breakup with Stanley. There had been a time when Cassandra would’ve been tempted to remind her sister that she’d been warned about that man more than once. Today she just gave her sister a hug—or two or three—and then rummaged through her closet for a proper gown. The gala would surely cheer Lexie up. Cassandra and her big sister wore the same size, so finding something for Lexie to wear was easy. In the back of the closet hung one royal-blue satin dress Cassandra had ordered from a catalog and never worn. It didn’t suit her at all, she’d decided after the fact, but it would be perfect for Lexie. Lexie liked flash in her wardrobe.
Ms. Dunn was in a dither—but that wasn’t all that unusual. She called half a dozen times with questions or orders for the coming evening. Cassandra had to be at the palace early to make sure each and every one of the ambassadors was greeted in the proper way. She was not alone in that assignment, but she had to be there.
Lexie helped Cassandra style her hair atop her head, and she did a fine job of it. When that was done, Cassandra reached for the plain black dress she planned to wear.
“You’re kidding me, right?” Lexie said as she grimaced at the gown.
“It’s fine,” Cassandra said. The dress was plain, floor-length, black and simply cut. No one would notice her in the black gown, but that was fine. She was supposed to blend into the background, not stand out in the crowd. The gala was fun, for most, but for Cassandra it would be an evening of work.
“Fine is not sufficient, little sister. I’ll wear the black, you wear the pretty blue. I’m in mourning, after all.”
Cassandra didn’t point out that Stanley was not worth a moment’s mourning. To Lexie, he was worthy. Nothing else mattered.
So Cassandra ended up wearing the royal-blue gown, leaving the black for Lexie. She left for the palace, knowing her family would join her later. She’d likely be too busy throughout the evening to spend any time with them, but they had each other. The gala was always a spectacle, and tonight everyone would be vying for a glimpse of the pregnant princess, and there would be a spectacular fireworks display at the end of the ball. It was scheduled for midnight, of course.
Cassandra arrived at the palace early. Along with Ms. Dunn and several other diplomatic aides, she made sure someone would be available to greet each ambassador in their own language, and that the food and drink served to them would be suitable. No fish for this one, no wine for another. No meat at all for that one, and this one had a fondness for fine champagne. One of the ambassadors had gained a reputation for grabbing the tushes of the prettier aides. Timothy Little had been assigned to see to all that ambassador’s needs.
Once the guests began to arrive, Cassandra’s job was almost done. All she had to do was cross her fingers and hope the evening went well and there were no blunders. If there was a blunder, she’d be available to fix it.
There would be no relaxing, no dancing, no curious peeks at the pregnant princess. Not for Cassandra.
She gave half an ear to the announcements of those dignitaries who arrived. Familiar names drifted in one ear and out the other as she wandered around the room keeping an eye on the ambassadors—and maintaining a distance from Timothy Little’s tush-grabbing ambassador. The crowd grew steadily, until the ballroom was teeming with well-dressed guests who danced or flirted or conversed. Cassandra didn’t participate in any of these pastimes, but she did listen. People speculated about Prince Reginald’s murder and Lord Carrington’s marriage. They whispered about royal scandals—some partly true, others entirely false.
Not long into the evening, Cassandra decided she should’ve worn the black; she drew too much attention in the blue satin. Men stared. They smiled and bowed and even winked. She ignored them all, of course.
She caught sight of her family, once or twice, and sighed at her father in his outdated tuxedo. And then a moment later she grinned widely. He was who he was, and she loved him. Her mum and Lexie both looked fabulous, of course, and Lexie even smiled a time or two. Good. The relationship with Stanley didn’t deserve an extended mourning.
Half listening, Cassandra heard the announcement, “His Excellency Sheik Kadir Bin Arif Yusef Al-Nuri…” She spun around and moved to the side so she could see the arriving guests, as the announcement continued. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her mother and Lexie, with Dad right behind, hurrying to join her.
She had never seen Kadir in his traditional dress, not until tonight. He wore a small turban, loose-fitting pants, Kahani boots, a loose shirt and a vest. The colors of the costume were brighter than his usual attire—green and gold, primarily, with a touch of blue a shade darker than her gown. Two men flanked him, and they, too, wore traditional costumes. One was a large, muscled stranger; the other was Sharif. He’d trimmed his beard a little for the occasion, and limped with the assistance of a cane.
Kadir’s eyes scanned the room as he stepped into the crowd. It didn’t take him long to find her, and when he did he smiled widely.
“Oh, my God,” Lexie whispered. “Who is that?”
“That’s Ka…” She stopped herself. “Sheik Kadir, the director of…”
“No, no, no,” Lexie said, her hand on Cassandra’s arm. “The one on the left. The guy with the beard and the stare, and one arm in a sling and a cane.”
Cassandra turned to look at her sister, aghast. “Sharif?”
“You know him? I take back everything I ever said about your job being boring. You have to introduce me,” she whispered as the men drew closer.
“What about Stanley?” Cassandra asked.
Lexie laughed lightly. “Stanley who?”
Something odd happened as Kadir walked toward Cassandra. His stomach flipped over. His heart fluttered.
She was beautiful, even more so than he remembered. All sounds, the faces, movements and greetings of the revelers around him faded to nothing as he moved toward the woman he loved. And he did love her, more than he had imagined was possible.
The blue evening dress Cassandra wore hugged her body and showed off her perfect shape, but that wasn’t what made her so beautiful. It wasn’t the gown that made his heart flutter. It was the smile. It was the hope in her
eyes, as he drew close enough to see them well.
When he reached her, he took her hand and bowed sharply. “Ms. Klein,” he said in a low voice.
“Excellency,” she responded. “I didn’t expect to see you this evening.”
He caught and held her eyes. “I didn’t expect to be here.” He greeted Cassandra’s mother, and was introduced to her father and sister. The sister had eyes for Sharif, and she didn’t even try to hide the fact. She moved right past Kadir and offered her hand to Sharif.
“And who are you, exactly?”
Sharif’s eyes widened slightly. “I am the bodyguard,” he responded.
“A wounded bodyguard. That’s interesting. I’m Lexie, Cass’s sister. Can you dance with that cane, or do you have to stick to your boss’s side for the entire evening? I mean, it’s not like anything’s going to happen here.”
Kadir gave Sharif a signal, a simple lifting of two fingers, and then turned to Cassandra’s father. “Sir, may I have a moment of your time? Privately, if we may leave the ladies to their own devices.”
He walked away with Cassandra’s father, leaving three very curious ladies behind.
Cassandra watched the two men leave, her eyes slightly narrowed. What on earth was Kadir up to? Her father, in his too-snug tuxedo, and Kadir, in his traditional costume, walked with purpose toward a corner of the ballroom. Halfway there, Kadir leaned down and began to speak.
In rapid Arabic, Sharif ordered the other bodyguard to follow Kadir but to keep his distance.
Lexie asked Sharif again if he danced.
“No,” he answered curtly.
“Oh.” Lexie was not one to give up easily. “Well, you do talk, don’t you? In English? What happened to your arm and your leg? Were you wounded in the line of duty?”
Sharif looked at Cassandra, casting her a quick, questioning glance. She shook her head very gently. She hadn’t told her family anything about that night—and perhaps she never would.
Sharif then gave Lexie a stare that would chill any other woman. “Did you say your name is Lexie?”
“Yes,” she said, thinking she had the man’s attention.
“Sounds like an automobile.”
Lexie laughed, not at all offended. “I suppose it does. It’s short for Alexis.”
“Ah, Alexis.” The name rolled off Sharif’s tongue slowly, and Lexie looked as if she were about to melt into the floor.
Then she sighed. “Honey, you can call me Alexis any time.”
It didn’t take long for Sharif to quit fighting Lexie and just talk to her. He kept his eyes on Kadir and the oddly dressed man he spoke to with such passion, but he also listened to the woman who was so obviously infatuated with him. Once or twice, he even smiled.
After just a few minutes, Kadir and Cassandra’s father headed back toward them. They both looked smug. Satisfied. Manly. Kadir didn’t take his eyes off of her, not even for a second. He came directly to her, took her hand and asked for permission to speak to her privately.
A part of her wanted to hope that this was what it looked like…but she didn’t dare to hope that much.
Kadir held her hand and led her to a large balcony. There the music and the voices from the ballroom were muted. Another couple shared the balcony with Cassandra and Kadir for a moment, but soon they drifted into the ballroom, arm in arm.
When they were alone, Kadir took Cassandra in his arms and kissed her. Softly, gently, but with more than a touch of real, true hunger. Cassandra sighed and laid her hands on his back. His arms were wrapped so warmly and possessively around her, she reveled in the touch. She had told Sharif that she hoped Kadir would come back to Silverton now and then, but heaven above—could she stand it? Could she bear to hold him and let him go, again and again?
For now she simply enjoyed the kiss. If she was going to learn to take what she could get, she’d have to enjoy the moments when she had Kadir—rather than worrying about how she’d feel after he was gone.
The kiss slowed, and Kadir dropped his arms. “Zahid Bin-Asfour was killed last night,” he said as he took his mouth from hers.
Her heart experienced a little jolt. “What happened?”
“Late last night…early this morning…Kahani soldiers interrupted a very large drug deal. Many of Zahid’s followers were killed. He almost escaped, but a few of us followed. He did not expect such opposition. After a short chase he was cornered and shot.”
She touched Kadir’s face. “Who shot him?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Him, she thought. Or Sharif…or possibly both of them.
“All that matters is that Zahid is gone. This doesn’t mean the danger is over,” he said heatedly. “There are others out there who will be eager to take his place. There are others in Kahani who don’t want the country to move forward. Some of them will fight. Unless I’m willing to change my name to Joe and hide myself away, there will always be the potential for danger.”
She knew him too well. “That will never happen. You’re no Joe.” He had never fit well into that role.
He smiled down at her. “Cassandra Klein, my life is not entirely without risk, and the lives of those around me are not as safe as I would like them to be. Any woman I love might be a target of those who oppose me. I tried to walk away from you once, deciding that I would not put you in that position of danger, but I was wrong to make that choice for you. You’re an intelligent woman, you know the dangers life with me will bring and the choice is yours. I have asked for your father’s blessing, Cassandra, and received it. I love you. Will you marry me?”
Before she could answer, an explosion rocked the palace. Kadir’s response was immediate and instinctive. He threw her to the ground and held his body over hers. His arms protected her head, and she was completely trapped beneath him. The balcony shook; in the ballroom, people began to scream. She smelled smoke.
In just a few seconds, amidst the panic and screams from the gala guests, it became clear that the explosion had originated elsewhere. Close by, but not directly beneath or beside them.
Kadir rose to his feet and assisted Cassandra, taking her hand and steadying her as she stood. Immediately they turned toward the ballroom. They saw Sharif headed this way, with Lexie and their parents gathered together. He and the other bodyguard were shepherding her family in this direction. Beyond them, there was pandemonium as guests ran for the exits. Kadir moved forward as if to join them.
“Wait!” Cassandra called, tugging on Kadir’s hand and forcing him to stop the escape.
He turned and looked at her, his face grim. She saw in his eyes what he expected her to say. The explosion coming when it did might be seen as a sign of sorts. This would be her life from here on out, Kadir’s eyes warned her. Uncertainty, the potential for violence at the most unexpected moments.
And yet…
“Yes,” she said. “I love you, Kadir. My answer is yes.”
Chapter 17
The explosion that had interrupted the Founder’s Day Gala had taken place in the medical wing, and it had clearly been intended to kill the ailing king. The comatose ruler had not been injured, but his surgeon, Dr. Zara Smith, had been knocked unconscious in the blast. Dr. Smith had not yet recovered her memory. Investigators were hoping that perhaps she’d seen something before the explosion, and would soon be able to give them a lead.
Those same investigators had quickly determined that the materials used in the medical wing explosion were not of the same type as those used to destroy Kadir’s yacht. It was still possible that the same culprit was responsible—that the events of that night had been set into motion before Zahid Bin-Asfour’s death—but that was unlikely. Bin-Asfour had tried to kill Kadir more than once, but he had no reason to assassinate an elderly, ailing king who would soon be stepping down from the throne—if he survived.
Those events were days past, and the morning was a quiet one. Cassandra checked her luggage for the third time, trying to make sure that she had everything she needed
. It was almost time to leave for the small airport where she had met Kadir a little more than three weeks ago. Lexie had promised to pack and ship the rest of her sister’s belongings, but Cassandra didn’t want to get to Kahani and find out she needed something that had been left behind.
She’d loved this flat for a long time, and even after the frightening events that had left Sharif wounded, it had felt like home. But now…she wasn’t only ready to leave everything she knew behind, she was eager.
Kadir crept up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. “Stop worrying, love. Anything you leave behind can be replaced.”
Cassandra turned in his arms. “I know. I’m just trying to be an organized wife.” She wasn’t a wife yet, but within two weeks she would be. Her entire family would travel to Kahani for the wedding.
Her heart fluttered as Kadir kissed her. The life he promised her was not the one she’d planned for herself, but it was everything she wanted. Would every day be secure and totally safe? No. Would Kadir protect her? Yes, he would, just as she would protect him.
His fingers tangled in her hair. “Are you ready to go home, Cassandra?”
She grinned. “I’m ready to go home.”
Six weeks later
Tuesday night
Dear Mum,
Lexie arrived yesterday, and she’s fine. She and Sharif spent most of today touring Kahani, and I believe they have the same activity planned for tomorrow. I offered to show her around myself, but she prefers to allow Sharif to be her tour guide. Finally I think she’s found a man worthy of her.
The Sheik and I Page 19
