by Kristi Gold
“I assure you that is not the case. When we met, I was not aware that you grew up with the Mehdis. Aside from that, I would not be surprised if one of the Mehdi sons is aware of my identity.”
Kira shook her head. “I don’t believe that for a second.” She wasn’t sure she could believe Tarek on any point. “They would have confronted you the moment you entered their house. In fact, they probably know nothing about your mother’s involvement with their father, if it is the truth.”
“Or perhaps they are attempting to avoid another scandal.”
The palace had been plagued with scandal in recent times, including the revelation that Elena was Adan’s biological mother and the former king’s longtime lover—a fact that was still kept undercover for the most part—as well as the current king marrying a divorcée. But in comparison, this one could trump them all.
When Kira recalled Elena’s peculiar questions regarding Tarek’s mother, the mental light switched on. She didn’t necessarily like aiding him in the cause, but she had to consider her own child’s legacy. “I know who you need to ask about your mother’s possible affair with the king.”
“If you are suggesting I speak with one of the princes, I would prefer not to begin there.”
“No. I’m suggesting you talk to their former governess. She served as the king’s confidant for many years. If you’re seeking proof, she’ll have it if it exists. If it doesn’t, what then?”
He rubbed his chin. “I will decide that after I speak with the king’s former mistress.”
Apparently the continuing secret hadn’t been concealed as well as she’d assumed. “How did you find out about that?”
“Adan informed me that Elena is his natural mother and of the circumstances behind his birth. Obviously Aadil could not be loyal to one woman.”
She despised the disdain in his voice, particularly since he didn’t know all the pertinent details. “Elena told me their relationship evolved after the queen’s death. Her agreement to have Adan when the queen could no longer conceive was only that, an agreement. They never meant for the relationship to blossom the way it did. I do know they loved each other deeply.”
“Another love built on lies.”
Kira saw no end to his cynicism, and that made her sad. Still, she had one more thing to get off her chest, not that it would make a measurable difference. “Tarek, I love you, although believe me, that’s been quite a challenge. I think I fell in love with you the day we took a walk in the garden and you told me about your years at the university and how hard you worked to succeed. You took my hand to make sure I didn’t stumble over a stone, and I thought, now there’s a true gentleman. But I refuse to stay involved with a man who is so steeped in resentment he no longer appreciates the value in loving someone unconditionally. My baby deserves more and so do I.”
She paused to draw a breath. “Yes, I betrayed you by not being honest about the baby from the beginning, and you did the same by not telling me about your suspicions. But every time you cut yourself off from feeling any emotions other than rage, you’re betraying yourself. Your baby needs a father who’s not afraid to feel something other than anger.”
He seemed to mull that over for a time before speaking again. “If I do discover that I am a true son of the king, perhaps it would be best if we wed to give our child a name.”
Where had that come from? “Oh, sure, Tarek. Let’s engage in that archaic practice of marrying for the sake of a child. Thanks, but no thanks. I would rather raise our baby on my own than be tied to a man who hasn’t the first clue how to love someone unconditionally.”
When Kira pushed back from the table and came to her feet, Tarek asked, “Where are you going?”
“To my room to pack.” And probably cry. “You told me I could decide when to leave, so I plan to do that tomorrow. The resort is almost finished and the designers can take it from here. I wish you much success in your endeavors, and if you by some miracle decide you want to be a proper father to our child, send me an email and we’ll make arrangements then.”
“I would prefer a face-to-face meeting.”
“I wouldn’t.” A personal encounter would take away her advantage and possibly strip of her strength.
Not waiting for Tarek’s response, Kira rushed out of the room and retired to her quarters. She had no expectations when it came to Tarek Azzmar. She also didn’t expect the tears streaming down her face would end anytime soon. She could foolishly hope that he might come around, or she could move on with her life without him.
Her hand automatically came to rest protectively on her belly. Sadly she would always have a little reminder of him, no matter what the future held.
* * *
“May we come in?”
Kira unpacked the last of her clothes before turning to discover sisters-in-law, Madison and Piper Mehdi, standing in the bedroom doorway. “You two girls are always welcome so feel free to come in.”
“Girls” being the operative word in that instance considering the two closed the door and practically bounced onto the bed. “Thank you, Kira,” Piper said, her palms resting atop of her T-shirt covered pregnant belly. “We had to have a break from toddler central. The kids are absolutely wild today. Sam’s on a sugar high, thanks to his grandmother giving him two cookies.”
“Mine are more than wild,” Madison said as she tightened her blond ponytail. “I’ve never liked the term ‘double trouble’ when referring to twins, but that describes the way they’ve been acting since they awoke at dawn.”
Kira cleared away the folded clothes from the club chair and set them on the bureau before claiming a seat. “How is the new governess handling everything since I hired her?”
Piper tucked one bent leg beneath her and twisted her elaborate wedding rings round and round on her finger. “I’m worried she might quit today.”
Madison fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “I’m worried Zain is going to start hounding me to have another baby. I just got the twins fully potty-trained.”
Piper playfully slapped her arm. “You know you want another one. Or at least you like the procreation process.”
“Yes I do,” Madison said with a smile. “I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if Zain hadn’t stopped me from leaving and I had to raise the babies on my own.”
That struck a deep chord in Kira. She really had no place to go except for Canada and that could prove to be a disaster. “Luckily you didn’t have to face that.”
Madison’s grin deepened. “True, and he got two babies for the price of one.”
“Adan did let me leave,” Piper began, “but I have to give him credit for coming after me in the States with his heart in his hands once he learned he couldn’t live without me.”
She certainly couldn’t count on Tarek returning to profess his undying love. “And now he has a mother for his son and a new baby on the way. Both of you have done very well for yourselves in the procreation department.”
Madison popped up like a jack-in-the box. “Since we’re on that subject, did you do any procreating with Tarek Azzmar on your trip?”
If she didn’t know better, she’d think both Madison and Piper were privy to her pregnancy. “I went on the trip to work, not procreate.” That had happened before the trip.
After leaving the bed to press her palms against her lower back, Piper sent Kira a skeptical look. “Are you sure about that? I would swear you’re practically glowing, or maybe that’s a blush.”
Kira automatically touched her flaming cheeks. “It’s a little warm in here.”
“Speaking of Tarek, go get the picture, Piper.”
“It’s not finished yet,” Piper said.
Pointing toward the door, Madison told her, “It’s finished enough. Now go fetch it from the hall.”
Feigning a pout, Piper r
etreated out the door, muttering something about not being a dog. She returned a few moments later and held up a portrait of a thirty-something man. “As the official palace artist, my mother-in-law commissioned me to do this for her private collection. She gave me a photo of King Aadil in the prime of his life. Apparently it’s her favorite and I can certainly see why. He was one good-looking king.”
Kira could barely contain her shock over how much Tarek looked like him. Then again, she could be imagining things because she missed him so much. “That’s absolutely some of your best work to date, Piper. She’s going to love it.”
“Don’t you think he looks like Tarek?” Madison said, echoing Kira’s thoughts.
Kira shrugged. “They’re both of Middle Eastern descent and both nice-looking men. Aside from that, I’m not seeing it.” However, she was telling one whopper of a lie.
“I think the resemblance is uncanny,” Piper said. “Maybe he’s Aadil’s secret son.”
Kira almost choked on air. “That is exactly how nasty rumors get started.”
“True,” Madison replied. “And when that happens, it’s my job as the palace press secretary to explain them away, so stop it right now, Piper.”
Piper rested the photo against the wall and reclaimed a spot on the edge of the mattress. “Seriously, Kira, we both noticed you and Tarek flirting months ago. Are you sure nothing happened between the two of you in Cyprus?”
Madison came to her knees and looked like a pooch begging for a bone. “Come on. We’re all friends. Give us the dirty details.”
For reasons that defied logic, tears began to well in Kira’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “It’s just that...” She sniffed and decided to stop talking now before she started sobbing.
Piper scowled. “If that jerk did something to hurt you, I’m going to have Adan beat him up.”
“I’ll sick Zain on him, too,” Madison added. “Not that I don’t think Adan can hold his own, but Tarek is a really big hunk of a guy.”
Piper’s scowl melted into a grin over the faux pas. “You mean hulk of a guy.”
“Both,” Madison said.
That only made Kira want to cry more. “Since the two of you will probably find out sooner or later, Tarek and I did have a relationship for a while. But I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t say anything to the brothers. If they know I was fraternizing with a palace guest, I might be looking for a job. As it is, I’m worried they already suspect something’s been going on.”
Madison waved a hand in dismissal. “Don’t worry about that, Kira. Men are obtuse when it comes to picking up signals unless it involves their personal radar.”
Piper nodded in agreement. “And sometimes not even then. I practically had to tattoo my feelings to Adan’s forehead before he figured it out.”
An option Kira might entertain, if she ever saw Tarek again. “Just so you know, it’s over between us. As nice as it was, it simply wasn’t meant to be. He’s not the kind of man who’s searching for a serious relationship.”
A shrill singsong sound had Madison pulling a cell phone out of her pocket and scanning a text. “It’s the poor governess. She wants to know if it’s okay if the kids have more cookies.”
“Heck no,” Piper said as she pushed off the bed. “We better get back to the nursery and run interference. It’s time for Sam’s nap anyway.”
“I could use a nap,” Madison said as she followed suit. “But knowing my little munchkins, that’s not going to happen.”
They both doled out hugs to Kira before heading out the door. “Kira, if you need to talk, you know where to find us,” Piper began as she paused with her hand on the knob, “but sometimes life turns on a dime, so don’t give up on Tarek yet.”
Kira saw no good reason not to give up on him. She did see a valid reason to call him—the portrait. No, that wouldn’t be wise. Besides, this was Tarek’s paternity battle to undertake. As it was, she had enough on her hands with her own paternity issues. She had no idea how she would resolve the, but she did know she was weeks away—if not months—from successfully mending another broken heart.
* * *
For the past two weeks, the transition had come slowly but surely, and painfully.
Tarek had tried unsuccessfully to forget about Kira. How could he when everything reminded him of her? Every detail at the resort, every dawn, every sunset. He had gone to bed alone, and awakened reaching for a woman whom he missed terribly, only to find an empty space where she had been.
Now he waited outside Elena Battelli’s private quarters, seeking answers he required to move away from his past, as Kira had urged him to do. She had forced him to open old wounds, left him to bleed alone, and assess the direction his life had taken. He had not liked what he had discovered.
Tarek rapped twice on the mahogany door and waited for the woman to answer his summons, which she did immediately.
“Come in, Mr. Azzmar,” she said with a sweeping gesture toward the small parlor. “Please have a seat.”
Tarek chose the small blue sofa while Elena took the paisley chair across from him. “I appreciate you agreeing to meet me on such short notice,” he began, “but I felt this could not wait a moment longer.”
She studied him with keen eyes. “Kira told me you suspected Aadil was your biological father, so we will dispense with all pleasantries and get to the point. Was your mother’s name Darcia?”
Hearing the name had a startling effect on him. “Yes, it was.”
“Then I have something I must show you.”
She pushed out of the chair, disappeared into another room and returned a few moments later holding a yellowed piece of paper and a brown portfolio beneath her arm. “She sent this to Aadil. Read it.”
He managed to take the offered letter, unfolded it and began to scan the text written in Arabic. He immediately recognized his mother’s script from cards she had given him during his childhood. The content itself verified the covert relationship and contained a demand that the king never contact her again.
He turned his attention from the missive to Elena who had reclaimed the chair. “There is no mention of my mother’s pregnancy or anything about me.”
“It’s clear in the letter Darcia believed they could not be together permanently since he was promised to another. She perhaps saw no need to inform Aadil.”
The fury he had felt for so many years returned. “Then I am no closer to learning if he was, in fact, my father.”
“Not necessarily,” she said. “One evening many years ago, Aadil told me that your mother was the love of his life and he intended to give up the throne for her. When he returned to Morocco, she had moved away from her parents’ home and into your father’s house. He managed to find her and when he discovered she was pregnant, he confronted her about the baby’s parentage. She denied you were his child and asked him to leave. He always believed otherwise, but he never bothered her again and went on to assume his duties as king.”
“Suspicion does not equal fact.”
“But this does.” She opened the portfolio resting in her lap, withdrew what appeared to be newspaper clippings and handed them to Tarek. “He followed every step of your rise to fame and fortune as if he were searching for proof.”
Tarek flipped through the photos and articles featuring him then returned them to Elena. “This is not proof of anything other than a man obsessing over the son born to a woman he could not have.”
Elena pulled one last piece of paper from the folder and offered it to him. “Yet this is irrefutable.”
A few seconds passed before Tarek understood what he was reading—a DNA report containing his and the former king’s name. Most important, the test concluded that the results were 99.9999 percent positive he was the offspring of the former king. Still, he had more questions before he would let himself beli
eve. “How did he obtain my DNA?”
Elena lifted her frail shoulders. “He was a very powerful man with many connections. I actually did find a written account from a private investigator outlining an unnamed person he was following in Morocco and that he gathered a paper cup the subject discarded in a trash bin. I assume that subject was you.”
The information was almost too much to digest. “Then I suppose my mother had been truthful to her husband.”
“My guess would be that he rescued Darcia from the shame of giving birth to a child out of wedlock. That was looked upon unfavorably forty years ago. I also think Aadil never sought you out to save you from shame as well.”
“I believe now that was most likely the case.” And as he considered that he would never know his biological father, a certain sadness replaced the ever-present anger.
When Tarek offered Elena the paper, she waved it away. “You’ve waited many years for confirmation, so you should keep it.”
“Thank you. Now that I have the information, I will have to consider what I should do with it in regard to my recently discovered brothers.”
Elena presented a kindly smile. “Of course you should tell them.”
His intent all along, yet everything had changed, including his attitude toward them. “I am not certain they will forgive my deceit.”
“Rafiq might be hesitant to welcome you into the fold, but Zain and Adan should have no issues with accepting you into the family. And if you’ll notice the date on the report, Aadil received it the week before his death. I believe he sensed he didn’t have much longer on this earth, and this was the last bit of unfinished business. If he would have known sooner, he would have shown you the same care and concern as he did for his other sons.”
“I would like to believe that to be true.”
“I would like to believe you have learned something from this journey in regard to your own unborn child.”
He should not be surprised Kira had confided in her. “How long have you known about the pregnancy?”
“Since the day Kira found out. She needed a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear. Of course, I encouraged her to tell you, though I was surprised she waited so long to do so.”
