by Kate Hewitt
Zayed didn’t see Olivia until they were boarding the helicopter the next morning. He’d barely slept all night, wanting only to go to her. One last night in her arms, forbidden and sweet. He didn’t, because he knew it wouldn’t be fair to her, or Princess Halina, for that matter. The break needed to be clean, quick and final.
They didn’t speak on the helicopter ride from Rubyhan, or in the armoured car they took through the desert to Abkar. Olivia’s face was turned to the window as the dunes slid by, and after several hours they arrived on the outskirts of Abkar’s capital, the single-storey dwellings giving way to apartment buildings and high rises.
When the palace walls came into view, built of golden stone and interspersed with minarets, she let out a little sigh. ‘It feels like a lifetime,’ she said quietly.
It was a lifetime. A part of him had come to life in the last few weeks, and then died. The grief he felt was for that part of him as much as it was for losing Olivia. He didn’t want to go back to the man he’d been, closed off from emotions, an island of independence and strength. He wanted to need her but he knew he couldn’t.
Staff met them as soon as the car pulled up to the palace’s front entrance. Zayed had barely a glance for Olivia before she was being ushered away, and he was taken to wait on Sultan Hassan in the palace’s throne room.
The Sultan came quickly into the room, unsmiling, and Zayed gave him a brief nod, one head of state to another. The two men stared at each other for a long moment and then Hassan finally spoke.
‘I do not applaud your methods, Prince Zayed, but at least you got my attention.’
‘For that I am glad, Your Majesty.’
‘It is unfortunate that you made such a grievous error.’
Zayed inclined his head. ‘Indeed.’ Part of him wanted to argue about the nature of that error, for Olivia was so much more to him than that, yet he did not. He couldn’t.
‘Under normal circumstances, I would not even receive you,’ Hassan continued. ‘While I understand your reasoning, as well as your intense desire to be restored to your kingdom, Princess Halina is my daughter, and a royal in her own right, and you attempted to treat her with immense disrespect.’
‘I meant none, I assure you, Your Majesty.’
‘Even so.’ Hassan blew out an irritated breath. ‘But the fact remains that the Princess’s circumstances have changed.’
‘Oh?’ Zayed stood alert, a new wariness charging through him. What did Hassan mean?
He made it plain soon enough. ‘Her mother took her to Italy a few weeks ago, to keep her out of the drama unfolding here,’ Hassan said flatly. ‘And it appears in that time that she got into trouble.’
‘Trouble?’
‘She is no longer a virgin,’ Hassan stated, his face set like stone. ‘In fact, she is pregnant with another man’s child.’ Shock ripped through Zayed, leaving him speechless for a few seconds. Hassan smiled grimly. ‘It is not what you expected, I imagine.’
‘I am taken by surprise,’ Zayed admitted carefully.
‘She has been dishonoured and ruined. The only way for her situation to be redeemed is for you to marry her as was originally planned. The child can be passed off as yours.’
Revulsion at such a cold-blooded suggestion made Zayed nearly recoil. ‘And what of the biological father? Has he no interest in his child?’
‘He has no say. He doesn’t know, and I have no intention of him knowing.’
‘Who is he?’
‘That is not your concern.’
‘On the contrary, it is most certainly my concern. You are asking me to raise his child as my own and potentially, if it is a son, to be my heir.’
‘That is the price you must pay for your own misdeed,’ Hassan returned coldly. ‘Did you think I would forgive so easily? If you want my support, if you want to reclaim your kingdom, then you will do this one thing.’
Zayed took a quick, even breath, willing his temper to stay in check. Hassan had always been autocratic, assuming more authority and power than he’d ever truly possessed. Abkar was a small country, smaller even than Kalidar, although it was rich in resources and had a stable economy. But he would not take orders from the man. ‘And what does the Princess think?’
‘It is of no concern.’
‘Even so, I would like to know.’
Hassan shrugged. ‘You may ask her yourself. I will grant you a private audience with her later today.’ His eyes flashed. ‘You will take no liberties, I trust, or this offer will be rescinded.’
‘Of course I will take no liberties.’ Zayed knew he could hardly claim the moral high ground, but he’d forgotten, since his last interview with Hassan years ago, how much he disliked the man. He could be charming when he chose, but underneath that veneer of paternal kindness ran an arrogant, self-serving strain.
Hassan gave him a cold smile. ‘Then we are finished here.’
A muscle ticked in Zayed’s jaw. He realised he was furious—and not because of the other man’s lack of respect for his title and position, the autocratic way he spoke, or the way he talked about his daughter, as if she were nothing more than a stain on his reputation. No, he was angry at this man, furious with him, because of his complete lack of concern for Olivia. She’d considered Hassan like a father. She’d viewed the palace as her home.
‘You have not asked about Miss Taylor,’ Zayed said, his voice low and level.
Hassan arched an eyebrow. ‘And you, it seems, think I should have?’
‘She has been a member of the royal household for four years.’
‘She has been a servant, yes. I assume, Prince Zayed, that you have treated her comfortably?’
‘Of course I have.’ Zayed glared at the man, fighting an urge to throttle him.
‘In any case, Miss Taylor is no longer a member of this household. Her position has been terminated. Understandably.’
‘Will you give her a reference?’
Hassan’s eyes glittered. ‘I think not.’
It was just as Olivia had predicted, yet Zayed hated that this man, that anyone, thought so little of her.
Including yourself?
Pushing that most uncomfortable thought away, Zayed nodded once to Hassan then turned on his heel and left the room.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘OLIVIA!’
With a startled, ‘Oof!’ Olivia put her arms around Halina as her friend rushed at her, hugging her tightly the minute she entered the small sitting room where Halina had been waiting for her arrival.
‘Hello, Halina.’
‘Are you all right? Have you been hurt? Has—has he hurt you?’ Halina leaned back, sniffing, her eyes wide and frightened.
‘I’m fine.’
‘But you look so pale and tired.’
‘I’ve been ill,’ Olivia said briefly. ‘But I’ve been treated with respect at all times.’ With a tired smile she extricated herself from Halina’s arms. She felt so very fragile, as if she could break, and it had nothing to do with her recovery from the cobra’s bite. ‘How are you? You’ve been in Italy, I heard?’
‘Yes.’ Halina bit her lip. ‘Olivia, I’m afraid I’ve made a complete mess of things.’
‘How so?’ Olivia couldn’t imagine how Halina could make things more of a mess than they already were. ‘I think Zayed was the one who messed things up,’ she added with an attempt at a wry smile, but it wobbled all over the place. She’d loved him, she still did, and he’d felt nothing for her. No matter how many times she ruthlessly hammered that truth home, it still hurt, the wound as fresh and deep as ever.
‘Yes, but...’ Tears filled Halina’s eyes before she blinked them away. ‘I made it all so much worse.’
Curious and a bit alarmed, Olivia shook her head. ‘I don’t understand, Halina.’
‘When I went to Italy...’ Halina broke off, turning away towards the window that overlooked the palace’s landscaped gardens. ‘I was so stupid,’ she muttered, rubbing her temple with her fingers. ‘So stupid and
so naïve.’
‘Halina...’ Olivia took a step towards her old schoolfriend. ‘You’re scaring me a bit.’
‘I’ve scared myself.’ She let out a humourless laugh. ‘I can’t believe...’
‘What happened?’ Olivia asked gently. ‘You can tell me.’
Halina took a deep, shuddering breath and then, turning around, she squared her shoulders. ‘Mama took me to Italy, to a hotel in Rome, to get away from Abkar. Father was worried someone might attempt to kidnap me again. He didn’t realise it was Prince Zayed, at least not at first, and then of course when he did he was furious.’ She reached for Olivia, squeezing her arm. ‘Was it awful, Livvy?’ she asked, using the nickname from their school days. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘It’s not your fault,’ Olivia said, her voice sounding funny. ‘And it wasn’t awful.’ Halina must have seen something in her face—she could be remarkably perceptive at times—for her eyes narrowed, light dawning in their soft brown depths.
‘What do you mean?’
‘You were going to tell me what happened to you,’ Olivia reminded her quickly. ‘In Italy.’
Halina’s shoulders slumped briefly. ‘Yes, although I’m too ashamed to say. I thought I was so much more worldly than I really was—than I am. I was a joke.’
‘What do you mean, Halina? Tell me what happened.’
‘I snuck out of my hotel room,’ Halina confessed, her face full of misery. ‘And I slipped into a party being held downstairs. I just wanted a tiny bit of excitement, that was all. It didn’t seem like so much.’
Which was what Olivia had wanted when she’d chosen to surrender to Zayed that first magical night. ‘And what happened at the party?’ Olivia asked in a hollow voice. She had a feeling she could guess, yet she could scarcely believe it.
‘I met someone. A man. A handsome devil of a man.’ Halina sniffed. ‘Olivia, I spent the night with him,’ she confessed in a near wail. ‘I slept with him. Lost my virginity to...to a stranger! I don’t know what came over me. I wasn’t even thinking. I thought I could handle it all, handle him, and of course I couldn’t.’
‘You don’t mean he—’
‘Forced me?’ Halina gave a bitter laugh. ‘Not a bit of it. I was completely willing—eager, even—and spinning stories in my head of I don’t know what.’ She shook her head. ‘And then one of the royal guards found us.’
‘Oh, Halina,’ Olivia murmured, full of sympathy for her friend, yet finding it hard to believe they’d both succumbed to the same kind of overwhelming temptation. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘That’s not the worst of it,’ Halina returned grimly. She sank onto a sofa, her head in her hands. ‘Father made me take a pregnancy test a few days ago and guess what?’ She let out a sound that was half laugh, half sob. ‘I’m pregnant.’
‘Oh, my goodness.’ Shocked, Olivia sat onto the sofa next to Halina and put her arm around her. Halina leaned her head against Olivia’s shoulder, drawing in a few ragged breaths.
‘He was so, so angry, and I can’t even blame him,’ Halina said in a tear-filled voice. ‘I’ve made a mess of everything.’
‘And what of this man in Italy? Surely he has something to do with it?’
‘He doesn’t even know I’m pregnant,’ Halina admitted. ‘And Father won’t tell him.’
‘Why not?’
She lifted her head, wiping the tears from her long-lashed eyes. ‘Because he wants Prince Zayed to accept the child as his own,’ she said. ‘What is he like, Olivia? Is he a savage? To think he wanted to kidnap me.’ She shuddered. ‘And now I’m meant to marry him.’
Abruptly Olivia rose from the sofa and crossed to the window, not wanting Halina to see the expression on her face. Not knowing how she felt about any of it: Zayed to pass off another child as his own, and marry Halina when he didn’t love her and she obviously didn’t even know him. It was so awful, so unjust, but it was what Zayed had chosen. It was what he wanted. Not love, and not her.
‘What is it?’ Halina asked after a moment. ‘You’ve gone all strange and silent. What are you not telling me, Olivia?’
‘Nothing.’ Even to her own ears Olivia’s voice sounded distant and strained.
‘No, there’s something; I can tell. I know you, Olivia. I’ve known you since we were both eleven years old. What are you not telling me about Prince Zayed? Is it something terrible?’
‘No, nothing like that.’ Olivia dragged a breath into her lungs. ‘He’s...he’s a good man, Halina.’
There was a tense moment of silence, and Olivia willed Halina to believe her, to be satisfied and for this conversation finally to be over, because she didn’t think she could manage much more.
‘You love him,’ Halina said slowly. ‘It’s so obvious now that I can see it. You’ve fallen in love with him.’
‘I haven’t,’ Olivia said, but her denial was so feeble she knew it wouldn’t fool anyone, not even a child.
‘You’re in love with him, and he’s meant to marry me!’ Halina exclaimed, her voice filled with dismay. ‘This is awful.’
‘Zayed wants your marriage to go forward,’ Olivia insisted. ‘What I feel doesn’t matter. Trust me, Halina, I know that.’
‘Matter to whom?’ Halina demanded. ‘It matters to you, and it matters to me. And, if you love him, it should matter to Zayed.’
‘It doesn’t,’ Olivia said wretchedly. ‘He’s made that clear.’
‘I haven’t defied my father over this because I knew I brought shame to him. But it’s different now.’
‘It isn’t.’ Alarm filled Olivia and she whirled around. ‘Halina, please don’t break the engagement. Please. Zayed needs the alliance with your country. Your father will have told him what happened in Italy and he will have accepted it. I know. Please don’t do anything rash.’
‘You love him,’ Halina said slowly, ‘and you still want him to marry me?’
‘He doesn’t love me,’ Olivia answered flatly, ‘and I don’t want to be with a man who doesn’t love me. So think of it this way, if you must—I’m choosing not to be with him.’
‘Except it doesn’t seem as if you have much choice in the matter.’
‘Let things be, Halina, please.’ Olivia’s whole body sagged; she felt as if she could barely stand. ‘I can’t talk about this any more. I was ill recently, and I need to rest. But promise me you won’t say anything to Zayed.’
‘Anything at all?’
‘About me. About what I feel.’
Halina sighed. ‘I promise, if you really don’t want me to. But does he know you love him, Olivia? Because—’
‘Trust me, Halina, it doesn’t matter.’
Halina nodded slowly. ‘Then get some rest. I’ll see you later.’ She kissed Olivia’s cheek and squeezed her hand. ‘What a pair we are,’ she whispered with a hint of her old dramatic impishness. ‘Having such adventures.’
‘Yes.’ Olivia smiled wearily and walked from the room, skidding to a halt halfway down the corridor when she saw Zayed striding towards her.
‘You’ve been with the Princess?’ he asked, his agate gaze sweeping over her and revealing nothing.
‘Yes.’
‘She told you?’
‘About her pregnancy? Yes. I’m sorry, Zayed.’
‘I have no one to blame but myself. And I can hardly accuse the Princess of being impetuous when I was just as rash.’ He sighed and rubbed his temple.
‘Are you getting a migraine?’ Olivia asked quietly.
‘It will pass.’ He dropped his hand and subjected her to a direct look. ‘How are you? How are you holding up?’
Her heart was in pieces, and she ached everywhere it was possible to ache, but she wasn’t going to tell any of that to Zayed. ‘I’m fine.’
Zayed looked at her closely, as if he could chip away at the thin veneer of calm and control she’d managed to erect. ‘Olivia...’
‘I need some rest.’ Olivia knew she couldn’t withstand his apology, not now, not ever. It would be better
if she never saw Zayed al bin Nur again in her life.
She tried to move past him but he caught her arm, turning her to face him. Their faces were close, their hips brushed and, despite the ache in her heart, desire rushed through her veins. She felt herself melt, knew she was utterly helpless from the moment he touched her.
‘I wish...’ Zayed breathed, one palm coming up to cup her cheek. ‘I wish things had been different.’
‘But they aren’t.’ She forced the words out even though it felt as if they were tearing her in two.
‘I know.’ Zayed’s gaze became hooded as it dipped to her mouth. Olivia tensed, straining for his kiss even though she knew she should resist. He brushed his lips across hers, once, twice, before settling on them for a moment, pressing hard, as if he were sealing her memory inside him. Olivia clutched at his shoulders, accepting the brand, needing it to sustain her, and then finally she wrenched away with a gasp.
‘Your fiancée is waiting,’ she choked out, then hurried down the hall.
* * *
Zayed waited a moment, until his breathing and libido were both under control, before he opened the doors and stepped into the sitting room where he knew Princess Halina was waiting.
She whirled around at his entrance, her eyes widening as she realised who it was. ‘Prince Zayed.’
‘Princess Halina.’ He gazed at her for a long moment, trying to view her objectively. Yes, she was pretty—tumbled, ebony hair, wide brown eyes, a delectably curvy figure. But she wasn’t Olivia, and that was all that mattered.
‘You’ve met with my father,’ Halina said, and her voice wavered.
‘Yes. He told me what happened in Italy.’
She lowered her gaze, lashes sweeping her cheeks. ‘And you are willing to accept the change in circumstances?’
‘It seems I have no choice.’
Halina looked up, all modesty gone as her eyes flashed. ‘Of all the people in this situation, Prince Zayed, you have the most choice of all.’
Surprised, he frowned. ‘How do you mean, Princess?’
‘You don’t have to marry me.’
‘I believe you are aware of the political incentive to do so.’
‘Political incentive?’ To both his shock and irritation Halina looked scornful. ‘Do you really think my father will support your claim to the throne?’
