Bought And Paid For: The Tycoon's Sheikha Bride

by Holly Rayner

  Unlikely.

  Nodding to students on their way to the football stadium, Lily made her way down the hall to the teacher’s lounge, where a cracked cork noticeboard hosted a number of flyers advertising opportunities for teaching and professional development. Lily gazed at the board, taking in the various teaching positions she was unqualified for and feeling glum.

  Then her eyes darted across a yellow piece of paper, and she looked back at it, reading an ad she had never seen before.

  Are you ready for an adventure?

  Come teach in the Middle East!

  Al Yibri is in need of English educators willing to stay for a year. If you are a fluent English speaker, you are qualified! Inquire at the email below.

  Lily’s heart began to race. Was she ready for an adventure? Could she pick up and leave everything she’d ever known behind in search of something more? She thought about what exactly she was leaving behind. Her parents had moved to Florida the year before, and almost all her college friends had gotten jobs out of state. She had been alone and destitute for far too long. Perhaps it was time to take a chance.

  She pulled out her phone and tapped out a message to the person on the other end of the given email address. As she pressed send, her mind whirled.

  Al Yibri. Why did that sound so familiar?

  Pulling up her social media page, she typed the country into the search box, and immediately her friend Marissa’s name came up.

  Of course! Marissa had majored in Middle Eastern studies when they’d been at school together, and having studied abroad there, she had decided to move out shortly after graduation. Lily already had an in—she just needed to use it!

  Checking the time, she saw it was a reasonable hour in Al Yibri, so she pulled up her old friend’s phone number and pressed the call button. It rang a few times before her friend answered.

  “Lily? Lily Hawthorne, is that you?”

  Lily laughed.

  “You don’t have to sound so surprised! I’m allowed to call an old friend from time to time.”

  “So you are! How are you? It’s so good to hear your voice!”

  “Yours, too. I’m doing okay. It’s been rough going since I left school, and there’s not much going on here.”

  “You should come to Al Yibri! It’s amazing, Lily! You’d love it here.”

  Lily smiled.

  “Funny you should say that. I just came across an ad to teach English there, and—”

  “Tell me you’re going to take it! You can stay with me until you get settled, even if you don’t have a job right away. Just come on out! There’s nothing for you in Wyoming, Lily. Come have some adventures with me. I have a great place here, and I know all the best tea houses!”

  Lily laughed.

  “Marissa, you’re the best! I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Don’t be silly. Anything for my number one beer pong teammate. We can introduce a whole new level of fun to the people of Al Yibri. They won’t know what hit ’em!”

  “Do you really mean that, Marissa?” Lily asked, feeling a pang of doubt. Was her friend just being nice? Could she really be so spontaneous?

  “Lily, I’m dead serious. Buy yourself a ticket and get over here. I will be waiting for you on the other side, and we’ll get you gainfully employed, no problem. Don’t sit there doing nothing. Come!”

  “All right, all right! You’ve managed to talk me off the ledge. I’ll send you my flight information when I get it, okay?”

  “Yay!”

  “I’m excited to see you again, Marissa!”

  “I can’t wait. Gotta jet. Let’s talk soon. Bye!”

  The call ended abruptly, and Lily dropped her phone to her side, staring out into space. A strand of blond hair fell across her face, and she brushed it aside as she broke from her reverie and began to move. Exiting the school, she drove back to her tiny apartment, where she opened a small suitcase and began packing for her trip before she’d even purchased a ticket.

  In the middle of packing, she pulled her phone out again to check for a response email about the teaching position. Nothing. Absently, she wondered if she needed any kind of paperwork. She searched for the government website of Al Yibri and looked into visas.

  Her stomach clenched when she saw what she would need to work there. Just the work visa was $3,000, and there was no guarantee she even had a job yet! Steeling her nerves, she told herself she would find something in time, even if it wasn’t the teaching job. She was lucky to even have a valid passport, as she had never before left the country.

  Her suitcase packed, Lily grabbed her laptop and began looking at flights. Her heart sank at the prices as she opened another tab and checked her bank account, which wasn’t going to cover the cost.

  Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her emergency credit card. Somehow, through her financially hard times, she hadn’t had to use it. She had sacrificed and scrimped in order to avoid going into debt, but if she wanted to take this chance, she was going to have to take a risk. She used the credit card to purchase the flight, which was due out the next day, before closing the laptop and taking a deep breath.

  She was going to do it! She was going to live her life, for once. Thinking about any loose ends, she wrote some emails to the school, letting them know she would be going on leave, effective immediately.

  She felt a pang of guilt at leaving her students behind. Joseph was really coming along, and she had been grateful for the opportunity to work with some of the kids from the reservation, helping them obtain the skills they needed to flourish and grow.

  He would simply have to find his own way, and Lily was certain they all would, eventually. Now, she had to think about her own adventures.

  With her bag packed and dusk kissing the mountains along the horizon, Lily poured herself the last of the wine from her fridge and sat by the window, watching the cascade of oranges and blues as the sun made its glorious exit from the day. When stars began to pinprick the darkened sky, she left the window and snuggled into her bed, where she watched a movie until she fell asleep. Not knowing enough about Al Yibri, she was unable to manifest it in her dreams.

  The next morning, Lily stashed her suitcase in the overhead bin, squeezed into a small airplane seat, and pulled out a book. The journey was long, and her legs were cramped and aching by the end of the second flight, but eventually a long stretch of forest appeared beneath them, and she leaned over slightly to see the landscape below.

  Lily had always thought that the Middle East was comprised mostly of desert, but when Marissa had met her, she had instantly set her straight. Vast stretches of the region were filled with luscious forests, not unlike the national parks Lily had grown up visiting.

  The plane touched down, somewhat haphazardly, and Lily waited impatiently as each passenger before her grabbed a bag and stepped off the plane. When it was finally her turn, her legs protested as she stood, her limbs tingling as blood began to flow freely once again.

  The crew had instructed the passengers to fill out documents before the plane had landed, and Lily had set herself up with the free two-week travel visa, which she held onto tightly as she rolled her suitcase through the colorful airport. Images of local royalty were on display, and Lily glanced at each picture before she made it to the front of the customs line, where she reached a man in an official uniform.

  “Passport,” he said, his accent melodious.

  “How did you know I spoke English?” she asked.

  The man glanced at her as she handed him her passport, his dark eyes on the document as he scanned it, then on her face.

  “We don’t get many blond-haired, blue-eyed people who aren’t English speakers, though it does happen from time to time. What is the purpose of your visit?”

  “Pleasure. I’ll be vacationing here for ten days.”

  She hoped the small shake in her voice didn’t give her away. Lily wasn’t used to lying, but she had already made her decision, and she would figure it out. Marissa wo
uld help her find something so she could afford the work visa fee; she was certain.

  The man looked over her passport for another minute and then handed it back to her.

  “Enjoy your vacation, Miss Hawthorne.”

  “Thanks,” she breathed, a rush of relief jolting through her.

  Grateful that the man hadn’t been able to see right through her, Lily strode toward the arrivals area, turning on her phone so she could call Marissa to let her know she had arrived. As she did, her phone beeped with a voicemail…from Marissa.

  Lily held the phone to her ear and listened.

  “Hey, Lily. Oh my gosh, I feel like a complete moron. I totally forgot in my excitement to get you here that I agreed to go on a three-week safari with another friend of mine. I just had to pack and we’re running out the door now! I’m so sorry. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got a spare house key under my apartment mat and my car keys are inside the apartment. Use whatever you need, and we can totally party when I get back, okay? Here’s my address…”

  She spouted off her address, then, and Lily rushed to find a small notepad and pen to scribble it down. She felt a sharp stab of annoyance at her friend’s flakey behavior. Who invited someone to fly halfway across the world to stay with them only to be gone for three weeks the very day they arrived?

  Lily took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was lucky to have access to a car and a place to stay. Squaring her shoulders, she pulled her suitcase along and stepped outside. The air that met her was humid and warm, like a tropical forest.

  There was a long line of green cabs parked along the stretch of the airport sidewalk, and Lily approached the one at the front.

  After opening the back door, she slid in and gave the driver directions. Fortunately, he spoke English, too, and made short work of driving her to Marissa’s apartment. Along the way, Lily admired the stunning ancient architecture around her. Al Yibri’s capital city was old, and apparently quite proud of it. There wasn’t a skyscraper to be seen, and all the buildings had an earthy, clay-like coloring.

  The sounds of the cars around her seemed out of place as they arrived at Marissa’s apartment. Lily gave the driver some of her exchanged currency, and he nodded in thanks as she made her exit. She watched as he drove off to find another fare and then turned to look up at the small house that was home to Marissa’s apartment.

  There were two apartments in the building, side-by-side. As she pulled up the mat in front of Marissa’s door, she saw the little silver key and smiled. It was nice to know her friend felt it was safe enough to leave a key not so well hidden. She opened the door and was met with the subtle scent of incense and green tea. The apartment was draped in colorful flags, and wooden furniture displayed trinkets from around the world.

  What an interesting life Marissa led! Lily ran her fingers along the aged furniture, thinking about how different it felt. While Cheyenne had felt aged in a decrepit kind of way, this apartment, this city, was aged in an otherworldly kind of way. It felt like she had been transported back in time to an age of magic.

  Even though she had every intention of unpacking and exploring the area as soon as possible, Lily found herself sinking into Marissa’s comfortable couch. As she leaned back, a wave of jet lag crashed over her, and her eyes closed entirely of their own will. Her mind shifted to what she intended to get done before the day was over, and she wondered if there was an email about that teaching job in her inbox yet. She reminded herself to check after she’d rested her eyes for a few minutes.

  But instead of doing any of that, Lily fell fast asleep fully clothed and sitting up.

  Chapter Two

  “Your qualifications look great for this position, Miss Hawthorne.”

  Lily smiled her most professional smile, hope rearing its tiny head.

  “Thank you so much! I am able to start right away if hired. I would love to jump right in and help your students master the English language.”

  The headmistress nodded approvingly as she glanced back at Lily’s papers. Then, her eyebrows narrowed ever so slightly.

  Oh no.

  Lily had seen that expression at least six times in the two weeks she had been in Al Yibri. She was lucky to have secured so many interviews so quickly, but they had all ended exactly the same.

  “I don’t see your work visa here. Do you have that documentation available?”

  Lily swallowed, her mouth dry.

  “I don’t actually have the work visa secured, but after a few weeks of employment I will certainly be able to procure one with my salary.”

  The woman frowned, and Lily knew exactly where the conversation was heading.

  “I’m sorry, Miss Hawthorne, but without a work visa, you cannot work here. I can’t have you doing it illegally. I’d advise you to secure one as soon as possible before your status is discovered. Our law enforcement is particularly stringent on this sort of thing.”

  At the mention of the police, Lily’s face blanched, and the woman laid a reassuring hand on hers.

  “I won’t be making any phone calls, so don’t worry. I’m sure it was an honest mistake.”

  “Yes, quite the mistake. Thank you for the information, ma’am. It’s most appreciated.”

  The woman nodded, and Lily stood, finding her own way out of the school.

  Tears threatened to fall as she got back into Marissa’s silver car and slammed the door shut behind her, resting her forehead against the steering wheel as she composed herself.

  How could she have been so foolish? She had managed to land herself in a foreign country with no job prospects, and the more time that passed, the faster her savings drained. She was steps away from being totally broke and trapped illegally in Al Yibri, and she had no one but herself to blame.

  Turning on the engine, she decided it was time to go home. She would apologize for leaving with such short notice and hope that her employers in Wyoming would be understanding of her stupid spontaneity. Turning onto the road, she drove to the highway ramp that would take her back toward the city. A wall of fully stopped cars met her, and she tapped the brakes as she reached the tail-end of rush hour traffic.

  “Typical,” she huffed, resting her forehead against her hand as she watched for any movement.

  She could try for another teaching job abroad, maybe in a country that didn’t charge so much for a work visa. There had to be somewhere else she could go and make a living for herself without being stuck in Cheyenne for the rest of her life. There simply had to be.

  Yet, after spending two weeks in Al Yibri, she had grown to love the culture and people of the tiny country. She had so badly wanted to find a way to stay, but it looked like that wasn’t meant to be.

  Crash!

  Lily bumped her nose on the steering wheel. She hadn’t been paying attention. She’d been lost in thought as traffic had begun moving, and before her, the bumper of a very expensive-looking car was now smashed against the crushed front end of Marissa’s vehicle.

  “Oh no, no no!” Lily cried, sitting in shock as she tried to pretend that she hadn’t just ruined her friend’s car with no way to pay her back.

  As she stared ahead, a man in regional garb stepped out of the sports car and turned to look back at her. His robes were flowing, his eyes masked by expensive sunglasses. But even through all of his coverings, she could tell he was handsome.

  Great.

  He approached the driver’s side, and Lily realized it was her turn to exit and see if he was unharmed. Opening the door, she stood and faced the man whose car she had wrecked.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said.

  He was tall, towering over her as he perused her, his eyes unreadable behind the reflection of his sunglasses. Still, his shoulders were tense, his body language clearly showing his annoyance.

  “Are you all right, miss?” he asked, his tone less than charitable. He was trying to be polite even in the face of the damage.

  Lily’s blood roiled with anxiety as she looked from Ma
rissa’s car to the man’s and back again.

  “I’m fine. Are you?”

  He held his arms out, indicating that he was, in fact, perfectly unscathed.

  “I am. I cannot say the same for my vehicle, however.”

  They both glanced at the damage. His car had nothing but a dent on the back bumper, while Marissa’s looked beyond fixing. Lily swallowed, her throat terribly dry. The sound of police sirens echoed across the trees in the distance, and when Lily looked back up at the man, she caught an expression of pure panic on his face, only matched by the sheer terror rising up in her own gut.

  In that moment, she realized she was living illegally in Al Yibri with an expired travel visa and no auto insurance for a car that didn’t belong to her in the first place. A run-in with the cops could get her deported, or worse.

  Panicking, she turned away from the rich man, unable to think about the damage to his car as she plopped back into the driver’s seat and attempted to turn the ignition.

  The car barely sputtered. It was totaled. Lily was trapped.

  Tears finally won out, and Lily pressed her face into her hands as she began to weep in despair. The man with the sports car walked a little closer, leaning in.

  “I don’t have a visa to live here, and I don’t have any insurance to help pay for this damage. If the police find me, who knows what they’ll do? I can’t believe I’ve gotten myself into this mess!”

  Lily continued to cry, the sirens getting closer even as traffic managed to stay in a gridlock. When she looked up, the man was still watching her, his expression exposing some level of pity. Lily wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or annoyed. The last thing she needed was pity. She needed help!

  “Get in the car,” he said.

  She stared up at him, sniffling as she tried to register what he meant by that.

  “Quickly. We don’t have time to waste,” he said, opening the door.

  People around them were starting to take notice, staring and whispering. The wealthy, handsome man ignored them as he held out a hand to Lily for her to take. She stared at it.