Sheikh's Destiny

by Leah Leonard

  Sheikh’s Destiny

  Leah Leonard

  Copyright © 2016 Leah Leonard

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: 978-1536917734

  ISBN-10:1536917737

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  To my family, friends and readers.

  Thank you for your continued support!

  ALSO BY LEAH LEONARD

  Sheikh’s Desire

  Sheikh’s Demand

  Sheikh’s Dream

  Sheikh’s Design

  For a full list of Leah’s titles,

  visit her Amazon.com author page.

  www.leahleonardromances.com

  www.leahleonard.com

  Twitter: @LeahLeonard

  Facebook: Leah Leonard Romances

  Prologue

  Stephanie Simonton stood by the two empty graves near her home and watched while their lifelong friends and neighbors lowered her parent’s coffins into the ground. Tears streamed down her face, but her body felt numb.

  When it was all over, and the holes had been completely filled, the gathering dwindled and only two others remained.

  “You okay?” Buck asked, placing his hand on her shoulder.

  She nodded. “Give me a minute, will you?”

  Without a word, Buck lumbered over to his parents and they walked toward the farmhouse where Stephanie knew a large crowd would be eager to comfort her with food and well wishes.

  But there was no comfort she could ever receive that would fill the hole in her heart.

  “Steph?” Aunt Ellen approached. “Ready?”

  “No. Not yet.”

  The two stood side by side. Stephanie found Ellen’s presence comforting, the closest thing to a mother she had left in this world.

  “Your cruise is coming up,” Ellen said.

  Seriously? Was she really bringing that up now? Here? Today of all days? “I don’t have a cruise anymore.”

  “You didn’t cancel it, did you?”

  “No.”

  “Well then you do,” Ellen said. “And I know you’re not ready to hear this, but I want to be the first to tell you that no matter what anybody says, you gotta go.”

  “How can I?” Stephanie’s lip quivered.

  “How can you not? You think they would want you to give up on your life?”

  Stephanie had no response. What Ellen was suggesting was ridiculous.

  “Well I don’t,” Ellen continued. “Think about it and you’ll know I’m right.”

  One

  Two Weeks Later

  Stephanie stood on the balcony of her stateroom aboard the luxurious cruise ship headed for the port of Ephesus, Turkey, and cried. This should have been one of the best days of her life, but instead, it was one of her worst. Even though her dream of seeing the house of Virgin Mary was about to finally come true, her recent life had been filled with so much tragedy, she couldn’t enjoy this at all. Her beloved parents were just killed in a horrible head on collision on the two-lane highway near their Iowa farm. Losing both of them at the same time, so suddenly in such tragic circumstance, rocked their tiny farming community to the core.

  She shouldn’t be here alone either. Her mother was supposed to go on the trip with her. Sadly, that would never be. How she allowed her Aunt Ellen to talk her into this was beyond her. She must be out of her mind!.

  Stephanie never felt more alone in her entire life. To be in such a gorgeous setting attempting to have a good time so soon after the funeral was sickening, at best. Yet here she was, living her dream in misery. Too late to turn back now.

  And then there was Buck. He was another story altogether. Initially, he couldn’t understand why she and her mom wanted to come here in the first place, even back when everyone was still alive and well and they first booked the cruise. He believed in America, staying home and being responsible. Despite that, he’d been really good to Stephanie ever since the accident, and surprisingly supportive of her decision to go ahead and go to Turkey. In fact, he might have joined her if she’d asked, but she didn’t. She knew he needed to tend the farm and couldn’t be away that long. Especially now.

  For all of these reasons, she came alone. She would take this time to think and grieve, and once she got this mess out of her system, she could return to the farm and the new life that awaited her as Buck’s wife.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen,” an announcer spoke through the intercom that blared into her cabin. “We will soon dock in Ephesus and within the hour you may go ashore.”

  Staring out at the turquoise waters, Stephanie stepped back out to her balcony and gazed up at the cliffs, took a sip of her now cold coffee and a second bite from the pastry she had room service bring her an hour ago.

  She dressed in a pair of slacks and a long sleeved button-up shirt. Then she liberally applied sunscreen to her fair skin, pulled her long red hair back in a ponytail, grabbed her passport holder and camera and headed down several flights of stairs to the main deck, took a seat next to the window and waited for the Captain to let everyone off the ship.

  She gazed out a window overlooking the harbor. What a gorgeous day! The water glittered from the bright sunlight, illuminating the jagged cliffs beyond the tiny port town. And just beyond the buildings in those glorious mountains was the place where the Mother Mary once visited and lived. The thought thrilled her beyond words.

  A tall thin officer with brown hair and a heavy Germanic accent approached her. “Excuse me, miss. Are you with anyone?”

  “No.” Glancing around, she noticed all the other passengers had at least one other person sitting with them.

  “Please pardon me for asking, but you are…” he cleared his throat. “Single? I mean, unmarried?”

  “Yes.” Stephanie wondered what her marital status had to do with anything. She was theoretically engaged. Kind of. Well, not really. She told Buck she wasn’t ready yet and luckily he waited. But legally, and at this moment, she had never been more single or alone in her entire life.

  “And you planned to go to Ephesus on the tour today?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” The officer appeared a bit shy. He averted his gaze and asked, “We have a special opportunity for solo travelers, ladies in particular, who wish to experience an intimate tour and special event at Ephesus.”

  “I appreciate you asking, but I already bought my tour and I can’t afford anymore. But thanks.” She started to walk off.

  The officer blocked her path. “Allow me to explain. The outing I am offering is complimentary. Should you choose to go, your other tour fees will be refunded and you can enjoy all the sites in the area at no charge to you.”

  This sounded too good to be true. The Ephesus tour was fairly expensive. No doubt, the thought of receiving a refund would be wonderful, but there was no price too high for visiting Virgin Mary’s house. “Yes, that sounds fine. I just want to make sure I still get to see the House of the Virgin Mary.”

  “Oh yes, of course. You will not only see Mary’s house, you will explore Ephesus with a far smaller group, and be treated to a one-of-a-kind concert event and lunch, courtesy of our sponsor, who happens to be one of the many dignitaries living in the area.”

  “Then what do I have to lose? Of course I’ll go.” Stephanie followed the young officer past the long line of passengers.

  Outside on the dock, the air was fresh and crisp. The sun gleamed off the water, nearly blinding her. The sky was clear and blue. God this place was gorgeous! She shielded her eyes from the sun and continued following the ship officer down a long walkway to a bridge that led to the shore and a brick sidewalk lined with the tallest palm trees she had ever seen. Several upscale shops were open and tons of tourists were crawling all over the place.

  Amidst all of
the commotion, her eyes were drawn toward a pearl white limo across the street. The car was amazing enough, but it was the man who stepped up to the curb who really caught her eye.

  His curly jet black hair, cocoa skin and bright white teeth offset his strong jaw bone and sexy smile. Dressed in a form fitting suit that showed off his muscular body, Stephanie found herself staring and her mouth watering at the sight of him. The man was a god.

  Incredibly, he glanced up before getting inside his limo. He looked right at her. And he smiled.

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  “Miss?” the ship’s officer asked.

  Stephanie tried bringing her attention back to what she was doing. “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just all so…lovely.”

  “Indeed, come right this way.”

  She followed the officer toward the shops and glanced back just in time to see the hunk and an older gentleman getting into the back of the limo. They sped down the street and out of sight.

  Oh well, she thought. If this was what Turkey was all about, and if any of the other locals were even half as good looking as that man, she was going to have a more than amazing trip.

  Two

  Sheikh Uri stood on the balcony of his family’s seaside palace, gazing out at the Aegean Sea, and discussing his future with his stubborn father, the Sultan.

  “You must marry. Now.” The Sultan poured his son a hot cup of tea and joined him on the terrace.

  “Impossible,” Uri insisted, taking a sip of the strong brew.

  “It has been five years,” his father grasped his shoulder. “Enough is enough. You are wasting your life.”

  A rush of fury burst from Uri’s chest. “How dare you speak to me that way? I have told you before to never bring her up, ever again, and yet you insist on torturing me. Why, Father? What have I done to deserve your wrath?”

  “You are still a young man. You cannot continue living in the past. There are many women in the world, especially for someone of your stature. You only need to make yourself available.”

  “I will never love again.”

  The Sultan laughed. “Who said anything about love?”

  His father was impossible at times. His cold remark did not dignify any reply, as far as Uri was concerned. He still choked up just thinking about Tamara. Intellectually he realized that it had been a long, long time since her death, but his heart still ached for her. Nobody could take her place.

  His father continued on his rampage. “We have an empire to preserve, and we need an heir. I am not getting any younger. For our partners to consider you reliable, it is important you marry. If you continue to refuse to search for a bride or two on your own, I shall have to take it upon myself to find you a suitable wife. You have three months to decide. Find a bride by your next birthday, or else.”

  “You cannot force me into anything,” Uri shouted.

  “Consider yourself advised,” the Sultan walked inside his office and pulled a document from the drawer

  Uri followed and poured himself more tea. “What do you have there?”

  The Sultan placed a thick stack of papers on the desk in front of him. “My will.”

  Uri frowned. “I don’t need your money or your approval. You won’t persuade me to marry. I will not stand for it, nor will I allow you to threaten me with your will.”

  “I am merely outlining my intentions for you to inherit all of our corporations and legal entities upon your next birthday once you wed.”

  “And if I refuse?”

  “You remain my heir, regardless. The arrangement is not conditional, however you would receive an added bonus should you choose to adhere to my wishes.”

  “I do not want anything from you, Father. I am happy with things the way they are and never wanted to rush my takeover of anything. Surely you know that,” Uri explained.

  “Indeed, however your marriage would greatly please not only myself, but our Board of Directors.”

  “I do not live for others approval,” Uri said. “Especially not our Board.”

  “Fine. If we cannot procure the proper bride by the proposed deadline, I am afraid I will set my sights on an arrangement that will be most beneficial for our investments.” The old man put the papers away. “Meanwhile, I’ve just been notified that my request to attend a special event has been granted for today. We need to go immediately. I’ve already arranged for the car to take us.”

  Uri sighed. “What kind of event?”

  “Wait and see, my son.” the Sultan placed an arm around Uri’s shoulders and patted him on the back. “I believe you will be pleased. Perhaps this can ease the tension between us. What say you? Will you join me?”

  “Yes, under one condition, that for now, we agree to disagree on the topic of marriage.” Uri extended his hand.

  To his surprise, the Sultan shook it heartily. “Fine. Let us have a pleasant afternoon.”

  “You must tell me more about this event you are so anxious to attend. If it is about any of our properties in Istanbul, perhaps I should be briefed in advance.”

  “I do not expect the negotiations will become that advanced at this stage. Trust me. This should be an exciting event, one I have anticipated for quite some time,” the Sultan beamed.

  He studied the elder statesman and wished he could get inside his brain to figure out what kind of scheme he was dreaming up. “Am I to presume this is a formal meeting?”

  “You could say that, yes.”

  Uri grit his teeth. “You know I do not enjoy such festive occasions. I am a quiet man, Father, and there is nothing you can do to change me. I am not Omar. He was the fun one. I am nothing of the sort.”

  “My dear son, you are a blessing as you are. Please indulge an old man and come with me. Omar would have been pleased to see you socializing.”

  His elder brother, Omar, always was more like their father, until he was murdered by a business rival three years earlier. Now Uri was the only heir to his family’s vast empire, a fact that troubled him greatly.

  All Uri ever wanted from his life was to marry Tamara and settle into a quiet career as the family accountant, or Chief Financial Officer, crunching numbers and keeping to himself. Her fatal cancer diagnosis sadly changed all that, and there was no going back.

  Since then, his responsibilities had expanded from overseeing the financial stability of their holdings to meeting with investors and relationship building, all the activities he previously despised.

  Thus, years later, Uri was also now assigned to the duty of producing an heir. Ironically, had Tamara survived her cancer, things would be different. Uri wanted to marry her, and was intent on asking until her diagnosis turned grave. Had she survived, that heir might already be in place. Now, he wanted nothing to do with love, marriage or relationships of any kind. Regardless, Uri couldn’t resist his father’s pleasant mood. “I do this in honor of my brother. For Omar.”

  “Splendid,” his father beamed.

  Uri hurried and dressed in his finest attire, a handmade suit with silk tie. He made sure his hair was perfectly groomed, and then went to join the Sultan outside where their limo waited. The streets of Kusadasi were crowded with tourists, as was the norm for this time of year.

  “Ah you are here. Good, let us be off,” his father said as he climbed into the car.

  Uri wanted to oblige, but his gaze was drawn across the street to the dock. A stunning red head walked over the bridge with a staff member from one of the many cruise ships that docked in the port.

  Her skin was flawless, her smile, to die for. He stopped, stared and smiled at her, pleased to see he captured her attention. Her eyes were pale colored. Blue? Hazel? He couldn’t tell from the distance.

  “Son?” the Sultan called from inside the limo. “Come or we shall be late.”

  “All right,” he said, wishing he could skip the meeting and run after the girl instead. What a ridiculous thought! He glanced away from her for a moment, and when he looked again, she was gone. Oh well. Probably for
the best.

  With that, Father and son climbed into the back of their limo and sped up the coast.

  Three

  Stephanie continued following the ship’s officer out toward the street where a group of four girls waited near a statue.

  “Okay ladies,” the officer told the group. “We are all here now and we will be underway shortly. I appreciate your patience. Please wait here while I call our driver.”

  Still wondering what in the world this was all about and how she could be so lucky to get a free tour in such an amazing place, Stephanie smiled at the others. “Hi.”

  The group greeted her, but nobody bothered to get into any lengthy discussions. They were all too busy taking selfies and checking their makeup.

  Finally, Stephanie asked, “Hey, do any of you know where we’re going?”

  One of the girls, a slightly plump brunette with mild acne shrugged. “A party’s all I know.”

  The officer appeared a moment later. “The driver will be here momentarily.”

  Sure enough, within minutes, a black stretch limo pulled up to the curb in front of the group.

  The officer pulled out an electric barcode reader and personally scanned each girl’s ship card. Once the machine beeped, he escorted them one by one into the limo. Once everyone was seated, a waiter from the ship appeared at the open door with two bottles of champagne and enough glasses for them all.

  The officer passed the glasses while the waiter popped the corks. “Enjoy your excursion. Thank you again for your flexibility. I guarantee you will all have a wonderful day ashore.”

  The whole scene was unreal. Stephanie had never even seen a real limo in person before, and to think she had already seen two so far today, and was now riding off in one to visit her dream destination was incredible.

  She reclined in the leather seat by the window, stretched her legs out, and drank her very first sip of champagne. She jerked back as the bubbles unexpectedly popped in her nose.