by Leslie North
The Sheikha’s Forbidden Lover
By Leslie North
The Tazeem Twins Series
Book 5
Other Books in the Tazeem Twins Series
The Sheikh’s Tenacious Lover
The Sheikh’s Fiery Lover
The Sheikh’s Resisting Lover
The Sheikh’s Untameable Lover
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Dedications
I dedicate this book to you, my loyal readers. Thank you for all the lovely e-mails, reviews, and support. Without you, this wouldn't be possible.
I’d also like to say a special thank you to Leslie’s Lovelies who have had a huge role in making this book – you’re the best! THANK YOU for all your support.
If you’d like to join Leslie’s Lovelies and get exclusive advanced review copies of my latest books, please check out the Official Page here: http://leslienorthbooks.com/about/leslies-lovelies/
Table of Contents
The Sheikha’s Forbidden Lover
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 1
“You know what would make this better?” Adilah asked, licking the icing off her fingers and grinning at Cassie. “Eating this off some washboard abs.”
Cassie raised her eyebrows as she stared at her friend in surprise. “Really?” she asked as she laughed. “Now that sounds like something I would say.” She picked up one of the cupcakes that Adilah had iced, dipped her finger in the icing and licked it. “Hmm, what’s in this one? They have a different taste.”
“Normally, the main ingredients are prepackaged, but I was able to get roasted nuts and fresh fruit from this little market on the other side of town. It makes a big difference in the taste.”
“What other side of town?” Cassie asked as she nibbled on the cupcake.
“The area is a little rough but it’s so worth it.”
Cassie froze looking at her friend in shock. “You cannot be talking about the Zuhur market?”
“I am,” Adilah replied as she mixed the ingredients in the bowl.
“Adilah, please don’t go to such places. Not too long ago, there were reports of terrorism there.”
“I am aware and it saddens me. That marketplace is hundreds of years old and still so beautiful. I hate to see acts of terrorism ruin the beauty of the place.”
“You and your brother love these historical places,” Cassie commented as she shook her head. “It really is a shame that so many of them have been vandalized.”
“Ah yes, he took you sightseeing on your first date,” Adilah giggled as Cassie laughed with her.
“As we both told you, it was not a date; I was hoping that it would help me regain my memory after bumping my head, which it didn’t. He probably wanted to kill you for making him go with me. Why on earth would you think that sightseeing would help me regain my memory?”
Shrugging her shoulders, Adilah gave Cassie a cheeky grin, “Well…let’s just say that regaining your memory wasn’t my primary motive. And really, he should be thanking both of us. That was the first time he took a day to do something like that since he was a teen. He is always so fixated on work; he would not have done it if part of him didn’t want to.”
Cassie giggled as she blushed. “Hussain,” she mumbled to herself as Adilah looked at her.
“You are so smitten,” Adilah flicked icing at Cassie who tried to dodge the sugar but some of it still landed in her hair. Both of them laughed as Adilah reached out to help her remove it.
“Can you blame me? Once we got past his need to control everything and I got my memory back, it all felt so right even if it did happen so fast.” Holding up the frosting, “And I might want to take some of this with me to test your theory about it tasting better on washboard abs,” Cassie added as she grinned mischievously.
“I cannot believe you just said that about my brother!” Adilah said, looking aghast.
“What? For a guy who works all the time, he is in fantastic shape. I really don’t know where he finds the time to work out.”
“T. M. I.” Adilah responded as Cassie stuck her tongue out at her.
Adilah could not be happier for her brother now that he had someone like Cassie around him. She was good fun and she was a sweet girl. Hussain had dedicated himself to his work long ago when he should have been out having fun and that made it difficult for him to express his feelings much less contemplate a relationship.
“So, do you miss home?” Adilah asked. Since coming to live with the twins, Cassie had returned to the States only once, but she didn’t stay long and found herself longing to return. While she still worked for Hussain as his assistant, they were very much in love. So much so that he refused to allow her to live anywhere other than his home. Something that caused his sister to tease him mercilessly about but she had to admit that she loved having another woman around. Especially since it was Cassie.
“I only miss silly things, like Starbucks and Chipotle; however, I prefer it here. There is good weather, there is good food, there is you.”
“There is Hussain,” Adilah added.
“There is Hussain,” Cassie repeated and burst out laughing as Adilah laughed with her.
“Well that is good. I was really hoping that you weren’t homesick. I don’t want you to leave us.”
“I am not going anywhere.” She glanced up and saw Kalik, the Tazeems’ head of security, approaching the kitchen.
“Speaking of washboard abs, I’ll leave you and your crush alone,” Cassie said mischievously, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Crush?” Adilah asked. Her cheeks immediately flushed red when she noticed Kalik walking towards the kitchen. “What crush?”
“You know who. Don’t deny it; I’ve seen how you look at him.”
“You have?” Adilah had assumed that no one knew about her feelings for Kalik. Evidently, I’m a terrible actress, she thought as she wondered how Cassie figured it out and worried about who else knew.
“Have you ever tried doing something about it?”
“What? No, it’s not that deep.”
Adilah concentrated on icing the cupcakes as she frowned. From the look on Cassie’s face it was clear that she did not believe her.
“Given my family and my overprotective brother, it is not easy to have a relationship with anyone.” Let alone our head of security and my brother’s best friend.
“If Hussain can find love in an unlikely place, so can you,” Cassie told her as she rose from her seat when she saw Kalik walking down the hall. “Is that the time? Where is the day going,” she added as she winked at Adilah. She smiled at Kalik as he walked in. “Hey, Kalik,” she said as he gave her one of his expressionless looks.
“Hello,” he said flatly. Cassie waved to her friend and left the kitchen.
Adilah stared at him through lowered la
shes, suddenly concerned that everyone knew how she felt about him. He was dressed in his preferred uniform, as her brother called it, of a tight fitting black shirt that indeed showed off his washboard abs and matching black trousers.
His dark brown hair was cut short and worn similar to her brother’s. She suppressed a shiver as she watched him walk, wondering what it would feel like to touch him. Powerfully built, every muscle on his body appeared to be chiselled from stone as he strode into the kitchen looking serious as always. Adilah licked her lips, trying not to think of Kalik’s washboard abs.
Chapter 2
“Hi,” Adilah greeted him wondering why her voice suddenly sounded a bit higher. Whenever they were alone together, she felt nervous. Her heart thumped so hard; it was a wonder he could not hear it.
“Morning, Miss Tazeem,” Kalik answered formally. His voice was so deep and stern, it sounded to Adilah like a cross between a purr and a growl, as she stared speculatively at the frosting in her bowl.
Adilah first met Kalik more than ten years ago when he was hired by her father as part of the Tazeem family security team. He had quickly struck a rapport with her brother and within a year became his bodyguard and a trusted friend.
Despite his stoic nature and his preference to say little, she had grown close to him. He always made her feel as though what she had to say mattered and Adilah appreciated that he was there for her when she had something on her mind or she needed help. Both of which were qualities she hoped to find in a partner.
Adilah glanced at the badge on his chest, “head of security.” Those three words snapped her out of her thoughts and back to reality. Those three words were the reason why she could not follow her heart.
As a member of the Tazeem staff, it would be inappropriate for them to be in a relationship together. At the very least, he could lose his job, which she knew that he loved. Cassie works as Hussain’s personal assistant, a little voice in her head reminded her, as she tried to push it away. It would be different for her, as the sister, she was sure of it.
“Would you like to try some honey cake?” she asked him. Or perhaps try me; she wanted to say but decided it was wiser not to.
“No, thank you. It would be unprofessional,” he replied. Adilah raised an eyebrow. Of course Kalik had offered such a dry response.
“What does a honey cake have to do with work? What would one little slice do?”
“I am paid to protect the Tazeems. Not to eat cake.”
Ouch!
Adilah picked up a kitchen towel and wiped her hands. Hearing Kalik confirm his job was just a painful reminder of reality.
“Why are you always so uptight?” she asked him. “It is possible to do your job and have some fun, you know.”
“I take my job seriously,” he answered. His brown eyes and heavy brows made his gaze seem that much more intense. Because he was always so serious, Adilah could never tell what he was thinking. He would be good at poker, she thought. Adilah could never keep such a straight face. Her expressions always gave her thoughts away.
“As you should; however you should be able to indulge in something other than work once in a while,” she said to him with a smile as she blushed.
“As much as I would want to, my job doesn’t allow me to stray,” he replied gently.
“You want to?” Adilah asked him, suddenly feeling a bit frisky. A lock of hair fell from her ponytail and rested on her cheek as Kalik’s gaze appeared to fixate on it. He raised his hand as if he was going to tuck it behind her ear for her, but he restrained himself and slid his hand into his pocket. If only he had continued.
“Of course I want to, but-” Adilah saw his jaw twitch as his gaze hardened. Adilah shyly tucked her hair behind her ear. Of course I want to- the words echoed in her head. Just before she could reply, the maid walked into the kitchen holding a pile of letters.
“Good morning, Miss,” the maid said. Kalik broke off the eye contact and looked away.
“Morning,” Adilah greeted the older woman with a smile, even though she had just walked in at the wrong moment. She handed Adilah a white envelope with her name on it. Adilah ripped the envelope open and pulled out a letter addressed to her, wondering who it could be from.
As she read it, her eyes widened and her hand began to tremble, rattling the paper. She felt her heart drop as she finished reading.
Another one?
Chapter 3
Kalik allowed his gaze to wash over Adilah. From the moment he met her all those years ago, to him, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met and with each passing year, her beauty seemed to surpass the previous. Dressed in a loose fitting shirt and full skirt, she had her hair tied up messily and she wore no makeup, as usual, but then again, she didn’t need any.
He smiled as she rubbed absently at a smudge of icing on her cheek. While he would never admit it to her, he frequented her bakery when she wasn’t there and adored everything that she made. Especially her honey cake, which melted in his mouth with each delicious bite.
Those little smudges of icing on her face were taunting him. He so badly wanted to kiss them off, especially the one that was on the corner of her mouth. Her small mouth that enticed him every time he looked at her. Every time.
Kalik had to rein his emotions back in. It had taken him years to learn to keep his emotions tamped down, now was not a good time to let them out. He’d worked for her family too long and he could not afford to let his feelings get in the way, especially since he knew that he could not have her.
Experience and painful memories taught him never to mix his love life with work as it always ended in disaster. That’s why he forced himself to adhere to an unwritten code, which did not allow him to have a relationship with Adilah. He had to abide by that code, if only to keep her safe.
Suddenly Adilah let out a loud gasp and Kalik reacted quickly by snatching the note from her hand as he quickly scanned it.
Shut your business down or revisit the fields.
“What does this mean?” he demanded as he turned the paper over looking for clues as to who sent it.
When she didn’t respond, he looked up at her. She couldn’t seem to speak as she opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out. Wringing her hands to keep them from shaking, he watched as her face turned a chalky white. He desperately wanted to take her in his arms and reassure her that everything would be okay, but first she had to tell him what was wrong.
Kalik stared at her distraught figure. He did not like seeing her like this as he could see that she was fighting the urge to cry. He never wanted to see her hurt or upset. Whomever did this was going to feel his wrath.
“Adilah, speak to me,” he said softly.
Adilah slowly walked into Kalik’s arms as her small arms wrapped around his waist. She rested her head on his broad shoulder as he looked down at her. He knew that the right thing to do would be to put distance between them. He had no right to be this close to her. But she needed him! He slowly wrapped his arms around her as he realized that she smelled of honey and vanilla. To hell with the code.
Their bodies were pressed against each other and Kalik could feel her heat as she nestled against him. She fit into his arms perfectly, as if she was made for him. This was the first time he had ever embraced her as he briefly thought about kissing the icing on her face. It was so hard to be this close to her and not kiss her luscious inviting lips.
He placed one hand on the back of her neck and the other on her lower back and held her a little firmer. “I am here for you,” he said to her softly. She tightened her grip around him and he could feel her body shaking.
“I know,” she answered.
“Then talk to me, what is upsetting you like this?” He pressed his face against the side of hers. From the corner of his eye, he saw Hussain approaching the kitchen. Instantly, Kalik held Adilah’s waist and set her away from him as she looked up at him in surprise. The sudden shift had her rocking backwards as he grabbed her arms to make sure she wou
ldn’t fall.
Hussain walked into the kitchen dressed in a designer blue suit and black shoes. Oblivious to what had just happened; he looked around at the pastries on the counter, licking his lips like a child anticipating a tasty treat.
“What did you bake today, sister?” he asked as he reached for one of the cupcakes. He turned his attention to Kalik who had greeted him with a bow. “Morning,” he said to him.
“Morning, sheik, I trust that you slept well,” Kalik asked. He was pleased that Hussain had not said anything about him hugging Adilah and he wondered if he had even noticed. He knew how overprotective Hussain was when it came to his twin sister.
“I did. This tastes good,” Hussain said right before he took another bite into the cupcake. Adilah wrapped her arms around herself and nodded still too numb to speak. “Did you try one of these?” he asked Kalik.
