The Sheikha's Forbidden Lover (The Tazeem Twins Series Book 5)

by Leslie North

  Suddenly Hussain’s phone rang. He slid his hand into his pocket and fished it out before looking at the screen and cursing under his breath. “These Sharqis are nothing but trouble,” he said.

  “You will have to deal with them one way or the other.”

  “Tell me about it. I have to go sort this out. When you get to the hotel, do not take your eyes off her. Even at night.” Hussain said before he exited the bakery.

  Even at night; the words echoed in Kalik’s head. This meant that he was to be in the same room with her. A wave of desire washed over him. The thought of sharing a room with her was too tempting.

  Kalik shook the crazy thoughts away. He was going to the hotel with her as her body guard and nothing more. It was all about protecting her and he would not allow his growing feelings for her to get in the way.

  If he for one second lost focus that could mean her life and that was too big of a price to pay. The last time his emotions had gotten the best of him, someone died. He would not let history repeat itself.

  Chapter 6

  The following day, Adilah and Kalik arrived at the St Garland Regis Hotel in Al-Hammad, where the weekend event was to be held. Despite their best efforts, neither Kalik nor Hussain could talk her into having someone else take her place.

  Over the past week, Kalik’s security team had mapped out the hotel to determine points of entry, camera locations and best positioning of guards. As they walked inside, Kalik looked around to make sure that nothing was amiss since yesterday.

  Walking into the big empty conference room, Adilah was surprised to see that they had not started setting up. Given the number of planned exhibitors and attendees, she worried whether everything would be completed in time to her specifications.

  Resting her hands on her hips, she surveyed the space. “It is a nice venue,” she commented to Kalik.

  “It is.” He nodded as he scanned the room. Adilah turned to look to him. She could see that he was in serious mode again. She knew that he was worried about her but she needed him to relax a little bit.

  “Will all your men have walkie-talkies?”

  “Yes,” he answered as his eyes surveyed the venue.

  “I think they’re so fun. I remember as children, Hussain and I used to steal them from security, so that we could play with them.” Adilah was looking up at Kalik smiling as she remembered the memory. Kalik barely smiled as he briefly looked at her.

  “Who did the stealing?” he asked. Adilah laughed and buried her face in her palms.

  “Me.”

  “Somehow that does not surprise me.”

  “It was a long time ago,” Adilah giggled. “What about those ear pieces? Will you guys wear them?”

  “Possibly,” he replied.

  “What about bullet proof vests? I won’t have to wear one will I?”

  Kalik gave her his full attention, “No bullet proof vests,” he said to her.

  “Okay, that is good. It would not look good with the dress I plan to wear,” she said with relief. Her hand brushed his rock hard bicep as she fought the urge to squeeze it but she had to restrain herself. She knew that it would not be appropriate. She felt Kalik tense up at her touch and smiled, pleased that he appeared to be as affected as she was.

  “You will stay by my side tomorrow?” she asked him.

  “I will make sure you are protected at all times,” he replied. That was not what she wanted to hear. She wanted to know that he was going to be with her at all times. She liked having him around even if it was only in a professional capacity.

  “What about binoculars? Will you guys have those?”

  “You watch too many action movies.”

  Adilah laughed, “I am curious as to what kind of measures you guys take to provide a safe environment,” she said with a mischievous grin.

  “Many.”

  Him and his curt answers, Adilah thought to herself as she moved closer to him. “So what happens now?” She tilted her head to the side.

  “I need to recheck if all the cameras are working, and if there are any blind spots.” His head was constantly moving and he was barely making eye contact with her. Adilah felt like grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. Why did he have to be so stiff? Was it so hard to flirt back or better yet admit that he liked her?

  Chapter 7

  Adilah heard voices and turned in the direction they were coming from. She found her brother walking in with her father and Sheik Sharqi. She was not surprised that Hussain and her father had dropped by. The two of them never stopped worrying about her.

  Her father and Sheik Sharqi were both dressed in traditional djellabas and her brother was wearing a grey suit. The three men approached them. “Father,” Adilah said with a smile. He welcomed her into his arms and kissed her on both cheeks.

  Kalik greeted all three men with bows as the Tazeem men greeted him. Sharqi ignored them as he stared around the room. “So this is the event venue,” he said coldly.

  “Yes,” Hussain answered before describing the event. There would be exhibitors representing every continent showcasing their multi-million dollar brands and ingredients for pastries and cakes. In addition, several renowned pastry chefs would be providing demonstrations using sponsored products and there would be a large selection of delicacies for sale.

  “Since this is a charity event, we hope to raise a considerable amount of money during the event,” Adilah added. Sharqi ignored her comment as he continued to direct his questions to Hussain as he asked about security measures. Given the current climate and recent acts of terrorism, Sharqi indicated his concern over the security team’s ability to keep everyone safe.

  Adilah crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows wondering if he had intentionally ignored her. The older man stood proud in his djellaba as he continued to ask questions.

  “Our head of security, Kalik, has had his team here for a week preparing for the weekend’s events,” Hussain stated. Adilah noticed that both her brother and father looked uncomfortable at the way Sharqi was behaving.

  “Yes, we will have plenty of security around during the event,” Kalik said. Before he had the opportunity to continue explaining anything else, Sharqi cut him off.

  “I would prefer to hear the answer from Hussain,” he stated flatly making Adilah frown. Why was he being so rude? Her father interjected into the conversation and started explaining how the charity event was very good for the country’s image.

  “I think this event will shed some positive light on the city’s image,” Adilah stated, but again, it fell on deaf ears.

  “You make a good point, Sheik Tazeem,” he said to her father. Now Adilah was certain that this man was intentionally ignoring her and she was growing increasingly angry.

  Sharqi carried on speaking with Hussain and her father and completely ignored both Adilah and Kalik. It was clear that he did not want to speak with them. Adilah could tell that he was not only traditional but he was an arrogant and mannerless pig. She was the one organising this event, and therefore he should have been speaking to her about it.

  “I can probably tell you more about this event than these two,” Adilah said to Sharqi as he dismissed her with his hand.

  Adilah was about to say something but she caught Hussain’s gaze. It was as if he was telling her to let it go. She clasped her hands together and bit her tongue. This arrogant man was in the midst of business negotiations with her family. She could not afford to say something that would disrupt that deal.

  Coincidentally, he mentioned something about it. “I am concerned about negotiating with men who cannot control their family members,” he stated.

  Unable to keep silent any longer, Adilah interrupted. “Control their family members? By that, I presume that you mean women?” She resisted the urge to poke him in the chest as she spoke, “Yes, perhaps a nice cage or a locked room would be more appropriate because women are good for nothing more than raising sons.” She could feel her face grow hot as a flash of rage washed over her.
Just who the hell did he think he was? She opened her mouth to say more, but Kalik took her arm.

  “It is almost time for you to meet your friends for lunch,” he said to her. Adilah clenched her fist. She had so much more to say to him. Turning to her father and brother, she smiled sweetly, completely ignoring Sharqi, as she wished them a good morning before turning on her heel and storming out of the room. Kalik followed her out.

  “Adilah.” Kalik called out and grabbed her arm, when they were out of the room and in the hotel lobby.

  “That man is so rude! He makes my blood boil,” she growled.

  “Try to calm down,” he said to her softly. “Now is not the time to be reckless.”

  “What would you know about reckless? You never even have fun! Life must be lived and not spent under the oppressive thumb of some backwards Neanderthal. You should not have stopped me! Oh! That man is infuriating!”

  “Better me than your father or brother. Do you want to play into his hands?

  “What difference does it make? It is not as if he was listening to a word I said.”

  “Oh, I can assure you that he was. Battles with men like him are not won in arguments, but through actions. Your bakery business is the biggest insult you could ever throw at him. Your name and your bakery are all over this event. Do not stoop to his level, but show him with your achievements that you are better than he is.”

  He was right and she knew it; however, it was not easy. The man was openly disrespectful. Kalik held Adilah by her shoulders. His presence was enough to calm her as she sighed and nodded. “Okay,” she said quietly.

  For a moment, they stood there looking at each other. Adilah so badly wanted to wrap her arms around him. Instead she placed her hand on his chest. “I don’t know what I would do without you,” she said to him as she stared up into his eyes.

  Chapter 8

  Adilah got out of the car and rushed over to her friends. She was so glad to see them.

  “Hi!” Adilah called out as she approached them in front of the souk. Kalik and a small security detail lurked at a distance.

  “Hello, pretty lady,” Cassie said to her as they kissed each other on both cheeks.

  Holding out her hands, she pulled Rene and Tanya into a group hug. “It has been too long since we have been together,” she told them, as she bent down and kissed Rene’s very rounded belly. “Hey, little one.”

  “I know, I missed you, too,” Rene said. She rubbed Adilah’s hands as they smiled at each other.

  Looking around, Adilah asked, “Where is your security detail?”

  Grinning, “We thought that we would give them some time off what with the increased security around you,” Rene replied. “They’ll be back when we’re ready to go.”

  “Besides, they seemed to need a break,” Tanya added with a cheeky grin.

  “Oh, why is that?”

  “We spent all morning baby shopping. I think by the fifth store, they were ready to quit,” Tanya answered with a laugh. “So what’s been happening? Is everything ready to go for the weekend?”

  The three women could not be more different than Adilah. All originally from the United States, each one had arrived in the Middle East under different circumstances and had fallen in love with one of the Tazeem men.

  Rene was engaged to one of the twin princes and counting the days until their baby would be born while Tanya continued to put off the other twin. Despite their differences, the women became fast friends.

  “I’m just coming from the venue now,” Adilah said with a frown.

  “What’s wrong?” Cassie asked her.

  “Nothing. Let’s go shopping before we eat, I’m suddenly not that hungry.” She did not want to talk about Sharqi.

  The ladies walked into a souk and stopped at a stall with hundreds of different spices laid out in a rainbow of colours.

  “Souks fascinate me,” Tanya said, as she sniffed at the cinnamon sticks hanging on the wall.

  “Only because James took her to her first one,” Rene said, rolling her eyes. Tanya laughed.

  “Did he?” Adilah asked her.

  “He may have done so but I really do like souks. We don’t have them in the States.”

  “And how are you and James?” Adilah still remembered when she first met Tanya. She was visiting Rene at the palace and doing her best to pretend that she was indifferent to James.

  “He is always visiting me when I am at work. He did not want me to work at first and said that he will provide everything I need but working means so much more than earning money for me.”

  “I do not have a choice.” Rene looked down at her belly.

  “Have you found out the sex yet?” Cassie asked her.

  “No, we are going to find out at birth.” Rene grinned as they smiled at her.

  “That is beautiful.” Cassie said to her. “Hussain has never taken me to a souk,” she added, changing the subject.

  “Really?”

  “That does not surprise me as he can be a bit of a snob,” Adilah replied. “He argues that his spice company has everything that I could possibly need, but I like it here. Their spices are richer in flavour. Also, they have really nice edibles in this souk.”

  The four of them looked at the spices and baking aids in the stall as Rene tasted everything. Tanya started laughing at her.

  “It’s bad enough that Rene eats a lot but now that she’s pregnant, it’s worse,” Tanya teased. Rene pouted at her as the others laughed.

  “I am not that bad,” Rene defended herself.

  “Are you kidding me right now? You have practically tasted everything here. Do you see anyone else tasting spices? That is just weird.”

  “I did not taste everything.” Rene put down the chocolate chips she had been holding as Adilah laughed and rubbed her arm.

  “It’s okay, dear. Feed your cravings until your heart’s desire.”

  Adilah picked out the things she needed and paid for them, including what Rene had tasted before they moved on to another stall.

  “This is crazy, Adilah. You have all these security guards following you everywhere,” Cassie pointed out.

  “I am used to it,” Adilah replied.

  “I do not know how you put up with it.”

  Tanya and Rene turned around to look at the men dressed in black, following them but keeping a distance. They had both grown used to having men shadow them wherever they went.

  “Well I wouldn’t mind if he followed me all day,” Tanya said nodding to Kalik. Rene and Cassie started laughing.

  “I know, right?” Rene agreed. Both she and Tanya looked at him once more as they admired his fit body. “How is it that all these men look as though they were chiselled from stone? I just want to reach out and touch them.”

  “Rene!” Tanya warned.

  “What? Hormones,” she told them as everyone laughed.

  Adilah shook her head. Kalik was definitely handsome, and she did not mind him following her around all day, she only wished that they could be closer instead of always keeping her at arm’s length. She rubbed her arms as she thought about the tingles he created when he touched her.

  Cassie snaked her arm around Adilah’s arm snapping her out of her thoughts “How is it having him with you at all times?” she asked her when there was some distance between them and Rene and Tanya.

  “What do you mean?” Adilah asked her.

  “Given the fact that you like him, is it difficult having him around all day?”

  “Who says that I like him?”

  “Adilah, it’s written all over your face. Admit it, you want to kiss him but then you stop yourself.” Adilah chuckled. She had to admit to herself that there were many occasions when she wanted to kiss him but did not.

  “That does not happen,” she answered. Cassie raised one eyebrow as she looked at her, “Much.”

  Cassie burst out laughing. “Adi, just tell him how you feel.”

  “Being from a traditional Arabic family is difficult. I am a
lready lucky that my marriage is not going to be arranged. Being with Kalik would be… problematic.”

  “Why?”

  “Because of Hussain and my father. They are so traditional, and they trust Kalik so much.”

  Cassie took Adilah’s hands into hers. “I know darling but there is something between you two. Something very strong and worth exploring; I don’t think it’s just an ordinary connection.”

  “I do not think that they would allow it.”

  “You will never know until you try.”