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

by Leslie North

  “Why did he have to react like that?” Cassie asked her.

  “He was very worried and frightened that something might have happened to you,” Adilah answered.

  “Well, he certainly did not act as if he cared.”

  “My brother is not very good at expressing emotions.”

  “It was really scary you know.” Cassie looked up. “It was not like what they write in the books. It’s not a sexy fantasy to be kidnapped by a sheik.”

  Adilah smiled. “Because you already have your own sheik,” she said to her as Cassie shook her head.

  “Do I?” she asked.

  “You do.”

  “Sometimes I just want to punch him!” Cassie growled as Adilah laughed.

  “You should one day,” Adilah encouraged her. “Maybe it would wake him up and make him realize how much he loves you.” The two women laughed together.

  “I really will,” Cassie giggled. Adilah rose to her feet and went to the bathroom. She drew a bath and poured some scented bath oils in the water before returning to Cassie.

  “Go soak in the tub, it will make you feel better,” she said to her. “I have to check in downstairs to see how everything is going.”

  Cassie nodded before rising to walk into the bathroom. There was a small security detail outside the room, so Adilah felt okay leaving Cassie alone.

  As she headed towards the convention area, she looked around for Kalik. She had only seen him briefly, when he returned with Cassie and he did not say much. She wondered what he was thinking. Was he yearning for her as much she was for him?

  Adilah headed back into the conference room with all the other guests and sponsors. She hoped that no one had noticed her disappearance.

  As she walked around, she was approached by a journalist who asked to interview her. Adilah smiled and answered all her questions. She hoped that she appeared calm and normal on the outside; because on the inside, she was thinking about Kalik. She was nervous about seeing him, but she really wanted to know that he was okay.

  She finished the interview and turned on her heel to leave when she spotted Kalik standing amongst the crowd. She whipped her head in his direction. Without wasting any time, she walked over to him.

  “Hi,” she said, attempting to sound casual but failing dismally. Kalik stood there stiffly with his hands at his side.

  “Miss Adilah,” he said formally. Adilah’s heart dropped into her stomach. She had hoped for a friendlier tone, instead he was back to his typical robotic self.

  “Thank you for bringing back Cassie safely.” And for coming back safely- as much as she wanted to say those words to him, they did not leave her mouth.

  “It is my job.” He spoke without even looking at her. Adilah could not understand how to break down this barrier that he had put back up. How could she get him to admit that he loved her too?

  Suddenly, his men surrounded her. Adilah frowned and looked around in confusion. She saw Sheik Sharqi and his son Taleb standing there. Kalik’s face had grown dark as he quickly grabbed her and put her behind him.

  “We come in peace,” Taleb said, holding his hands out.

  “You dare to come here?” Kalik demanded. Adilah wanted to punch Sharqi. He had the nerve to show up here, in front of everyone.

  “You bastard!” she shouted.

  “My father has come to apologize, haven’t you father,” Taleb stated calmly. He was Sharqi’s middle son and very much resembled his father physically. “We would like very much to avoid jail time.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “My father is still very much stuck in the old ways and he was furious that you, a member of the royal family, and a woman, opened a business. He thought that if he could frighten you, you would close down and return to your place…in the home,” Taleb said with distaste. “When you refused, he allowed things to escalate out of control when he grabbed Miss Milton. He now knows that his behaviour was inappropriate and dangerous and for that, he is very sorry,” Taleb stated as he looked at his father who still refused to speak.

  Sharqi stood there stiffly making it obvious that he did not want to be there. “Taleb,” he began, but his son cut him off.

  “Father! What you have done has affected the entire family. Your behaviour is inexcusable and you will make this right,” Taleb barked. He looked at Adilah, “I am sorry for the trouble he has caused. If you will excuse us, we must speak with Hussain. I believe that there’s a proposal awaiting his signature and we would like to see that completed now.”

  Taleb bowed to Adilah before they left. She was relieved that all this was over, but she could not understand what business it was of his that she chose to own her own bakery. Could he really be that stuck in the old ways that he would threaten a woman? How many other women has he threatened, she wondered.

  Adilah suddenly had a light bulb moment. She had an idea of how she was going to get Kalik to admit how he felt about her. This was going to be a risky thing for her to do but she needed to know that she tried everything.

  She searched the room for her father and found him eating a piece of red velvet cake. Like Adilah, he too had a sweet tooth.

  “Father, I need to ask you for a favour,” she said to him.

  “Speak, daughter.”

  “Can I borrow your head of security?”

  A smile appeared on the sheik’s face. He put the slice of cake on the paper plate and set it on the table. “Of course you can,” he replied. Adilah raised her eyebrows.

  “Why are you smiling?” she asked him.

  “It is about time that you give me grandchildren. We need little Adilahs running around.”

  Adilah raised her eyebrows. What had they put in that cake? “What are you talking about?” she asked him. He had never mentioned grandchildren in her presence.

  “I thought I had smart children.”

  “You do.”

  “I do not think so. I have been waiting for you and Kalik to settle down, but you have taken too long to realize that he loves you.”

  Adilah’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak but her tongue betrayed her. She closed her mouth and opened it again but no words left her mouth. What was her father saying? Where had he heard all of this? All this time, she had held back from being with Kalik partially because she feared how her father would react. Now, he was telling her that he had been waiting for them to settle down? It made no sense.

  “Oh, you thought that I did not know,” he said.

  “I thought no one knew,” she whispered as her face turned bright red.

  “Foolish children. You all waste your time, when you could be with the one that you love.”

  “I am not the one at fault here; Kalik is the one who has put a barrier between us. He refuses to admit how he feels about me,” Adilah pouted.

  “He might be intimidated by the fact that you are my daughter. It is not easy for any man. I am Sheik Rafe Tazeem, brother to the king.” He spoke his name with so much pride. That was where Hussain got it from.

  “Well, I have a plan,” she said, ignoring his conceited comment. He smiled at her indulgently.

  “Of course you do. That’s my girl.”

  Adilah smiled and kissed her father on both cheeks. Her father had surprised her. She hadn’t a clue as to how he knew but she was glad that he approved. It made it easier for her to go after Kalik. Her father was her rock. She had grown up without her mum, so her father was her everything and while he indulged her every whim, she also never wanted to disappoint him.

  Adilah headed upstairs to find Taleb. Since his father had made her life miserable through his threats, she figured that the least he could do was help her out with her plan. He owed her family one more favour.

  Chapter 17

  The exposition was winding down and Kalik was relieved that it was finally over. While Adilah had done a fantastic job putting everything together, had raised a lot of money for charity and received very positive publicity, he was ready to return home.<
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  As he walked around, he realized just how tired he was and how much he was looking forward to getting some rest. It was difficult enough keeping an eye on Adilah with all the people, but add in the death threats and kidnapping, he could think of nothing better than sleeping for the next forty-eight hours straight. Not that he would. His phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket.

  It was Adilah.

  “I think someone is after me again!” Adilah said hysterically before Kalik could even say hello.

  “Where are you?” Kalik immediately went into panic mode. Not again. After sorting things out with Sharqi, he thought that she was now safe.

  “I am outside, by the north exit. Hurry!” she cried out.

  “I am on my way.” Kalik rushed towards the north exit and found her standing against the wall, looking frightened.

  “Kalik!” she shouted when she saw him. He approached her quickly.

  “Are you alright?” he asked her.

  “Someone just tried to run me over with a scooter,” she spoke frantically. “He’s the one - His family took Cassie and now they’re after me!” She pointed into the distance. Kalik turned around to see who she was pointing at and saw Taleb standing there.

  Kalik could not believe it. After all that, they dared to come after Adilah. They really had a death wish. It was even more infuriating that the men that were meant to be protecting Adilah were nowhere to be found. After he had dealt with Taleb, some heads were going to roll.

  Instinctively, Kalik started towards him. Sharqi’s son looked intimated by him, which was not surprising. Adilah quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

  “You have to get me to safety!” she said to him. He made the mistake of looking at her as she stared at him with her big brown eyes. He had never been able to resist those dark imploring eyes, and sadly he was not able to resist them now.

  He wanted to hurt Taleb but one look into Adilah’s eyes had him forgetting Taleb. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he walked her over to the hotel entrance where he had a car on standby. Kalik helped Adilah in before he got in himself and told the driver where to take them. There was a safe house not too far from the hotel.

  They arrived in a matter of minutes and Adilah remained outside while Kalik checked to make sure that no one had been in the ancient stone house. Looking at Adilah, he was confused because she seemed so calm. She was not panicking the way she normally would.

  The safe house was small and cosy. The exterior was made from local stone and shaped into rough blocks to help protect from the desert’s punishing heat. The interior was completely modern with marble tiled floors, upholstered furniture, and air conditioning.

  “We are safe,” he said to her as they walked inside. She nodded as she looked around with interest.

  “This isn’t quite my fantasy of being swept away by you but it’s close,” she said as Kalik frowned. Turning to look at him, “In my dreams, you are not wearing so many clothes.”

  He could not believe her cheek. Was all this a set up? No wonder she had seemed so calm for a person trying to escape. “You mean to say that no one is trying to hurt you?” he demanded.

  “No,” she admitted as Kalik stared at her.

  “This is crazy. Why would you do something so immature knowing how worried I would be?” Kalik could not understand what she had hoped to gain. It was not funny to him. He started walking towards the door.

  “Kidnapping you was the only thing I could think of to get your attention,” Adilah stated calmly. “If you’re not telling me how you feel about me is because of my father, then do not worry about him. He has already given us his blessing,” she said to him. He stopped walking and whipped his head in her direction.

  “What?” he asked her. What was she on about this time?

  “My father told me that he is ready to have you as a son-in-law.”

  “Why would the sheik say that?”

  “Is why what matters right now?”

  “Yes, it does not seem like him.” Kalik was not so sure about him anymore. Earlier he had been saying all these peculiar things.

  “Well he said it, and I agree with him.”

  Kalik stood there staring at her in confusion. The longer he stared at her, the more he realized that Adilah was quite nervous. He had learned to read her over the past few years. He started walking back towards her.

  “You agree with him?” he asked her.

  “Yes,” she replied as she tilted her head up in challenge.

  Marriage then? he thought to himself.

  “Why are you like this? Why do you insist on keeping us apart?”

  She laced her hands together to conceal her nervousness from him but he had already noticed. He took her hands in his and kissed them. It was damn well impossible to resist her.

  This time, Kalik decided to follow his heart. He scooped her up into his arms and walked down the hallway and into the bedroom kicking the door shut behind them. It was not very large but it was enough for the two of them. In the centre of the room was a double bed covered with a white duvet and silk sheets. He placed her on the bed before joining her.

  He stared at her and took in her beauty. “Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked as her cheeks flamed red.

  “Because you are so beautiful,” he replied. He was surprised to see her suddenly shy and nervous. In that moment, he realized that it was not only her body that he needed to protect, her heart was the most vulnerable.

  He leaned down and tenderly kissed her lips and was surprised at the ferocity of her response as she welcomed him with so much hunger and passion. Groaning, he gathered her up in his arms and held her to him as they kissed, his tongue dancing with hers as they twisted and turned. He groaned when she nipped at his lower lip before sucking on it.

  Sliding his hand down her body, he found the hem of her dress and slowly pulled it up. He marvelled at how soft her skin was as he caressed her stomach.

  Bringing her leg up, Adilah draped it across his hip as she arched back, the sensations he was creating was turning her inside out as she wanted to scream at him to take her.

  Breaking the kiss, they both panted as they drew in deep breaths. Smiling down at her, he traced his finger down the bridge of her nose, stopping to rub his thumb across her lips. Kalik’s eyes darkened when she nipped at his finger before drawing it into her mouth to suck on it.

  Adilah was as passionate as she was beautiful and he still couldn’t believe that she was lying beneath him. Pulling her into a sitting position, he pulled her dress over her head and tossed it on a chair. Before she could lie back down, he reached for the pins in her hair, pulling them free and watching as her hair tumbled down around her. Lying back, her hair splayed out like the rays of the sun as she looked up at him.

  Groaning, he kissed her with all the passion he was feeling making her squirm beneath him in anticipation of what was to come. His hands roamed freely over her body as he felt a sense of possessiveness for her.

  Moaning, Adilah caressed his chest and arms, enjoying the feel of his muscles as they rippled beneath her touch. She loved how even the slightest touch could create an immediate response as she felt him suck in his breath when she rubbed his rock hard abs.

  Kalik was determined to take it slow with her, but her touch had ignited a fire in him and he was having difficulty keeping the flames under control.

  Reaching for the clasp on her bra, he couldn’t resist kissing her rosy mounds before blowing on her nipples as they puckered in response. Cupping the side of her breast, he rubbed her nipple with his thumb causing her to moan in response. Arching her back up, she pushed against his hand wanting to feel his touch against her now fevered skin.

  This all felt so wonderful and so right and she didn’t want it to end as she encouraged him to keep going. Not to stop. Not to ever stop.

  Kalik continued to lavish attention on her breasts as Adilah squirmed. Placing one hand on her hip, he held her still as he kissed her breasts and su
cked lightly on her nipples. Kissing his way down her body, he nibbled on her stomach as she squealed in surprise. Chuckling, he continued to work his way down her body as she began to pant in response.

  As he reached her mound, he smiled, as he smelled her arousal. Kissing along her pubic bone, he worked his way around before placing a kiss on her hood. Using his thumb, he rubbed up and down her slit, his thumb already drenched in her eagerness as she pushed against his hand, wanting him inside her.

  Not one ever to deny her, his finger easily slipped inside as her vaginal muscles clenched tightly around it. Plunging his finger slowly in and out, one finger became two as he twisted his hand, curling his fingers to rub against her more sensitive spots.