by Erin Snihur
What had Khalid said? Anything I wanted he would buy. If that didn’t make me a mistress, I don’t know what does, Amelia thought mournfully. Was Khalid’s brother right? Am I his whore? His royal whore.
As Bea helped her with her bags less than an hour later, Amelia gazed over the beautiful home that she’d grown to love and filled with precious memories of her and Khalid. Now, all she saw were the lies. Her fingers came up to grasp her bracelet that still remained on her wrist.
Like him, she didn’t want to be parted with it. It meant so much to her and Amelia hoped he had given it to her out of love. Whatever love a man like him could give. Shaking her mind clear, Amelia undid the clasp and set the bracelet on the front entrance table. As she did, the tears began to flow again and she looked to Bea who stood with Amelia’s bags, her face set in a determined frown.
“Let’s get you out of here,” Bea said.
What do you do when the man you love has broken your heart and betrayed your trust? You hide.
Amelia had never taken a vacation in all her years working as a teacher. So when she had called Mrs. Cranston and asked to be put on stress leave, the older woman agreed considering the condensed version of events. Amelia had no idea what she was doing. She had never not worked before.
Sleeping on Bea’s couch didn’t work. The woman, while kind and caring about what had happened, didn’t stop herself from labeling Khalid as a monster and a creep. Amelia didn’t want to think of him as a bad person. She wanted the good person instead. How Bea had managed to sneak her out of the condo building, Amelia would never know. One moment they were leaving the condo building from the back entrance and the next thing Amelia knew they were in a cab headed towards Bea’s apartment uptown.
Bea had insisted Amelia turn off her phone immediately, claiming the big guy, Haseem, would find her quickly if they didn’t turn off all cellular devices.
Finally, after hiding in Bea’s apartment for what must have been two weeks, Amelia had had enough. Turning on Bea’s laptop, Amelia searched for something, anything that would get her out of Toronto and away from Khalid’s reach. If he was a royal, then no doubt his reach was wide, but Amelia knew the system and she knew she could hide if she wanted to.
Then, a miracle appeared in the form of a job ad. A family from the rural Town of Albert, Manitoba were looking for a full-time nanny, in-home teacher and all around help to take care of their home and ten children. Amelia had never been so far from the city and no doubt Khalid would never think to follow her there.
With renewed energy, Amelia made contact with the family and sent her resume off. Hoping to hear from them soon, Amelia scanned herself in Bea’s front parlour mirror. She could do with a much needed shower and change of clothes.
When Bea arrived home in the evening, it was to a somewhat happier Amelia who sat her down and explained her plan.
Bea sputtered, seeming confused and in shock over Amelia’s plan, “Albert, Manitoba? As in a whole new province?”
Amelia nodded and turned the laptop screen for Bea to see, “The family already accepted my offer and are willing to pay for my flight out. I know it’s crazy, but--.”
Before she could finish, Bea stood up and began pacing, her words getting higher with every second, “Lia, this is beyond crazy, I mean, hun, I seriously think you’ve reached a breaking point. You can’t let him who shall not be named win. You need to go back to work at the school and move on. Adam from my work even asked about you today. You never gave him a chance.”
Amelia rolled her eyes, ignoring the twinge in her heart at the mention of Khalid. Amelia had begged Bea to never say his name and instead they referred to her cheating lover as him or he who shall not be named.
“I need a change, Bea. Going back to work will only bring back painful memories. I can’t stay on your couch forever, so I need to move. My ticket is already bought. I leave in a few days,” Amelia murmured, her resolve final as she met her friend dead in the eye. Shaking her head, Bea reluctantly agreed.
12
Over the next few days, Amelia’s friends attempted to dissuade her from rushing into something so fast, but she would not be dissuaded. She was moving out of the city, whether it was with a job or without one.
Finally, they were at the airport a few days later and all of Amelia’s things were being shipped to Albert, Manitoba. Her luggage was checked and she was patiently waiting next to the gate for her plane to be ready to board. As she sat there, Amelia smiled at a few text messages on her new phone that Bea had sent her. In the text messages were cute emojis and photos of Bea staring into the camera with her Starbucks coffee looking quite sad.
When her plane number was called, Amelia stood in line with her carry on. As she waited for the few people in her line to move along, Amelia felt that familiar feeling of being watched. It was a crowded airport, there were bound to be people around who were watching.
As she turned her head to identify the one watching her, Amelia’s eyes collided with the dull green eyes of Maarku. Khalid’s brother. The one who had threatened her and, now, he was standing a few feet away, grinning as if he had won some great challenge. With a mocking bow, Maarku sent her one last evil grin before he turned away and walked down the busy lanes that led to other gates.
A woman behind her poked her in the back and Amelia shook herself and stared behind her at the woman, “Yes?”
The woman nodded towards Amelia’s front, “You need to move ahead.”
Apologizing profusely, Amelia moved ahead and gave her ticket and passport to the waiting teller. Smiling and nodding to the flight crew as she boarded, Amelia settled in her window seat. Only then did she think about what the sight of Maarku could mean. Was he going to tell Khalid where she was? Or was he finally showing her her true place?
As a Sheik’s mistress.
Sheik Khalid Abdul Majeed of Aman knew he was dreaming. It was pure torture to be this close and to not be able to touch her. It must be a dream. He felt as though he were underwater and his every movement was slow and arduous. As he tried to reach her swaying form, she flitted out of his grasp with a laugh that sent blood to his cock in an instant.
“You can’t catch me, Khalid,” her voice echoed out as her form disappeared in front of him and, when he turned around she appeared before him, her smile was sweet and kind.
“Come here, ya amar,” Khalid ordered, but this only made her angry. Her mouth settled into a pout and her eyes were full of anger.
“How could you do this to me?” she cried and when Khalid tried to reach for her, she disappeared, her words echoing over and over again. Until he cried out in pain, the echoes of her voice dissipated and he was left with nothing but a small bracelet in the palm of his hand.
Like a video recording, Khalid watched as the images floated through his mind. The call from Haseem that Amelia was missing. Her things had been packed and she had left the bracelet. Khalid had ordered Haseem to find her and, when he did, he was road blocked by Amelia’s short friend, Bea, who ordered Haseem to leave under threat of a restraining order.
Khalid even watched the moment he returned to Toronto and was headed to Bea’s home, only to be told by Bea that Amelia had left the province, indefinitely. When she wouldn’t tell Khalid where, he’d started drinking in their condo.
Everything smelled like her. Even their bed. He couldn’t stand smelling her scent and not having her physically there to center him. It was going to drive him wild. As he woke from the dream, Khalid breathed in slightly.
Now all he smelled was the scent of his stale drink. Grimacing, Khalid sat up from the couch and stared at the many empty bottles that lay strewn about on the coffee table. Rubbing his forehead, Khalid winced when the morning light struck his hand and shined brightly into his eyes.
His ring. His wedding ring. It felt so heavy on his hand and when he stared at it hard enough, he knew he had made the wrong decision. He was the Sheik of Aman. A bustling country that had the potential to be something gre
at. How could he have let his family convince him to marry Dareen? She didn’t even like him. Let alone men in particular. Although that was her little secret, just as Amelia had been his. Shaking his head, Khalid groaned as someone knocked on the door of the condo and entered the room slowly from behind.
Haseem. The only person brave enough to disturb Khalid as he wallowed in his misery.
“What is it?” Khalid asked, his voice raspy and aching as he whispered the words.
Clearing his throat, Haseem answered, “She boarded a plane headed for Winnipeg, Manitoba, your Highness.”
Khalid’s mind was fuzzy, but even in his drunken and hungover state he knew something was wrong. “What’s in Manitoba that she’s looking for?”
“Her itinerary didn’t say, your Highness. According to our background search, she has never been to the province before,” Haseem paused before murmuring, “Shall I send someone to collect her?”
Khalid weighed his options as best he could before glancing down at his wedding ring on one hand and the rose gold bracelet in the other. He needed to approach Amelia on his own terms and without any more lies. It was the lies that had led her to leaving him in the first place. If he was going to see her again, it would be with everything laid out for her to see and judge.
Staring at the empty bottles, Khalid rose, albeit a bit shakily, “Prepare the jet. We are going back to Aman and we are going back to settle things with my wife and family once and for all.”
13
1 year later...
How had a year passed since Khalid had woken from his binge of drunkenness and set out on his plan to win Amelia back? How he had managed to divorce Dareen quietly and convince everyone in his family, except his brother, Maarku, that he loved Amelia and intended to bring her back to Aman as its new Sheikha, he still wasn’t sure. Maarku had been furious. After calling Amelia all sorts of names, Khalid had ordered Maarku to stand down or be removed from Aman, permanently. His brother had done it himself. Now he was in Asia, continuing his playboy ways.
One day, brother. You will meet a woman you would die for.
A year older and definitely a year wiser, Khalid stood in the bustling airport of the frozen province of Winnipeg. Outside, it was nighttime and the winter’s cold seemed to want to break open the glass windows that surrounded the airport. Out there in the cold and chilling night was his Amelia, hopefully warm and tucked into her bed. Clenching his fists tightly, Khalid tried to get the image of Amelia sharing her bed with another man out of his mind.
Shaking himself, Khalid knew this was not true. He had read the reports from Haseem’s surveillance team to prove it. She was living in a granny suite owned by a large family. She was there as their nanny and teacher. Khalid wondered amusedly if she would miss the children when they left for Aman. His younger brothers and sisters would no doubt amuse her. Khalid pushed away from the airport window and nodded to a few of his security detail as more joined them with the rest of their luggage.
He recalled Amelia hating the cold. No doubt she would enjoy Aman’s warm summers and winters. Staring down at his now bare left hand, Khalid was proud of the strides he had taken to end his false marriage. Dareen had been only too happy to end it as well and return to England with her partner.
Haseem approached Khalid as the last of his security detail arrived and they began to make their way through the airport to their awaiting SUV’s.
“Your accommodations have been prepared, your Highness, and Ms. Jones is on route to the town’s Winter Gala as we speak,” Haseem murmured as they settled into their SUV and Khalid straightened his tie. Palming his suit pockets, Khalid found the rose gold bracelet and small ring box.
Pulling it out of his pocket, Khalid examined the ring before closing it tightly and placing it back in his pocket. Nodding to Haseem, Khalid breathed a sigh of relief as the SUV and the three others that accompanied him on this excursion began to weave their way through the icy streets of Winnipeg. With every kilometer that ticked by, Khalid’s mind was filled with what Amelia would say the moment she would lay eyes on him.
He hoped her heart was no longer filled with hate.
14
Amelia fidgeted in the truck seat as she made sure her hair was still in place. The simple half-updo had been easy and gave what she hoped was an elegant touch on her navy gown. Wrapped around her bare shoulders was her fur wrap and on her feet were her heels. Amelia blushed as she recalled the last time she’d worn heels this high. It had been the night she had met Khalid.
After almost a year of living in Winnipeg, Amelia was at a place in her life where she could look back and think about Khalid without hatred. She only felt disappointment. If only he had told her, they could have been spared such hurt. A hand squeezing her own shook away the sad thoughts and Amelia forced a happy smile on her face as she met the cheery, pink face of Elta Carson, mother of ten and wife to her boss, Cameron Carson.
Since moving here, the Carsons had made her feel as though she were one of their own and it was thanks to Elta’s counsel that Amelia had been able to move on from Khalid. Although she’d been on a few double dates with Elta and Cameron as chaperones with a few men from the Town of Albert, none really struck her fancy as Elta would say after a date. Amelia liked the little town, but none of the men made her heart flutter or skin tingle the way Khalid had done.
“Are you okay, Lia?” Elta asked as the old truck pulled up to the town’s community hall. There were twinkling lights and beautiful wintery decorations all set up outside as people from all over Albert bustled in and out of the community hall. The festive music could be heard from inside the truck and Amelia nodded to Elta, who seemed relieved.
“Let’s go dance,” Amelia said, although she said it a bit reluctantly.
She didn’t know if she would dance tonight. She didn’t even like the feeling of another man’s arms around her, what would dancing with a man make her feel? Khalid had made her feel light as air when they danced. It wouldn’t be the same without him.
As they entered the hall, many people called out a greeting to Elta who was known as a social butterfly in the small town, whereas her silent husband Cameron mosied over to the bar and made small talk with a few of the other men.
Amelia nodded and made small talk with a few women from Elta’s church before a voice over the microphone called out for couples to pair up and hit the dance floor. Standing off to the side of the hall, Amelia watched as Elta dragged her reluctant husband onto the dance floor and attempted to get the large, uncoordinated man to dance along to the beat. Amelia had to laugh at the scene, but found it touching the way Cameron endured it for Elta. That was true love.
Sighing, Amelia realized it was her first night off in a long while. The children were all home with a babysitter and Amelia should be enjoying herself along with the rest of the people in the community, instead of standing off to the side, longing for the one man who knew how to sweep her off her feet.
As she bopped her head along with the music and took a sip of some punch, Amelia scanned the area and nearly choked at the sight of Haseem, her old body guard. The man was leaning against a wall casually watching the festivities. He had a cup of punch in his hands and was sipping at it occasionally. His eyes never met hers, though she was sure he was here for her.
No, no, no! Not again! I will never be that man’s whore!
Backing up, Amelia wobbled in her heels and felt herself falling before she could grab something to right herself. It was as she remembered. The big strong arms and spicy scent of Khalid enveloped her at the same time she lost her footing. The heat of his body cocooned her cold one like a burning furnace. Shuddering as the tingles erupted down her spine, Amelia turned in his arms and stared up into his face. His eyes were still the same shade of green and sparkled down at her. Though there were bags under his eyes from tiredness, he looked the same with his tanned skin and striking black suit.
Amelia’s mouth opened and closed as she tried to process what was rig
ht in front of her, holding her so tightly that she felt as though she might break apart once again. The dance was still in full swing and Amelia felt the noise center her as she began to squirm in his arms and pulled away on wobbly feet.
Seeing her legs were still wobbling, Khalid spoke, his voice as deep and seductive as she remembered, “Careful, ya amar. You could fall.”
Clenching her fists, Amelia saw red and a year’s worth of hidden anger erupted into one sentence, “Don’t call me that.”
Spinning on her heel, Amelia stormed through the dance floor, apologizing as she went. Amazingly, she made her way through the hall and into the woman’s bathroom without tripping. Thankful that it was empty Amelia began to pace the laminate floors. Staring at herself in the mirror, Amelia saw what Khalid saw. Her eyes were bright and wild, due to the makeup Elta had demanded she wear. Her dress sparkled with fake gems around the waist and had a low neckline with a hint of cleavage and bare arms. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, Amelia regretted not grabbing her fur cloak.
“Here,” a deep voice said from behind her and Amelia jumped in fright at the sight of Khalid in the mirror standing behind her with his suit jacket off and held out to her for her to take. “You never did like the cold.”
Staring at his hand as if it would bite her, Amelia watched as Khalid muttered a curse in frustration and stepped forward, draping the warm garment over Amelia’s shoulders. As he settled it on top of her, Khalid stared down at her, his hands on her shoulders firmly.
Whispering, Khalid pulled away, “Still beautiful as always, ya amar.”
Gritting her teeth, Amelia took a few steps back from him, her bottom hitting the porcelain sink and she hated the feeling of being trapped in a room with this man.
Practically seething, Amelia snapped, “I told you not to call me that. You lost the right when you cheated and lied to me.”
