Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 19307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 64(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 64(@300wpm)
"Tell me what you know."
I'm tempted to lie and say I don't know anything, but since I'm just not ready to risk the consequences of doing so, I decide to start with the least interesting facts. "You're the heir to the throne, and you have three younger brothers." I mentally cross my fingers and hope those things would suffice, but...no...such...luck.
"Is that all?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Mm."
Is that a good mm or an I-need-to-run-for-my-life kind of mm?
"That's the first lie you've uttered in my presence."
"I—-"
But the sheikh cuts me off with a look. "You should be aware that I am not known to be merciful—-"
"No kidding."
There's a second of silence, and that's when I realize I've spoken my thought out loud.
Shit!
My horrified gaze swerves back to the sheikh, and it's then I see his lips slowly curving into a smirk that makes me want to slap him...and fan my face at the same time.
What the hell?
Why am I suddenly feeling like I'm running a fever or something?
"My Seven is finally showing her claws," the sheikh purrs.
I tell myself to just keep my mouth shut, but it's as if the weird heat that's burning through my body has me losing all of my marbles, and I find myself smiling politely at the sheikh...just before purring some words right back at him. "I'm. Not. Your. Seven."
"Yet."
"Ever."
A part of me expects the sheikh to have me flogged for insubordination after that, but the sheikh's golden eyes only glitter in a way that makes me feel even hotter. Maybe I need to have maintenance check the A/C in this room? It's seriously hot, dammit!
"You're exactly what I expected."
He's only known me for what? Five minutes? And he already has expectations? That I've apparently met?
"This," the sheikh says lazily, "is the part where you tell me if I'm also what you expected."
The words throw me for a loop, and I end up groping for words. "I, um..."
"Why do you hesitate?"
Because I don't actually have any expectations of him?
"Are there other things you've heard about me?"
That seems like as good an excuse as any, and I nod eagerly. "Yes, that's, um, right."
"Such as?"
In for a pound, in for a penny, I tell myself, and I blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind. "You're...er...supposedly good friends with Sheikh Altair of Ramil."
"We are."
That he bothers to confirm this is a surprise. I'm confused, but then a moment later, I'm suspicious. Is he telling me this to see if I'm going to spread rumors about him later on?
"Well, that's, um, all I've heard—-"
"I doubt it. There must be something else that you find concerning?"
The incessant line of questioning makes me feel resentful and powerless. He's already interrogating me like I'm some kind of criminal, but then...isn't that what I am?
I entered his room without permission, and the treaty between my country and his pretty much dooms my chances for due process. Even if he were to kill me right this very moment, he'll still come out a hero in the eyes of the law.
"I don't like being made to wait."
And I don't like being threatened, I wish I can yell at him, but since I'm not brave (and stupid) enough to go up against him like that, I tell myself to simply get this over with as quickly as I can. If he wants to hear more rumors about him for whatever reason, then so be it.
"I've read somewhere that you and your brothers have come here in search of a bride—-"
"I'm not in search of one," he interrupts, "since I already found mine a year ago."
Chapter Two
The words are completely unexpected, and my brain goes haywire for a second. There's something about those words that I need to process, but what exactly that is escapes me.
"Is there anything else?"
"I also heard that you're here to do business with Mr. Leventis." I say the words without thinking, but the moment I see the sheikh's gaze glint, I immediately regret it. Oh God. I'll never forgive myself if I've gotten Damen and Mairi into trouble—-
"You speak of Damen as if you are personally familiar with him." The fury in his eyes is unmistakable, and it's enough to dissuade me from saying anything but the truth.
"I'm close to his wife. That's all. I promise."
The sheikh only looks at me, and the tension in the air becomes suffocating.
"She used to be my teacher in college," I add desperately, but the sheikh continues to study me in silence, and I'm nearly overcome with this crazy urge to self-destruct. Should I just run away and leave—-
"That's a pity."
The urge to do foolish things vanish at his words, and now I'm just confused. What exactly is a pity?
"Your friendship with her may make things complicated, but that will be entirely up to you."
I can only stare at him, still unable to comprehend a single word he's said.