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Hidden in the Sheikh's Harem: Christmas at the Castello(7)



He could almost hear her thoughts running wild, trying to take an  alternate route. He yanked her against him and ignored her shocked gasp  and the way his palm fit snuggly around the curve of her bottom. He had a  moment of questioning his decision, of second-guessing his plan, but he  really had no other option. And he'd let her go as soon as they got to  the horses. In the meantime, she needed to know that he wasn't about to  cop any attitude from her. 'Sound the alarm and I'll kill anyone who  stops us.'

The desert was already freezing and he could hear the rising wind  beating at the sides of the tent and making a hell of a racket. He had  no idea how far Mohamed Hajjar's camp lay from civilisation but he knew  it was going to be a long night.

Bending down, he retrieved a length of rope and coiled it around his  wrists. He knew an observant guard would notice that his ankles were no  longer bound but he was hoping the closing darkness would prevent anyone  from noticing that before they got to the horses. Of course, he'd much  prefer a high-powered vehicle to climb into, but in the three days he'd  been held hostage he hadn't once heard the sound of an engine.

Zach positioned Farah just to the side so he could observe her expression. 'Okay, my little warrior queen, let's go.'

'I'm not your anything.' She kept her face averted but he saw the  betraying tremble of her lower lip. For all her attitude, she was afraid  of him. Not something he was going to allay even though he had never  hurt a woman in his life. Of course, he'd never had cause to before now.  Women loved him and he loved them-a much more desirable arrangement  than this one.

'Move.' He positioned himself slightly in front of her but, rather than  her grabbing his hands, he grabbed hers, laying the small dagger  against her inner arm so that she knew who was in charge. 'And don't  rush it.'

When she lifted the tent flap he blew out a relieved breath that her boyfriend didn't appear to be in the vicinity.

The nearby guard was, though, and he immediately came to attention when  he saw them. He asked Farah if everything was okay and when she  hesitated Zach pressed the tip of her sharp dagger against her wrist.

'Fine,' she said through clenched teeth.

'We'll have to brush up on your acting skills but good enough for now,'  Zach whispered against her ear and got another whiff of camel. He  grimaced and wondered whether she'd been rolling around with them.

'You can't get away. There's a storm brewing.'

Zach had already clocked the incoming storm and his eyes scanned the  camp. Many of the men were still filling their stomachs around the  campfire and the remaining ones were busy securing the tents against the  rising wind. 'I know. Perfect cover.'

She stopped and he nearly ran into her. 'I won't do it,' she hissed out of the side of her mouth.

'Your father will mourn your death, no doubt.'

'You won't kill me.'

Zach crowded her from behind. 'It would be a mistake to underestimate  what I would or would not do right now. Have you forgotten who my father  was?'                       
       
           



       

'Pig.' The word was spat towards the sand.

Exactly. Zach urged her forward. 'I'm glad we understand each other. Now, walk and none of your men will die. Hopefully.'

* * *

Farah brushed at the strands of her hair that had come loose from her  struggles with the prince and which now blew uncontrollably around her  face. She was so angry with herself for being duped, she could spit. No  doubt this would reinforce for her father that women were best left to  domestic chores and had no place getting involved in the business of  men. Right now she had to agree because it was her own stupidity that  had got her into this mess. As if reading her mind, the hateful prince  leaned in close again, his warm breath stirring the loose strands of  hair at her temple. 'Don't feel bad about aiding my escape. If it had  been anyone else, I would have been forced to kill him.'

That thought gave her little comfort. She had made a mistake and didn't  know how to fix things. And she always knew how to fix things. It was  her calling card. Everyone in the village came to her when there was  trouble. And now she'd caused the trouble-or at least exacerbated it  before a solution could be found.

Focusing on the biting cold wind against her face, she willed one of  the men around her to notice that something was amiss. Other than a  cursory glance, they didn't question her. They trusted her. Trusted her,  and she was about to let them down. A well of emotion rose up in her  throat and self-pitying tears filled her eyes.

'Stop here.'

The prince's words were low and with a start Farah realised they had  already reached the horses. As if sensing her presence, her big stallion  trotted over.

'By Allah, he's a monster,' the prince murmured appreciatively.

One of the men had put him in a halter and blanket to ward off the cold  and as soon as he reached them he stretched his nose out to her, as if  seeking a treat.

'Yours?'

She knew from the tone of his voice that he was going to steal him and  she shoved at Moonbeam's muzzle to try and push him away.

At the same time a cry went up from across the camp. It was Amir  calling her name; the prince tensed. Relief flooded Farah and she pushed  harder at Moonbeam to get him to go. Typically male, he didn't listen  so she yelled at him.

More shouts rung out around them and Farah could hear the heavy sound  of feet pounding the sand as her father's men rallied. Giving up all  pretence that he was still captured, the prince shoved her through the  gate, her scream lost on the driving wind. Then suddenly hard hands  spanned her waist and her eyes snapped back to the prince's. She saw a  moment of indecision cross his face, then she was being lifted, and she  instinctively raised her leg to swing it over Moonbeam's neck before she  thought better of it.

Seconds later the prince vaulted on behind her and kicked her stallion  into action. Being herd animals, the remaining horses fretted and the  prince used this to his advantage, wheeling around behind them and  forcing them out of the gate.

Before she knew it they were in full flight and all Farah could do was  grab Moonbeam's mane as the prince reached around her for the halter and  raced them straight into the dark heart of the incoming storm.

Hours later, wet, filthy and exhausted, the prince stopped the now  plodding horse. Farah would have slipped from Moonbeam's back if the man  behind her hadn't tightened his arm around her waist, the steel-like  muscles bunching beneath her breasts as they had so often done over the  past few hours.

Some time ago, when the storm had hit hard, he had stopped and pulled  off his shirt to tie around Moonbeam's eyes and nose to shield him from  the worst of the swirling dust. He'd then cut the bottom of her tunic to  make two coverings to keep as much of the sand off their faces, as  well.

Feeling wretched, with sand coating every part of her cold, wet body,  Farah could have cried with relief when she glanced up to see a rocky  incline in front of them.

Jumping down from the stallion's back, the prince reached up and tugged  her off, unceremoniously dragging her and her horse under the shelter.  It wasn't much, just a narrow crevice really, but it was facing away  from the wind. When he released her arm, she swayed and he held her  while her legs worked to keep her upright.

Carefully she unwrapped her makeshift headdress and shook it out. She  tried to brush some of the sand from her body but she was so wet it only  made her cold fingers sting. Instead, she used the torn fabric to brush  over Moonbeam's legs to offer him some relief. She could hear the  prince shaking out fabric and presumed he had taken his shirt from  around the stallion's head. She knew his skin must be sore from where  he'd been pelted by the storm.                       
       
           



       

'Thank you,' she said stiffly.

'For what?' His deep voice sounded beside her and she jumped because  she hadn't heard him move and couldn't see a thing in the blackness.

'For protecting my horse.'

'If he had died, so would we,' he bit out.

Okay, so that cleared up any notions she'd had about him being  thoughtful. About to move as far away from him as possible she let out a  shriek when he put his hands on her shoulders and worked them down to  her waist.

Incensed at the invasion of her person, Farah slapped his hands away. 'I told you I don't have any more weapons.'

'Where's your mobile phone?'

Feeling small and helpless compared to his size and strength, she  shoved at his wide chest, thankful that it was now covered in fabric.  'Why would I have a mobile phone when our village doesn't have  coverage?'

He cursed and moved away from her. Farah let out a pent-up breath and  gave a hollow laugh, her arms coming around her body to ward off the  chill. 'Swearing won't help, and you only have yourself to blame,  because your father refused to spend money on anyone but himself.'