Shackled to the Sheikh(19)

‘Yes!’ she said, cutting into his thoughts, ‘but not the Fun Palace. That one would be different. You should open that one up to the people of Qajaran. The palace can still be a hotel, but the park should be free for all citizens who just want to visit with their families, not to stay in the rooms.’

‘And for those that do,’ he said, intrigued, ‘they would have to fight the crowds to access the rides that others get free?’

‘So give them two hours’ exclusive use in the evening or morning. I don’t know. It’s not exactly my line of expertise. I’m just offering a suggestion. And while you’d probably make money if you converted them all to boutique hotels, it would just be a shame if the Qajarese people couldn’t enjoy something that is their own heritage, especially when it’s already a fun park.’

Not her line of expertise. So why did what she said make so much sense? Even down to offering the Qajarese people an opportunity to sample the luxury and indulgences they had so unwittingly paid for.

‘How did you come to work at Flight Nanny?’ he said, wondering about this woman who looked after babies and children and who came up with solutions to problems way outside her apparent field of expertise.

‘Simple,’ she said. ‘Sally and I went through school together and then university. When she and Steve started Flight Nanny, I jumped at the opportunity to join them.’

‘They sound like good friends.’

‘The best. Sally is like my sister. When my parents died, I was devastated. She kept me going. And then, when I poured my grief into a love affair with Mr Wrong that ended spectacularly badly, she was there to pick up the pieces. I owe her my sanity.’

‘What happened,’ he asked, ‘with this Mr Wrong?’

‘It was my fault just as much. I wanted it so much to work out—I needed to love someone enough to compensate for the loss of my parents and I was too needy, too demanding. I can see that now, of course. I can see that when he tried to let me down gently, I wouldn’t let him go.’

‘So how did it end?’

She gave a wan smile. ‘Badly. He announced to the world that he was dumping me on every social media account he was signed up with, because I was “a bitch, a total cow and crap in bed”. I do believe those were his exact words. Mind you, they worked.’

‘You’re not any of those things,’ he said, ‘for the record.’

She gave a half-smile. ‘For the record, I thank you. And I’d rather you didn’t post that anywhere, if it’s all the same to you.’

It was his turn to smile. The guy was a loser—that much was clear. ‘You’re better off without him. Anyone who could say those things wasn’t worthy of being a friend, let alone a lover, especially when you were already so low.’

‘I know. Sally said the same thing.’

‘So why child care?’ he asked, changing the subject, because the thought of her with another man was suddenly unpalatable and not something he wanted to dwell on.

She shrugged. ‘I don’t know exactly. But I always loved babies and little kids—maybe because I was an only child and grew up alone. They always fascinated me. When I found out I could make a living working with them, it seemed a no-brainer.’

He nodded, although he wasn’t sure he entirely understood. He’d grown up alone and he’d mostly kept to himself. If he hadn’t happened upon his three desert brothers, he’d probably still be wandering the world alone.

‘Have dinner with me,’ he said on a whim, because he realised they were nearing the Old Palace and soon she would excuse herself and take herself off to her apartments and the care of Atiyah and he was suddenly sick of being alone.

She looked flustered, her lips parting and closing as if searching for and not finding any words.

‘Just dinner.’

‘Um... I have to check on Yousra and Atiyah. We’ve been gone a long time.’

‘So check.’

‘And if Yousra has had enough or is tired?’

‘Bring Atiyah to dinner with you,’ he said, surprising himself that he meant it. ‘Bring her anyway,’ he added, if that helped. Anything to postpone the time she would close herself off from him again.

She blinked. ‘Why are you suddenly being so reasonable?’

He turned to her, careful not to reach out a hand and touch her, as he’d been wanting to all day, to touch the molten sunset of her robe, to feel her heat. In the end, he reached out a hand and wrapped it around hers. No pressure, just a hand hold, warm and true. ‘Because I’ve just had the best day I’ve had in a long time. And I don’t want it to end.’

God, he meant it. Tora’s skin bloomed all over. From just the touch of his hand. No, from the import of his words and the dark intent of his eyes. He actually meant it.

And it had been a good day. She’d had a personal tour of six amazing palaces and been both dazzled by their brilliance and appalled at their waste, in the company of a man who knew how to push her buttons, be they physical or emotional, and who now was testing out a new one, one that simply said like.

She was intensely aware they’d just entered the palace gates. Aware they’d soon have doors opened and the outside world would intrude and the moment would be gone—as maybe Rashid himself would be, whisked away to put to rights whatever problem besetting the country next needed addressing.

She didn’t want the world to intrude. Not just yet.

There would be time enough for the world later.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I will have dinner with you.’

‘Good,’ he said, drawing her hand to his mouth and pressing his lips to the back of it, while his eyes smiled and warmed her in a place she hadn’t expected his eyes to warm. Because it wasn’t just sex she saw there, she was sure. There was more.

And she welcomed finding more.

The car slowed, even as her heart raced. Dinner with Rashid. Could they really be friends? After today, she wanted to believe it possible.

He was still holding her hand when the car pulled up to the steps. She liked the feel of her hand in his. She liked the way it made her feel, liked that today their hitherto stumbling relationship had advanced to another level, one that involved both trust and respect.

There was someone there waiting for them, standing on the steps in addition to the guard of honour that seemed to grace their every entry and exit. Someone tall and broad-shouldered with deep black hair and he was looking at their car and smiling.

‘Who is that man?’ she said, and Rashid looked to where she was indicating.

‘Zoltan!’ he said, with a wide smile. A man Rashid was clearly beyond excited to see from the way he didn’t notice when she slipped her hand from his, and Tora figured the dinner invitation was off.



‘Zoltan!’ Rashid called as he jumped from the car. ‘You’re early.’

Rashid ran up the steps and pulled his friend into a hug. ‘I was told you were arriving tomorrow.’

Zoltan laughed. ‘I thought I’d surprise you.’

 ‘It is a good surprise. Thank you for coming. You don’t know what this means to me.’

‘To me, too. Whoever thought a humble orphan child turned petroleum and gas billionaire would ever finally make good?’ he joked before turning serious. ‘You have had a rough ride of it lately, I understand.’

Rashid shook his head. ‘I am glad you could come. There is so much to tell you.’

‘Tell me over dinner.’

And Rashid suddenly remembered and looked around, to where the cars of the convoy were spilling their contents, but with Tora nowhere to be seen.

‘Tora,’ he said. He’d asked her to have dinner with him and now she was gone and he felt her absence like a sudden hole in a perfect day.

‘What did you say?’ Zoltan asked, and Rashid once again felt the jolt of pleasure that his brother was here. It was probably for the best that she’d gone, he thought, given the circumstances. At least it saved an awkward introduction. With any luck, Zoltan wouldn’t have heard he was married. He’d save that gem for later. There were more important matters to discuss right now.

‘So tell me,’ he said, turning his back on the hollow feeling in his gut as he led Zoltan into the palace. ‘How are Aisha and the family?’



It was for the best, Tora told herself as she made her way back to her suite. He was so excited to see his friend, he would have regretted asking her to have dinner with him the instant he saw him. Besides, dinner would have been pointless. It was all so pointless. She would be going home soon and leaving this world behind. Why establish links that would have to be broken?

Because when it all came down to it, this wasn’t about her. This was about ensuring a bond between Rashid and Atiyah, and the signs were heartening.

It was enough.

Yousra was waiting for her in her apartments, singing to Atiyah as she rocked the baby’s cradle. She looked so relieved when she saw Tora coming, Tora thought the girl was going to burst into tears.

‘How was she?’ Tora whispered with a frown, peeking over into the cot expecting to find a sleeping child, only to find two dark eyes that immediately locked onto hers and widened before her face crumpled and she started wailing before Tora could duck out of the way.