“You’re the sheikh?” Her voice was a bleak monotone. “And you let me think you were just another researcher.”
He couldn’t let her win this argument. If he allowed his guilt to show, she would have the upper hand. It wasn’t how he intended to begin a marriage. “Bezakistan is my country. I didn’t lie to you, Piper. I work very hard for my country. This project means the world to me.”
“Of course. I’d like to go to my apartment, please. When would you like my presentation? I need a few hours to settle in and get everything in order.” She was cool and competent, that flustery feminine energy from before fleeing, leaving a somber woman in its place.
“Don’t worry about that right now,” Kade said. “You need to rest, habibti.”
“I will show you to your rooms. Don’t be angry with us. Let us explain about security measures. Talib cannot simply tell everyone who he is. And he really does the work he said he does. He has a master’s degree in economics.” Rafe’s hand tangled in hers.
Her eyes went up, taking in the grandeur of the palace. “This is where I’m staying? Well, naturally.” Sarcasm dripped, and she looked furious. Closed. “I’d like to rest now. I want to get my presentation ready. And what we discussed on the plane? It won’t work. I’m not that girl. So you all need to rethink this because if I’m here for any reason other than the job, then I should just buy a plane ticket now and head home as soon as my presentation is over.”
Oh, she was here for a job. She was here for the most important job he could think of. She was here to be their wife, to save his throne. It didn’t matter how much she moved his cock. He had a crown to think of. She was going to be theirs. Her beauty and innate sensuality that tempted him so were problems he would deal with later.
He caught sight of Khalil, stalking behind the palace walls, his stare taking in Piper.
This was precisely why he hadn’t wanted a woman who would move him. The idea of Khalil even looking at her as a potential way to get under his skin had his blood pressure rising. It would be hard enough to protect her with a cool head, but if his emotions came into play? He had to shield her from being a target for rebels and neighboring radicals. Everything rested on her soft shoulders.
He needed her wedded and bedded and pregnant as quickly as possible. He had no intention of hurting her, but he had no intention of letting her go.
“Please, allow me to show you to your rooms.” It was time, perhaps, to play on everything he knew about her. “I apologize for the subterfuge. I wanted a thought partner in this process. Can you honestly tell me you would have spoken as openly as you did with me had you known who I am?”
Her eyes flared a little and then slid away from his. “Probably not. I think I called you an idiot on a couple of occasions.”
He brought his fingers to her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “My math was faulty, and yours was correct. And you called me an ape with my head up my backside because I was being stubborn when you knew you were right.” He sighed a little, letting his face fall, noting all the while that she utterly softened with every layer of guilt he heaped on her. “I loved our talks, Piper. Ask anyone in the palace. I set aside that time to work with you, and it was sacred. I walked out on a conference with the British Prime Minister because I had a call scheduled with you.”
Yes, she was flustered again and that was right where he wanted her. And Rafe was a bastard because there was no doubt he’d dressed her for this occasion. The brilliantly colored sundress was lovely and modest, but he couldn’t miss the swells of her breasts and the way her skin caught the sunlight. Rafe had trussed her up like a gorgeous bird ripe for the plucking.
“I would have waited,” she murmured.
“But I could not.” He let his hand drop. He was actually surprised that when he looked back on the incident, he meant every word he said. He could remember sitting there listening to the Prime Minister talk about deeply important issues and he’d been watching the clock, waiting for the seconds to tick by until he could talk to her, her slow accent soothing him. He sighed. “It does not matter. I will admit I brought you here for selfish reasons. I thought to dazzle you with everything I have to offer. I have obviously failed.”
That gorgeous skin flushed, and he knew he had her. She just stared at him, clearly uncertain what to say.
“I will leave you be, Miss Glen. Again, I apologize for the deception. I can only hide behind my desire to begin a relationship on equal ground. Please allow my brothers to show you to the rooms I have prepared for you. I will leave you be until such time as we conduct business. I wish you good rest and please enjoy my country.”