She startled, looking over her shoulder, wishing she hadn’t when her heart began to pound at a billion miles an hour.
He saw everything, and she hated him that. His eyes raked her face, her body, clinging to the swell of her cleavage and then lifting to eyes that were still moist with tears.
“You’re upset.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.” She pulled away from him, standing, looking around the ornate tent. “When can we leave?”
“You were so impatient to come to the desert. You want to leave again after only one night?”
“Well, let’s see,” she put her hand on her hip and pretended to enumerate. “Since we’ve arrived you’ve left me on my own for hours, then berated me for going to explore some fascinating ruins, then told me I was being fanciful for even hoping we could have a relationship that extended beyond this,” she gestured towards the bed, the tangle of sheets proof of the way he’d ravaged her the night before. “So forgive me if I’m not finding the desert as richly enjoyable as I’d hoped.”
He pushed up to sitting, watching her through shuttered eyes.
“You knew I was coming here for business – I had no intention of bringing you, Sophia, so you’ll forgive me for not being on hand to entertain you around the clock. As for your unscheduled touristing, yes, I berated you, and rightly so. My issue was not that you went but that you didn’t have the insight to communicate your plans to a living soul. You are a person of extreme importance to this kingdom, never mind the fact you may well already be pregnant with my child.”
He breathed in and his nostrils flared; she had the sense he was trying to rein in his own temper. “I was angry with your cavalier disregard for your safety. This is important. Being here is important. I cannot do what I must do if I’m worrying about you the whole time.”
She ground her teeth together. “You don’t have to worry about me. I was fine.”
“That was better luck than management.”
“You’re so Goddamned arrogant,” she snapped, shaking her head. “You honestly think I don’t know how to look after myself?”
He clamped his lips together – she felt as though he were holding something back, something hurtful. She supposed she should be grateful he was at least trying to spare her feelings.
“I think you are a fish out of water here,” he said after a lengthy pause. “I think my brother filled your head with myths and legends and neglected to tell you the truth about these lands. I think you have lived a charmed life and see everything through the veil of your innocence and exuberance, and that you can’t perceive of a world where people do bad things, where some people are simply wholly bad.”
“I beg your pardon!” She spat, cutting him off. “You know my life has been anything but charmed.”
“You grew up in immense wealth, the adored daughter of a senator…”
“Who died when I was nine years old!” She shouted, then dragged a hand through her hair, desperately trying to cool her temper. “I lost everything when he died, Malik. I know plenty about sadness and…”
“Yes, but you do not know about civil wars and terrorist factions, both of which have existed here in Abu Faya, and within my lifetime. This country, while beautiful, is not always safe. And not for someone like you.”
She let his words sink in, her features shifting to reflect her surprise. “I know that.” She bit down on her lip. “I told you, I know all about this country’s past.”
“Then act like it,” he said firmly. “If we have a child together, you will be responsible for ensuring that child’s wellbeing. I cannot imagine you would send our heir riding off with a stranger…”
“Of course I wouldn’t!”
“Then why take that risk for yourself?” He pressed a hand to her stomach. “Even if you are not pregnant, and you may not be, you are still my wife. You are the woman this country has adopted as its Sheikha. You must protect yourself for them.”
She tilted her chin defiantly even when she felt a strong instinct to cry. “I trusted my instincts, Malik, and they were right. I liked Saliyah; I trusted her.”
“But you could just as easily have been wrong.” He ground his teeth together. “Addan loved you, Sharafaha.” He stepped back from her a little, his shoulders broad, his back ramrod straight. “He would expect me to be protecting you from any dangers. Can’t you see that? If you will not exercise caution at my behest, do so for Addan. Do it because he would have expected it of you.”
She turned away from him, moving towards the table that had a pitcher of water set up on it. She poured herself a glass and held it between trembling fingertips. “Addan trusted I could look after myself.” She turned to face him, and her expression was tense, her skin pale. “He would never have shouted at me like you did.”
A muscle throbbed low in Malik’s jaw. “No, he wouldn’t. Addan was perfect, and I am not – we have established that fact many times. I am simply trying to do what’s best for you, Sophia.”
“Don’t you think I have a say in that?”
He held her gaze for a long time and then shook his head, simply. “I am the King of this land, and you are my wife. I’m afraid when it comes to your security and protection, you will just have to get used to doing as I say.”
“So I’m, what? Yours to command?”
His eyes glinted in his face, his handsome, distracting face. “You probably do not wish to know how appealing I find that description right now.”