“I’m too far along for an abortion.” Her voice shook with the force of her feelings. “And even if I wasn’t, you can just…go to hell for eventhinkingI would consent. This ismybaby. I don’t need you to be a part of his or her life, I don’t need you foranything.”
“Thank you for being clear on that point,” he drawled.
“I can’t believe you would even suggest it,” she said, emotions barrelling over her.
“When did I suggest it?”
“In the kitchen. You said you couldn’t allow me to have this baby. Well, I’ve got news for you: you don’t get to ‘allow’ me to do anything, Your Royal Highness,” she added with a withering tone.
The helicopter began to descend so Cora peered through the windows, looking for a clue as to where they were, seeing as the Sheikh obviously wasn’t going to answer her. It was darker now, but she could make out more fields, a small town, and what looked to be a highway, well-lit except—no. There were several planes lined up, and a large shed—an airplane hanger.
A regional airport.
She jerked her face back to his.
“Where are we?”
The helicopter continued its controlled descent and Cora gripped the handrails of her seat more tightly.
“You fainted before I could finish my sentence.”
The helicopter touched down with a slight bump. Cora startled.
“Oh yeah? What were you going to add? A bribe perhaps? I don’t need your money, Samir. I don’t needanythingfrom you.”
He leaned closer, and this time, she saw the barely constrained emotions flashing in the depths of his eyes. Anger, like her own, and frustration too.
“I do not know what I have ever said or done that would cause you to have this low opinion of me.”
She snorted, looking away, but he reached out and pressed a finger to her chin, angling her face back to his, and damn it, even then, a thousand lightning bolts warmed her blood.
“Would you like a list?” She asked with saccharine sweetness.
The helicopter door opened, disorientating Cora. Samir stood, holding out a hand to her. She resolutely ignored it, so Samir leaned down, closer to her ear and said in a voice only she could hear, “You know how quickly stories spread. Photographers are camped outside this airport with their long lenses, looking to get pictures of anyone who’s been in attendance at the wedding. I will carry you, if I have to, but it is not exactly the way I would like to make the announcement.”
“Announcement?” Her eyes skittled to his, showing her panic. “You can’t mean to announce this pregnancy to anyone, Samir? Youjustfound out. You need time to think about this…”
“The pregnancy announcement will come in due course. I’m talking about our wedding.”
Cora could have fainted again.She stared at him, the bottom of her world dropping away. “Wedding.” She said the word with a shake of her head, and rich disbelief. “You can’t—I can’t—wecan’t—no.”
Her breath was coming in fits now. She stared at him, shaking her head some more, eyes huge and haunted. “Samir,no.”
“Obviously, we must discuss the details,” he said with a lift of his shoulders. “And I would prefer to do so in the comfort and privacy of the palace.”
“Where you are the supreme ruler and anything you say goes? No way. I’m not going to Al Medina with you.”
“Which brings us neatly back to my original point: I will carry you, if I have to, but rest assured, one way or another, you are boarding that plane with me.” He jabbed his finger towards the tinted windows and she shivered.
A thousand thoughts and appraisals went through Cora’s mind in an instant. She remembered a late night documentary she’d seen about abductions, and the advice given was to always fightbeforegetting dragged into a car, because your chances of being seen and heard were so much greater. She thought about doing exactly that, making an unholy fuss right there on the tarmac, but every instinct in her body rejected that. It was exactly the sort of media storm Cora had spent years trying to avoid. But it was more than that. She was furious with Samir, and at that point in time, she truly, truly hated him with every fibre of her being, but she also knew him. And present decisions aside, he was, essentially, a good person. Her brothers and cousins considered him a close friend, and there was no way he’d hurt her or truly keep her against her will.
He was reacting out of fear and shock.
The best thing to do was go with him—with a few caveats of her own.
“I will walk out there with you on one condition.”
“Yes?” He asked, arms crossed, eyes glinting when they met hers.