The Sheik and the Bought Bride (12 page)

“Your hands full?” She didn’t care that her voice came out as a screech. “With twelve virgins? Are you serious? I
don’t believe this. There are serious matters of government for you to consider and you want to talk about twelve virgins?”

She was just getting started when Kateb began to laugh. He crossed to her, put his hands on her shoulders, then kissed her.

“I am pleased that Nadim never did raise his head from his work enough to notice you. Had he seen the spark of life you carry inside, he might have decided you would do for him and he would never have appreciated your fire.”

He kissed her again, this time lingering against her mouth until she felt her knees go weak.

She didn’t understand. “You’re not marrying one of the virgins?”

“No. Nor will I take them into the harem.”

“Then why bring them up at all?”

“Because you make it so easy, Victoria. You should learn to control your temper.”

She glared at him. “What I should do is throw one of these books at your head.”

He laughed again. “You won’t. The books are rare and you might damage one.”

“That’s true.”

He touched her cheek. “Your points on the women are well taken. And yes, write Princess Dora and ask her advice. She is a strong, intelligent woman. You have much in common with her.”

He left her standing in the middle of the library, feeling as if she’d been struck by a train. What had just happened? What exactly had he said? And why had she reacted so strongly to the thought of the other women? Why should she care?

She walked toward the shelves of books, only to stop.
Her breath caught in her throat as the truth…and horror…of the situation crashed into her.

She cared because sometime since arriving at the Winter Palace, she’d fallen in love with Kateb. She’d given her heart to him and now he had the power to destroy her.

She knew love was for fools and now she’d become one. Her fate, her very future, rested on a single moment of chance. If she was pregnant, she would stay in the presence of a man who would never believe she loved him. And if she wasn’t pregnant, she would be forced to leave. There was no middle ground, no happy ending, no way to win.

In this game, the deck was truly stacked against her.

T
he workrooms of the house shined as if they had been polished for days. Kateb supposed they had. The launching of the Internet site for the women’s jewelry business had attracted many of the village’s residents and Rasha would want to impress her neighbors.

Kateb circulated through the crowd, looking for Victoria more than listening to those around him. He was one of only a few men in a sea of women, which should have made spotting her difficult. However, her blond hair caught his attention.

He saw her speaking with one of the artists. Victoria said something and the other woman laughed. She had her profile to him. Her features had become familiar, yet were still beautiful. He knew that beneath her professional suit lay curves that could drive a man to madness, but he did his best not to think of them. Better to focus on the event itself and on the orders coming in through the Web site.

“Prince Kateb.” Rasha appeared at his side and bowed. “We are so honored that you have come here this afternoon. You have made so much of this possible. We will always be grateful.”

“You have a thriving business,” he told her. “I support that.”

“Thank you.” She waved to the crowded room. “This is all because of Victoria. She is the one who saw the possibilities. She worked tirelessly. Did you see her business plan? It was very impressive. I believe she went to college.”

Rasha’s voice sounded wistful. While many El Deharian women attended college, it wasn’t that common for girls in the village. They went to local schools, then frequently married young and started a family.

“She has a two-year degree,” Kateb said. “In business.”

“Imagine what she could have done if she had been able to earn a four-year degree. Education is so important.”

“Do you have daughters?” he asked.

“Yes. Two. They are eight and ten.”

“Will they go to college?”

She looked surprised by the question. “They are intelligent girls with dreams, of course, but I am not sure…” She cleared her throat. “No woman in my family has attended college and my husband, while supportive, would not see the need.”

A fairly typical reaction,
Kateb thought. The men had to be
shown
the need.

Rasha excused herself to see to her guests. Kateb returned his attention to Victoria. What
would
have happened to her if she’d gotten a four-year degree? Would she have entered a management training program in a large company? If so, by now she would be close to running the world.

He smiled at the thought. Perhaps the world would be a better place for it.

Yusra moved toward him. “You have seen enough?”

He checked his watch. “I have been here nearly twenty minutes.”

“Plenty of time for them to notice your presence, sir.”

He wondered if Victoria would agree. Regardless, he was ready to return to the palace. Yusra walked with him. Once they were in the street, she paused.

“Victoria is already working with the women who weave. Did you hear? She had written Princess Dora of El Bahar to ask for her help in marketing the fabric. She has a meeting scheduled with the old men who carve. They, too, wish to sell on the Internet.”

He hadn’t heard that. “Interesting. She has started a revolution.”

“In only a few weeks. You must be very proud of her.”

Pride implied he had some influence or control over her actions. She had done all this on her own.

“She isn’t like the women of the desert,” Yusra said earnestly. “At first I thought of her only as someone to please you. To help with the loneliness. I know you still miss Cantara, and that is as it should be. Victoria would be a distraction. But she is more. She saw the truth about Sa’id when the rest of us turned away. She sees the possibilities.”

Kateb stared at the old woman. “What is your point?”

“That it will only be a week or two until we know if she is carrying your child. It seems unlikely, which means you will be letting her go. She has given much to us. So what is to become of her? Will she return to the city and work as Nadim’s assistant? Take another job? Surely she deserves more.”

He hadn’t thought about the future, about what would happen after he knew if Victoria was pregnant or not.

Yusra was right—he couldn’t send her back to work for Nadim, assuming the position was still open. What would she do? Return to America? Work for someone else?

“I think you should help her find a rich husband.”

He stared at the older woman. “What?”

“She needs a husband. You’ve seen her around the palace and today. She’s a woman who was born to give her heart. She should have a family, many children, a place to belong. She respects your opinion. She would listen to you.”

“Then you don’t know her at all,” he said, annoyed beyond reason and not sure why. Getting Victoria married made the most sense. But to introduce her to someone? To know that man would claim the treasure of her heart and her mind? Impossible. “She would never agree to an arranged marriage.”

“You wouldn’t have to tell her what you were doing. You could guide her.”

“Right. Until she figured out what I was doing and threw a large vase at my head.”

“You need to do something. She can’t be sent out in the world unprepared.”

Victoria was many things, but unprepared wasn’t one of them. Still, he understood Yusra’s point. “I will consider the matter,” he said, and walked away.

Victoria knocked on Kateb’s open office door, then walked in. “You sent for me?” she asked, not sure if she was going to have a little hissy fit about that or not. After the successful opening party the previous day, she was feeling pretty darned good about everything, but being “sent for” was still a tiny bit annoying.

Kateb stood and motioned to the sofas by the window. “Yes. I have several things to discuss with you, although
I’m sure first you wish to complain about the fact that I sent for you.”

Could the man now read her mind? “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she lied. “You asked to see me and here I am.”

“Because your job is to serve?”

“Something like that.”

His dark gaze drifted over her face. “You’re not a very good liar.”

“Hardly a bad quality. So you sent, and I’m here. What do you want?”

“Rasha and the other women are very pleased with all you did, as am I.”

“I enjoyed helping them. They have a great business and they can use the extra money.”

“Their husbands support them.”

“For now. What happens if one of them does the ‘I divorce thee’ three times or however it works?”

“That is not El Deharian law.”

“Fine. One of the men goes on a camel-stealing rampage and his wife is kicked out onto the street. My point is a woman having an independent income is good for everyone. She gets to feel a little self-worth, and he has to stay in line.”

“I suspect you are more interested in him staying in line.”

She smiled. “Maybe, but you get what I’m saying, right?”

He sighed. “Equality for all.”

“Is this where you point out that I’m difficult?”

“No. I’m saving that for later. I had an interesting conversation with Rasha yesterday. She reminded me that not enough women from the village and the desert tribes are going to college. It is not traditional for them to attend and
many fathers are uninterested in doing much more than acquiring a good husband for their daughters.”

Victoria sprang to her feet. “Are you aware of what a waste that is for your country? There are brilliant minds not being used. Who knows what could have been invented or discovered or improved? But
no
. Let’s keep the women home for breeding. This just really pisses me off.”

“I would not have guessed.”

He leaned back against the cushions, obviously more amused than annoyed. She narrowed her gaze.

“You told me this on purpose,” she snapped.

“Yes.”

“You knew it would upset me.”

“I suspected you would have a strong reaction.”

“Do you want me to threaten you or something?”

“No. I wanted to see if you were as passionate about the subject as I had thought you would be.”

“And?”

“And you should sit down again.”

She wasn’t sure what he was up to, but she sat back on the sofa.

He leaned toward her. “It has come to my attention that you have one of those brilliant minds we were speaking of a few minutes ago. You see need and you fill it, especially where women and children are concerned.”

His assessment pleased her. “Men can take care of themselves. They’ve had the money and power for centuries.”

“We won’t debate that now,” he said. “Don’t try to distract me from what I want to say.”

“I don’t know what that is. How could I distract you?”

He stared at her until she squirmed. “Fine,” she muttered. “Talk away.”

“Should you not be pregnant, what are your plans when you leave here?”

The unexpected question made her glad she was seated. She didn’t want to think about leaving, about being away from him, never seeing him again. But was there a choice? He’d already shortened her time with him from six months to one.

The thought of leaving in a week or two hurt more than she could have imagined and she knew the reason. Love made her vulnerable. Love made her want to stay always, made her want to promise anything so he would keep her around. She’d actually considered offering to be his mistress permanently, knowing he would be marrying someone more appropriate. Which meant she had to leave as soon as she was free. She couldn’t stay here and be a doormat for a man who wouldn’t or couldn’t love her back.

He waited patiently while she struggled to remember the question. What
were
her plans?

“I thought I would go back to the States,” she said at last.

“Eager to leave the desert?”

“Not really. I like it here. But once we’re…” She cleared her throat. “Once it’s time for me to go, I will. I don’t think I’d be comfortable staying in El Deharia on my own.”

“You don’t want to continue to work for Nadim?”

“No.”

“Good.” He leaned toward her. “You have a gift, Victoria. You have the ability to help others achieve their dreams. Is that something you have considered?”

“Not really,” she said slowly. Where was he going with this? “I’ve been saving since I came to El Deharia. I didn’t have many expenses and I’ve always been a frugal shopper. I thought I might take the money I have and start my own business. I just haven’t figured out what. I’ll think about what you said. About helping others.”

“I would like you to consider it seriously. With the right
funding, you could change people’s lives. If you had the financial backing, imagine what you could do.”

She didn’t like the sound of that. “Is that what you’re offering?”

“Yes. I would like to start a company with you. Perhaps a non-profit foundation that gives money to people who wish to start a business but don’t know how. You would assemble a staff of experts who would help them with every aspect of what new entrepreneurs need. From coming up with a business plan to hiring, advertising, dealing with tax regulations.”

She hadn’t expected anything like this and didn’t know what to say. “It’s a wonderful opportunity,” she murmured, torn between the excitement of being able to make a difference and the reality of being tied to Kateb. It would be easier for her peace of mind to simply walk away and never have to deal with him again.

“I would like you to consider it,” he said. “You could establish the main office anywhere in the United States. Where would you like to live?”

Did he have to sound so eager to get rid of her? “I’m not sure.”

“There is time for you to decide. And while we are on the subject of your future…”

He paused and for the first time since she’d met him, she had the sense that he was hesitating. Almost uncertain. “Kateb?”

He gave her a reassuring smile that did everything
but
reassure her.

“I would like to find you a husband. You have said many times you’re not interested in love, but you would like to be married for reasons of security. I am acquainted with many intelligent, successful men. Men who would be interesting and good husbands, without expecting all the
emotional messiness that can make relationships difficult. If you wish, I can compile a list of potential suitors and arrange introductions.”

For the second time in as many minutes, she was glad she was sitting. Every part of her body had simply stopped working and had she been standing, she would have fallen to the floor.

He wanted to find her a husband? Was that the same as helping her look for a lost shoe or lip gloss? Did he plan to put an ad somewhere or hold interviews?

But that wasn’t what hurt, she thought, as cells slowly came back to life and her heart started beating again. No, the cold ache that spread through her was about how easily he said the words. He didn’t care if she was married to someone else. It might even make him feel better about the past month. She was a problem and once he’d fixed the situation, he could move on with a clear conscience.

None of this was about
her.
She wasn’t a person who mattered. She wasn’t significant to him. She’d fallen in love with a man who had no trouble thinking about her married to someone else.

Until that moment she hadn’t realized a fantasy had lived inside of her. One that said Kateb would turn around and actually see her. That he would recognize they were good together, that they could be happy. That he loved her.

She knew Yusra would tell her to be flattered. The prince taking so much interest in her future meant that he cared a little. Perhaps she was on the same level as a prized broodmare or a priceless painting. Something to be worried over and put in a safe place. But not anything he missed when the object was gone.

“Victoria? Are you interested in a husband?”

He sounded so calm, she thought, hurt turning to anger because anger was so much safer. He sounded reasonable.

“What else is on the table?” she asked, glaring at him. “A private plane? A small island? A large island? How about my picture on a stamp? Can I have that? Maybe a few jewels? You don’t have to buy me off.”