The Sheikh's Desert Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 8) (2 page)

Lucy wrenched her gaze away from the scene outside and tried to think about what she was going to do when Azim entered the room.
 

Talk about and awkward reunion!

Why had he come? She presumed he'd come to make sure she didn't go any further on her journey. Perhaps to interfere with her work.
 

One other thought floated into her mind. Maybe he'd come to make sure she was safe. That thought made old emotions tug insistently at Lucy.

But, how had he known she was here in the first place? How had he made it here so quickly? She knew that Azim had connections with most of the various tribes throughout Qazhar. It was part of his role as a sheikh who was responsible for Internal Cultural Co-ordination. It had been how Lucy and Azim had met. When she'd sought permission to visit certain sights within the kingdom he'd taken responsibility for making sure she got what she wanted.

For a while, at least. Until Azim had decided that the most important thing in the world was courting, seducing and ultimately possessing Lucy.

And it was then that her world really turned upside down.

Memories flooded her mind and all too familiar sensations swept through her. She grabbed the back of a chair feeling the sudden need to steady herself. She gazed desperately around the room.

She needed to do something.

And fast.

CHAPTER TWO

Azim Al Mahrez turned his back on Jawad, the tribal leader and grunted impatiently. The man's name might mean "generous" in their own language, but he was being anything but that right now. Did Jawad seriously think that Azim had merely come here to bargain for the release of the American woman? And not just any American woman, but the only one that truly mattered to Azim.

Lucy.

Azim glanced the few yards to the plain adobe building inside which was imprisoned the one woman who had ever come close to changing him. He could hardly believe she had been so irresponsible. Coming here, to these mountains, was never going to be a good idea. Didn't she realize the danger into which she'd been placing herself?

Jawad walked alongside him, continuing to plead, trying to extract something out of the situation. Azim greeted every word with taciturn silence. Jawad finally ran out of ideas and made a suggestion that stopped Azim in his tracks.
 

Something unrepeatable. Unthinkable! How dare Jawad ask about trading Lucy for something else.

Fury rose inside Azim and he reached across, seizing Jawad's robe, tightening it around the man's throat. Jawad's eyes widened in panic.

"What did you just say?" Azim demanded.

Understanding that he had probably gone too far in his suggestion about what could be done with the American woman, Jawad desperately began to backtrack. "Nothing, Sheikh Al Mahrez. A mistake. Please, forgive me."

"You seem to be unaware that I am already acquainted with this particular American," Azim said.

"You are?" Jawad exclaimed, sudden panic in his eyes.

Azim nodded. "Very well acquainted. And what you have just said to me makes me wonder whether or not I should remove your head from your shoulders. Have you no honor?"

Jawad grasped at Azim's hands but the sheikh kept a tight hold on the tribal leader. Off to one side, Azim saw a group of young tribal members emerge from around the corners of the buildings. Azim had known he and Jawad would probably have been observed by other tribesmen. Azim saw that some of the young men had rifles held down by their side.
 

He loosened his grip on Jawad's robe, and the man sucked in a deep breath, rearranging his robe and glancing toward his tribesmen. Maybe he'd gone too far, Azim asked himself. Now, Jawad would feel dishonored, especially in front of the men under his command.

But, just who did Jawad think he was dealing with? Didn't he realize that if Azim wanted, he could arrange for this so-called tribe to be relocated to somewhere. Permanently. A place where they wouldn't be in a position to pester foolish foreigners?
 

Azim had that power, had the connections to make that happen. Only a powerful sense of honor and decency would prevent him from taking such draconian measures. There were other ways to resolve this situation.

 
Azim had heard enough rumors about Jawad's tribe and he was sure he knew what had drawn Lucy to put herself in danger and venture into a place where she had no business being.

Jawad tried to restore some dignity to the conversation. "I apologize sheikh. I had no idea that the American woman meant so much to you."

Azim scowled at Jawad. "Lucy. Her name is Lucy."

Jawad nodded. "You must forgive my impertinence. Ignorance is a curse upon all of us."

"Apparently on some more than others," Azim replied frowning at Jawad.

The man's eyes narrowed at Azim. The tightening of Jawad's mouth betrayed the impulse to respond, but it was quickly contained.

"Of course, this changes everything," Jawad said after a pause.

Azim raised a brow. "Really? That's most generous of you. What did you say your name was?" Azim asked.

Jawad looked immediately affronted. Of course, Azim knew who Jawad was. He'd known all about the activities of the man and his tribe for a while now. And that knowledge had become even more important once Azim had learned that an American woman had been seen making her way into the mountains. Alone.

When he'd learned that, he'd come to the only one conclusion. There was only one person who would do such a thing. Lucy.

Descriptions which had made their way back to Azim had only confirmed his suspicions.
 

She'd come back. Lucy was back in Qazhar, for the first time since they'd ended their all too brief, passionate affair two years before.

But, what a way to come back, he said to himself. Secretly. Quietly. Without telling Azim.

Had she really thought he wouldn't find out?

But there was one thing he knew about Lucy Hunt. She was the embodiment of defiance.

Just thinking about it made rage twist inside Azim. How could she do such a thing? How could she be so careless with her personal safety.

"You know where the American wishes to go," Azim said.

Jawad nodded. "Apparently she is under the mistaken belief that there is something important to be seen up at the far end of this range of valleys," he said looking off toward the north. It would be dark soon, Azim realized. There was no way Lucy was going up there on her own. Not if he had anything to do with it.

"You said mistaken belief?" Azim asked.

Jawad shrugged. "There is nothing there now," he said.

Azim frowned. "What do you mean? What about the carved statuary?"

Jawad cocked his head to one side. "Gone."

Azim leaned forward and saw the tribesmen take a few steps closer. Azim halted. "Have they been destroyed?" Azim asked breathlessly, reluctant to hear the answer from Jawad's lips.
 

Jawad sighed resignedly, but Azim could tell that the gesture wasn't sincere. People like Jawad cared nothing for history. They hardly cared for tradition, let alone preserving relics of the past. For people like Jawad artefacts were a means to financing their rebellious, dissident lifestyle. Azim had no illusions about just how much danger he and Lucy were in by coming here. Not any longer, now that he knew that the damage had already been done.

Azim felt a momentary sickness in his stomach at the thought that one more valuable piece of his country's past might have been destroyed. He thought about how Lucy would feel about that and felt the nausea intensify.

"Are you certain about that?" Azim demanded. He could see that the other man seemed to be relishing Azim's sudden reaction.

Jawad nodded. "The statues were blown out of the rock weeks ago."

"Who did it?" Azim asked trying to contain his rage.

Jawad shrugged. "You know what it is like around these mountains, sheikh. This is a treacherous area. Many strangers come into these parts."

Azim wasn't buying any of it. Jawad reeked of insincerity. "No-one comes into these mountains without you knowing about it, Jawad. Isn't that right?"

Jawad shrugged. "Perhaps." He sighed slowly and rolled his eyes. "I know nothing of what happened," he added.

Azim knew he was being lied to. He could feel it in his bones. He wanted to rage at the man, call him out on his lies, but one look toward the armed tribesmen told him any impulsive action would be sheer folly.

Right now, all that mattered was getting Lucy out of here. That was the real reason he'd come. He hadn't had any time to make proper plans. Getting here had been an urgent priority and he'd had to make the best of what had been available. He'd driven most of the way, as far as he could. Then he'd obtained a horse and basic supplies at one of the oasis settlements. He hadn't wanted to bring anyone with him, mainly because of his selfish need to be alone with Lucy.

But all of that assumed that he was going to get her out of this situation with little trouble. And, right now, with the way the tribal leader and his men were behaving, there was no guarantee of that.

He needed to see Lucy, had to make sure she was unarmed. A woman like Lucy would have been a major temptation for men in these parts. Azim was under no illusions about that.

"I must speak with the woman," Azim stated firmly starting toward the adobe building.

Jawad hesitated. "If she is to be released to you..." he started to say.

Azim rounded on Jawad. "What do you mean? You will release the woman to me, or face the most serious consequences."

Jawad scowled. "And just what might those be, Sheikh Al Mahrez?"
 

Suddenly the man looked too confident, Azim said to himself.

Azim glanced toward the tribesmen and then back at Jawad. "Are you threatening a member of a Qazhar royal family?" he growled.
 

Jawad shook his head slowly. "Of course not. It would be dishonorable for me to even attempt such a thing."

Azim grinned at Jawad. "Of course it would be dishonorable. And also foolish."
 

Azim gazed around the small collection of roughly constructed buildings. "It would be a shame to put in jeopardy the life you have worked so hard to create here."

Jawad's eyes narrowed. Azim could tell the man knew when he was being threatened. He no doubt understood that the full force of Qazhar authority would put a stop to his life here in in the mountains. These tribal rebels had been a thorn in Azim's side for longer than he cared to remember. Maybe this was a chance to draw a line, make sure at least one of the rebel tribes knew that their attempts to undermine everything Azim and his family stood for would have consequences.

Azim and Jawad stared at each other for a long time. All Azim could hear was the sound of the wind easing up the valley. The air was cooling fast as the sun was sinking behind the mountains. He needed to act fast.

"Do we have an agreement?" Azim asked sharply.

He could see Jawad measuring his reply, running over the options in his mind. The man's face was weathered and coarse, no doubt the result of years living in rough conditions. His beard was already beginning to turn white. The creases around his eyes betrayed cunning and suffering, as well as firmly held beliefs, none of which Azim shared. But, Jawad was still a Qazhar man, and as such this situation called for Azim to act with honor and firm resolve.

After a few moments, Jawad nodded slowly. He extended a hand. "We have an agreement, sheikh. You may take the woman with you."

Azim felt a flash of indignation, but it was quickly tempered with relief. He shook Jawad's arm, clasping it high up near the elbow in the traditional style.

"We will leave immediately. Before sundown," Azim announced.

"Perhaps you would be better remaining here overnight, sheikh," Jawad suggested.

Azim shook his head firmly. "No. We leave now," he said emphatically. Azim knew he and Lucy would have immediate problems once they'd made it down the valley and back toward the desert. But he'd deal with that later. Right now, all he wanted was to get Lucy to safety. And that meant as far away as possible from Jawad and his tribesmen.
 

Jawad extended a hand toward the building inside which Lucy was waiting. "After you, sheikh," he said.

Azim started toward the building restraining the urge to race to the door, kick it down and seize Lucy and carry her to her horse.

Jawad jammed a large key in the door and turned it. He pushed the door open and Azim rushed inside the room. He gazed around the room and felt a surge of anger.

"Where is she!" Azim roared turning on Jawad.

The other man followed Azim into the room and gazed at the wooden furniture and the very empty room.

There was no sign of Lucy.

CHAPTER THREE

Lucy heard the voices from inside the adobe building as she leaned against the exterior wall. Now that she was outside, there was only one thing that she had to do. Get to her horse and make her escape.

She pushed her back hard against the corner, gazing across at her horse. If she moved really quickly she knew she could probably make it to the horse. It wouldn't take more than a few moments to get astride it, and make her way quickly out of the settlement.
 

She brushed some of the loose material she had accumulated during her climb out through the small hole she'd discovered in the corner of the roof. At first she hadn't believed her luck at seeing the rotted, loose panel that revealed a sliver of light from outside. But she'd pushed hard and clambered up, using of the wooden trunks as leverage to haul herself up. It hadn't been easy to get through, but she'd pushed hard and managed to squeeze her way out and clamber down the outside of the building.

Now she was free. For the moment.

All she needed to do was put as much distance between herself and her captors. On top of that, she knew she couldn't face Azim. Not now. Not like this. She wasn't ready for that.

She could hear Azim and the tribal leader arguing inside the building. Azim sounded furious. She shook her head and tried not to smile. She hadn't heard his frustrated tones for a long time.