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‘You are fixated on the notion of love.’ The words were said lightly but they did nothing to ease the seriousness of her thoughts.
‘I didn’t have a father in my life for very long. I don’t want my child to know the pain of an absent parent.’
‘I was the one who insisted we raise our child together, wasn’t I?’
‘No.’ She stopped dancing and looked up at him, her eyes sparking with emotions she couldn’t contain. ‘You insisted that I move here so your child would be in the RKH. Your heir. There’s a difference.’
‘What do you want me to say?’
She bit down on her lip, unable to put that into words. ‘I don’t want you to keep our child at an emotional distance,’ she said, after several moments had passed. But it wasn’t all-encompassing. She felt so much more.
I don’t want you to keep me at an emotional distance.
‘I won’t.’ The assurance was swiftly given, but it did little to assuage her concerns.
‘Because I’d rather take my chances in America, regardless of what you say, than expose our child to the kind of upbringing you’ve described.’
He froze, his body completely still, his arms locked around her waist. There was such contrast—the strength and warmth of him juxtaposed to the rigid cool of his stance. ‘America is not an option.’
Something flashed inside her. Anger! And it was so welcome. In the swirling, raging emotions she felt, anger was one she could grasp. It made sense. She liked it.
‘You don’t get to command me.’
His nostrils flared as he stared down at her, his attempt to control his temper obvious. ‘You’re wrong.’
‘No, I’m not. You told me I was coming to the RKH as your equal. Well—’ she pushed her hands onto her hips, glaring right back at him ‘—if I want to go to America then there’s nothing you can do about it.’
His laugh lacked humour.
‘I’m serious.’
‘As am I. Deadly serious.’ He brought his body closer to hers, but it seemed accidental, as though he were simply moving without conscious thought. ‘Do you know why I was late this evening?’
She shook her head.
‘I was in the catacombs that run beneath the city. They were converted to prison cells a few decades ago. Two men are detained there, right now, who were planning on hurting you, Daisy.’
She froze, his words slamming into her like bricks. Out of nowhere, she began to tremble. Her ears rang with a high-pitched squealing sound. ‘You’re making that up.’ She wanted to reject it. It couldn’t be true.
‘I wish I were.’
The shaking wouldn’t stop.
Sariq swore under his breath, then his big, masculine hands were cupping her face, holding her steady for his inspection. ‘Here, I can protect you. My guards can protect you. And believe me, Daisy, nothing matters more to me than your safety.’ Neither of them moved. ‘You and our child will have the full force of my army at your disposal. You must remain in the RKH. Can you see that?’
She nodded quickly. Fear—not for herself so much as for the life of her unborn child—was instinctive and swift. ‘But why?’
His lips were a grim slash in his face. ‘Because of what you represent. Because of the stability our child will bring.’
‘I... Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I just did.’
‘I mean sooner.’
‘I dealt with it.’
A shiver ran down her spine. ‘What does that mean?’
