AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t like my brother.”
A beat passed. “No. But I respect him.”
“Why? Why don’t you like him?” She pushed.
“Do I have to like him?”
She frowned. “I think it would make my life easier if you did, yes.”
“I cannot change my feelings, even for you, Ella El Silandar. Tasim and I have never found common ground in the past, and our countries have been embroiled in differences, as you know, for generations.”
“So how come you’re able to look past that and marry me?”
His gaze locked to hers, something like determination in his eyes. Realisation began to dawn. “Because it’s politically expedient,” she murmured aloud. “You’re hoping our marriage might bring about peace?”
A muscle throbbed at the base of his jaw. “If that happened, it would benefit both of our countries.”
True. So why did she feel hollow in the pit of her stomach?
“Peace would be…” she frowned. “Good, yes.” Her fingers pulled at an invisible thread on her clothes. “Why hasn’t that happened already?”
He eyed her without speaking, silently encouraging her to elaborate.
“You and Tasim are reasonable men. How come these two countries are the only ones with disputes still happening? The rest of the region has signed peace treaties, trade agreements. Why not our countries?”
“Why do you think?” He responded gruffly. “Money and land.”
She rolled her eyes. “So excellent reasons then.”
He lifted one shoulder. “The reasons have existed for as long as I can remember.”
“Isn’t it time to set those differences aside? Surely there’s a compromise you can reach?”
“Your brother is intractable.”
“And I’m sure he’d say the same thing about you. Isn’t it worth trying, Elon? For your people?”
He moved closer, his expression inscrutable. “Our marriage will be a good start.”
Her heart stammered once more, the sensible conclusion not one she relished hearing, despite the fact it was perfectly apt.
“I should call Tasim, to make sure he’s okay with this.”
“I’d give him a day or two to adjust to the idea,” he warned.
Her eyes flared to Elon’s. She couldn’t lose Tasim. Didn’t Elon know what her brother meant to her?
“Damn it, Elon, you should have let me deal with this.”
He moved closer. “I wanted to save you the trouble.”
“He’s my brother,” she pointed out.
“And you’re my fiancé.”
“So? What exactly do you think that means? That you get to run my life from now on?” She frowned, feeling her own rush of irritation for the man in front of her, even when she knew it had more to do with the practical reasons for their marriage. “And technically, I never agreed to marry you, you know.”
He laughed, a short, sharp sound. “I don’t think that’s accurate.”
