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Well, there went that. Guess sooner was here.
“Felix, don’t be rude,” a woman, I guessed was Sariah’s mom, admonished. She probably thought he’d just thrown a slur at me.
“No, really. He’s like some sort of royalty,” he defended.
Sariah looked up at me, her brows lifted in question. Her hand dropped from my arm, and she straightened, though the fingers of her other hand were still in mine. Probably because I wouldn’t let go.
“I’m not a sheik. My brother is,” I explained.
“But you’re second in line to rule. Like a prince,” he insisted.
I frowned at him, suddenly feeling less sorry that Breezy had left his annoying ass. “Notlike a prince. We’re not part of the royal family. Are you trying to get me executed?”
That wouldn’t really happen, not with the country’s current ruler, but Felix didn’t know that. He blanched and held up his hand.
“My bad. Not a prince,” he raised his voice so everyone heard. “He’s not a prince.”
“But doesn’t that make you the equivalent to a British lord,” a man asked, heading over to us.
Sariah sucked in a breath, and she moved closer to me. “Hadrian,” she gasped. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged. “Got into town this morning, and I tracked your phone. You would have known that if you answered my calls.”
Judging by how she clung to my arm, he wasn’t a boyfriend. When I glanced down, she wasn’t scared, just annoyed.
“And you are?” I asked.
“My—”
“Her ex-boss. And her friend,” he interrupted, holding out his hand. “Best friend. Hadrian Locke. Nice to meet you. And you are?”
“Tarekbin Ghazi al-Darwish,” I answered automatically as we shook.
Sariah seemed surprised by his declaration, but I didn’t question it. She could take that up with him and I’d have her back.
“Fancy.” He smirked. “I’m right, though, correct? Like a lord?”
“Yes,” I replied grudgingly. “And I’m her boyfriend.”
“And I’m her sister.” Marcia held out her hand toward Hadrian. “Marcia McPherson. It’s very nice to meet you, Hadrian.”
“Not the sister getting married?” he breathed, taking her fingers and clasping them with both his hands.
“No.”
“Good.”
If a guy could have cartoon heart eyes, Hadrian had them right then. Sariah, Felix and I might as well not even be there. Obviously, Sariah’s friend saw the difference between her and Marcia, too. I suspected he might have been interested in my woman, so he’d traveled down here to get her back. Any interest had evaporated like rain on a one hundred and twenty degree day when he’d seen her twin. Good thing. I’d bury him if he thought he could steal my future.
“What are you even doing here?” Sariah asked again, since his original reply had given an answer but not the one she really wanted.
“You up and quit. As your friend…” He side-eyed Marcia, clearly wanting her to note the lack of romantic connection. “It’s my duty to make sure you’re okay. Especially after your parents disowned you. I’m the person you have, the one who checks on you.”
“She has me now,” I asserted.
Hadrian nodded, and Marcia caught his arm, winking over her shoulder at us. “Let’s go introduce you to people. Do you want something to drink?”
Sariah and I watched them walk away. Felix shook his head. “Four weddings in one year. Mom and Dad will go broke.”
