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He tossed the words out as if he were announcing what his palace chef was cooking for dinner.
Her jaw sagged to the floor and for the life of her she couldn’t pick it back up because a multitude of emotions held her captive. When she managed to speak it was to eject one stunned word. ‘What?’
‘You’re not deaf, Lauren.’
Her gaze flicked above his head, to the stars she’d stood under such a short time ago and stopped herself from making fruitless wishes. It seemed the cosmos had taken it upon itself to deliver a poisoned wish nonetheless. Because what could be more devastating than being granted a lifetime beside the love of your life when he was doing it out of duty? ‘No, I’m not. Which makes me wonder if you’re the one who’s gone insane.’
His whole body bristled with affront, his eyes narrowing into laser missiles. ‘Excuse me?’
‘You’re not deaf, Tahir.’ She launched his words back at him, the voice screeching at her to watch her tone conclusively ignored.
‘You question whether I’m impaired because I want to keep my child and heir under my roof and my protection?’
‘No, I question your reasoning as to why you think you need to do that by marrying a woman you don’t want. A woman who doesn’t want you back.’ She tagged on because it felt vital that she clarify that lest he believe otherwise.
It was clear that clarification was over-exaggerated when his gaze tunnelled into hers, his expression patently mocking. ‘You don’t want me? Really? Shall I prove to you how much you don’t want me?’
‘Isn’t that how we found ourselves here in the first place? Trying to prove some sort of point to each other?’
‘I’m happy to give you a lasting refresher that would make you stop lying to yourself once and for all,’ he proffered, the eyes boring into hers absolutely deadly with intent.
‘No, thanks.’ Her voice was prim, but her emotions were anything but.
Challenge flared in his eyes for a moment, ramping up every cell in her body in response. Then, like the imperious ruler he was, confident in his power and influence, he bared his teeth in a smile.
‘Then shall we get back to the discussion?’
‘I’ve said all I’m going to say.’
He folded his arms, and she categorically forbade her gaze from dropping to his brawny forearms. Arms she’d gripped as she’d drowned in the pleasure he’d created. Of course, her senses had other ideas.
They prompted her gaze to seek out the gap opening at the throat of his tunic, to feast on the swathe of bronze skin displayed there, then up to gorge on the lines of his strong throat. When it then travelled up to meet his, the far too knowing and abashedly carnal look he returned flared heat into her cheeks.
‘Let me get this straight. You intend to return to England, where you’ll give birth to my child and live with them under your parents’ roof with no argument from me?’
The desert-dry incredulity in his voice made her flinch. Because, set out like that, it was as unlikely as sprouting wings and flying away from this increasingly terrifying conversation.
‘All this is highly hypothetical. We don’t even know if I’m pregnant,’ she said, cringing at the touch of desperation in her voice.
He didn’t budge from where he stood. Nor did he lessen the laser focus of his gaze. And Lauren should’ve hated the under-the-microscope sensation that triggered, but unnervingly being such intense focus of Tahir’s gaze was...thrilling. And desperately heartbreaking.
‘You didn’t just have sex with a guy you met on a dating app and shared a few dinners with, Lauren. I’m a sovereign of a kingdom with the accompanying responsibilities and protocols that need to be observed. I’m not going to engage in a wait-and-see game while you weigh your options. In this matter, your choices are unfortunately limited.’
‘You say unfortunately as if you mean it? And yet I don’t believe you’re sorry about it at all.’
He shrugged. ‘I’m choosing to be practical about it.’
Practical. Protocol. Inconsequential.
Words that sharpened into little arrows and pierced vulnerable places she didn’t even know were unprotected until they found their target.
Rising, she put more distance between them, whirling away to squeeze her eyes shut. Then, resenting the show of weakness, she pivoted right back to face him. ‘My future choices are mine to make, not yours.’
Disappointment and another indecipherable emotion flashed through his eyes. ‘Is what I’m offering you really that deplorable? Is becoming my queen such a nightmare for you?’
My queen.
The title attempted to wrap itself around her heart. She refused to allow it. He didn’t love her. So she forced a shrug. ‘This wasn’t how I saw my life going.’
