Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Khalil: Still waiting for verification.
Harper: Keep me posted?
Khalil: I will. Are you done there?
Harper: I need to stay here for about ten minutes more if I don’t want Ms. Snape to get mad.
Khalil: You know she’ll make you pay for that, don’t you?
Harper: She’ll only know if you tell her.
She paused then started typing again.
Harper: DON’T tell her, okay. Promise me!
Because he likely would, knowing how much the sheikh liked seeing her in hot water.
HELL OF A WAY TO CELEBRATE this his birthday, the sheikh thought wearily as he put aside the latest report sent by the defense department. As for now, last night’s rumblings about terrorists finding a way to enter their kingdom hadn’t yet been completely confirmed but even so, the palace remained on high security alert. He and the other sheikhs had also stayed up the entire night, monitoring all the reports, their instincts telling them not to take anything lightly.
Where there was smoke, there was fire.
And his birthday celebration, where the world’s most powerful figures had convened, would definitely make a great place to light up the bloodiest type of fireworks. And if today wasn’t the target, then there was also tomorrow’s council, where all 120 sheikhs of Ramil would be meeting, his first time to address them as their king.
His phone buzzed, and the tension in Khalil’s form slightly eased. If not for his beautiful Harper, his mood would have been a lot worse, and it was never a good thing for the kingdom to see their leader tense. It was just one of the many little things in which his queen was of help to him, and his mood further lightened when he read her reply.
DON’T tell her, okay. Promise me!
Ah, his queen knew him so well.
Khalil: I should be done here in about the same time. Come join me then.
He was about to put his phone away when it buzzed again.
Harper: As you command, Your Majesty.
The sarcasm was so palpable in each word that Khalil’s lips twitched.
Harper: And FYI, I see what you did there.
The sheikh was about to reply when a knock sounded on his door.
“Enter.”
An aide stepped inside. After bowing to his king, the younger man informed him nervously that the Sheikh of Farigha wished a word with him.
Khalil frowned. Mahmud was one of his grandfather’s old cronies, and he had only invited the older sheikh out of respect for his title. “Let him in,” he said after a moment. He couldn’t see Mahmud saying anything of import, but it wouldn’t hurt to hear him out first.
When Mahmud came strolling in, he rose to his feet, and the other sheikh bowed in greeting. Or at least he tried, with Mahmud’s huge middle preventing him from bending too much.
The aide prepared refreshments for two sheikhs before leaving, and as soon as they were alone, Khalil asked, “What may I do for you, Mahmud?”
“Actually, Your Majesty, it is more of what I would like to offer to you. A birthday gift, so to speak.”
“I see.”
“It would be our family’s greatest honor if you were to accept it.”
Refusing to be flattered into blind acceptance, Khalil only smiled blandly, drawling, “You have piqued my curiosity, sheikh. May I know what is this gift you speak of?”
“My daughter, sheikh.”
Ah.
“She has undergone training her whole life to ensure she does her husband proud. She is knowledgeable of our ways. She will be more than content to serve you as your second wife.”
Khalil’s fingers drummed on the armrest.
Mahmud smiled. “I see no reason why you should refuse our gift. It can only strengthen your hold on the kingdom and silence those who think you have too much foreign blood in you. I, of course, do not believe this, but as for other people in tomorrow’s council...”
“And if I believe this gift is too valuable?”
“I have always believed that no gift is too valuable for the kingdom’s sake. Or at least a true Ramilian would think so.”
OUTSIDE THE SHEIKH’S study, Harper’s fist paused mid-air at Sheikh Mahmud’s words. Was she hearing this right? Unable to help it, she turned towards her guards, and all three of them were doing their best to conceal their shock.
Harper swallowed hard. Well, it was just an offer, she told herself. It didn’t mean he’d accept. And besides, he had promised, hadn’t he? She squared her shoulders. Yes, he had promised, and for all of his irritating traits, the sheikh wasn’t ever the type to break his word.
She raised her hand to knock on the door, thinking of joining the sheikh and facing the man who had the temerity to offer her husband a second wife—-
But then she heard the sheikh speak.
“It would be my pleasure to receive your gift, Mahmud.”
And her arm fell limply against her side.
KHALIL DISMISSED EVERYONE when he reached the throne room, needing to be alone. Most of the men were quick to bow and leave, but his most trusted vassals refused to move an inch.