He pressed her hand and led her into his father’s room.
“My son,” the emir said in a shaky voice. Then his eyes turned to Olivia. “My daughter.”
She walked forward to kneel by his bed. “I am honored that you call me so.”
He held out his hand feebly and Olivia took it between hers. “Look after my boy.”
“I will, sir.”
“And you,” he turned to Khaled. “Look after my people.”
“I will, sir.”
“Good,” he whispered. “Good.”
…
There was no honeymoon for Khaled and Olivia.
For three days they sat with the emir, making sure he was never left alone. When, finally, his eyes closed for the last time, Khaled grasped Olivia’s hand tightly.
“I have to tell the council.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“You can’t. It’s not permitted.”
Olivia bit her lip. She knew this was how it would be. Duty first. Protocol and etiquette ruling their lives even at a time like this.
“I’ll wait outside.”
They walked slowly down the gilded staircase toward the council room. At the door, Olivia paused, seeking the right words to encourage her husband, but he spoke first.
“Come with me.”
She looked up in surprise. His face was ravaged with grief and he was closer to tears than she had ever known him.
“Please.”
“But you said protocol doesn’t allow it.”
“Damn protocol. I need you there.”
Olivia nodded. “Through everything. I promised.”
Khaled slid his arms around her waist. “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, but I know that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. And to Saqat.”
“It is the same. You are Saqat now,” she murmured.
“No,” he said with a light kiss on her temple. “We are.”
About the Author Ros is a writer, a student, a church worker, a crafter, a blogger, a Twitterer, a lazy gardener, and an appalling housekeeper. She lives in a sixteenth-century shed in England and is very glad that it has twenty-first century plumbing. She is interested in almost everything except cricket and football (US and UK) and mostly she likes happy endings in fiction and in real life.
Ros has been writing stories for as long as she can remember, never dreaming that other people would be interested in reading them. A few years ago, she discovered a writing forum on the Internet, and has never looked back. Her head—and her hard drive—are full of ideas for fresh, fun, contemporary romances that she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.