The Return of the Sheikh

Ten

“What do you mean she is gone?”

Zain could swear Deeb physically flinched, the first sign of a crack in his unyielding demeanor. “She called yesterday evening and asked me to arrange for her flight to be moved to this morning.”

He’d mistakenly believed that when he awoke to the empty space in his bed, she had left to dress for the coronation. “Did she say why she needed to depart early?”

“She mentioned something about a job offer that required her immediate return to the States.”

Madison had never mentioned that to him. In fact, she had led him to believe she would be in attendance at his crowning. He wondered what other lies she had told him.

Driven by fury, he grabbed the ceremonial robe from the hanger behind his desk, slipped it on and began buttoning it with a vengeance. “If that is all, you may go.”

“Prince Rafiq requests a meeting with you before the ceremony.”

His brother should be on his honeymoon, not hovering like a vulture. “Tell him to meet me here in ten minutes, and I will allow him five.”

Deeb bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Will you allow your former governess some of your precious time?”

At the sound of the endearing voice, Zain looked across the room to see Elena standing in the doorway, dressed in her finest clothes, her silver hair styled into a neat twist. “You may come in and stay as long as you wish.”

She swept into the room and gave Deeb a smirk as she passed by him. After Zain took a seat behind his desk, Elena claimed the opposing chair. She folded her hands in her lap and favored him with a motherly smile. “I do not have to tell you how proud I am of your accomplishments.”

The anger returned with ten times the force. “At least I have your support. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Madison, who took it upon herself to leave without telling me.”

Elena practically sneered at him. “Remove your testa from your culo. You have no one to blame but yourself for her actions.”

He did not appreciate being blamed for something beyond his control, especially by the one woman he could always count on. “I did not tell her to leave early.”

“But did you ask her stay, caro?”

He forked both hands through his hair before folding them atop the desk. “I did, yet she refused me.”

“How did you ask her?”

“I requested she stay on after the coronation, and then she accused me of asking her to be her mistress.”

“If your request was not accompanied by a marriage proposal, then she was justified in her accusation.”

He had no patience left for her lecture. “She knows that marriage between us is not possible. There would be severe repercussions.”

“Then you are saying you would marry her if the situation were different?”

He did not know what he was saying at this point in time. He only knew he had already begun to miss her, and she was barely gone. “I see no need to speculate on impossibilities.”

She leaned forward, reached across the desk and took his hands. “You must ask yourself now if sacrificing love for the sake of duty will be worth it.”

“I have never claimed to love her.”

“Then tell me now you do not.”

If he did, he would be lying. He chose to cite a truth. “I am committed to ruling this country, as it has been ordained by the king.”

She let go of his hands, leaned back and laughed. “Caro, you never cared about your father’s wishes before. You must assume this responsibility because it is right for you, not because he challenged you or because he issued a royal command in an attempt to keep you reined in.”

“Do you truly believe that was the intent?”

“Yes, I do. He saw so much of your mother in you. She was also a free spirit and fiercely independent. Since he could not control her, he was determined to keep you under his thumb by making unreasonable demands.”

He had never heard her mention his mother in those terms. “I assumed he believed I was the most suitable son to answer the challenge. I should not be surprised he had other motivations, or that he never believed in me.”

“He was somewhat calculating, Zain, but he was not a stupid man. He would never have designated you as his successor if he did not think you up to the challenge. And I personally believe you would make a magnificent king, but the demands could suffocate you in the process. I do not want you to live your life regretting what might have been had you chosen a different path.”

He felt as though he were suffocating now. “Then I shall prove you both wrong.”

Rafiq entered the room, a folder beneath his arm and a solemn expression on his face. He leaned down and kissed Elena’s cheek. “The ceremony is set to begin. I have reserved a seat in the front row for you.”

She smiled up at him. “Thank you, caro mio. And I want you to know that I believe you would make a good king, as well.”

Elena quickly rose from the chair and leveled her gaze on Zain. “Il vero amore e senza rimpianti.”

Real love is without regret….

The words echoed in Zain’s mind as Rafiq pulled up the chair where Elena had been seated. “What was that all about?” he asked.

“Nothing.” He had no reason to offer a valid explanation for something Rafiq would not understand. He did have a pressing question to pose. “Were you aware of Ms. Foster’s early departure?”

Rafiq opened the notebook and studied the page. “No, but her absence is favorable today. You do not need any distractions.”

Zain could argue she meant much more to him than a distraction, but he would only be met with cynicism. “How is Rima?”

“She is well,” he said without looking up.

“Is she not disappointed that you are here and not on a wedding trip?”

Again, Rafiq failed to tear his attention away from the documents. “My wife understands the importance of my duties, and today my duty is to see that the transition goes smoothly.” He finally looked up. “You have a full schedule. The press conference begins immediately following the ceremony, then you will be expected to attend a luncheon with several of the region’s emissaries. This evening, you have the official gala.”

He would rather eat lye than spend an evening suffering through another barrage of sultans attempting to foist their daughters off on him. “How many people will be in attendance?”

He closed the notebook. “Several hundred. I have to commend Ms. Foster on her assistance with the attendees. She somehow arranged for the U.S. vice president to be there, along with the British prime minister.”

“She did not mention that to me.”

“She wanted to surprise you.”

Zain was surprised to learn the news, but not surprised she pulled it off. He checked his watch to see that he had little time before the ceremony, and found his thoughts turning to Madison. He wondered where she was at this moment, if she happened to be remembering their night together, or attempting to forget him. Perhaps he would call her later, or perhaps not. After today, he could offer her nothing more than a conversation that could cause them only longing, and pain.

He rose from the chair, removed the royal blue sash from the box on the corner of his desk—the sash that his father and his father’s father had worn during their reign—and placed it around his neck. “I am ready now.” Was he ready? He had no choice but to be ready.

“Before you go,” Rafiq began, “I want you to know that although we do not always see eye to eye, I am proud of your accomplishments thus far, particularly your water conservation plans. I have lobbied the council members and I am happy to report all but one are now on board.”

“Who is the holdout?”

“Shamil, and that is because I have not been able to reach him since my wedding that he did not bother to attend.”

Zain found that odd since Shamil had been Rafiq’s closest friend, the reason why Shamil had been appointed to the council. “Perhaps he is traveling.”

“Perhaps, but that is not a concern at the moment. Let us away before we are late.”

As Zain walked the corridor leading to the ceremonial chamber, with Deeb and Rafiq falling behind him, each step he took filled him with dread. Not dread over assuming the responsibility, but dread over making a mistake he could not take back. When they passed the area lined with attendees held back by braided gold ropes, he could only see visions of Madison. The remembrance of Elena’s parting words overrode the burst of applause.

Il vero amore e senza rimpianti…real love is without regret.

And when the doors opened wide, revealing those who had received a special invitation to witness the ceremony, he stopped in his tracks.

“What are you waiting for, brother?”

Zain had been waiting all his life not for this moment, but for a woman like Madison Foster. Nothing else mattered—not his birthright, not duty, only his love for her. He would live with constant regret if he did not at least try to win her back, and that was much worse than the fallout from his next decision.

He turned to Rafiq, slipped the sash from his neck, and placed it around his brother’s. “The crown is yours, Rafiq, as it should have been from the beginning. Wear it well.”

Confusion crossed Rafiq’s expression. “Are you saying—”

“I am abdicating.”

“Why?”

“If I told you, you would not understand. Suffice it to say that I have learned commitment must come from the heart. Though I will remain committed to my country and intend to see my conservation plans implemented, my true commitment lies elsewhere.”

Rafiq scowled. “You would give up your duty for a woman?”

“I am giving up my duty for love.”

“Love is inconstant, Zain. It drives men to weakness.”

“You are wrong, brother. It drives men to honor.” Zain laid a hand on Rafiq’s shoulder. “I am sorry you are so trapped in your love of duty that you will never know real love.”

With that, he turned on his heels and left, ignoring the silent, esteemed guests who apparently had been rendered mute from shock.

When he reached the study, he stripped out of the robe, tossed it aside and began to mentally formulate a plan.

“Is there anything I can assist you with, Emir?”

He should have expected Deeb to come to his aid, as the faithful assistant had for years. “Call the airstrip and tell them to ready the second plane for immediate departure. After that, ask one of the staff to pack my bags.”

Deeb moved into the room and stood at attention. “Where will you be going and for what length of time?”

He unlocked the drawer containing his passport. “I will be going to Washington, D.C., for an indeterminable about of time.” He would only be there a matter of hours if Madison tossed him out on his culo.

“If you are going after Ms. Foster, she has not yet departed.”

Zain’s gaze snapped from the folder to Deeb. “Why is it that you are only now telling me this?”

“I assumed the plane would have taken off by now. It seems the pilot has delayed the flight due to inclement weather.”

Zain peered out the window and as predicted, the sun was shining. “The rain stopped hours ago.”

“Yes, Emir, it did,” Deeb said.

The pilot must be an imbecile, or overly cautious, but either way, Zain was pleased. “Call the airfield and make certain the plane remains as it is.”

“As you wish, Emir. Shall I accompany you?”

Zain pocketed the passport, rounded the desk and placed his hands on Deeb’s shoulders. “No. You shall go home to your wife and children and spend a lengthy sabbatical in their company. I will make certain you are paid your wages until you resume your duties as my brother’s assistant.”

Deeb smiled, taking Zain by surprise. “I truly appreciate your consideration, Emir, and I hope that we meet again soon.”

Perhaps sooner than he would like if he did not hurry. “Now that we have finalized my arrangements, I am off to see a woman about my future.”

*

Delays, delays and more delays.

Madison leaned back in the leather seat and muttered a few mild oaths aimed at the idiot responsible for the three-hour wait on the tarmac. Unfortunately, she had no idea who that idiot might be, since she couldn’t understand a word of the offered explanations.

But she couldn’t complain about the service she’d received in the interim. She been plied with food and drink and even shown the onboard bed by the flight attendant. She preferred to nap in the seat, belted in, until they were safely in the air, hopefully by next week.

She checked her watch for the hundredth time and confirmed the ceremony should be over by now. Zain was probably being presented to the press as the newly crowned king of Bajul. She was happy that he had finally realized his dream, and sad that she couldn’t play a part in it. Even sadder that he wouldn’t be a part of his child’s life.

When someone knocked on the exterior door at the front of the plane, Madison hoped someone had arrived either to inform them of takeoff, or to explain why they couldn’t seem to get airborne. She watched as the attendant pulled down the latch, and then the woman bowed. Madison wondered if some dignitary had delayed the flight in order to hitch a ride. If so, she hoped he or she didn’t expect a friendly reception from her.

But when she saw the tall, gorgeous guy step into the aisle, she realized she’d been wrong—very wrong.

As if he didn’t have a care in the world, Zain flipped his sunglasses up on his head and dropped down in the seat beside her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked around her astonishment.

He presented a world-class grin. “I’ve decided you could use some company on your journey.”

He had lost his ever-lovin’ royal mind. “You can’t do that. You just became king. They’re not going to tolerate you running out on your obligations on a whim.”

He lifted her hand and laced their fingers together. “This is not a whim. This is a plea for your forgiveness.”

“I forgive you,” she said. “Now leave before they oust you from the palace on your royal behind and strip you of your crown.”

“They cannot do that.”

“Maybe not, but since you’ve worked so hard to restore your reputation as a non–flight risk, don’t you think it would be beneficial to actually prove that is the case?”

“My reputation is no longer a concern.”

Had she taught him nothing? “It should be, Zain, if you’re going to be an effective king.”

“I am not the king.”

Her mouth momentarily opened before she snapped it shut. “If you’re not the king, then who is?”

“I abdicated to Rafiq.”

She took a moment to sort through the questions running through her brain at breakneck speed. “Why would you do that when this has been your dream forever?”

He brushed a kiss across her cheek. “It was my father’s dream, or perhaps I should say his ploy to keep me under his control, according to Elena, who told me that this morning. Being with you is my real dream, although I did not know that until I was faced with what I stood to lose if I lost you.”

Alarm bells rang out in Madison’s head. “What else did Elena tell you?”

“She told me that if I chose the crown over you, I would only live with regret, and she was correct. I want to be with you as long as you will have me.”

She was still stuck on his conversation with Elena. “And that’s all she said?”

He frowned. “Should there be more?”

“I guess not.” She felt relieved that he appeared to be in the dark about the pregnancy, and thrilled that he had returned to her without that knowledge. But still… “I’m worried you’re going to regret this decision to give up everything you’ve worked for and what you still have left to achieve. Not when you’ve made it so clear how much you love your country.”

“I love you more.”

She couldn’t quite believe her ears. “What did you say?”

“I said I love you more than my country. More than my wealth and more than my freedom.”

After his declaration began to sink in, Madison said the only thing she could think to say. “I love you, too.”

He gave her the softest, most genuine smile. “Enough to marry me?”

Not once had she let herself imagine that question. “Zain, we haven’t known each other that long. In fact, we’ve never really dated. Maybe we should just start there.”

He lifted her hand for a kiss. “A wise woman recently told me that an immediate connection to a person leaves a lasting impact.”

“Elena’s words?”

“No. Maysa’s. She told me that when I talked nonstop about you the night I went to see her. And she is right. I have felt connected to you since the day we met, and I want to make that connection legal and legitimate in everyone’s eyes.”

If he was willing to take that leap of faith, why wouldn’t she jump, too? After all, they had a child to consider—information she needed to reveal, and soon. But before she could force the words out of her mouth, the door to the cockpit opened, and in walked none other than Adan, wearing his military flight suit and his trademark dimpled grin.

Zain shot out of his seat and moved into the aisle. “What are you doing here?”

Adan responded with a grin. “I am flying the plane, of course, and you should thank me. I’m the reason why we have yet to take off.”

“I do not understand, Adan.”

Neither did Madison, but she couldn’t wait to hear the youngest Mehdi’s explanation.

“I delayed our departure because I suspected you would come to your senses and realize you could not let a woman like Madison leave.”

“You came upon that conclusion on your own?” Zain asked in a suspicious tone.

Adan looked a little sheepish. “All right, I admit that Elena formulated the plan, and I agreed to it. And if it had not worked, I planned to whisk Madison to Paris, which by the way is where we will be stopping for the night to refuel.”

“You have a woman waiting for you there,” Zain said.

Adan grinned again. “That is a distinct possibility.”

Zain pointed to the cockpit. “Fly the plane.”

“That is my plan, brother. And feel free to utilize the onboard bed during our flight.”

“The plane,” Zain repeated.

After Adan retreated, Zain returned to Madison and clasped her hand once more. “Let’s marry in Paris.”

Oh, how she wanted to say yes. But first, she had a serious revelation to make. “Before I agree to marriage, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“You are not already married, are you?”

She smiled. “No, but I am pregnant.”

He stared at her for a moment before comprehension dawned in his stunned expression. “You are serious?”

“Yes, I am serious. I wouldn’t joke about a thing like that.” But she wasn’t beyond using humor to defuse his possible anger over the secret. “And that’s the reason why I fainted. It wasn’t bad food or your overwhelming charisma, although that does make me want to swoon now and then.”

When he failed to immediately comment, Madison worried that her attempts at levity hadn’t worked. That brought about her explanation as to why she had withheld the information. “I wanted to tell you, Zain, but I didn’t want you to have to choose between the baby and your obligation to your country. And I also need you to understand that it’s not that I didn’t want a child, I just thought I could never have one. I never wanted to deceive you, but—”

He stopped her words with a kiss. “It’s all right, Madison. I could not feel more blessed at this moment.”

Neither could she. “Then you’re okay with it?”

“I will be okay when you say that you will marry me.”

Madison held her breath, and finally took that all-important leap. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Any reservations or hesitation melted away with Zain’s kiss. In a few months, she would finally have the baby she’d always wanted and thought she would never have, with the man she would always love.