Royal Affairs: Desert Princes & Defiant Virgins: The Sheikh's Virgin Princess / The Sheikh and the Virgin Secretary / Desert Prince, Defiant Virgin

‘Why did you not tell me any of this before now?’ He sounded angry and she couldn’t blame him for that.

He’d just been shot because of her.

‘I did try telling you my uncle was following us.’

‘But you didn’t give me details, did you?’ Karim stretched out a hand and lifted her chin so that she was forced to look at him. ‘You omitted all the facts that would have given your story credibility.’

‘I wanted to tell you,’ Alexa murmured, ‘and several times I almost did. But you have to understand that in my situation not talking is the only thing that keeps you alive. For the past sixteen years, I haven’t been able to trust anyone. I disciplined myself to stay silent, and I can’t suddenly change that.’

Karim let his hand drop, clearly struggling to absorb the enormity of what she was telling him. ‘If William is willing to go to those lengths to keep the throne for himself, then there must have been times when you’ve wondered whether he could have played a part in your father’s death.’

She stared into the semi-darkness. ‘He had my parents killed.’ Somehow the eerie silence of the cave made her statement all the more dramatic.

Then she heard him draw breath. ‘I can see how it would be easy for you to believe that, given the way he has treated you, but—’

‘I was there.’ She turned her head to look at him and in the dim torchlight his arrogant profile looked hard and forbidding. ‘I saw it happen.’

‘You witnessed the explosion that killed your parents?’

‘It was meant to kill me, too. We’d been staying at our country house for the weekend. Just as we were about to leave I remembered that I’d forgotten my doll.’ Her heart-rate trebled, and suddenly her palms felt sweaty and her mouth was dry. This wasn’t something she talked about. She never talked about it. ‘I went back to the house and the car exploded.’

Another long silence followed her shaky declaration, and suddenly Alexa found herself just longing for him to comfort her, as he had during her nightmare, but he sat still as if her words had somehow rendered him immobile.

Finally he spoke. ‘You are sure your uncle was involved?’

‘Well, I had no way of proving it, of course—but, yes, I’m sure. I saw him immediately after the explosion.’ She gave a shiver. ‘I’ll never forget the look on his face, Karim. He wasn’t sad or even shocked. The only time he looked shocked was when they found me and brought me to him. And even though I was so young I just knew that he’d intended for me to die, too.’

‘You were eight years old.’

‘He wanted my whole family dead. He hated my father. Hated him for everything he had. And I was terrified,’ Alexa confessed. ‘To begin with I tried to talk to people, but they just thought I was hysterical. I’d witnessed my parents’ death, after all. Then someone I confided in just disappeared. Although I was young, I realized that talking to anyone was dangerous.’

‘I can’t believe he intended to harm you. You were a child.’

‘But a dangerous child.’ Alexa’s chin lifted. ‘My father’s child. Rovina is in my blood, and my uncle knew it.’

‘You were impossibly young to find yourself so alone.’ Karim shook his head in disbelief. ‘I’m surprised it didn’t break you.’

Alexa was silent for a moment, remembering how terrified and lonely she’d been. ‘There were days when I was desperate for someone to just hold me and tell me that everything was going to be all right.’

There was a long silence, and the light flickered as Karim put the torch down on the rug. Then he reached out and lifted her, pulling her onto his lap and curving his arms around her. ‘I am holding you, habibati,’ he breathed softly, stroking her hair away from her face and guiding her head onto his shoulder with his hand. ‘And everything is going to be all right, I promise you that. Your uncle will not come near you again. You have my word on it.’

‘I—what if the Sultan doesn’t believe me?’

Karim was silent for a moment. ‘He will believe you, I can assure you of that.’

He seemed so convinced that Alexa felt herself slowly relax, and it felt so good to be held that for a moment she just lay there, enjoying the rare indulgence of letting someone else take control. ‘It feels funny talking about it. I keep waiting for you to stand up and confess that you’re not who you say you are. That you’re actually working for my uncle.’

His arms tightened. ‘I can understand that you have been extremely traumatized by your experience, but I promise you that you can trust me.’

Alexa closed her eyes and snuggled closer and his warm, masculine scent made her stomach quiver. ‘Have you any idea how it feels to have someone on your side after a lifetime of being alone?’ For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt safe. ‘How is your arm?’

‘Barely hurting.’

She smiled in the darkness. ‘You’re lying.’

‘Tell me about your dream, Alexa.’

Her smile faded. ‘I don’t want to talk about that.’

‘Try.’ He smoothed a hand gently over her hair, and shifted slightly so that he held her even closer. ‘For me, habibati.’

‘After they were killed, I suppose I was in shock. I just wanted to wind the clock back. I wished I’d made my parents go back for the doll while I stayed in the car. I wished something had happened to stop us leaving at that exact moment.’ Alexa paused, hollowed out by sadness. ‘That’s the dream I have. Time and time again I race towards the car to warn them, but I’m too late. I’m always too late.’

‘I cannot believe I didn’t discover any of this when I was in Rovina.’

‘You weren’t looking.’

‘Why was no one able to protect you?’

‘My uncle is very, very clever and he had many supporters. And, don’t forget, he didn’t exactly present me in a good light. By the time he’d finished, most people were wondering how a princess who couldn’t even drive her car straight could possibly run a country. I knew I had to get away if I was ever going to survive. I pinned all my hopes on this marriage to the Sultan. It was my only escape route.’

‘And you’re taking it.’

‘Do you blame me?’ She lifted her head and saw Karim’s eyes glitter in the torchlight.

‘No,’ he said harshly. ‘After everything you’ve told me, I do not blame you.’

‘You saved my life tonight.’ Unable to help herself, she reached out a hand and touched his face, feeling the roughness of his jaw beneath her fingers. ‘I just panicked and ran.’

‘You have no reason to thank me.’ Suddenly he seemed tense. ‘It is my job to protect you. And I will protect you, Alexa. You can be sure of that.’

His job. Alexa felt despair and disappointment mingle, and let her hand drop. What had she expected? Comfort wasn’t part of his job description. ‘I don’t know what the Sultan told you when he gave you this mission, but I don’t suppose the brief included getting yourself shot. It was hard for me to trust you, but I’m glad I did. You’re the first person I’ve met who hasn’t betrayed that trust. Thank you.’

‘You are safe, and that is what matters.’

She knew she ought to move. He’d taken her in his arms to give her comfort, nothing more. But she couldn’t bring herself to move away from his warmth and strength. In a minute, she promised herself, her eyes sliding nervously around the shadows of the cave. ‘Do you think they’ll find us?’

‘No. You should get some sleep.’

‘I don’t want to sleep.’

‘Because of the nightmares? I suspect you only have the dream when you are wound up and tense.’

Sensing that he was about to tip her off his lap, she reached up and wound her arms round his neck. ‘Can we stay like this? Just for a minute?’

His muscles were rock hard and rigid beneath her quivering body. ‘Alexa—’

‘Please, Karim?’ She whispered the words against the smooth, warm skin of his neck and felt his throat move.