Chapter 10
Tila turned to face the man who she’d thought she knew. But she hadn’t known, hadn’t even suspected, that the man whose company she’d enjoyed for so many months, was actually a prince. A wealthy, powerful prince with unlimited wealth and the ability to transform a living space in less than twenty-four hours.
And here she stood in ugly, baggy sweatpants and a tee shirt that was probably stained with baby barf, if not worse things. She’d taken a shower when Joran had been in her home last time, but that had been….she wasn’t sure because she didn’t know what time it was. Had she remembered deodorant? Tila didn’t want to lift her arm to check. Another shower would be lovely, but she didn’t dare ask for it.
“This is…lovely,” she finally replied, realizing Joran was waiting for her reaction. “Umm…where are Laith and Rafi?” she asked.
The large men with guns had whisked her babies away and she didn’t see them here.
“They are in their cribs, right through that door.”
Tila nodded. She’d nursed Rafi on the flight here while Joran had fed Laith a bottle. The boys had been changed and settled into their car seats and, amazingly, both had slept for several hours. They should be waking up any time now though. The sun was creeping higher, brightening the sky and the bed in the other room, which looked mighty tempting!
“Thank you,” she whispered, wanting to go to her sons. She wanted to hold them and tell them they were safe.
“Talk to me, Tila,” Joran urged. “I can change anything you don’t like.”
Tila turned to face him, not sure what to say. She opened her mouth, then closed it. When she looked around, she wasn’t sure what she liked or disliked. In reality, she was so tired that her mind was absolute mush.
“Would you mind if I just…rested for a bit?” she asked. “If I could just sleep for an hour, that would definitely help.”
Joran smiled, then gestured towards the room with the bed. “Sleep as long as you’d like,” he assured her. He put a hand to the small of her back, leading her into the bedroom. “There’s a bathroom through there,” he told her, gesturing towards another door. “And there are clothes in here for you.” He opened a third door, revealing a walk-in closet that was larger than her entire house.
Tila didn’t want to look at clothes. She felt self-conscious in her sweat pants and stained tee shirt. She smoothed a hand down over her front and looked at the floor. “Sleep,” was the only word she could utter.
“When you need me, just…” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “There are guards outside the door.” When she looked at him with panic in her eyes, he lifted both hands, palms out. “Not to keep you in, Tila,” he assured her soothingly. “The guards are here for your protection. They will stop everyone from coming to greet you.” Again, he gestured towards the bed. “Sleep. I know you’re exhausted. Take all the time you need and I’ll be around when you are ready to talk.”
Tila nodded slowly. Once she didn’t feel like a zombie, she could ask questions and figure out what she wanted to do.
She watched as Joran left the room, pulling the door closed behind him. She was submerged in a room that was lit only by the dim shadows of a night-light hidden somewhere on the left wall. Tila crawled into the bed and pulled the comforter over herself. Tears burned, but she wiped them away, furious with herself for giving in to them. Tears wouldn’t solve anything and she buried her face in the pillow. She didn’t wake for a long time.