Chapter 16
“Papa!” Myala called out, looping her arm through his. “How are you doing? Are you ready to leave?” she asked, trying to hide her disappointment. This evening’s event had been an absolute bust! Nothing had gone right! She’d tried to get Sheik Falk alone, only to be rejected. Then she’d done something crazy, and that had backfired on her.
“More than ready,” General Isif replied, patting Myala’s hand. “Did you have a nice time tonight?”
Myala glanced around, but she didn’t see the one man that truly interested her. “Not really,” she replied. Her eyes lingered on a handsome man standing beside the new groom. Sheik Zayed el Mastrion was certainly eye-catching. He stood as tall as Sheik Ramit, but the two men were very different. While Sheik Ramit and Sheik Falk were bulky heroes, Sheik Zayed had a more lithe, but equally powerful frame. He was tall and distinguished, but his muscles were subtler.
Should she transfer her interest to Sheik Zayed? He didn’t appear to be interested in any particular woman.
But even as she watched, Myala noticed Zayed’s eyes repeatedly straying towards the doorway. Was there someone waiting for him? Perhaps in his bed?
With a sigh, she turned away. Sheik Zayed was probably just as wealthy as his friends, but Myala had set her sights on Sheik Falk. There was just something about a big, brutish man that appealed to her. Sheik Zayed seemed too…straight-laced, perhaps? Or maybe it was just that he wasn’t as obvious as the other two men.
No, she’d set a goal for herself. Already, she’d failed at trying to attract the attentions of Sheik Ramit. Now that she’d set herself the goal of marrying Sheik Falk, there was no stopping her.
Even if she had to resort to…underhanded…tricks to make that happen. Myala had been so sure that, if she could just find some time alone with Falk, then he would realize that they were perfect for one another.
Boy, had that plan backfired!
Sighing, she smiled up at her father. “You look a bit off, Daddy,” she observed, tilting her head to examine his face carefully. “Did you not have a good time tonight? I thought you were going to speak with the Air Force Minister to make some suggestions to the new training regimen.”
General Isif patted his daughter’s hand. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about such things, my dear. You have bigger issues to handle.” He led her towards the exit, but had to slow down since many others were heading home now that the hour was so late. “Did you talk to any interesting men?”
Myala thought about her short, abrupt conversation with Sheik Falk in that small, dismal room. “Yes, of course,” she lied.
“I’m sure you charmed the man senseless, my dear.”
Myala thought about her activities from the night. It had been exciting, but perhaps not in the way her father assumed.
Still, she shivered at the memory of the previous hour. Yes, it had been well worth her while attending tonight, although she seriously doubted that her father would approve of her naughty activities.