Chapter Four
AN ENTIRE WEEK PASSED since that time in the theater, and I had been a good girl all those days.
I had a plan, and for it to work I needed to catch the sheikh off guard.
When weekend came, my prayers were answered. A storm had entered the city, and Layla was shrouded in darkness. By the time night fell, rain was falling hard and fast on the roof while thunder boomed and lightning flashed every few seconds.
I knocked on the sheikh’s door a little before midnight.
“Your M-Majesty?”
The door immediately opened, the sheikh’s face registering surprise when he saw me. “What is it, Aurora?”
“I’m scared,” I whispered.
His face turned grim, but I told myself not to be guilty.
Just this night, I told myself feverishly.
Just this night, and we’ll know once and for all...
Lightning flashed, and I jumped in shock.
A moment later, and the sheikh was swiftly taking me into his arms. “It’s alright.”
He drew me inside his chamber, and my heart slammed against my chest. The sheikh’s touch was warm, and his grip firm.
It was all I could do not to melt against him, and to distract myself, I let my gaze drift around me.
It was my first time to be in the sheikh’s room, and it was even more luxurious and spacious than I imagined.
There was gold everywhere, its blazing shade only counterbalanced by the mix of black marble in the room.
“Sit here, Aurora.” Mik’hail led me to the leather sofa in the corner. As I sat down, he said quietly, “I’m sorry I didn’t think of how the storm would bring back memories.”
Even though the words made me feel guiltier, I couldn’t make myself admit to lying. “I just need some help to sleep, Your Majesty.” Swallowing, I asked, “Do you perhaps have any pills I could take?”
The sheikh’s gaze narrowed. “Have you ever taken any before?”
I nodded, even though this was also a lie.
“How about just a glass of wine? Perhaps it will be more than enough.”
I shook my head. “Please, akh. I just really want to sleep.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Mik’hail finally said, “I suppose one pill would be safe.”
His overly reluctant tone made me smile. “Come on, akh. It’s not like I’m asking for marijuana.”
Ignoring my eye roll, Mik’hail headed to the en-suite bathroom. He returned a moment later, said sleeping pill on his hand. “What do you want with it? Water or wine?”
“Wine,” I answered as I took the pill from his hand.
The moment the sheikh turned his back, I quickly hid the pill under the sofa, and when he returned to my side, I made a show of swallowing before reaching for the glass of wine he offered.
“It should take effect in a couple of minutes,” the sheikh told me.
“Thank you.”
“Did remembering make you feel sad or frightened?” the sheikh asked as he took a seat across me.
Wanting to be as honest as I could, I said slowly, “Not frightened, but more...sad, yes.” We didn’t always see eye to eye, but my parents had been good to me, and Aretha, well, she was my sister. I would always love her because of that.
“I’m truly sorry for your loss, Aurora.”
I swallowed hard at this. “You lost her, too, Your Majesty.”
“Indeed.” His voice had become odd, and when he saw my brows furrow at this, he said slowly, “I do mourn your sister’s passing, but...it was different between us. Everyone could see how much you loved Aretha, but for the two of us, it was different.”
My heart squeezed. “What do you mean...different? Didn’t you...love her?”
Silence stretched between us, and my fingers clenched against my lap.
If he said yes...
If he admitted to loving Aretha...
I knew that would be the end of it.
No matter how much I loved him myself, I knew I could never betray Aretha’s memory that way. So if Mik’hail ever said—
“No.”
My head jerked up.
“I was fond of Aretha,” Mik’hail said roughly, “but it was not and had never been love between us.”
I swallowed hard. “And my sister—” My voice broke off at the way his gaze suddenly turned cold.
“She felt the same way.”
“I s-see.” I didn’t think Mik’hail was lying about there not being any love between him and Aretha, but there was something about the way he said those words...
It was as if he was hiding something—
Stop it, Aurora.
I mentally shook my head. I was probably projecting my own guilt, no doubt. I was the one who had the most to hide, not Mik’hail, and as the thought made my eyes squeeze shut in shame—
“You’re feeling sleepy already?”
The sheikh’s words nearly made me start. With all that talk about the past, I had almost forgotten what I came here to do, and my heart started to race.
This is it, I told myself.
This was the point of no return—
“Aurora?”
I tried to look groggy as I opened my eyes. “May I sleep here with you, akh?” I rubbed my eyes for effect. “I don’t want to go back to my room. I’m just too scared right now.”
The sheikh hesitated another moment before saying, “All right.”
“Thank you.” I spoke softly and slowly, like someone close to falling asleep, and the sound had the sheikh scooping me up in his arms.
“You don’t have to—”
“It’s fine.”
Mik’hail gently laid me on the bed, which was so enormous it could probably accommodate five full-sized adults.
I pretended to have a hard time opening my eyes as the sheikh tucked me in and left only the night light on. “Are you not going to sleep yet, Your Majesty?” I mumbled with a yawn.
“After a shower.”
“G’night then.”
“Good night, Aurora.”
I focused on keeping my breathing even while listening to the sheikh moving about the room, and I only allowed myself to open my eyes when I heard the door of the en-suite shut closed.
*****
IT WAS SURPRISINGLY intimate, listening to the man I loved taking a shower. And when I thought about the fact that he was on the other side of that door, with nothing but water and steam between us...
My whole body flushed.
Could Mik’hail be thinking of me while he showered?
The thought alone was enough to make my heart race, and my mind wandered to dangerous places. What would happen if I were brave enough to open that door? What would he do if he saw me standing there?
Would he send me away?
Or would he finally, finally stop fighting this thing between us?
An eternity seemed to have passed by the time Mik’hail came out of the shower, and unable to resist the urge, I found myself peeking just a little.
To my relief I found the sheikh standing with his back to me. He was rubbing his hair dry with a towel, and he was dressed in nothing else but a loose pair of slacks.
Just seeing the sleek golden muscles of his back made me feel warm all over, and I couldn’t help thinking that if tonight went my way, I’d soon be able to touch all that glistening skin and feel his muscles ripple under my fingers.
The sheikh started to turn towards me, and I quickly closed my eyes.
When the other half of the bed dipped, I pretended to stir and roll towards him. When I stopped in the middle of the bed, the sheikh immediately asked tautly, “Aurora?”
I mumbled incoherently in response and allowed a few more moments to pass before letting out a little cry as if caught in the throes of a nightmare.
The bed shifted and dipped again, and it was all I could do not to cry out when I felt him draw my body close.
I had spent several nights researching the possible side effects of sleeping pills. I knew what I could and couldn’t do, and so when I felt him stiffen the moment he realized just how little I wore under my nightgown—
I allowed myself the tiniest of sounds, and I heard the sheikh suck his breath hard.
Oh.
I could feel it now.
The way his body had responded to mine.
The thought was exhilarating, and I couldn’t help it. I started shifting against him, just tiny, restless movements like someone caught in a dream. Tiny movements that let him feel just how much I ached for him, too.
Mik’hail cursed under his breath, but not once did he move away.
He touched my shoulder. “Aurora, you’re dreaming...”
I pretended to mumble, my eyes still closed. I flipped to my back, mumbled incoherently for the second time, and then I let my body roll back to him.
“Mik’hail...”
I let my voice tremble, needing him to continue thinking I was still heavily sedated.
The sheikh cupped my face. “I’m here. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
The fierce protectiveness in his voice made my heart squeeze, and if I hadn’t been sure of what I was doing earlier—
This time there was not a single doubt in my mind, and so when I heard him whisper my name—
I used it as an excuse to start trembling and pressing closer to him.
I tried to act like I was trapped in the past and reliving my worst memories, but at the same time I used every moment to get closer and closer and closer.
..until I was practically wrapped around him, my body molded to his, close enough to feel his heart pounding against mine.
In this new position, my head started to spin anew, and my heart began beating like crazy as I slowly allowed my eyes to drift open as if lost in a dream.
When our eyes met, the want in his gaze was all I needed to see, and I lowered my head.
The sheikh, realizing what I intended to do, tried to pull away, but it was too late.
I touched my lips to his, and when Mik’hail groaned, I didn’t hesitate, knowing that I wouldn’t have any other chance—
Oh.
Fire consumed me from the moment our lips truly met, and I was breathless and mindless in a second—
Finally, finally, finally!
I kissed him with all the pent-up hunger inside of me, knowing full well that Mik’hail could still find the strength to put an end to all of this. Any moment now, he could realize this wasn’t what he wanted and push me away.
A part of me was waiting for him to do just that, but instead...
Oh, Mik’hail.
He was kissing me back.
Mik’hail.
Kissing me.
My mind spiraled, and I found myself helplessly surrendering to his command as Mik’hail instantly took over, his lips now moving against mine with a hunger that matched my own.
His hands moved to my waist, pulling me even closer, and I could only gasp against his mouth.
“Briar.” So much desire, so much need, so much promise in that one name, and I could only whimper in protest when he suddenly tore his mouth away, his gaze haunted by indecision.
I knew then that I had to do something.
Knew that if I let him speak, everything I had worked hard for at this point would go to waste.
And when that happened, it would be all over.
Mik’hail would never be mine.
Never.
And the thought was enough.
Terrified to lose him, I was able to muster the courage to continue with my deception. I pressed myself closer against him, and as I locked gazes with his, slurred words tumbled from my tongue—
“Always...wanted you.”
And as Mik’hail stiffened, I went on to whisper—
“Please...make me yours.”