Chapter 15
Angela stood in front of her uncle, shaking with adrenaline. Not because she feared her uncle’s wrath, but because Tiro was staring at her, his expression warning her she might have just insulted him. Unfortunately, she’d been around her big, annoying cousins often enough to realize she might have just maligned his manhood. That was a big no-no. She’d been tutored on the consequences of doing that often enough by Zayn, Laith, and Rafi. However, Angela wasn’t a wimp either. She knew how to fight. Her cousins might be big and muscular, but she was nimble and clever, and she’d learned how to use their size against them. It didn’t happen often, but every once in a while, Angela was able to take down her cousins, especially when they got too annoying. It helped if they weren’t expecting one of the moves that her bodyguards had secretly taught her.
Her uncle recognized the determined, stubborn expression and sighed. “Honey, we’re not going to hurt him .”
“What’s the plan then?”
He moved closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “The plan is to play this out for a bit and see what happens.” He kissed the top of her head . “Why don’t you take your man down to the stables and introduce him to the horses? Maybe take him out for a ride?”
“That’s…,” she paused, caught off-guard by the unexpected suggestion. “That’s a good idea.”
“I thought so,” he agreed. “You love riding.” He looked to Tiro. “Do you ride?”
“Well enough,” Tiro replied, reluctantly pulling his eyes away from Angela to nod at her uncle. “I won’t fall off.”
“Excellent!” Khal said, clapping his hands. “Then go change. I’ll call down to the stable to have your mare saddled.” He looked to Tiro . “We’ll find you a suitable mount as well.”
With that, he disappeared into his office.
Angela stared at her uncle’s closed door, then glanced up at Tiro. She felt something unexpected within him, but didn’t know him well enough to understand. “We don’t have to ride if you’re not interested. There are plenty of other activities that we could do.”
“I enjoy riding,” he replied, taking her hand and lifting it to his lips to press a kiss to her fingers. “If you love riding, then I’d like to share the experience with you.”
Her features brightened and she smiled. “Let’s do it then,” she replied.
Angela cracked up at the horrified expression on Tiro’s face when he saw the old mare that the stable hand was holding, saddled and ready for Tiro.
“You’re kidding, right?” he grumbled. Angela kept laughing, unable to hold back her amusement.
Tiro heard a snort of disapproval and turned to see Aziz’s look of disgust. “It’s just a test, my friend,” Tiro explained. “Only a test.”
“Andrew,” Angela called out to the stable master, “could you saddle Tyrant for Sheik Tiro? I doubt Madeline is strong enough to hold his weight.”
The stable master, obviously nervous about the orders he’d been given, rushed over to grab the old mare’s lead, gently coaxing the tired horse back into her stable.
Tiro ran a gentle hand down the rump of the old mare, soothing her with his touch so that she would know that he wasn’t insulted by her presence. The mare’s ears twitched and he took that as a silent “Thank you!”
Tiro walked over to Angela, who was standing next to a bigger, healthier, and somewhat feisty mare. “How often do you ride?” he asked curiously.
“As often as my schedule allows. I wasn’t born here at the palace. I didn’t come here with my father until I was nearly five years old.”
“Your father didn’t get you onto a horse immediately?” he asked, stroking the mare’s sleek neck. “I thought all princesses were taught to ride as early as possible.”
“My father tried,” she explained with a grin, scratching behind her mare’s ears. “However, I was so worried about messing up, I refused to try.”
“You didn’t want your newfound father to be disappointed in you?”
She blinked up at him, startled by his quick understanding. “Yeah. How did you know?”
“I saw the way you reacted to your father’s words earlier. You still aren’t completely confident in his love, are you?”
“Yes, I am,” she argued, but there was a hesitation in her voice. “I mean, yes, rationally, I know that he loves me and would never do anything to hurt me. Nor would he ever abandon me. But it’s difficult, being in the palace and always needing to prove to the world that one is worthy.”
“You’re worthy, Angela,” he replied, tugging gently on her sleek ponytail. “You’re more than worthy.”
He leaned forward, thinking to just brush his lips against hers. But before he could, the stable master reappeared, leading a much larger and heartier gelding. The horse flared his nostrils toward Tiro with interest.
Tiro stepped away from Angela, but kept a hand on her back as he examined the huge beast. Nodding his approval, Tiro stepped closer. The gelding snorted, but didn’t prance.
“Ah, so you think to challenge me, eh?” he asked playfully. He leaned closer, staring into the big guy’s eyes. “We’ll see who is in charge, won’t we?” He whispered those last words, but the gelding heard them. And understood. He pranced to the left, then to the right, until Tiro smoothed a hand down his neck, then held his hand out, allowing the horse to get used to his scent. Afterwards, he rubbed a hand down over the horse’s body, his touch firm and unhesitating. The horse understood. Master and beast would be one during the ride.
“Let’s do this,” he announced. The horse snorted again as Tiro reached up to grab the saddle horn. The horse shifted ever so slightly, trying to keep Tiro from climbing onto his back. But Tiro had anticipated the move and held on firmly, lifting himself up, and swinging his leg smoothly over and into position. Then he gathered the reins, using his knees to guide the gelding around to face Angela.
With a look, he turned to Angela. “Ready? I think this guy needs a good, hard gallop.”
Angela grinned, impressed with his skill at controlling a strong but sometimes ornery beast. “Let’s do this,” she agreed, already mounted. She led him out through the corrals. Years before, Angela’s Aunt Marianna had been kidnapped while out riding. Aunt Marianna loved to ride fast and furiously, which meant her bodyguards were often left behind. After that incident, her Uncle Khal had ordered the security team to figure out how to allow riders to go far beyond the palace perimeter, but remain safe from kidnapping threats.
The possibility was always there, but now the guards regularly patrolled the outer areas of the palace grounds, which made the area significantly safer.
As soon as they were beyond the fence, Angela eased the tension on the reins and let her mare go. The horse, Tiny, let loose and galloped across the pasture. Tyrant, the gelding Tiro was riding, shook his head, eager for the challenge. He slid his teeth over the bit, twitched his ears, then Tiro relaxed the reins. Tyrant raced neck and neck with Tiny. Angela laughed, exhilarated by the freedom of the ride. The sunshine warmed her and she enjoyed the feeling of power as Tiny stretched her legs, easily keeping up with Tyrant. Angela glanced over at Tiro, grinned, then tightened her knees ever so slightly. Tiny felt the pressure and responded by lengthening her stride, eating up the distance.
It felt as if they were flying! Tiro enjoyed not just feeling the horse’s power between his thighs, but also the joyous sound of Angela’s laughter as she relaxed, allowing the horse to run free. This was the same sensation he’d felt when she’d been in his arms last week. When Angela let go, she did completely. It was exhilarating.
Soon, the horses tired and both riders slowed their mounts to a canter, then a trot, letting them catch their breath. Meanwhile, Angela told him a bit about the history of the palace, how it had evolved and how her ancestors had built the perimeter around the palace.
It was one of the most relaxing few hours he’d had in…years. Maybe longer!
Angela’s laughter continued to echo through his head. So as they walked their horses into the stable area, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. They continued to chat while brushing down their mounts, pulling off, cleaning, and storing the saddles. However, after they led the horses into their stalls and finished giving them water and oats, Tiro couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her.
As soon as his horse was settled, he pulled her into an empty stall. “You’re so beautiful!” he murmured as he pressed her back against the rough wood wall. He was a breath away from kissing her when someone called his name.
For a long moment, he stared into her eyes, neither willing to move. He could feel her breath caress his skin, felt her tremble as her fingers tightened on his arms. But the sound of feet moving down the center aisle decided them. Quickly, albeit reluctantly, he pulled away, giving her a look that promised, “Later!”
Just in time, since Aziz stepped into the stall. The lead bodyguard looked at them, but the bland expression in his eyes didn’t change. All he did was offer a cell phone to Tiro. “That call you were waiting on, Your Highness.”
“I’m going to clean up,” Angela announced and slipped away. Tiro watched silently as she hurried from the stables. With a sigh, he took the phone, “What?!”
Tiro glared at his guard. He hadn’t been waiting on a phone call. In fact, Osman had cleared his schedule for these three days so he could focus on Angela.
However, there wasn’t any real need or expectation of him speaking with Angela. There was merely a need to pretend, to prove to the world that they were in a relationship to appease the conservatives that were claiming Angela to be a hussy after seeing that damn kiss.
Still, he listened to the person on the other end of the phone call. It was his security team. “Your Highness, we’ve received an anonymous tip that claims that the video was released by someone within the Lativa government. We’re tracking down the source to confirm.”
Tiro nodded, then said, “Good work. Call me back when you have something more.” He ended the call, and returned the phone to Aziz. “Randall says that he’s tracked the source of the video to someone here in Lativa,” he explained, looking around to check for eavesdroppers. The call was odd, since Sheik Khal claimed that someone in Tiro’s administration had released the video.
“We’re alone, Your Highness,” Aziz confirmed. “I checked before I brought the phone to you.”
“Thank you.” Tiro sighed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, leaning back against the wall. “Why the hell would someone here in the Lativa government release a video that made Angela look bad?”
“We don’t know for sure, Your Highness,” Aziz said. “But the timing of the release is…suspicious.”
Tiro’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Aziz looked around as well. When he noticed the Lativa stable employees at the far end of the aisle, he leaned in closer. “The video was released right after our engineers discovered a vein of lithium in the Borosco Mountains, Your Highness.” He paused, then continued, “Perhaps someone here in Lativa was trying to make you look bad in the hopes of bringing you to the negotiating table, so they can gain more profitable terms on the lithium sales.”
Tiro snorted. “That’s a big leap! There’s no reason to assume that I would be shamed by a damn kiss!”
“True , Your Highness, but Princess Angela is known worldwide.” He looked around, then asked, “Do you have any idea how many people follow her activities on social media?”
Tiro blinked. “Why the hell does she have a social media account?”
“I don’t think she does, but there are more than twelve hundred accounts focused on her and her activities, all of which are dedicated to posting pictures of her. The gossip around Princess Angela is heated, with speculation rampant about when she’ll marry.” He sighed . “Las Vegas has betting odds around her eventual fiancé.”
Tiro gritted his teeth at that unwelcome news. “What are the odds in my favor?”
Aziz shrugged. “No idea, but I can ask Osman to get that information.”
Tiro sighed. “I don’t give a damn about what the world thinks about my odds of marrying Princess Angela. But if you’re right, that the video was released in an effort to get me to negotiate, then we need to confirm that before I act on the information.”
Aziz bowed his head slightly. “Of course, Your Highness. I’ll work with the team to continue looking into the situation.”
Tiro nodded and turned away, heading back into the palace. He had no idea what was next on the agenda for the day. Despite the possibility of malicious machinations, he seriously hoped that Angela might be involved in the next activity. Maybe in a dark, private closet or a well shadowed area of the palace!
He didn’t dare hope for a bed. That would be going too far. Plus, after meeting Sheik Khal, he didn’t think he could make love to Angela here in her home. Despite the man’s past aggressions, Tiro admitted that he could respect the man. The man was older by about thirty years and had experience on his side. But Tiro wouldn’t be fooled. He would be wary and conscious of the subtle signs of potential issues. He knew the rules when visiting foreign countries, although, there were a few more landmines when “courting” in the other country.
However, Angela was scheduled to visit Ginisia in two weeks’ time. Once he had her alone, and on his turf, the rules would change.
Tiro took two steps forward, then stopped. He suddenly realized what he was thinking. Was this effort, his presence here in Lativa, merely about sex?
He froze, staring into space. Yes, he desperately wanted to make love to Angela. With every fiber of his being, he wanted to explore her body, to make her cry out his name, and feel her shiver with desire. He wanted to know what she looked like when she climaxed in his arms; he wanted to know every damn thing about her.
And yet…!
No. This wasn’t just sexual. Sex was a component, absolutely. But he wanted much more than just sex from Angela. And that was stunning. Never before had he felt this kind of…what? Affection? No, that was too tame a word for what he felt for Angela . And yet, there was affection. There was also respect, anticipation, and…lust. But it wasn’t just about lust.
Nor was his presence here in Lativa about a political maneuver. And it definitely had nothing to do with saving Angela’s reputation.
Okay, maybe it was a little about that. He still hated the fact that Angela was condemned for the passionate kiss caught on a video while he was praised for the same incident. Over the past few days, he’d literally hung up on several former acquaintances who had laughed at how he’d kissed the “ice princess”.
The world wasn’t fair, and women were often viewed as second-class citizens.
So, what was he going to do about it? Tiro knew that, in some parts of the world, women were stepping back from marriage and pregnancy. The result was a steep decline in birth rates. When women weren’t treated fairly, they fought back, demanding the respect that they were due as human beings.
Tiro respected women, had several in his advisory council and as directors of agencies. He didn’t want women to need to rise up because they were treated as “less than” in his country. He respected women, but was he treating Angela with the respect she deserved right now ? The fact that he was anticipating getting her alone once she visited his country was evidence that he wasn’t.
Damn it! The fact that he was just now realizing the depth of the hypocrisy that women had to deal with was proof that he hadn’t considered the plight of women in the world carefully enough.
He looked around, ignoring the sunshine that was pounding down over his head. Where would his mind be right now if he’d actually been able to kiss her again ? Would he still be …hell, Tiro acknowledged that his cock ruled his decisions. He wanted Angela and he didn’t actually give a damn if he made love to her here or in his country. He didn’t care even a little!
Granted, he didn’t want to disrespect Khal. Or his brothers. Hell, the fact that Zayn, a man who was Tiro’s junior by a few years, was willing to take him on…in a freaking formal sitting room…simply because of a damn kiss in a different country, a kiss that never should have been…spoke volumes for the man’s integrity. The ass wanted to protect Angela’s honor, even though the premise was outdated.
Or was it? Didn’t Tiro consider his honor to be something worth protecting ? Yes, definitely . So why would a woman’s honor be any less important. Of course, Angela’s honor shouldn’t be tied up in her sexuality. Her honor should be a reflection of her actions.
And her actions were profound! She was a brilliant and well-respected diplomat.
Tiro wasn’t sure where his mental gymnastics were leading him. Looking around, he wasn’t sure where his feet were leading him either. Where the hell was he?
He’d been walking toward…whatever…while he contemplated honor. This was a subject that hadn’t ever entered his conscious thoughts until that damn video!
He headed toward the private suite that he’d been assigned to for the duration of his stay. He washed up and changed into a pair of slacks and a white dress shirt. He contemplated adding a tie, but hated the things. They felt like a noose and he only wore them when absolutely necessary.
Annoyed by how his thoughts had meandered over the past hour or more, he stepped out of the suite and looked around. “Any idea what’s next on the agenda?” he asked of the guards surrounding him. Aziz wasn’t in the group at the moment. The guards rotated responsibilities every few hours to keep everyone sharp and alert.
Someone stepped out of the shadows, a clipboard pressed against his chest. “Your Highness, Princess Angela is awaiting your presence in the family dining room for lunch.”
For the next two hours, Tiro was surrounded by Angela’s family. They were a big, boisterous, and affectionate family. It was unexpected, since Tiro considered most of his family members to be enemies. He had several uncles who had been banished from Ginisia due to their efforts to overthrow his government.
It was odd to be surrounded by people who only wanted the best for one another.
“No!” someone exclaimed several seats down from him at the table. “Don’t you dare tell him about that!”
Angela, seated across from him, frowned at one of her aunts. She’d been about to take a bite of a melon ball. “What?” she asked, lowering her fork to the plate.
Tiro watched her carefully, fascinated by the expressions flitting over her face in quick succession.
“One word,” her Aunt Tila giggled.
“No!” Angela hissed. She glanced at Tiro, then back to her aunt, her creamy cheeks turning a becoming shade of pink. “He doesn’t need to know about that!”
Another woman, he thought her name was Tasha, was failing at her feeble attempts to hide her hilarity. “Oh, he has to know!”
“Know what?” he prompted again.
The whole table was paying attention now, everyone grinning playfully.
“You might as well tell him,” Rafi prompted Angela, throwing his arm over the back of her chair as he leaned in. He was talking to Angela, but looking at Tiro.
“Tell me,” he urged, fascinated by the color of her cheeks.
“One word,” Tasha blurted out. “Fiona!”
At that, everyone around the table burst out laughing, except for Angela and himself. He watched her carefully. He noticed that her hands were under the table and she couldn’t meet his eyes.
For some reason, he didn’t want her to be embarrassed. As much as he wanted to hear this story, he didn’t want to know anything at the expense of her self-confidence.
So, instead of letting her deal with everyone at the table mocking her, he stood up, placing his napkin over his plate. He didn’t care that the meal was only halfway through.
As soon as he stood, the laughter dimmed. It didn’t go away, but the hilarity wasn’t as loud. He walked around the table, all eyes following him. But Tiro ignored everyone as he stepped behind Angela’s chair. “Could I have a private word with you?” he asked, taking her hand so that he could gently help her to her feet. He led her out of the dining area and into the first vacant room he found.
When they were finally alone, he looked into her eyes, bending down slightly because she had her head bowed.
“Are you okay?” he asked, genuinely concerned.
“I’m fine,” she replied, lacing her fingers in front of her. “But I appreciate you getting me out of there. I adore my family, but they can be a bit…overwhelming at times.”
“Especially when they’re revealing childhood secrets, I suppose.” He leaned forward, kissing her forehead . She felt good. Soft and sweet and…all woman!
She inhaled, held the breath for a moment, then smiled up at him. “I guess it isn’t such a horrible secret.”
“What is it?” He laced his fingers through hers. “You don’t have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable.”
“No, it isn’t that.” She looked up at him, then out the window . “It’s just that…well, I thought I was so brave as a kid. And I wanted to be just like Fiona.” Her eyes lifted to his now . “You know, like the character in the movie?”
He shuffled through all of the childhood movies his nanny allowed him to watch. “The one with the big, green guy? And the donkey?”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “That one.”
“What about that movie is embarrassing to you?”
“I wanted to be just like Fiona as a kid. I wanted to be strong and powerful. I begged my father to teach me martial arts so I could fight the bad guys, like Fiona did in the movie.”
“That’s not such a horrible goal. I’m guessing that you really just wanted to be strong and empowered. Someone who couldn’t be pushed around or bullied.”
“Yeah. But…” she stepped away from him, and he immediately missed her touch. Her skin was surprisingly soft.
“Tell me.” He crossed his arms over his chest in order to keep his hands to himself.
“Because I wanted to be like Fiona, I used to…color my face green. With my aunts’ and my mom’s eye shadow.” She groaned, running her hands over he r hair, which was still pulled back in a sleek ponytail. “When they started hiding their makeup, I knew I had to ration my stash. So, I’d only color my nose.” She turned back to face him , her hands hidden behind her back. “That’s the secret they were going to tell you. Everyone thinks it’s a hilarious story.”
He recognized the discomfiture in her eyes and something in his chest softened. He smiled down at her. “I think it sounds adorable,” he countered, coming closer. He took her hands again, relieved when she didn’t pull away. “Why Fiona? Why not one of the other female characters in a different movie?”
She shrugged, almost as if the answer weren’t important. But he saw the expression in her eyes. “I’m not sure. I guess because she just…captured my imagination.”
He looked at her with renewed respect. “Maybe you preferred her character because, in the end, she embraced her assumed lack of perfection and found someone who loved her just the way she was.” He pulled her closer, wanting to kiss her soft, sweet lips . “Maybe it was because you were terrified that your father wouldn’t love who you really were, so you wanted to emulate a character who found someone who loved her regardless of her background or her appearance.” He stroked her cheek gently. “You’re lovely, Angela.” And those words were absolutely true . “You’re a good person, inside and out. I’ve read opinion articles on the deals you’ve brokered between the various factions of different countries. You’re negotiations are fair to all parties involved.” He kissed her lips lightly . “I think that’s the most beneficial way to negotiate. Every party comes away with something, but not everything. A lot of political parties would benefit from that kind of thinking.”
Angela stared up at him, shocked by his interpretation of a childhood memory that her entire family loved to regale and laugh over at every opportunity. For her, it wasn’t funny. She’d never understood why it pained her so much when her family teased her about it. Until now, she’d always smiled and silently endured their teasing. They thought it was just about how Fiona was strong and vanquished the creepy, woodland singers in the forest during their trek to her wedding day.
But Tiro’s explanation gave her childhood obsession with Fiona a whole new layer.
Before she could thank him, or even better, thank him with a kiss, the door to the salon burst open. In the doorway stood Zayn, Rafi, Laith, and Saif. Behind them, Nahla was trying to pull them back out of the room, her angry, blue eyes shooting daggers at their backs. “Leave them alone!” she hissed, trying to be subtle and failing utterly. But the males of her family never really catered to subtlety. They were more of the “in-your-face” kind of men.
“Let’s play pool,” Rafi suggested. “And don’t let Angela make a fool of you. She’s a shark when it comes to pool.”
Angela’s hands tightened their grip on Tiro’s arm. She didn’t want to play pool. She didn’t want to discuss her childhood traumas. She wanted to be alone with Tiro ! But her family, damn them, were interrupting at every opportunity , and she suspected it was deliberate.
“You’re all assholes!” she snapped.
Her relatives laughed as Rafi herded her and Tiro to the billiards room.
In the end, they played pool and Angela went out of her way to destroy her cousins, keeping them from scoring even a single point. After pool, Laith suggested card games. Then someone else suggested a movie. Angela was allowed to sit next to Tiro, and she was allowed to hold his hand. But there was no other touching allowed. She couldn’t even whisper to him.
And that’s the way the next two days went. Every time they had even a brief moment alone, Tiro would try to kiss her. But before their lips could meet, someone, usually her male cousins, would interrupt.!
So, by the third day, Angela and Tiro had given up trying. But whenever their eyes met, he would send her a silent signal. One that said, “Pretend I’m kissing you now.” And she’d send the message back along the lines of, “They’re coming to interrupt us!”
Perhaps he had other interpretations of their silent communications. Angela enjoyed speaking to him in a language that no one else understood, nor could they interrupt.
When he finally left the palace with just a kiss to her fingers, Angela vowed that she would repay her cousins for their constant disruptions over the past few days.