The Sheik and the Bought Bride by Susan Mallery Page B
Authors: Susan Mallery
mine,” he said, his voice low and cold. “And therefore an extension of me.”
Desk Boy went pale and stood. “Yes, S-Sir,” he stammered. He turned to Victoria. “My apologies.”
Too little, too late, she thought but didn’t say. Instead she nodded and relaxed a little as the heat from Kateb’s hand warmed her.
He guided her down the long corridor, then into a huge office. Once he took his hand away, she felt herself start to shake.
“He was so rude,” she whispered. “I didn’t expect that. The look on his face…”
“It’s not about you,” he told her, closing the door. “He comes from a powerful family. His eldest brother died a few years ago. He was a good man and well liked. The family believes if he had lived, he would have been chosen by the elders as the next leader.”
“Is that true?”
“Who is to say? Probably not. Last year his father approached me, trying to arrange a marriage between me and the family’s oldest daughter. I refused.”
That could be awkward , she thought. “So basically the family hates you.”
“No. The daughter was in love with someone else and grateful I refused her.”
“Was that the reason you did?”
He shrugged. “We would not have suited each other.”
She doubted that was the real reason. Kateb had been nice and he would hate anyone to know about it. “So it’s just Desk Boy who has the attitude?”
“Desk Boy?”
“You know who I mean.”
“I will send him to the city. Some time working for one of my brothers will distract him.”
Victoria wouldn’t be sorry to see him go. “Now that we’ve solved that problem, I need to talk to you about something.”
He walked around to his desk and sat down. “Which is?”
There was something about the way he looked at her, she thought, unable to figure out what he was thinking. Almost as if he were angry with her. Yet he’d rescued her. Or had that been about claiming what was his? About his station rather than hers?
“Victoria?” He sounded impatient.
She approached the desk. It was large and carved. The room itself had to be at the base of one of the towers—the window walls angled, forming a rough semicircle. There were rugs and low sofas and an air of importance that reminded her of King Mukhtar’s office in the city.
“I went to the bazaar today,” she began. “There is a small store selling locally made jewelry. I’ve seen it before and bought some.” She fingered her earrings. “The work is beautiful. Original and contemporary but with enough traditional elements to make each piece timeless.”
He leaned back in his chair and looked bored. “And?”
“They only sell here and in the city. Some guy takes their stuff to El Bahar and Bahania, but I think he might be ripping them off. Rasha didn’t sound that thrilled with him.” She drew in a deep breath. “I think they could do more. I think they could sell all over the world and be really successful. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but we could start with a Web site. I could even put it together. I’m not great at them, but I’ve taken a few classes and I’m sure I could help. I don’t know about selling toother countries, though. We’d probably need some kind of distribution arrangement or customs would be a nightmare. Maybe a catalog, too. And I don’t know about the money. There are those services that collect it for you. That would be good.”
She paused for breath and because Kateb was staring past her, as if he wasn’t listening.
Then his gaze swung back to her, only it wasn’t the least bit friendly. She felt the chill down to her ankle bracelet.
“Are you on birth control?” he asked.
“What?”
He waited, practically glaring at her. “Are you?”
Birth control. As in…
Her mouth dropped open. She consciously closed it. Because they’d had sex. He hadn’t used a condom, which meant the whole protection element was up to her.
Technically she was supposed to wait to be invited to
Desk Boy went pale and stood. “Yes, S-Sir,” he stammered. He turned to Victoria. “My apologies.”
Too little, too late, she thought but didn’t say. Instead she nodded and relaxed a little as the heat from Kateb’s hand warmed her.
He guided her down the long corridor, then into a huge office. Once he took his hand away, she felt herself start to shake.
“He was so rude,” she whispered. “I didn’t expect that. The look on his face…”
“It’s not about you,” he told her, closing the door. “He comes from a powerful family. His eldest brother died a few years ago. He was a good man and well liked. The family believes if he had lived, he would have been chosen by the elders as the next leader.”
“Is that true?”
“Who is to say? Probably not. Last year his father approached me, trying to arrange a marriage between me and the family’s oldest daughter. I refused.”
That could be awkward , she thought. “So basically the family hates you.”
“No. The daughter was in love with someone else and grateful I refused her.”
“Was that the reason you did?”
He shrugged. “We would not have suited each other.”
She doubted that was the real reason. Kateb had been nice and he would hate anyone to know about it. “So it’s just Desk Boy who has the attitude?”
“Desk Boy?”
“You know who I mean.”
“I will send him to the city. Some time working for one of my brothers will distract him.”
Victoria wouldn’t be sorry to see him go. “Now that we’ve solved that problem, I need to talk to you about something.”
He walked around to his desk and sat down. “Which is?”
There was something about the way he looked at her, she thought, unable to figure out what he was thinking. Almost as if he were angry with her. Yet he’d rescued her. Or had that been about claiming what was his? About his station rather than hers?
“Victoria?” He sounded impatient.
She approached the desk. It was large and carved. The room itself had to be at the base of one of the towers—the window walls angled, forming a rough semicircle. There were rugs and low sofas and an air of importance that reminded her of King Mukhtar’s office in the city.
“I went to the bazaar today,” she began. “There is a small store selling locally made jewelry. I’ve seen it before and bought some.” She fingered her earrings. “The work is beautiful. Original and contemporary but with enough traditional elements to make each piece timeless.”
He leaned back in his chair and looked bored. “And?”
“They only sell here and in the city. Some guy takes their stuff to El Bahar and Bahania, but I think he might be ripping them off. Rasha didn’t sound that thrilled with him.” She drew in a deep breath. “I think they could do more. I think they could sell all over the world and be really successful. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but we could start with a Web site. I could even put it together. I’m not great at them, but I’ve taken a few classes and I’m sure I could help. I don’t know about selling toother countries, though. We’d probably need some kind of distribution arrangement or customs would be a nightmare. Maybe a catalog, too. And I don’t know about the money. There are those services that collect it for you. That would be good.”
She paused for breath and because Kateb was staring past her, as if he wasn’t listening.
Then his gaze swung back to her, only it wasn’t the least bit friendly. She felt the chill down to her ankle bracelet.
“Are you on birth control?” he asked.
“What?”
He waited, practically glaring at her. “Are you?”
Birth control. As in…
Her mouth dropped open. She consciously closed it. Because they’d had sex. He hadn’t used a condom, which meant the whole protection element was up to her.
Technically she was supposed to wait to be invited to