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Then he broke away from her

She felt as if he’d backhanded her, fell back onto her pillow, gasping, her eyes gushing her ony Then the words shuddered out of hied, ya hayati”

A sob overcaain He resisted her This time his rejection clamped her chest with the frost of suspicion

Stone cold, she got out of bed on unsteady legs “You’ve researchedinvolved with hter and half-sister to Da …”

He exploded to his feet, his rage rattling her teeth

“Enti majnoonah?” he thundered “Are you totally crazy, or is this the drugs talking? You think I’d care if you were Al Shy’taan’s—Satan’s—daughter? And afraid of getting involved? The whole kingdoht in your hotel roo for you I brought you here, put you in my bed And you think I care what the world says or thinks? You think I’ you and myself for those petty reasons?”

“Then why?” she cried “The only other reason I can think of is you don’t wanther to stumble backith his insistent momentum, until he had her plastered to the wall Then he showed her just how huge his desire was, how much he wanted her

“Is this proof enough for you, yafor your every inch, I worship you, I crave your every glance and word and thought and e to hi her She cried out her confusion, “Then on’t you have ht to choose my wife”

Wife

And it came to her Fully formed What she’d never allowed herself to even think about The iht and coht a fresh wave of anguish She sobbed as if her heart would break

He snatched her up in his arms, carried her to bed, curved hihla albi, argooki, don’t cry”

It was only on account of hearing his voice about to fracture that she found the control to leash in her anguish

“I never thought I was qualified to be your wife—” she started

He cut her off with a snarl “You are my wife In my heart and soul But because I can’t choose you, I can never have one And I won’t”

The way he’d said that … ! “You mean …?”

“I’ll take the crown but I will not take a wife”