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‘Some Italian Rashad went to uni with I haven’t met him but I think his name is Rio,’ Polly whispered, unable to focus on anyone but Rashad because she was noondering why her future husband looked so impossiblyfor the cameras? Or was any show of human emotion forbidden to hienuinely loathed figuring as a leading light in such a public event?
The cerees Polly’s hand tre onto her slender ring finger His slightest touch invoked a storhout her entire body and she was e that it could be normal to be so susceptible to a man But that anxiety was squashed by her astonish was a fe that Rashad wore on his hand It seemed deeply symbolic to Polly that he had deliberately ether and a brilliantly warm and happy smile softened her previously tense mouth as she looked up at him with starry eyes of appreciation
His wide sensual lips ale dark eyes re of disappointment touched Polly Yet somehow she sensed that his self-discipline was so inflexible and so intrinsic to his character that he would not allow any relaxation of his innate reserve to betray his true feelings Simultaneously and for the very first tis actually were…
Of course she knew and accepted that he wasn’t in love with her, even respected his essentially honest nature because he had not tried to deceive her with any false show or foolish pro so distinct about his obvious euiltily unnerved by it
At least Polly was pleased about the ring, Rashad was thinking wryly It was very probably the first positive thought he had had in the two frantic weeks of anisation required before it was possible for him to free up the time to become a husband And future father, he reflected joylessly Back to the life of being a sper that the seed took root this ti of distaste That was, after all, he believed, the only reason for hienerational continuity for the throne that his people needed to feel safe in the future He recalled Ferah’s heartbreak when she had learned that she had a medical condition that ulfed his The ability to have a child would have meant the world to his first wife
Did Polly have any idea what she had got herself into? And why hadn’t he made the effort to warn her?
Why hadn’t he? he asked hinising that he could have told Pollyhile one of them He breathed in slow and deep,nature of his failure to discuss soe His conscience was suddenly laden down by that awareness
Admittedly it was a sore subject froerously overshadow the present with the tragic clouds of the past In truth he had never shared his feelings aboutperson and loyalty and honour demanded that he protect his first wife’s e and in death she deserved his respect at the very least
‘You need to suided her out of the throne roo ishers
‘Why?’ he whispered back, long-lashed dark golden eyes narrowed ‘It is a solemn occasion’
‘But you’re behaving as though you’re at a funeral,’ Polly muttered in instinctive co top table in a giant banqueting room already filled with tables
No, not a funeral but possibly the bonfire of his most unrealistic hopes, Rashad labelled cynically, his facialso that his bronzed skin traced his sculpted features even e for at least another few months but Polly’s explosive effect on the Dharian population had killed that possibility in its tracks But now that he had fallen dutifully into line, hopefully everybody would be happy for a while and he could relax again With another person beside hih, with a wife… His lean, darkly handsoold with disquiet until he looked at her afresh His very beautiful wife, who had shivered with exciteroaned at how hard that tantalising memory made him
As the reception wore on Polly becarave de uproariously at the side of Rashad’s friend, Rio, and that stark contrast sobered her even roo, he wasn’t s, he was the very antithesis of happy and she was shocked and unnerved by it Most particularly, Ellie’s warnings were haunting her again
How much do you really know about Rashad?
And all of a sudden Polly was in the deeply unenviable position of ad about the man she had just married As soon as the meal was