Annie West - Royals Untamed!

* * *

Amber crumbled inside, her heart shattering into tiny shards that threatened to lacerate every part of her body. A body that craved Kazim, even now. She couldn’t move, couldn’t say a word. Shock had rooted her to the spot as surely as if she were one of the plants around her, and the hot sun beat down relentlessly, sapping every last bit of strength from her.

She shook her head, denying what was blatantly obvious. He didn’t want her and was probably glad of that final bit of evidence that had condemned her and their marriage. He’d even organised a plane to get her away from him as fast as possible. This was worse—far worse—than what he’d done to her on their wedding night. This was more than rejection. It was total annihilation of her and the love she had for him.

She closed her eyes against the memory of the moment she’d told him she loved him. Love is a fool’s indulgence. His words haunted her and she snapped her eyes open. She couldn’t go there now. Not yet. Not while he still stood watching her. Did he have no mercy at all?

‘If you’ll excuse me, I need to pack.’ He looked startled at her words. But what had he expected her to do? Beg and plead? Why should she when he couldn’t even defend her against the decision of his officials? He hadn’t even waited to hear her side of the story. He’d just decided she was guilty, believing those around him instead. ‘I will be ready to leave in an hour.’

More like five minutes. The thought of staying for an hour almost knocked her breath away, but she needed time alone to compose herself, to regroup her emotions. If she was leaving she would do it with her head held high. Whatever charges had been made against her, she was innocent and she would leave this beautiful palace with as much dignity as possible.

‘Very well,’ he said then turned and marched away, his white robes seeming to trail after him. She watched him go, his fast pace suggesting he couldn’t get away from her quickly enough. Finally he disappeared into the grand archway that led to his offices. Was he now reporting back to those who’d believed she was little better than a traitor?

* * *

True to her word, one hour later Kazim watched as Amber walked from the palace to the waiting car. Her face was a mask, hiding all her emotions. Her body, now dressed in jeans and a soft white blouse, seemed to call to his and he gritted his teeth against the stab of desire that raced through him, reminding him of the hours they’d spent making love.

Desire would not rule his country. Strong will and determination would. It was his destiny, his duty, and Amber was not and never should have been part of it.

She stopped by the car and turned to face him as he stood on the steps of the palace. He kept his eyes hard as he looked into hers, glad of the distance that now prevented him from reaching for her. That tightness clamped a little harder round his chest as her eyes met his and for a moment it was as if it was only them, nobody else existed.

This wasn’t helping at all. ‘Goodbye, Amber.’

She didn’t say anything. She just looked at him, head held high, body full of regal composure. Then she slipped her sunglasses on and for a moment longer watched him before getting into the car.

The driver shut the door; the noise, though hardly audible, banged in Kazim’s head painfully. He remained tall and strong, not wanting anyone to know the agony that stabbed at him now, as if someone was actually putting a knife into his heart.

The car moved away from the palace; the darkened windows meant it wasn’t possible to see Amber, to see if she felt the knife too. But why would she, when she’d wanted to leave all along? He took a deep breath and the pain intensified. Deep down he knew why, but he couldn’t admit it now. Not whilst those who’d exposed her lies stood watching nearby. He had to remain focused. He had a duty to his people, his country and, as hard as it was to admit, to his father. Anything else was unthinkable.

CHAPTER TWELVE

SUMMER IN PARIS was nowhere near as hot as Barazbin, but relief from the heat scarcely made up for the pain in her heart. For two whole days Amber had given into despair and had stayed in the flat, not wanting food, not wanting anything other than Kazim. Finally, sense had prevailed.

This morning she had thrown open the windows of the flat, sounds from the streets below filtering in. Spurred on by the fact that Annie and Claude would soon be home, she’d set about bringing life back to the tired rooms.

Next she moved onto the task she’d been putting off—unpacking. She was back from Barazbin for good and it was past time to sort through everything she’d hastily packed a few days earlier. As she reached into the bottom of the case, her fingers touched the red silk of her abaya —the one she’d been wearing on that last night with Kazim, the one she’d allowed herself to bring home so that she could remember him.

Each time she saw that silk it would either take her back to the moments when he’d coldly accused her of lying, or to the moment when he’d seductively removed every trace of it from her body before making her his, one last time.

As if in slow motion she stood and lifted the garment up against her. She inhaled deeply, smelling the desert—and Kazim.

Why did she have to love him so intensely and so painfully?

That night in the desert had been a mixture of anguish and ecstasy. He’d refused to acknowledge her love, but his body had welcomed it. Then it had all changed by the time they’d returned to the palace. He’d become cold and distant.

She closed her eyes against the memory of the moment she’d left the palace. He’d been like a statue, firm and resolute. He had no emotion for her, not even sympathy, and she’d been forced to retreat behind her sunglasses as tears had welled in her eyes. Tears she would never let him see.

When he’d told her why she had to go it was obvious he was saying it out of duty. He was ending their marriage because of duty to his kingdom.

Well, so be it. He’d made his choice, one that was probably for the best. After all, she’d made it clear from the start she hadn’t wanted to return to Barazbin. All that existed between them was passion. Her love for him had to stay buried. She had to think of it as a love affair, a wild and passionate few days that had come to an end.

It was time to move on.

There had been no word from him since she’d left. Nothing. Over the last few days she had come to accept that what they’d shared had been driven by lust—certainly on Kazim’s part. Lust that had burnt itself out, finally overridden by duty.

But hadn’t he married her out of duty? She frowned. If duty had been his motivation wouldn’t he have wanted the marriage to work? Her head felt heavy with confusion. Even when she wasn’t with him he could still muddle everything.

‘Enough!’ She spoke firmly to her reflection as she brushed her hair and scraped it up into a ponytail.

She needed to focus her attention on more important matters. In a few days Annie and Claude would be back. Her life could return to normal and the last few weeks would fade into a dreamlike status.

But it isn’t what I want. She pulled hard to tighten her ponytail but the sudden jolt of pain wasn’t nearly as sharp as the one that ripped through her heart each time she thought of Kazim.

She closed her eyes against that pain. This is the last time. You have to move on . She opened her eyes and glared at her reflection. ‘Stop this.’

There would be time enough to sort the unpacking tomorrow. Right now she felt enclosed; the short amount of time back in the desert had reminded her to be appreciative of space—and right now that was what she needed.