Susan Mallery: The Sheik & the Virgin Princess

“I’ve seen a few pictures from when she was a showgirl,” she admitted. “She was lovely.”

“More than that. She had dozens of admirers, but from the first there was something special between us. We only wanted each other. We were together whenever I could get away.” He smiled sadly. “I asked her to marry me, but she refused.”

“Are you kidding?” Cleo blurted, then covered her mouth. “Sorry.”

Hassan shrugged. “I was stunned, as well. However, I already had a wife. I offered to divorce her, but Fiona refused. She said she didn’t want to make trouble and she doubted that she would have been content to live in one place, even one as amazing as Bahania.”

“My mother did like to wander,” Zara said, a little dazed by all she was hearing. A king had offered to marry Fiona and she had said no?

Hassan studied her. “Was there…” He cleared his throat. “I often wondered who Fiona had married.”

“She didn’t,” Zara said quickly. “We moved around constantly and while Fiona always had dozens of friends, there was never a special man in her life. She used to tell me that she’d already fallen in love once and didn’t plan to do it again.”

Hassan closed his eyes briefly. “Yes. I gave her my heart, and when she left, she took it with her. I like to think she experienced the same with me. Perhaps not. We’ll never know.” He turned his attention back to Zara. “At the time I could not understand why she disappeared from my world, but now I know. She must have left as soon as she found out she was pregnant. She knew that I would have insisted we marry. Even if we had not, she feared for her child.”

Too much was happening too fast. Zara felt as if her head was already too full of information. “Why would she fear that anything would happen to me?”

“Bahanian law requires that a royal child be raised in the palace. I suspect Fiona feared that if I knew about you, I would insist you be raised here. If she didn’t marry me, she would lose you.” He sighed. “I like to think I would not have insisted, but I don’t know that it’s true. After I lost her, I would have given anything to have a part of her with me.” He touched her hand. “And now you are here.”

Zara smiled tightly as she held on to her glass of cola. “Yes, well, it’s all very strange.”

“How did you find me now?”

Zara explained about the papers the lawyer had sent. “Once I read the letters, I started to consider the impossible.”

“Zara insisted we take the tour,” Cleo announced cheerfully. “I wanted to walk up to the front door and knock. She said the guards wouldn’t have let us in.”

The king smiled. “Even one as charming as you, Cleo, might have had a little trouble getting past the royal guard. Although I suspect you have a way with men. I’ll have to warn my sons about you.”

Cleo flicked her wrist. “I’ve sworn off princes, Your Highness. They’re just all the same. Rich, powerful…it gets boring after a while.”

Zara rose from her seat and crossed to the French doors leading to the balcony. Rafe came up behind her.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Would you be, under the circumstances?”

“Probably not.”

“Everything is so confusing.”

“There’s nothing to be confused about,” Hassan announced as he stood. “After twenty-eight years, my daughter has returned to me.”

“You make it sound so simple and I can barely catch my breath.”

Her father—she couldn’t believe that was possible—nodded. “This is unfamiliar to us both. Perhaps we should take the time to acquaint ourselves with the situation. I wish to show you my world. Bahania is a country blessed with great resources and people. You must see the beauty of it. We will start with you and Cleo moving into the palace.”

“All right!” Cleo clapped her hands together. “I think I’m going to like having you in the family,” she told the king.

Zara wasn’t so sure. “Our hotel is very comfortable,” she said. Both Hassan and Cleo looked at her as if she were crazy.

“You are my daughter,” Hassan reminded her. “As such, the palace is your home. You will be made to feel welcome. We will have time together.”

“Your Highness, you need to think this through,” Zara said. “I mean I know I look like your daughter and Fiona is my mother and you did have a relationship with her, but you have to be sure about this. Shouldn’t we take blood tests?”

“I know what is right and I know who you are.” He walked over to hug her. “After so very many years, you are where you belong. That is all that matters. Come, you will collect your things and move into the palace right now.”

Zara glanced around, searching for an escape. Her gaze settled on Rafe. For some reason he seemed the only sane person in the room.

“Are you going to be there?” she asked before she could stop herself. “At the palace? Do you live there?”

Rafe nodded. “For the next few weeks.”

Hassan stared at him. “That’s right. You will be at the palace. You have found my most beloved treasure and brought her to me. Therefore, I will entrust her to you.”

Zara slipped free of Hassan’s embrace. “I don’t understand.”

Rafe looked as if he’d just sucked a lemon. “Your Highness I don’t—”

Hassan cut him off with a shake of his head. “My mind is made up. I will only trust you with her safety. It will be a temporary matter, until you return to your regular duties.”

“Trust him for what?” Zara asked.

“Rafe will be your bodyguard. He will protect you with his life.”

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