A knock on the door pulls me back to the present. It’s my secretary, informing me that Lamar wants to speak with me.
I authorize his entry, uneasy, as he only shows up when something is wrong. Most of the time, he stays behind the scenes, making sure everything runs smoothly.
“What’s happened? Jazmina?” I ask, worried.
“No, Your Grace. Her Highness is fine,” he says as he sits when I gesture to the chair across from my desk. “It’s about the college rapists. We managed to get two of the girls to testify, but they’re scholarship students and afraid the university will retaliate by pulling their financial aid.”
“Tell them they’re not at risk. If that happens, I’ll cover their expenses until they graduate. I’ll do whatever it takes to see those sons of bitches pay for what they did.”
“Even so, it won’t be easy. The police tend to look the other way in cases like this. It’s as if the fact that the girls attend parties gives the attackers a free pass.”
“It’s the same idiotic mindset that claims a woman wearing revealing clothes is asking to be harassed. Get a lawyer to follow the case discreetly and assist them if needed. I don’t want anyone from my legal team involved. I don’t want my name, or Jazmina’s, tied to this.”
“It will be done, boss.”
She hasn’t decided where she wants to spend the honeymoon, so I decided to take a risk and plan a surprise. We’re going to one of my castles. It’s smaller, but it’s in the Highlands. According to my secretary, it’s considered romantic.
I’m following her advice, firstly because I want the honeymoon to be special for my princess, given that the wedding is happening so fast, and secondly because the idea of being isolated with her appeals to me far too much.
From the outside, the castle looks more like a medieval fortress, but inside it has all the comfort of the most luxurious hotel.
We could go anywhere in the world, but she—like me—has already traveled a lot. I want something different. A unique experience for the two of us.
I’m sitting in the living room of her apartment, waiting for her to get ready so we can go out to dinner, trying very hard not to think about the temptation that must be naked in her bedroom right now.
Earlier today, I called my friends. I preferred to tell them all at once about my upcoming marriage. Perhaps because it’s to Kaled’s sister, I was spared the jokes that would’ve surely followed in any other scenario.
The sheikh and I are still circling each other cautiously. Things haven’t gone back to normal—each of us is equally pissed off.
Kaled likely because he thinks I crossed a line by taking his sister for myself. And me because I don’t answer to anyone regarding my life. Regardless of what he thinks, Jazmina is mine now.
I hear a thud and stand up, heading down the hallway toward the bedrooms.
I knock, but she doesn’t answer. Worried, I decide to go in.
The suite looks empty.
“Jazmina.”
A cry of pain answers me, and without thinking about whether it’s appropriate or not, I head for the bathroom.
“Get out!” she yells when she sees me. “I slipped. It’s nothing.”
She’s naked—and I’m probably the biggest bastard alive—but I can’t stop myself from looking.
I grab a towel and move closer. She’s lying down, propped up on her elbows. Legs bent, slightly open. Feet planted on the floor.
I know I’ve died and gone to heaven. My fiancée is a goddess in the flesh.
“Let me help you.” I force myself to act.
She nods and covers her breasts with one arm while closing her thighs, but it’s too late—I’ve already seen what’s hidden between her legs: dark, neatly trimmed hair, her pussy perfectly groomed. Breasts much fuller naked than they appear clothed.
“I hate this bathtub. It’s not the first time this has happened.”
Her irritated tone reassures me. If she’d truly hurt herself, her expression wouldn’t be so angry.
I kneel and wrap the towel around her body. She lifts her face, and our mouths are close.