PreviewNasrinZain chuckled, his laugh devoid of any humor making me shudder. He leaned closer and my eyes widened when his lips went past mine to press against my ear as he whispered, “I don’t want to know why you think so lowly of me but I assure you, future wife…” A slither of pleasure rolled over my spine hearing his rumbling velvety voice, his lips brushing over the shell of my ear, “That you would be the one begging me to touch you.”He was so right, he had no idea. I would beg. For him. Only him. My eyes were glazed when they roved over his powerful, lean body, the muscles on his biceps moving when he leaned back on the stool. I pressed my teeth on my bottom lip, the air around us thickening with the steam, exotic oil, his musky cologne. I met his eyes. “Then I beg you to touch me, Zain.” I swallowed the lump in my throat and added in a soft whisper, “Please.”His eyes widened a little with shock, and something darker coursed through them. My heart thudded loudly when I rea
PART ONE“Because, Princess Nasrin, I am asking you to marry me.”1ZainI didn’t deserve to be the Sultan of Azmia.The thought rang hollow against my entire body. Pounding in my head increasing when people on the floor kept laughing and talking, dancing in-tune with the sounds of gentle instruments played by the musicians. Walls of the Court Room felt like they were getting smaller and smaller as each minute passed by. Shrinking down on the dais where I sat, on the throne that I didn’t deserve to be seated on. Its dark color leeched of any life. Black against the beige mosaic of the Court Room, the dome at the center glowing brightly as foreign royals awed at the structure. Awed at me, the sheathed sword leaning on the lion's leg of the throne.My legs tensed, my neck straining after nodding at the guests who had arrived at my palace, my entire body locking and coiling—“Stop glaring at everyone, Brother,” Khalid drawled, prowling towards the obsidian throne. I gave him a look—a lo
2NasrinI held my breath when the smoke of the hookah flew past me, the old Sheikh and my father, Hamid Elbaz, who was the old Sultan of Maahnoor, laughing together.The stench of the old smoke overpowered the musky jasmine perfume I had donned moments ago. I wanted to leave. My body coiling tightly, my spine straight and tense, I felt sick. Swallowing, I tried to control the bile in my throat that was threatening to pour out.Seeing what I had for lunch would hopefully make him disgusted enough to take back his offer of proposal. “How old did you say she is again?” The old Sheikh hoarsely asked, coughing as he rested his palm on his belly. His two wives were seated beside him, a veil covering their faces as they sat frozen. I pitied them. I truly did. Because if my father dared to accept the proposal of the Sheikh, I would do anything to not end up like them. “I am twenty-six,” I said, meeting his stare and not daring to look away even when his eyes glazed, looking at me. My body.
3ZainMy head was throbbing as I stepped inside the club. The guards kept their distance, but they followed me, doubling the protection around the club and the enormous expanse of the three floors. We owned several of the clubs and hotels in Azmia, especially the most popular in our capital, which celebrities used to party and forget about themselves without the fear of paparazzi. My pace was steady, annoyance from the meeting with the twin princesses filling my steps as I made my way to the second floor. Red, blue, yellow and green neon lights danced through the dark walls covered in thin velvet fabric. People laughed, danced and made out against the obsidian pillars, the bartenders fulfilling the orders, our guards making sure everything went smoothly with no incident. I eyed the dance stage. People donned various dress shirts and short dresses dancing with their hands above their head, swaying to the upbeat music played by the DJ.I felt envious, wishing I could go down and mingle
4NasrinI looked at the lavish interior of my hotel suite. Being a Princess of Maahnoor, I could afford to stay in a suite. The chilly breeze from the balcony ruffling my hair, laughter and music echoing in the city below. I averted my eyes to the suitcase beside the vanity. It was open, barely unpacked after arriving in Azmia for a night, using the ticket Imran had gifted me.I ran a hand down my face, tucking the strands of my hair behind my ears. I needed to calm down and think. Be smart about the whole ridiculous ordeal. There must be a loophole. You have to marry him. My father had said over the phone, his voice raspy with age, when I had landed in Azmia. I could hear the cruel smile in his voice. How I could ever be related to that man was a wonder on its own. I couldn’t escape to London anymore. I had a student loan to pay off and my father took care of the money that he allowed me to spend. I still had some little cash that I had earned during my part-time job at a vet clini
5ZainI hummed, burying my nose in the warm skin, taking a deep breath of the subtle scent of jasmine with something musky. Hair tickled my face, my hands gliding up the curve of soft skin. I squeezed the tenderness, opening my half-lidded eyes, and smiled. Jasmine. That was the name of my wife. The beautiful brunette who was sleeping beside me. Her lips were parted as she breathed deeply, clutching the pillow and nuzzling her body towards mine. A small smile made its way to my lips. It was three in the morning, white curtains flowing as the cool breeze swept into the room. Making sure not to wake her up, I shifted, pulling away from her, and stared up at the ceiling. My thoughts were all over the place. I was conflicted, yet somehow relieved. I didn’t know why. But the reality that I slept with her, a stranger, was like being splashed with a bucket of ice water on a winter night. Twenty-four hours ago, I didn’t want to have sex. I was comfortable being abstinent all my life. Yet,
6NasrinWaking up to the empty bed was a bad feeling when I had the best sex of my life. That too, by a handsome stranger. But waking up to an empty bed and a dozen calls from your father and your brothers was worse. “Did someone die?” I said as a greeting when Imran, my younger brother, picked up the call. “Hello to you, too,” he replied enthusiastically, which meant no one had died. How unfortunate. “No one has died. Yet. But you need to cut your visit short and come back home.”I resisted the urge to scoff at the palace he called home. The last time it had ever felt like home was the last night I spent with my mom on her deathbed. If I close my eyes and think hard enough, I can feel her hand gently stroking my hair, her soft voice before she closed her eyes and passed away early in the morning. “Is it serious?” I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat and sitting up. The soreness between my legs was evident as I tried to stifle my gasp, shuffling and sitting up in a comfortable
7Zain“Khalid, open the door before I break it!” My guards had been waiting for me outside Jasmine’s suite when I left, asking me if I was okay. Which I was. I had finished the physical training session and answered the questions about my diet to the interviewer even though I wished I was with her, feeding sliced mangoes to her.Rahim had found me after the interview with the magazine, asking me if I had made the person whom I had slept with sign an NDA. After taking one look at my pale face, he asked me for a name which I swore I didn’t know. His only question that bothered me the most was if I had used protection or not. That was why I was panicking and forcing my brother to open the door to his room so I could ask for his help. I was sure he had forgotten all about our little chat back in the club the night before.“Finally!” I said when the door opened, and my face dropped at the sight of the twin princesses. I blinked at them when they offered me a small wave and kissed my brot
Explicit Bonus SceneNote: This scene has a bit of anal play with a use of sex toy.Elena“How much… longer?” I gasped, scrunching the sheets with my fingers. My knees buckled at the new sensation of being touched and—oh.Zayed’s fingers moved inside me, teasing and twisting them as various sensations of being invaded at such a part of my body. “Shh, my little witch,” he crooned, his hot breath on my neck making me shiver. His other hand soothed the burn of his spanking on my cheeks from moments ago when he was driving inside me, shooting his load in my pussy, which I felt sliding down my inner thigh. “You’re doing so well, my Sheikha,” he praised me, more cold lube coated over my puckered hole. “Take a deep breath.”I did, biting my lip and gasping when he spanked me at the same time I felt the cold press of something bulbous and held my breath. Zayed hushed my whimpers, ordering me to take another deep breath and relax when he slowly pushed the small toy inside me. Perspiration for
Epilogue“Finally, the pretty witch has graced me with her precious presence.”I hummed and sat on his lap, snuggling into his chest. “It’s supposed to be sleeping beauty.”He peered down at me, stroking my hair. “I know, but you are my darling witch.”“You made me stay up all night,” I glared at his handsome face, caressing the scar on his brow from the day The Golden Palace had fallen. “You weren’t complaining, love,” he smirked, kissing my hand that glinted with a small ruby ring. I bit my lip looking at it and asked, “Are you sure about marrying me, Sheikh Zayed?”He raised his brow and turned me around so I could straddle his hips, his eyes lowering to his shirt I had worn, unbuttoning it with his expert fingers. “I proposed to you when we were sixteen, my enchantress. It feels like a dream to marry you… even though you can be annoying sometimes.” I glared at him but he chuckled and continued, “But I have never been surer than ever before, Elena. My Sheikha.”I smiled and kissed
33ElenaMy heart shattered seeing The Golden Palace fall to the ground, dust and debris rolling in waves even when we were waiting at the stables that were far away from the palace. I clutched my heart and closed my eyes, praying, hoping he was safe. He was alive. Yes, I hated him for his antics, paralyzing me before running into the palace and keeping me safe with others. The absolute idiot. But I wanted him back, to kiss me again and hold my hand, flash me his boyish dimpled grin. “He is okay, Elena,” Valeria whispered softly, touching my shoulder and giving me a side hug. “She’s right,” Khalid said. “He is too stubborn to die.”“He will be okay,” Zain said, “He promised he would save Riaz so he will. I have sent your guards to look at the explosion. We will find him ourselves if we have to.”I thanked them for their support and stood up, shaking off my nerves. “I will come too.”They knew better than to stop me.The Golden Palace was in a shambles with each step we took closer
32ZayedI held my breath with each turn we took, my heartbeat pounding in my ears with the anticipation of finding Imran and relief to find Riaz. I wouldn’t hesitate to kill Imran if he touched Riaz. That kid was forced into this world and deserved nothing that had happened to him. “You love that Elena, hm?” I eyed Hamid and nodded. We had already looked for Riaz in the dungeons, but he wasn’t there, so we were looking in the empty library. “She suits you well, son, but you need to stop poisoning her from protecting you.”“This was the last time,” I promised and added, “I don’t enjoy it, but I don’t want her getting hurt because of the choices I made. Mistakes I made.”“If you love someone, all you have to do is be honest with them. That’s why she wanted to be here with you, because she wanted to keep you safe just as much as you want to keep her safe. If not more.”I stayed quiet, hearing his words, processing them and following him out of the library. Swallowing the lump in my th
31ZayedI was surprised to see the dark-haired man sitting beside Rahim and talking to him. He looked very familiar, but I didn’t know where I had seen him. He was tall with a thin shirt hugging his lean, muscular frame, and he looked like he was in his late twenties or early thirties. “Ah, Zayed,” Rahim finally noticed me standing by his tent. “This is my friend I wanted you to meet.”The man stood up, smiling at me, his golden-brown eyes twinkling in the morning sunlight as he bowed. “I have heard so much about you, Sheikh Zayed.”“See?” I turned around to see Elena enter the tent, her hands tying her golden hair in a ponytail. She was wearing my shirt and pants, rolled up at the hem as I hadn’t planned a perfect kidnapping. “Everyone knows about your pranks—oh, it’s you.”The stranger tilted his head and I resisted the urge to step between them, ripping my shirt and puffing my chest at him like some wild animal. “It is me?”“You two know each other?” I asked Elena, frowning when
30ZaraI caressed the bump on my stomach, feeling the excited kicks of my baby. Hayden had guessed that it was a girl while I had guessed the baby’s gender to be a boy. A little prince like him. Like us. With my dark black hair and his sparkling blue eyes. “You should thank me for not killing him off, you know.” I straightened up on the armchair when he entered the room. A small space, enough for a bed and a bathroom without locks with a tiny window to breathe fresh air. They separated me from my family with Aya, who was thankfully sleeping on the bed, curled around her stuffed toy. I had woken up in the room the day before, my head groggy, and I knew he had drugged me and everyone else. But why?“Maybe I should thank you for sparing my life too,” I replied with a smile, but he was smart enough to catch the sarcasm. Imran chuckled, walking closer to me, his men keeping guard on the door. “One day, princess, I will hear you begging.”“I pity you, Prince Imran.” I looked at him for
29Zayed“Ah, so glad to see you are okay.”Riaz stayed in the tent when Rahim stood up from the chair and smiled at me. He wasn’t present when I had run away from the Maahnoor palace. “What are you doing here?” “Here?” He looked around the tent, the table strewn with papers and maps and blueprints of Maahnoor palace. “You mean, in the middle of the desert, Sheikh Zayed?”“Where were you?” I poured a glass of water for him and handed it to him, leaning on the table, looking at him. He was dressed in his usual white clothes, his grey hair untousled with a warm look on his face. “I was trying to find the place where they took Nasir.”I frowned at him and he continued, “Nasir, the tiger? Unfortunately, I couldn’t find him and headed back. Before I reached the Maahnoor palace, I heard a commotion and saw you leaving the palace on a horse with Elena. At first, I thought you went out… for privacy, but news about Prince Imran travelled fast and I stayed hidden until this kid approached me.
PART FOUR“I love you, you infuriating, cold witch.” 28ElenaThe first thing I noticed when I started getting conscious was the cool heat, like sweltering summer heat during the night. It was cool but made me sweat, my entire body stiff and throat parched.I forced my lids to open, blinking at the empty bed. A small whimper tore out of my burning throat as I tried to sit up, my legs and hands straining with taut muscles. How long was I unconscious for?My eyes adjusted to the light pouring in from the open flap of the tent. By the looks of it, it was afternoon, and someone had taken a great care to build such a tent with a private bath area, small closet and a table. It looked like a royal tent.Royal… wedding. Memories came flashing back at me. Blood on the floor, Imran, Zara crying, missing my shot, and Zayed. He poisoned me. Handed me that wine, knowing what was going to happen and sided with Imran, who had fooled us all since the beginning and conspired against Azmia all that tim
27ElenaThe mood in the ceremonial hall was a cross between joy and confusion as everyone watched Imran and Iesha get married. The musicians were playing their instruments and food was great with a constant flow of arak, but everyone was shaken up by the events of the day before. I hadn’t even dared to look for Zayed after he had left the room early in the morning. I kept his promise of not following him even though I really wanted to, but how could I move when he told me he wished to marry me? I was too stunned by his confession to even breathe. I hadn’t left the bed until the maids asked to dress me for the wedding, even drawing a bath for me. When I had asked them about Zayed, they didn’t know where he was. “I heard Nasir will be sent back to a zoo,” Rahim said, standing beside me. “I will miss him.”I chuckled. “We can adopt and keep him in The Golden Palace. I am sure Zara would love that.”We both glanced at the pregnant princess talking with other ladies, Hayden keeping a c