Page 14 of At the Sheikh's Command
She closed the door firmly behind her, leaving him with only one thought. Whatever he had to do, he would do it. He’d move mountains to make sure this woman never left him again. Because she was wrong. Shewouldmarry him. He’d do whatever he had to do to make that happen. There would be no other outcome.
CHAPTER7
Leonora may not have intended to have sex with Darrius but she was glad she did. She studied her stony expression in the mirror, still trying to contain the deep-seated anger she felt at his high-handed macho arrogance. Yes, she thought, she was more than glad. She was ecstatic. If only because it was quite clear to her how he was the opposite of everything she wanted.
He was arrogant. She swiped her hair with the hairbrush.
He was selfish. She swiped her hair again, pausing as she remembered how much pleasure he’d ensured she had. Not quite the mark of a selfish man. Even so…
And he was fierce, she thought, trying desperately to prevent the memory, of exactly how fiercely passionate he’d been with her. She dropped the hairbrush, as she re-lived the rush of emotions and the residual physical sensations which his lovemaking had created.
She sucked in a deep breath. She couldn’t go there. She couldn’t remember how absolutely right their lovemaking had been. That way lay madness. There was no future with Darrius. She knew that. There could be no deviation from her plans. She had to get a grip. She picked up the hairbrush and replaced it with deliberation onto the dressing table. Then she looked back at her reflection with fierce eyes.
She had to get out of here before he completely derailed her plans. It had been a mistake to believe that one glance would be all it would take to get over him. That one night of passion would allow her to move on. Who was she kidding? It had only inflamed her need for him. But there was no future for them. He was king and she most definitely wasn’t anyone’s version of queen material. And, besides, he was arrogant, domineering and sexist. The total opposite of her fiancé. The total opposite of what she wanted.
She stilled and drew in a deep breath as she remembered how she’d submitted to his domination in bed, and how much pleasure it had given her.
She huffed angrily, sat down at the desk, and opened her laptop. This was ridiculous. She needed to focus on the diamond, avoid Darrius and get on with her work. Her future was in England, with a promotion in her nice safe job, and a nice safe man. She knew what unsafe felt like from her experience growing up in a dysfunctional household, and she didn’t want a bar of it. She had meetings to arrange and people to see. She had work to do, and none of it involved Darrius.
“Your Highness,”said the Grand Vizier with a slight bow.
Darrius ignored Ammar. His mind was full of Leonora. If Leonora didn’t wish to marry him, then shemustbe his mistress. She must stay in Sifra and be by his side all the time.Thatis what he wanted, andthatis what he’d get. No question.
Of course, he must eventually marry someone suitable and produce heirs. His parents had been correct on that score. But Leonora would have everything she wanted, and what woman wouldn’t be happy with that? It would hardly be an unusual situation. Besides, Leonora had been quite clear she didn’t wish to marry, and she’d also been quite clear about her appreciation of their love-making. He could make both things happen for her. He sat back with a smile. A perfect solution. And all he had to do was make sure he remained by her side until she agreed. A few more repeats of last night should secure things.
“Your Highness,” the Grand Vizier tried again, “I have discovered something which I believe you will be very interested to hear.”
Darrius sincerely doubted it. He checked over the itinerary he’d prepared once more before turning to his adviser. “I’ve cleared my diary of appointments for the week ahead and prepared an itinerary to replace it. See that the meetings are re-scheduled. And once you’ve finalized the details of the itinerary, please forward to Dr. Cooper by nine at the latest.”
The vizier’s mouth tightened, and his head twitched to one side. Darrius knew if there was one thing the old man hated more than being ignored, it was Darrius taking control of his own schedule. But he’d listened to him once to his detriment, and never intended to do so again. But tradition entitled him to this position, and there was nothing he could do about that.
“I think you might find Leonora Cooper has prepared her own itinerary,” his vizier said coldly.
Darrius glared at him, noting his lack of respect by his omission of the honorific. “And why,” he said in his coldest voice, “do you believe that?”
His vizier held out a piece of paper. “Because I’ve been informed by a dozen different sources that the woman has contacted them, seeking meetings. She has also secured a driver to take her around the country. It’s intolerable!”
Darrius took the paper from his vizier’s hand and scanned it.
“Thank you. You may leave.”
“You can’t let her barge into our country and come and go as she likes!”
“Thank you. You may leave,” Darrius repeated, more firmly this time.
But his old vizier was intent on having the last say. “She is impossible! Exactly like her father before her.”
Darrius couldn’t disagree. He remembered meeting William Cooper after the UK had appointed him to be ambassador and consul to Sifra. Even though Darrius had only been around fifteen years old, as Crown Prince, it had been his duty to attend diplomatic cocktail parties and try to make small talk. He’d hated it. And he’d disliked Leonora’s father at first sight.
“That man,” the vizier continued, “believed he could dowhathe likedwherehe liked. He had no respect for us or our culture.”
“It’s true, William Cooper was totally…” Darrius hesitated. This was Leonora’s father they were talking about, after all. “Unacceptable,” he finally added.
“Unacceptable?” the vizier practically spat out, his face darkening with anger. “Your parents hated him and for good reason. He acted as if he were superior to us, he was disrespectful to our women and, if he’d been able to get away with it, would have pilfered antiquities taken from our most important archaeological sites.”
Darrius couldn’t disagree. William Cooper’s arrogance and inappropriate behavior had incensed his family and officials, but they’d had to put up with him for years before finally the UK government had agreed to replace him with someone more conciliatory and respectful.
“What you say is true, but that is nothing to do with Dr. Leonora Cooper.”
