Page 4 of The Sheikh's Desert Captive

Hakim nodded slowly and tried to reach out to her to take hold of her arm but she swatted it away. Panic gripped her as she started to become aware of just what this all been about. She had been so naive. How could she have fallen for something as stupid and crazy as this? This was like some kind of strange, desert dream or nightmare from which she was sure she was about to awaken, sweating and screaming in her own bed.

She turned around and started to move toward the tent, anything to get away from that horrendous scene over there near the oasis. She sensed him behind her.

She turned to him, her jaw tightening, her eyes filled with ferocity and fury. "This is ridiculous you know that don't you?" she accused him

"You did say you wanted to see some of our more ancient traditions in practice,"he said menacingly. "Well, now you'll get to experience what it is like to be married in the desert."

He pointed toward the makeshift platform. She saw some of the men looking at her and Hakim. There was no concern on any of the men's faces. They knew why they were here. They knew why she had been brought here.

They were to be witnesses.

To the forced marriage of an unwilling bride to a sheikh.

Panic welled up inside her.

And it was Nicole who was to be the bride.

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