Page 6 of The Sheikh's Willing Captive

"I admit I didn't tell you the full conditions of the marriage when we married," he admitted.

"So you did lie to me," she accused.

Razim shook his head. "No. It is traditional in my country that, for a marriage to be annulled, it can only be ended on Qazhar soil."

Paige gasped and shook her head. "I could have signed the papers before I left."

Razim frowned. "If the one year annulment rule is to be invoked the papers can only be signed on the day after the last day of the first full year of the marriage." He lifted a brow. "So you couldn't have signed them before today."

Paige breathed out noisily. He could almost feel the tension in her body from where he was on the other side of the table.

She glanced down at the papers. "Why did you bring those?"

"To show you evidence of my good faith," he replied.

She scoffed. "Good faith?" She smiled sarcastically. "Now you are joking," she snapped.

Razim leaned forward. "I'm deadly serious, Paige."

He peered at her directly, desperate that she would see his sincerity. Even as he did so, he felt the familiar pangs of regret surging inside him. He hated doing this. For the last three months, all he'd thought about was how he was going to stop this divorce from happening.

Razim saw Paige examining him intently. He could see thought in her eyes. She was considering her options. The truth was, she didn't really have any. If she wanted the divorce, she would have to come back to Qazhar with him.

The mere prospect of being back on Qazhar soil with Paige produced an intense anticipation in Razim. He'd missed her while she'd been hiding here in New York. Her absence in his life had developed into a burning wound. An ache in the core of his being.

But he had promised her he wouldn't come to New York and search her out. If nothing else, Razim knew one thing about himself. He was a man of his word. So, he had stayed away. It had been just about the most difficult thing he'd ever done.

Now, though, there was the prospect that Paige would come home. To Qazhar. And, once she was there, he knew there was a chance he could persuade her to stay. A slim chance, but a real one nonetheless.

That was all he needed. One chance.

A last chance.

Paige sighed and positively glared at Razim. "Okay," she said. "I'll go. Since you give me no other option. I want this over and done with as soon as possible, Razim."

Before he had a chance to respond, she lifted one hand to stop him from speaking.

"On one condition."

Razim narrowed his eyes. "Name it."

Paige's brows furrowed thoughtfully. Nothing was ever easy with this woman, he told himself. And that was one aspect of her character which he valued above almost everything else. She liked to defy him. At every possible moment. It had made the first nine months of their marriage feel like an exquisite battle of wills. For most men that might have been their worst nightmare. But for Razim it had been a revelation. He had loved every moment.

What had started as a marriage of convenience had developed into an intense relationship where every day made Razim feel more vitally alive than he had ever felt before. Certainly, he'd never felt that with any other of the women he'd been with. Paige was unique. Unforgettable. And she belonged by his side.

"You must promise me that the papers will be signed as soon as we get there. No delays," she said.

Razim nodded. "I promise."

He saw her eyes narrow, as if she was trying to see if he could be lying again. "Really?" she probed.

Razim nodded. "It'll be done when we get there," he said.

Her lips twisted in that cute was they did whenever she was unsure about something. There were so many little gestures he'd gotten used to seeing. So many he'd missed since she'd been gone.

He stood. "I'll tell the pilot we're leaving."

Razim saw doubt flicker across her features. "That quickly?"

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