It took less time than Jenna had expected to cross back into Al Mezinda. There must have been something distinguishing about Balal's vehicle, because when they reached the border, they passed right through without being checked. She hadn't noticed the first time they had passed through, being far too preoccupied with her own ordeal to pay attention to anything else.

“Does everyone know you?” she asked, and then wondered if she should be using some sort of proper title with him.

Balal smirked, and looked sheepish. “Yes, and it’s both a blessing and a curse, as you Americans say.”

She felt her cheeks flush, and looked back out of the window to hide the blush. Now knowing that he was not going to harm her, she was rather pleased with his company.

“Is there something I should call you?” she asked. “I’ve never met a prince before.”

Balal seemed confused. “Oh, no. Please call me Balal. It’s my cousin who has the fancy title, not me.”

Jenna relaxed. She wasn't sure if he was just being nice, but she felt like she should still remain respectful toward him. After all, she owed him her life.

It turned out that Balal lived in the middle of Yordan, not far from where her hostel was. Balal warned her that she could not go back, for the men who snatched her might be lurking around there still, and if they saw her, their cover would be blown.

With a few phone calls, Balal was able to have Jenna’s belongings brought to her. One of the first things she wanted to do was send her parents an email, and attempt to not be too dramatic as she told them about how much she loved them.

The limo pulled up outside of one of the older buildings in the city, and Balal informed her that it was almost four hundred years old. It was beautiful, all pale stone with tall windows, and Jenna would have been able to stare at it all day.

Balal gestured to the front door, and Jenna followed him inside. She noticed a few tall, burly men appear, and she immediately reached for Balal's arm, a terrified gasp escaping from her.

“Easy now,” he said, gently laying his hand onto hers. “Those are just my guards. You are safer here than you are in the entire city.”

“Oh,” she breathed, and took an embarrassed step back from him. “I'm sorry.”

Balal grinned and shook his head. “After all you’ve been through I'm not surprised that you’re as jumpy as you are. Come, the elevators are right through this hall.”

As she followed him down a wide, echoing hallway, her mind kept going back to how instinctively she had reached out to him for support, and even perhaps more than that, how muscular his arms were beneath that stylish suit coat. Jenna blushed, and brushed some hair out of her eyes to disguise it.

They stepped into the elevator and stood in silence. Jenna wasn't sure she could find anything to say. She just felt confused and exhausted and still in shock. But all of those feelings faded when the doors to the elevator slid open and the two of them stepped out.

There was a tall ceiling above her, with a glass dome that made her feel as if she was standing under the sky itself. The first rays of early morning sunlight streamed in and made the marble floors gleam, and the gold gilding on the four columns around the room was so bright that it looked as if it was glowing. Across the space was an intricately carved wooden door, and Balal stepped toward it.

The Sheikh opened the door and then stood aside to allow her to pass through. Jenna heard herself gasp as she stepped inside; if she thought the glass dome was gorgeous, it had nothing on what she had walked into. It was the largest, most luxurious penthouse she had ever seen.

The first thing she saw was the far wall, which was all windows, and looked out over the city, the sunrise, and the stretching desert beyond. Nothing inhibited the view—it was almost as if the penthouse opened directly into the sky.

“Wow,” she breathed, and she took a few steps toward it.

She hardly noticed the finely polished floors, the marble statues, or the plush chairs topped with vibrant pillows in front of the fireplace. There was a glass dining table large enough to seat a dozen guests, and a painting of the New York skyline that nearly took up another wall.

“I could have had a place three times this size,” Balal said, coming to stand beside her. “But I just couldn't give up this view. At least, not yet.”

Jenna looked up at him. “I… Your home is just beautiful.” She felt silly, using a word as plain as beautiful. “That doesn't even come close to describing how amazing this place is.”

An unreadable expression passed over his face, and he inclined his head down to make eye contact with her.

“Thank you. I’m a bit of a collector, actually, and I like to pick things up on my travels. Like that piece…” he said, and pointed to a delicately sculpted abstract statue, carved from a near-black stone. “I got that in Paris about three years ago.”

“Paris…” Jenna murmured, and further felt the distance between her and Balal’s lives. She couldn't even imagine living like this.

“Well, you must be exhausted,” Balal said. “I think it would be good for you to have some time to rest and—”

“I thought you wanted to get right to work?” Jenna cut in, and then blushed. “Sorry, that was rude of me.”

Balal shook his head. “Not at all. I appreciate your enthusiasm.”

“I thought there was no time to lose,” Jenna continued, a little more meekly.

He smiled at her. “Taking a few hours to rest is the best thing you could do right now. You’ve been through an ordeal, and I can’t imagine that you would be able to think clearly. You need rest, whether you think you do or not, and then we can regroup and figure out our next steps. Is that okay?”

Jenna reflected on her own condition, and part of her understood and agreed with him. She was exhausted, she couldn't remember the last time she’d had had anything to drink, and she didn't even want to think about how much she needed a shower.

But the other part of her really didn't want to be alone. She didn't want to think about what her mind might conjure up when there was nothing to distract herself.

“You’ll rest better if you go to bed with a full stomach. My maid, Adina, will get you some clean clothes and show you where your bathroom is while I whip us up something to eat. Does that sound okay?”

Jenna nodded, remembering just how hungry she was.

“Wonderful,” he called out in Arabic over his shoulder.

A moment later, a woman in a dark blue dress with a crisp white apron appeared. She was rather plump, with rosy cheeks and thick, ebony hair tied up in a tight bun. She eyed Jenna carefully.

“Adina, this is Jenna. She is one of our rescues,” the Sheikh explained.

Adina's face lit up, and she stepped toward Jenna, grabbing her hands. She squeezed them, and her whole face shone with joy.

“So good you are safe,” Adina replied in broken English. “So happy.”

Jenna smiled, startled by the woman's kindness and emotion.

“Thank you,” Jenna said.

“You know what to do,” Balal instructed, and then winked at Jenna.

Adina, who still held onto Jenna's hands, released one, and they began walking down a hall. Jenna was surprised to see another view of the city through another wall-sized window at the end of the hall. On the way, they passed a media room with a large television, and what Jenna thought might have actually been a pool.

Adina opened a door at the end of the hall, and Jenna was amazed to find herself in one of the largest bedrooms she had ever seen. There was another wall of windows that looked out over the other half of the city, and a lot more desert. In the distance, she could see a large body of water. Was that…the Mediterranean Sea?

There was a large bed, at least a king size, against the opposite wall, so that one could stare out the window at night. It was covered in a sumptuous white down blanket, with just a few throw pillows. Clean, crisp, and minimal. An elegant dark walnut vanity sat along the far wall, and there was also a little reading nook with a large armchair beneath a trendy overhanging lamp made of nickel. It was the perfect place to curl up with a blanket and read a book.

Jenna had only seen rooms this nice in magazines.

Adina walked over to another set of doors, threw them open, and looked back at Jenna expectantly. Jenna felt way too dirty to walk across the perfectly white carpet. She looked down at her tennis shoes, covered in dirt and who knew what else.

“Come,” Adina said, gesturing into the room she had just opened the door to.

“Should I take off my shoes?” Jenna asked.

Adina shook her head. “No. Come.”

Jenna obeyed.

Inside was a cavernous walk-in closet and a bathroom with a freestanding copper bathtub, a huge glass shower, and a separate room with a pristine toilet. A wide sink filled the granite counter, made of green glass, and Jenna could only gape as she tried to take it all in.

Adina showed her the closet, and Jenna found it full of clothes. Adina explained, in the best English she could, that Balal had set these clothes aside for other rescued women. There were dozens of outfits in there, all very nice clothes, high end. This was apparently a larger operation than Jenna had originally realized, with many people involved.

“This is safe house,” Adina explained, and Jenna's eyed welled with tears.

“These people who do this…” she whispered. “They need to be stopped.”

Adina nodded. “That is why we do this.”

Jenna could have hugged the plump little woman.

Adina helped Jenna choose a comfortable shirt—a loose-fitting blue cotton tee—and a simple pair of jeans. They were a little big on her, but it didn't matter. Adina told her to leave her dress outside of the bathroom and that she would wash it for her, but Jenna insisted she throw it away. She didn’t want the reminder.

Adina procured a bottle of water from a mini fridge in the room and offered it to Jenna, who took it and drank it in less than three gulps. Adina seemed pleased, but warned Jenna to sip the water instead, so as to not make herself sick. Jenna agreed, but felt like she could have had the entire fridge full of water to drink and it wouldn't have been enough.

Jenna found fluffy towels in the bathroom, and Adina sent her in with her clean clothes, a bowl of fresh fruit, and another bottle of water, insisting that she take a hot shower and a bath to relax. Adina assured her that dinner would be ready in around half an hour, depending on how fancy Balal planned to make it.

“Does Balal treat every girl who stays here like this?”

Adina considered her words. “Like what?”

Jenna shrugged. “Bringing her here. Cooking for her.”

Adina smiled. “Balal has me take care of the girls, most times. Never before he cooks for them himself.”

Jenna felt her cheeks color again and was glad that they were covered in a thick layer of sand, dirt and sweat.

“Now, get clean. I come and check on you later.”

And with that, she closed the door, leaving Jenna alone in the bathroom.

If Jenna still had any doubts that Balal was who he claimed to be, they were all gone now. Speaking to Adina had convinced Jenna that he had been telling the truth, and seeing all of the clothes in the closet had both encouraged and infuriated her. Balal was a good man, a rare sort of man who believed in justice and protecting those around him, even at great cost to himself. He used his wealth to help those in need, and Jenna couldn’t help but admire him for it.

She quickly discarded her own clothes, and after a few moments, allowed the heat and the steam from the shower to relax her tired muscles. She couldn't believe the color of the water that was swirling toward the drain beneath her feet, and felt as if some of her horrible experience was being washed away with it. 

Then, she filled up the large copper tub and dumped in some lavender and eucalyptus salts, as well as a frothy sort of foam soap that floated on the surface. She drew up a small stool beside the tub and put her bottle of water and little bowl of fruit within reach.

As she soaked in the tub, she ate the fruit slowly, realizing that she was almost full after just a few bites. Sipping the cold water as she soaked in the hot tub was wonderful, and Jenna felt herself starting to nod off more than once.

After at least a half hour in the tub, Jenna finally coaxed herself out, dried off, and pulled on her new clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror and noticed a small cut on her temple. She tenderly touched it with the tip of her finger, and the moment she had been grabbed in the bazaar flashed across her mind.

She grabbed onto the counter to center herself, forcing herself to push it from her mind. She might need to see a counselor when she finally got back home, she realized. After running a brush through her hair and putting a thick, velvety lotion on her face, she realized that it was good enough.

What are you thinking, Jenna? Trying to look good for him?

She felt a flash of nervousness at seeing him again, and then scolded herself.

He helped you because he helps every woman he can. You are not special. Focus on what is important here.

Adina was waiting for her in the bedroom, having moved Jenna’s belongings in. Jenna saw her purse on the bedside table, and remembered the glass pendant with the painted flowers she had bought. Wanting to repay Adina for her kindness, Jenna reached into her bag, and gave it to the sweet older woman. Adina thanked her in Arabic, then gave Jenna a tender hug.

“Dinner is ready,” Adina informed her, and gestured out into the hall.

Jenna stepped out and followed her back to the living area and the dining table. The table was set for two, at the end where they could both gaze out of the window, seated across from one another. Balal was standing by the table, ladling what looked like soup into a bowl at one of the settings.

“There you are, clean and content,” he said, smiling at her.

Jenna’s heart caught in her throat. Focus, she told herself.

“Here you go,” the Sheikh said as he pulled out the chair for her. Jenna hesitated for only a moment, but allowed him to push her chair into the table. She couldn't remember the last time a man had done that for her.

He took the seat across from her.

“Wine?” he asked, holding up a bottle. “One of the best Al Mezindan bottles I have. Adina swears by it.”

Jenna smiled. “A small glass should be fine.”

In truth, her stomach was growling at the site of all of this food. Her mouth watered, and she felt like she could have eaten all of it. She understood the small fruit bowl that Adina had given her now, giving her stomach a chance to expand so she could actually eat something for dinner.

Such a wise woman.

Balal offered her some of everything, and Jenna felt her love for Middle Eastern culture returning at the sight of all of these traditional dishes. The Sheikh had put a modern twist on some of them, and the smell was so rich, so spiced, that she couldn't wait to dig in.

She was grateful that Balal gave her some peace as she ate. She forced herself to eat slowly, even though her body wanted her to shove as much food into her mouth as she possibly could. Jenna could tell that he was amused by her, and pleased that she was eating as much as she was.

When she finally felt sated, she sat back in her chair, savoring the last flavors of the lamb and the exquisite sauce he’d made.

“That was amazing,” Jenna near-moaned. “This was so kind of you, Balal. Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure, truly,” he replied, smiling at her across the table.

In the low lights of the room, with the view of the rising sun over his left shoulder, Jenna could see the line of jaw, the curve of his lips, the muscles beneath his shirt, all in sharp contrast. And his eyes, warm and deep, like an ocean she could have sunk into and stayed in forever.

Her heart started to beat rapidly against her chest.

“Balal,” she murmured, her voice a little too breathy.

“Yes?”

Jenna swallowed. “I have to thank you…for saving my life.”

She knew that these words were not sufficient. She wasn't sure there was anything she could truly say to let him know how grateful she was. How grateful she would always be.

“Jenna, you do not have to thank me. It was simply the right thing to do.” He leaned in closer to her. “But I am especially glad that you have decided to stay and help me. I’m looking forward to learning more about you.”

Her mouth went dry.

She finished her glass of wine, then fought a yawn that had suddenly come upon her.

“Come now, you should get some sleep,” Balal said, his easy, casual nature returning, and he stood to his feet. “You’ve been up all night.”

“At least let me help you clean up,” she said, stifling another yawn.

Balal took the plate from her hands. “Nope. You need to sleep. You are my guest.” He smiled at her. “I will see you at breakfast, whenever you wake up.”

Jenna smiled in return, and realized that now that she had eaten, the giant bed she would be sleeping in seemed more inviting than any other bed had before in her life.

“If you insist,” she grinned.

Adina was waiting down the hall for her and walked with her to her room. Jenna noticed she was wearing the necklace, and it suited her olive skin.

“You need something, press this,” Adina instructed, and showed Jenna a small white button beneath the light switch.

Jenna nodded as she yawned again. A shiver passed over her.

“Goodnight,” Adina said, and she smiled a curious smile at her. Jenna only thought about it for a minute.

A silky pair of pajamas was waiting on the bed. Jenna had barely slipped between the sheets before sleep took her.