The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear, just one day shy from Khalil’s one-hundredth day reign as king. Everyone who had been invited came to attend the event, with a record number of foreign leaders showing up, all of them curious to see firsthand what Ramil’s new queen was like.

Even the sheikh’s sort-of ex Sapphire had accepted the invitation and came with her rockstar husband and too-cute son in tow.

Normally, having to rub elbows with such figures would have worried her to death, but Harper had more pressing thoughts in mind. That would happen follow the reception, and when it was time to go, Harper was a quivering mass of nerves. Although her white sleeping robe covered her from head to toe, she still felt terribly exposed.

Some of her anxiety must have communicated itself to the sheikh as the moment she reached his side, pale-faced and trembling, the sheikh asked right away, “Are you certain of this?”

No. Of course not. How can one be certain of this?

But instead, she lifted her chin and forced herself to smile brightly. “A promise is a promise is a promise.”

His lips twitched. “Your love for redundancy is delightful as ever, qalifa, but…” He paused. “That doesn’t answer my question.” He took her hand, and his brows pleated. “Your hand is cold.”

“That’s n-normal.”

“Not when you live in a desert.”

Oh. Right.

“There is still time to change your mind,” the sheikh began.

Harper shook her head vehemently. “No. I promised, okay? And there’s no point to us marrying if we don’t do this so---” She took a deep breath before saying in a rush, “Can we please just get it over with before I lose my guts and change my mind?”

There was a moment of silence – and then the sheikh tightened his grip on her hand, saying simply, “Thank you.”

They walked in silence from there, the sheikh leading her down a maze of hallways, and her heart swayed harder and harder with every step they took.

Oh my God, it was really happening.

She had never thought to ask where that would happen and so Harper was stunned to realize that their destination turned out to be a vast chamber in the palace’s secret cellar, with its walls consisting of viewing screens in which people outside could peer into the room but not the other way around.

Pausing before the doors, Khalil turned to Harper and his jaw clenched at how much paler she looked now. “I’m sorry you have to do this.” And as soon as the words were out, he realized that he didn’t like it. Anything that could make his normally brave Harper look frightened, he didn’t fucking like at all.

To hell with the consequences, the sheikh thought grimly.

“I’m sorry for going this far with you, qalifa.”

She quickly shook her head. “It’s not like you have a choice.”

“But I do. And that’s why I’m choosing to forego this.” He took her hand, his grip tightening as he said harshly, “There are far better ways to establish your legitimacy as my queen. So we’re leaving---” He turned away, intending to take her with him, but instead Harper stayed put, her hand tugging on his and forcing him to look back.

“Harper?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I gave you my word, and I intend to keep it.”

He shook his head. “There is no need---”

“I mean it. I want to do this.” And she really did, more than ever. If they didn’t complete the wedding ritual as the law asked of them, Harper knew it could jeopardize his claim on the throne. And yet he had still chosen to turn his back on the ritual.

For her.

“Harper.” A muscle was ticking on the sheikh’s jaw. “Do you truly understand what you’re asking?”

“Not really, but---” A rare, tentative smile touched Harper’s lips. “I trust you.” And a moment later, he saw her close her eyes just before leaning against him, suiting action to words, trusting him implicitly, and the sheikh sucked in his breath.

How in Allah’s name had he deserved a woman such as her?

His arms wrapping around her, he kissed her hard before muttering against her lips, “I will take care of you, wife.”

And then he was carrying her inside the chamber.

Harper didn’t open her eyes as she felt him lay her on the bed. A rustling sound followed, the sheikh pulling the covers above them, and just as the world became a shade darker, she felt his fingers grazing against her body, untying the stringed straps of her dressing gown. She squeezed her eyes more tightly as the silk slid down her body. In a blink of an eye, she was naked, and after a few moments, so was the sheikh.

His weight pressed down on her, his formidable solidness more reassuring than frightening. It made her feel safe and protected, and she molded against him willingly.

His lips touched her softly, and she sighed just as her lips parted.

As they kissed, the sheikh drew the covers down, revealing his bare back while his arms covered the sides of her body. All that could be seen of Harper was her face and her bare shoulders. He deepened the kiss as he slowly rubbed his body against her. The head of his phallus nudged her clit repeatedly while its length slid back and forth against the already-wet folds of her pussy. The sheikh bided his time, patient and determined to give her so much pleasure that she would forget people were watching them.

It took a while, but finally the sheikh heard her whimper, felt her nails scrape down his back, and he raised his hips. “Open your legs for me, qalifa.”

Her body shook, but even so she obeyed his command, her silky legs parting in welcome. The head of his phallus entered, and she gasped softly. He kept it at that for a while, wanting her to adjust to the feeling of his penetration, but when she started to writhe, he pushed his penis further in, until he was halfway buried into her.

By now, beads of cold sweat lined the edges of his face, but the sheikh resolutely hung on to his control. He had promised that he would protect her, and he would keep his word, even if it were at the expense of his pleasure.

And so he waited, his fists clenching at each side of her face, and the sheikh only allowed himself to push further when again he felt her writhe, this time more restlessly. Inch after inch, he pushed in, and when he felt the thin barrier of her hymen, he whispered, “Harper.”

“Yes---”

As she started to answer, he chose that exact moment to break through it, his large and thick penis claiming her virginity in one hard plunge.

Her word ended in a gasp, her body arching against his, and for the first time since they had entered the chamber her eyes flew open. As her dazed gaze sought his, the sheikh said hoarsely, “It is done.” Bending his head, he placed a kiss on her trembling lips, whispering, “All of you is mine now.”

A moment later, he felt her arms go around him. “I’m glad.”

His entire body shuddered at her sweet words, and his hips moved involuntarily. She gasped, but this time the sound was entirely free of pain, and so the sheikh moved again, withdrawing and then burying his penis back into her. In and out his phallus went, his strokes steady and leisurely, and only when he felt her hips thrusting up to meet his strokes did he increase the pace gradually. Just a little faster, just a little deeper, and when she began to pant, he couldn’t stop himself, fucking her just a little harder---

“Khalil.”

It was her first time to say his name, and a growl escaped him just as his hips took a life of its own. He rammed into her over and over, his only thought to make sure she was properly covered and properly fucked.

Harper began to sob. It was too, too good, and oh, the knowledge that people were watching them fuck – it was shameful, terrifying, but she couldn’t deny that it also sent a forbidding thrill of excitement down her spine. Even knowing that they could see her aroused face and the way her nails scraped demandingly against the sheikh’s naked back, she just couldn’t help it.

The sheikh’s phallus shoving in and out of her was just too, too good.

Pleasure started to tighten into a ball at the pit of the stomach, and Harper moaned, knowing that she was near to reaching an orgasm. “Khalil.” His name came out a soft, breathless plea, even as her panting became louder, quicker.

So, so near---

The sheikh’s thrusts seemed to quicken as if he sensed her pleasure looming near, and her nails dug deeper into his back.

So, so near---

She felt his fingers reach between their bodies, his fingers brushing against her clit, and Harper stiffened. A moment later, the sheikh pinched her clit as he thrust back into her, and that was it for her. A keening cry tore out of her throat as her orgasm swept over her trembling body, and as wave after wave of her release struck her aching pussy, she could only cling to the sheikh’s body, sobbing as his wonderfully hard thrusts continued, over and over until his own back arched, and then he was coming as well, filling her with his cum.