Chapter 10
Victoria woke the following morning to bright sunlight streaming over her face. She stretched languorously, feeling happy and content. Delirious, in fact, she thought as she rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. Then the memories of the night before came streaming back to her and Victoria’s face started burning. Looking around, she searched for Dharr, wondering what he was thinking about her behavior from the night before.
Would he think she was wanton? He must, she thought. Since she had been, there was really nothing else the man could think of her. She was embarrassed but knew she’d have to get the first morning contact with him over quickly.
But all she found was a long, slim jewelry case where he should have been. With shaking fingers, Victoria pulled the case closer to her, feeling a cold chill steal into her veins. What could this mean? Why in the world would he leave in the middle of the night? Even the case was a work of art, she thought, running her fingers over the soft, embossed leather. Opening the box, she gasped, seeing the spectacular glittering diamond bracelet inside.
“How could he!” she said to the empty room, slapping the box closed and tossing it to the side as if it were some sort of serpent. The tears formed and immediately fell down her cheeks as his message came through. Well, she’d been wondering what he thought of her and now she knew. Payment for services rendered, she thought, shaking her head in denial.
Last night had been so incredible, so passionate and she’d allowed it! And he’d left her, just as he would an alley prostitute, leaving payment on the bedside.
Oh! Of all the arrogant, offensive evil things he could have done, this was the ultimate slap in the face. At least the last time he’d touched her he’d had the dignity to insult her to her face. He hadn’t even given her that much this time. She was obviously unworthy of his time now.
Oh, how she’d lost herself in the moment last night and now, to find this awful message from him. It was worse than the last time. Five years ago, he’d said she was unworthy but she hadn’t understood his meaning. Now, he leaves this awful bracelet that was probably worth a fortune but the message was loud and clear.
She jumped out of the bed and showered as quickly as possible, wishing she could just leave and run away. She needed to lick her wounds and hide for a long time. She would just pack up and leave. He’d done it to her the last time. Why shouldn’t she give him the same response? If he thought so little of her, then she could give him the same courtesy back.
What a fool she’d been! She’d just fallen into his arms, letting him touch her and kiss her. She felt filthy and as the hot water cascaded over her aching body, she scrubbed her arms and body, trying to rid herself of the memory of his touch. She hated him! She cried through the whole shower, scrubbing herself harder when the memory of how it felt when he’d touched her wouldn’t go away.
Pulling out her suitcase, she started throwing things in, not even bothering to fold them. Jeans and tee shirts were piled up, underwear and socks came next and she just lifted them out of her drawer and stuffed them into the suitcase as fast as her arms would permit. She didn’t have to be subjected to that kind of humiliation again. It was too much.
But then Arina and Bajan came to mind. What would happen to all the progress she’d made with them if yet another person disappeared on them? They would be devastated. Until she could transfer their feelings from her to Dharr, then she just couldn’t leave them.
That realization was devastating to her. She sat down on the bed, her shoulders shaking as the pain seeped into her body once again. She even hated to admit that her feelings for Dharr weren’t hatred, but were love. She loved him desperately. And this time, it was a mature love. She admired him for what he’d done with his country and how he treated two, small, orphaned children. She loved the way he made her laugh, even when she wanted to be angry with him.
But this time, she didn’t have Scott or Jasmine to help her out. She was on her own. Somehow, she’d have to find the strength inside herself to keep him from crushing her again.
Pulling on a pair of jeans and a regular white tee-shirt, she grabbed the hated box and left her suite. She didn’t even care that she didn’t have makeup on. She was too angry and too determined to show him that she didn’t care what his opinion of her was.
She stopped the first servant she could find and asked about Dharr’s whereabouts. If she weren’t so angry, she would be amused by the expressions on each palace servant’s face. It was as if Dharr’s location were a closely guarded secret and only the people who already had appointments were permitted to know where and when he would see them.
Undeterred, Victoria assumed that he would most likely be in his office at this time of the morning, although she wasn’t exactly sure what time it was since she’d forgotten to put on her watch. Her tennis shoes were basically silent as she walked along the corridors to his office. She stormed in and stood in front of his personal secretary. This man wasn’t the usual one that sat outside, guarding Dharr’s office from intruders. She had no idea where the other man was and didn’t care right at the moment. She only had one mission in mind and anyone who stood in her way was going to regret it, she told herself.
“I need to speak with Dharr,” she said, her voice quivering with her anger and humiliation at the hands of the same man twice in her lifetime.
The man simply stared at Victoria, dumbfounded for a long moment. “His Highness is unavailable at the moment but I’ll be happy to make an appointment with you at his earliest convenience.
“No!” she said and hated the fact that tears started to form in her eyes. “Find him now and tell him I want to speak with him immediately.”
“I can’t do that, madam,” the man said stiffly. “It simply isn’t done.”
Victoria wiped the tears from her eyes angrily and shook her head. “It is done today. Call him! If you don’t, I’ll just walk right into his office, guards or no guards. And then they’ll get in trouble for touching me, it will be a huge mess. So why don’t you just tell him I’m out here waiting and we can avoid an ugly confrontation.”
Something about the way she was holding herself or perhaps her words sunk in to the man and he responded. He quickly picked up the phone and said something in Arabic. It sounded very apologetic but a moment later, he put the phone down and nodded his head. “His Highness will see you now,” the man said, standing up and bowing politely.
Victoria already knew where his office was, having gone there every day to report her progress with the children. So she walked quickly down the hallway and shoved open the doors. She found him, standing behind his desk, arms crossed over his chest and two other men scurrying out of his office, closing the doors behind them.
“This won’t take long,” she said and slapped the box into the middle of his enormous desk. “Don’t you ever do that to me again!” she said, and wiped another tear down her cheek. “I am not something you can….” She struggled to get past the words….”that you can just purchase, like some….” She stopped, tried to gain her composure and failed.
She covered her face in her hands and sobbed, her shoulders shaking with her humiliation. When she felt him touch her shoulders, she snapped back. “Don’t touch me!” she said and backed away. “I hate you for that,” she said, pointing to the box on his desk. “I’m not a wh….”
“Stop it!” he snapped. “Don’t ever say that again,” he demanded.
“Don’t!” she said and shook her head. “You can’t speak to me like that! I hate you!” she whispered, wishing she could yell at him, punch him, hurt him the same way he’d hurt her. But he seemed impervious to anything she said.
“Just leave me alone,” she said and ran down the hallway, leaving the doors open in her wake.
She didn’t care that she left horrified palace staff members gaping at her. She was probably the only person who had ever spoken to the King of Ashir in that manner but she didn’t care what they did to her. If they shipped her off, then at least she’d be rid of that horrible man and the future of the children wouldn’t be on her shoulders.
Thinking of Arina and Bajan, she hurried to find them, wanting to be with them and find some solace in their innocence and goodness. She found them in the playroom, giggling and pretending with dolls and dinosaurs. As soon as she entered, they both stood up, then smiled broadly when they realized it was her and not another servant. “Good morning, Victoria,” Arina exclaimed, running into Victoria’s arms, hugging her tightly. “What are we going to do today?” she asked excitedly.
Bajan was more circumspect with his enthusiasm but he followed, his eyes showing Victoria that he was just as excited about the day as his sister.
Victoria considered her options. She had to get outside, fearing that Dharr would locate her if she stayed in the palace. But why would he bother? Didn’t the bracelet say everything he needed to say?
Pushing back her depression, she bent down and sat cross legged on the floor, hugging Bajan who leaned against her, still not able to hug someone himself, as if he considered it a weakness, but needing the physical contact regardless. “How about if we go out and you can both introduce me to your horses? Didn’t you mention that they’d been neglected recently?”
Both jumped up and were thrilled with the idea. They took her hands and led her out of the play room. They walked through so many hallways, Victoria was completely lost by the time they entered the bright sunshine. Visiting the stables was the perfect idea, she thought as they both led her toward their favorite animals.
After being introduced to the horses, then feeding them, brushing them and basically learning more about the animals than Victoria ever wanted to know, they discovered a small stall that had no horses in it, but something just as exciting. A litter of kittens had been born about two weeks earlier and were playing in the hay. Victoria and the children huddled around them, enjoying the small creatures and petting their soft fur. They spent the rest of the morning just playing with the kittens and finding food for them, not leaving until all six of them settled down and fell asleep on top of one another.
The three of them trotted happily back to the palace and Victoria decided to take the children to the kitchens for lunch. There was no need for a servant to bring them something when they could just as easily, and more happily, make something for themselves.
The chef was horrified that the Prince and Princess of Ashir would enter his kitchens. Victoria was equally shocked to think of her two small charges in that way. She’d only thought of them as a small girl and boy, but she realized that they really were royalty since they were the children of Dharr’s brother, who was also a prince. It was the second time in her life she’d treated someone as just another person, uncaring of their position within the world. But this time, she wasn’t going to listen to some ridiculous chef spouting silliness about how it was beneath them to step into the kitchen, much less make their own meal.
Being fed up with arrogance and pompous attitudes, Victoria simply demanded peanut butter and jelly so they could make a sandwich. When she took that attitude, the items were quickly delivered. Victoria, Arina and Bajan made such a mess out of a simple sandwich process, they giggled and made a bigger mess. By the time the sandwiches were finished, each of them had jelly in their hair and peanut butter on their noses and cheeks, not to mention all over their fingers.
Victoria cleaned up the mess, then they took their sandwiches to the portrait studio. Victoria decided to let the children talk about their ancestors and see how their parents fit into the whole history of Ashir. The children were extremely knowledgeable about their history and they sat down underneath their father’s picture to eat. They were silent and stared up at him, munching their sandwiches and sipping milk.
Victoria led them back to the playroom where a new teacher had arrived and was excited to meet her new charges. Initially, the children were afraid to be left alone with the teacher so Victoria stayed with them, simply sitting in the back of the classroom. But when the woman, named Ms. Kiri, asked them to come with them to the front of the room and sit down on some pillows to read stories, play with puppets, Victoria soon found herself superfluous. She was also impressed with the teacher and wanted to make herself scarce so the teacher wouldn’t feel pressure by being observed.
She stepped out of the school room, only to bump into the one person she had been trying to avoid all day long.
Without saying a word, Dharr grabbed her wrist and walked into the school room. His eyes snapped to the empty desks and turned to face her. “Where are they?” he demanded in a low, angry voice.
“Where are who?” Victoria asked, trying to yank her arm free but her efforts only caused her more pain.
“The children! What have you done with them?”
“What are you accusing me of now?” she asked, stopping her efforts and standing up to him, as much as she could with him towering over her. “The children are sitting up there with their new teacher, entranced by her story and having a wonderful time.
Dharr’s surprise showed on his face and he yanked her forward. When he saw the children, completely undisturbed by their argument, he pulled her along behind him. Once they were out in the hallway, he turned her so she was facing him. “Where have you been all day?” he demanded.
Victoria was still hurt and furious about the night before and she wasn’t about to take this from him. “I’ve been out shopping and spending all of Ashir’s money. I hope you don’t mind,” she continued sarcastically. Then the anger rushed back and she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Where do you think I’ve been?”
He pulled her closer, turning her so she was fully facing him now. “Don’t play, Victoria. You were supposed to have gone down to the stables but when I went there to find you, no one knew where you were. You didn’t bring the children for lunch in the dining room and were gone for over an hour since the last servant saw either hide nor hair of you. So I’ll ask again, where in the hell have you been?”
Victoria remembered how much she hated him. “I hate to disillusion you about how awful a person I am yet again, Your Highness,” she said with a sneer, “but your palace spies really aren’t very good at their job. I’d recommend either a refresher course or a whole new entourage of spies if these can’t do the job.” She was about to shut her mouth but the furious look in his eyes and the muscle twitching on his jaw told her she might have gone too far. “We went to the stables and played with the kittens. You probably didn’t see us because you’re nose is too high in the air or maybe because you’re mind is relentlessly in the gutter. And then,” she went on when she saw that he was going to say something, “we went to the kitchen and made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches ourselves. After that, we went to the portrait gallery and looked at the picture of your brother. The kids were silent but wouldn’t take their eyes off of him.” She ended with a lowered tone and the shock inside Dharr loosened his hold so she was able to pull free easily.
“What awful things were you thinking of this time?” she asked, rubbing her wrists and glaring up at his surprised, black eyes.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, his shoulders losing some of his anger. “I thought you’d left me.”
Dharr’s words snapped her eyes back to his but she couldn’t see what was going on inside his head. Did his comment mean he would have been disappointed if she’d left?
No! She had gotten her hopes up that he might feel something sincere for her twice and both times, she’d been burned, badly. She wouldn’t go down that path again. It hurt too much when her hopes were dashed cruelly under his unfeeling manners.
“I won’t leave until the children transfer their trust to you,” she said and walked away.
Victoria headed back to her room and noticed that her clothes were all put away as was her suitcase. Her bed was made as well and all evidence of the previous night was gone. Victoria sat down on her bed and put her head in her hands. Dharr didn’t trust her. She hated him. She had to avoid him at all costs and still get out of here with her heart and her pride intact. But how was she going to do that?
Sighing, she knew the answer. Avoid him at all costs.
Moving out of her suite, she wandered the halls, asking a servant to convey the message that she would be absent for dinner tonight. The servant asked if a meal should be brought to her suite but she shook her head, smiling and thanking her but moving off in a direction of the palace she’d never seen before.
An hour later, Victoria found a wonderful area. It was a music room. Or more appropriately, a dance room. There was a seventies style dance floor complete with lights under a clear Plexiglas floor, a disco ball and a huge variety of songs.
She fiddled with the stereo system and was impressed when the sound came from several different speakers. The lights came on with another flick of some buttons and suddenly, Victoria was standing in the middle of a dance floor with soft jazz coming through speakers from all different sides of the room. Stepping into the middle, she closed her eyes and swayed to the beat, letting all her tension from the previous night and all the hurt from this morning melt away. Each time a thought of Dharr came into her mind, she pushed it away and forced her mind to think about something else.
But the very effort to push his thoughts away kept them coming. Eventually, she knew she could no longer ignore the way he’d made her feel last night. If only the morning hadn’t come so soon. If only she could have slept in his arms and woken up to feel his body under her head, to hear his heartbeat in her ear. She knew that was the way she’d fallen asleep. What had gone wrong?
She shuddered at the memory of his kiss, of his touch. Despite her anger, her body wanted to feel him again, right now. She swung around and continued dancing, hoping she could hide in this room forever. Or at least until late at night when she could sneak back to her room. She didn’t dare go back to her own room. Dharr was furious enough with her to seek her out. And what insults would he throw her way this time? She didn’t want to find out. She needed to protect her heart and her pride. And she needed to find a way to fall out of love with the man.
She was swaying and singing, feeling the beat through her bones as the bass thumped out the beat. Her eyes were closed but she could see the lights from the ceiling through her eyelids and she just gloried in the feel of the music and being alone.
Suddenly, she felt strong arms encircle her waist. She tensed instantly, even though she knew it wasn’t a stranger. It was Dharr. She’d know his scent anywhere. His arms were tender as they reached around, his head bending down to kiss her neck, her ear. Victoria wanted to pull away but his mouth made her knees give out and she found herself leaning against him, her back touching his chest, her head falling back to lay against his hard shoulder, giving him greater access to her neck. “Dharr,” she whispered.
“What are you doing in here?” he asked, his voice husky as his hands slipped along her stomach, resting just under her breasts.
“Hiding from you.” She shivered when his hands moved slightly, her breasts already aching to feel his hands caress them. She could feel them swelling, her nipples hardening in anticipation.
“Why are you hiding from me?” he asked, his hand moving higher and he heard her sigh. The sound filled his senses and cooled his riled temper. He’d been searching for her for over an hour. When he’d heard the music coming from this area of the palace, he felt the tension drain away, to be replaced by the sexual need he felt whenever he was close to her.
“Because I didn’t want you to hurt me anymore,” she said. But her body couldn’t move away from his.
Dharr heard the words and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I’d hurt you so much last night. It was never my intention.”
Victoria found the strength and swung around. He wouldn’t let her move away but at least she was facing him now. “You didn’t hurt me last night,” she said and felt the tears and anger well up inside. “You hurt me this morning.”
Dharr saw the pain and moved his hand up from her waist to her cheek, cradling her face with his. “I’m sorry,” he said a moment before his mouth touched hers.
He felt her shudder and knew that it wasn’t because of his kiss this time. And he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he kissed her to ease her pain, trying to eliminate the hurt he’d caused her by his confused reaction to their night together. When he felt her resistance move away, he showed her in the only way he knew how that he was sorry. He lifted her up and carried her back to his suite, ignoring the music and lights that were still on in the music room.
He didn’t stop until he shouldered the door to his bedroom closed behind him. Then he let her legs slip down his body but wouldn’t allow her to move away. He stripped off her clothes right there, worshiping her body and kissing her everywhere.
His mouth moved to her breasts, capturing the peak in his mouth, pulling, nuzzling, sucking until she cried out, then he moved to the other, applying the same attention and hearing her surrender. He could smell her arousal and it excited him as nothing else ever had. Reaching down, his hand covered her, moving inside, encouraging her to open for him. His moth moved lower, kissing her stomach before he kneeled in front of her, his tongue moving to cover where his hand had been. It was like ambrosia when he felt her tighten, then her first release was upon her and she melted down, shaking in his arms as he carried her to his bed.
She opened her eyes and saw that he was still dressed and her eyes widened in shock.
“Don’t,” he said, thinking of the time five years ago when he’d brought her to her first climax and then left her. He quickly pulled off his clothes, then came down beside her. “I want you now,” he said, and moved between her legs. He was thrilled when she opened for him again, welcoming him with her legs, her arms and her body as his slid into hers. Dharr closed his eyes, the ecstasy of his entry almost too much for him to control. She was so tight, so slick and hot he wanted to come inside her immediately. But he held back, gaining control of his rampaging desires so he could help her find her release once more.
Within moments, she was crying out, Dharr felt her shivers start and that brought him over the edge as well. He bent down and took her cries in his mouth, kissing her as they crashed together.
As their breathing came back to normal, Dharr pulled her close, holding her against his shoulder as his hands tangled in her hair. “Are you okay?” he asked, wondering what she was thinking. She’d stilled a moment ago and he was worried about what she was thinking about.
“Yes, thank you.”
She felt Dharr’s chest rumble as he laughed at her response. “I’m glad,” he replied. Then he turned serious. Rolling her back, he looked down into her troubled green eyes. “I’m sorry about this morning.”
“Thank you.”
Dharr rolled his eyes at her polite response. “Victoria, if you don’t stop being so polite, I’m going to make love to you just to make sure you’re the woman I was holding in my arms a few minutes ago.”
Victoria blushed but looked away. “What would you like me to say?” she asked. She was terrified of what he was going to say or do next. The past two sexual encounters with him had left her wounded. She wasn’t sure she could survive another blow from him. Not right now anyway. Maybe once she’d recovered from the tender care he’d just shown her, she would be able to handle it. “I just need a little time to find my balance,” she finally said, knowing that he was waiting for her to say something else. “You don’t really leave much room for anything, do you?”
“I try not to. Would you have it any other way?” he asked.
Victoria inhaled sharply as his hand moved from her waist to her thigh, then back up again. She wiggled in his arms and blushed when he chuckled. “Oh no!” she said and pushed against his shoulders. She knew it was a useless endeavor unless he permitted it. But since he did, she rolled him onto his back, her hair cascading around his face as she looked down at him this time. “You’re not going to do that to me again,” she said, smiling in excitement.
“Oh, yes, Victoria. I’m going to do it again and again,” he countered and since his hands were no longer needed to hold his weight off her, they were free to skim across her back.
“Oh!” she gasped.
“I love the way your body responds to my touch,” he growled, running his hands over her shoulders and arms, then back down her back.
“Does yours?” she asked.
“No,” he responded but he smiled at the interest in her eyes.
“Are you sure?” she asked, her tongue touching his skin, tasting the salt and enjoying his indrawn breath. “I think it is my turn,” she said and bent to touch her mouth to his male nipple, loving the way his hands held her still. But she had too much exploring to do and her head moved around. Her hands felt his muscles, touching him while her mouth continued its exploration. As her mouth moved lower, she could feel his body tense. Feeling powerful and feminine, she moved lower, her mouth hovering over his manhood for a long moment before finally closing over him.
The harsh intake of breath she heard from him excited her and she continued, tentatively exploring and tasting, loving the velvet hardness of him. Long before she was satisfied, he pulled her up, bringing her mouth to his and kissing her while his hands settled her over him, having her straddle his hips. “You want power?”
Victoria could only nod her head, feeling heady and so turned on she could barely think much less talk.
“Then take control,” he said. With a hand on each side of her hips, he slid inside her, watching her face as the surprise filtered in.
Victoria moved her hips, then gasped in delight as feelings of intense pleasure seared through her body. “What do I do?” she asked, moving again and loving the way it felt. She continued to move in ways that caused pleasure, closing her eyes and letting the feelings course through her body.
“Anything,” he rasped, lifting his hands to touch her breasts, then tangle in her hair, pulling her down to kiss her again. “Anything you want,” he said again.
Victoria needed no further encouragement. She moved, letting him slide in and out, enjoying the expression on his face as she did so. After several minutes, he took her hips and controlled the pace, and within minutes, she was shivering, collapsing on top of his chest as her third orgasm ripped through her, leaving her helpless and languorous. She had no idea that he’d also found his release, just knowing that her body couldn’t move any more.
“Victoria?” he asked, lifting her hair up so he could see her face.
Victoria just put her hand over his mouth, moving her head so she could see him. “Don’t speak,” she said.
“Why not?” he asked.
Turning away so he couldn’t see her tears, she shook her head. “Because each time we get to this point, you say something or do something nasty and then I’ll have to hate you again.”
Dharr was absolutely still for a moment. “And if I don’t say or do something nasty? How will you feel about me then?”
Victoria started shivering. It was the moment of truth and she wasn’t sure if she was up to it. “I don’t know. I’m still waiting to start hating you again.”
Dharr laughed softly. “Would it help if you knew that I don’t want to make you hate me?” he said. Pulling her hair off to one side, he let his fingers feel the softness. “In fact, I don’t think I’ve been able to actually live without you for the past five years,” he admitted.
Victoria could feel his heart beat accelerate and turned to look at him. “Why did you leave me like that?” she asked, wishing she could stop the hurt in her voice but it was still too raw, especially after last night. “Why did you say those things to me?”
Dharr sighed and sat up, pulling her with him but not letting her move away. He tucked the pillows behind his back and looked down at her lovely, pain filled eyes. “Because I was jealous.”
“Jealous? Of what? Or who?”
“Of Scott. That morning, I arrived in London early. I came to see you and found Scott leaving your dorm room, happily enjoying a sandwich and looking like he’d just fallen out of bed. I naturally assumed it had been yours.”
Victoria’s mouth dropped open and she looked up into his face. The laughter started slowly but the more she thought about it, the harder she laughed. Dharr obviously didn’t appreciate the humor but he didn’t pull away. In fact, he only waited until her laughter died away before raising one eyebrow in inquiry. “Would you care to share the joke?” he asked.
Victoria nodded and smiled again, controlling the laughter, but just barely. “Scott’s gay.”
She watched the emotions cross his face, running the gamut of disbelief to shock to horror. “Gay?” he asked in a strangled voice.
“Gay,” she confirmed. “In fact, at the time, he was dating a very nice man named Marcus.”
Dharr leaned his head back against the silk covered headboard and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said, pulling her closer. “I’m so sorry,” he said again and buried his face in her neck.
Victoria felt all the awful feelings just melt away and she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling her heart melt with his apology. “But why did you….” She swallowed hard before she could continue, “leave that nasty message this morning?”
“I swear it wasn’t what you were thinking,” he said, lifting his head and she could see the sincerity in his eyes. “It was a gift to show you how much last night meant to me. I swear it was nothing more than that.”
“Oh, Dharr! I’m sorry,” she said and pulled him close. “I knew I lo…” she stopped just in time. Just because he didn’t think nasty, demeaning things, didn’t mean he wanted her love. The words were swallowed quickly and she looked up, trying to decide if she’d goofed again.
His eyes sharpened on her shocked face and he moved closer, determined to find out what she had been about to say. “What were you going to say?” he demanded. “That you love me?” he asked.
Victoria was going to deny it but she could tell that the dictator had come back. She wasn’t going to get around it. “Yes,” she said sadly, looking up at the ceiling instead of his handsome face. “But I know you don’t want that right now.” She started to get out of bed, feeling foolish but he pulled her back, swinging her so she was laying flat against the now rumpled sheets, her hair flying out behind her and Dharr towering over her.
“Say it,” he demanded.
“Why, so you can laugh at me?” she threw back at him.
His eyes softened and he shook his head gently. “No. So I can tell you how much I love you. How much I need you in my life and how I have suffered for five long years, thinking you were falling in love and marrying another man because I was too stupid to claim you for my own.”
With each word, the pain surrounding Victoria’s heart melted a little more. “You love me?” she asked, her hands coming to touch his handsome face and her eyes filling up with hope.
“Yes. Now will you say it?” he demanded again.
“I love you!” she cried out, throwing herself into his arms and bringing his face down to hers. “I love you, you arrogant man,” she giggled.
“And you’re going to marry me and give me lots of children and help me raise Arina and Bajan,” he ordered, bending down to kiss her neck.
“Absolutely,” she agreed.