She was still asleep when Rashid awoke. He took a moment to watch the rise and fall of her chest beneath the sheets. She looked so peaceful and happy. He liked watching her like this. It seemed that more often than not, she had a frown and a furrowed brow, and it was always because of him. He had a sudden desire to see her smile more.

His phone lit up and vibrated on the nightstand. Grabbing it, he eased out of bed and hurried from the room so he wouldn’t wake her. From the tablet in his kitchen, he texted instructions to have breakfast brought to his room, and he moved out of his suite to deal with his morning callers.

Arvio and Karam.

“Rashid!” They were both laughing drunkenly on the other end of the line when he called the number back. “We just heard the horrible news! You just bring your wife-to-be over to us, and we’ll make sure she never wants to go back to you.”

Rashid gritted his teeth. The thought of either one of them touching Mila made him want to put his fist through the wall. “Get a hold of yourself,” he snapped.

“Don’t be mad, bro. We’re here to support you,” Karam hiccupped.

“Yes, I know all about your support. In case you’ve forgotten, you’re the reason that I had to take a wife to begin with. Lose this number. Don’t call. Don’t text. Don’t even speak to me when we’re in the same room, do you understand me? I’m done.”

That sobered them up. “Rashid?” Arvio slurred. “Are you angry about something?”

“Furious doesn’t even begin to describe what I am. You two need to grow the hell up and quit embarrassing yourselves and your families. It was funny when we were twenty, but now I cringe whenever I see either of your numbers on the caller ID. Get your shit together, and leave me the hell alone.”

Hanging up, he sagged against the wall. Arvio and Karam were—had been—his two best friends. It made him angry to think that things had finally come to this, but if he were being honest, it was something that he should have done a long time ago.

Before he’d gotten saddled with a wife.

He’d turned Mila’s head, wooed her, and convinced her to wear his ring. He’d seduced her into his bed, but now that he had her, he realized that his little act of rebellion was going to follow him around for the rest of his life.

Mila was going to be his wife. His lover. The mother of his children.

And she was nothing short of a wildfire blazing a path through the palace. He feared that nothing would contain her. How was he going to keep her in the palace? She was born to roam and be free. How long until she realized that all of this had been nothing more than a middle finger to his parents?

What would she do then?

Icy fear bloomed in his chest as he wondered if she’d have the guts to leave him.

Of course she would. She was Mila. She’d do anything that she set her mind to.

He had to be careful. Last night, he’d seen the hurt in her eyes. He’d been overcome with the need to dominate her, and he’d almost lost her.

He needed this marriage to go through. Now, with the illegal betting ring looming over his head, he needed to prove that he wasn’t the irresponsible playboy the media portrayed him to be. The sports complex was his baby, and he’d do anything to keep it.

Heading back to his suite, he found Mila back in her dress and eyeing the breakfast cart in distaste.

“You don’t like fruit?” he asked with a grin.

She jumped and put a hand over her heart. “I thought you were gone,” she muttered. “I woke up alone.”

“My phone was blowing up. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I took the call across the hall.”

“Anything important?”

“No.”

She raised an eyebrow. “So you always take unimportant calls this early in the morning?”

“Ah, yes?” He frowned. “You seem a little on edge. I’m not sure what to say.”

Tying her hair back, she scanned the floor for her shoes. “The truth, Rashid. We’re going to be married. I’m not going to be some trophy wife on your arm. I want you to tell me about your life. About your day. I heard about the illegal gambling bets, but I didn’t hear them from you.”

“That.” He reached over and snagged a strawberry. “I didn’t think telling you about my problems was the right way to court you. The police are investigating, and I’m not under suspicion.”

“But you’re worried about it.”

Rashid bit into the strawberry and nodded his head. “I have some concerns. If this isn’t taken care of quickly and quietly, the government might step in. Illegal gambling is a serious offense. They could shut the sports complex down.”

Sliding into her heels, she grabbed her purse and faced him. “That sounds like more than just a few concerns. You love that place.”

“I do, and that is why I would do anything to keep it.” He cocked his head. “Do you not eat breakfast?”

Fishing her phone out of her bag, she glanced at it and grimaced. “I love breakfast, but I need to go home. I need to shower and get ready for my shift. Should I call a taxi?”

“No. I’ll take you.”

Startled, she stared at him. “You mean you’ll call Ori to take me? I don’t want to wake him up.”

“Um.”

Mila dropped her phone back into her purse and stared at him with narrowed eyes. “Do you even know how to drive? I don’t mean any offense, but I’ve never actually seen you drive.”

“Offense taken,” he muttered, but then he grinned. “I happen to love to drive. My father is the one who thinks we should be driven everywhere. Give me a minute to get dressed. I’ll have Ori pull the car around.”

“He loves to drive,” she muttered. “Learn something new every day.”

“Eat something,” he urged her over his shoulder as he walked into the bedroom. It bothered him that she would question his abilities, and he expected she might eat her words when she saw what he was going to drive her home in.

Indeed, as she stared at the gold-plated Bugatti, she looked a little green. “This seems a bit fancy just to take me home in,” she muttered. “What happened to those dark sedans?”

“Boring.” He pushed the button on the remote, and the passenger door rose into the air.

She stumbled back and glared at him. “You did that on purpose,” she accused.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he teased as he jogged down the steps in front of the palace and joined her. “Hop on in, sweetheart.”

“This is so embarrassing,” she moaned as she slipped into her seat.

“You’re the one going home in the same clothes you wore last night.” He winked and pushed the door down, muffling whatever insult she was throwing his way.

Despite the easy banter, the car ride was relatively silent. He drove too fast, took a few turns too quickly, but it was all for show.

Mila held so tight to the seat that her knuckles started to turn white.

Her neighbors were out, leaving for work, walking their dogs, and getting their morning paper. Most of them looked as if they might break their necks if they strained any harder to get a good look at the fancy car and its occupants. Unlike the last house that Sahaar owned, this line of adobe homes had small yards separating the houses from the street. Mila had mentioned that she’d thought that it would afford them more privacy from the neighbors, but it just gave everyone a reason to stand outside and stare. “Ridiculous,” he heard her mutter.

“What was that?” Rashid said as he pulled into her driveway and killed the engine.

Mila’s eyes widened in panic. “Oh, you can’t stay. You need to leave. Right now. As soon as I get out of the car.”

“Why?” He leaned over and kissed her.

“People are staring. Where’s the door handle on this thing?” She pushed him away and scrambled to get out of the car. Some of the neighbors snapped their heads away and pretended that they weren’t staring, but one couple were still too enthralled. This was even worse than a walk-of-shame. Rashid could almost hear the thoughts tumbling in his beautiful fiancée’s head. Next time, she wouldn’t give Rashid a chance to drive her home. She’d just call a taxi. Far less exciting.

“Call me after your shift?” he called out the window.

She gave him a half wave as she scurried inside, and he laughed. Next time, she wouldn’t question his driving abilities.

With her gone for the day, he’d be able to put in a few hours at the sports complex and see if his security had made any headway in revealing the gambling ringleaders. When he found them, he knew he’d be tempted to make sure that they never again saw the light of day.

No one messed with the things that he loved.

No one.