His Reluctant Bride (13 page)

“Are you drunk?” he accused incredulously and Katie frowned at him.

“I dunk I t,” she said and he rolled his eyes heavenward as though she were an annoying child that he had to deal with.

“This is Madame Jober's famous iced brew,” he said after sniffing her glass and Katie stared at him.

“What?” she asked unsure what he was saying. Surely the landlord hadn't been giving her alcohol?

“How many of these have you had?” he demanded unaware that he was starting to attract attention.

“Uh,” Katie mumbled as she tried to get to her feet and stumbled as the room began to spin causing her husband to curse as he swept her in to his arms and stormed from the pub uncaring of who saw them. Katie finally succumbed to the dizziness and let her head fall back against his chest unaware of him carrying her to a waiting car or being driven to the palace. She wasn't even aware of him carrying her up to her room and stripping off her clothes before pulling the covers over her and staring down at her as fury ripped through his body.

Tariq couldn't help the anger that swirled within him. How dared she betray him like this? He had left her for four days and she had responded by ignoring his wishes and leaving the village with her new lover. And even worse than her betrayal was the fact that the entire village had helped them. Well, enough was enough. First thing tomorrow he would make sure that her lover paid the price for his betrayal.

His wife would learn her lesson no matter how long it took, and he intended to show her exactly what a Darlayan man thought of such a deliberate attempt to embarrass him. Yes, in the morning Catherine would learn exactly what it meant to be the Darlayan Sheikh's wife!

Katie awoke with a start at the sound of the door slamming and she gave a groan as pure agony exploded in her head making her keep her eyes squeezed tightly shut in an attempt to dispel it.

Her whole body ached and it took all her effort to force one eye open and squint in to the darkness of the room only to close it again a moment later with another groan.

"What the hell do you want?" she forced past dry lips as the pounding in her head increased.

"It was a clever plan of yours. I'll give you that," said a breathy female voice and Katie managed to force her eyes open again to find Amber leaning against the door examining her long scarlet painted nails.

"What plan?" Katie asked in confusion as she struggled to ignore the pain of keeping her eyes open.

"Oh, don't play the innocent with me Catherine. We both know that you want Tariq's attention," Amber said with an overly exaggerated sigh as she finally lifted her gaze to focus on Katie.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Katie informed her as she became aware of her rather dishevelled state. 

Unlike the sophisticated Amber who was dressed in an expensive designer gown that wouldn't be out of place on the catwalk and with perfect make-up and every hair in place, Katie looked like she had been dragged through a hedge backwards. She felt like it too. With her hair no doubt stuck in all directions, make-up down her face and wearing almost nothing below the covers, Katie did not feel that now was the right time to be conducting this sort of confrontation and she was very aware of how pathetic she must look right now.

"Don't play coy with me. Trying to embarrass Tariq in to noticing you may have been a good plan but believe me it won't last. Him and I have a special connection that you will never understand,"

Amber said with a smirk that has Katie gritting her teeth in anger. How dared she come in here and flaunt her affair.

"If that's true then why should you care what my plans are?" Katie asked with what she hoped was a serene smile but that probably came out as more of a grimace.

"Oh, I don't. I just wanted to warn you that you're making a fool of yourself. You are a duty to Tariq. He will never see you as more than a burden he has to bear," Amber replied her eyes glinting maliciously and Katie glowered in response.

"If that's true then you have nothing to worry about," Katie said wishing she was having this conversation when she looked more put together. She knew that Amber need have no concerns about

Tariq falling for her but she wished she could at least have given the illusion that it might be possible.

"Oh, I'm not worried Catherine. But you should be," Amber announced with a small flick of her hair and Katie grimaced.

"And why is that?" she asked as she finally summoned up the strength to pull herself in to a sitting position so that she didn't feel like Amber was towering over her so much. She could do nothing about the other woman looking down her nose at her however.

"Tariq does not suffer fools lightly and he does not allow anyone to embarrass him. Especially not his wife," Amber warned and Katie winced at the realisation that she was right. No doubt her husband would be tearing strips off her later with the force of his anger.

"I'm touched by your concern for me," Katie said placing a hand over her heart as she offered the other woman a bright smile and Amber curled her lip in response.

"It is concern for Tariq's reputation," Amber corrected as she took several steps forward to glower down at Katie who glared right back.

Both women jumped when with an almost silent click the door swung open and Tariq strode in almost bumping right in to Amber who had frozen in place at the sight of him. From the glower on his face it appeared that he'd had no idea she was in here and interestingly he did not seem to be happy about it.

"Amber? What the hell are you doing in here?" he asked with a frown and Amber immediately turned in to a simpering bimbo as she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"Catherine and I were just having a girlie chat," she explained and Katie rolled her eyes at the lie.

"I suggest you leave, Now!" Tariq ordered and with a quick glance in Katie's direction she left without another word.

Katie would almost have enjoyed the look of humiliation on Amber's face was it not for Tariq suddenly turning his blistering gaze on her. He stepped closer and Katie swallowed nervously as she wondered just how bad the fallout from the night before would be.

"Morning," she said brightly and then winced at the look of fury he sent her.

"That is all you have to say after your behaviour last night?" Tariq demanded and Katie blew out a sigh as her head pounded in protest of all this early morning action and her whole body ached at the thought of having to move.

"What would you have me say? That I'm sorry?" she asked even if it was with a hint of petulance in her tone and Tariq's eyes narrowed.

"That would be a start. Followed by a full of explanation of just what the hell you thought you were doing," he replied his tone firm and unyielding and Katie rolled her eyes. Or tried to, except the pain in her head stopped her from doing more than a slight upward movement.

"Well you're going to be very disappointed. I have nothing to be sorry for and I'm certainly not going to explain an innocent drink with a friend," she replied leaning her head back as exhaustion consumed her.

"You will damn well explain yourself!" Tariq ordered and Katie gave a small sound of disgust.

"No," she answered without opening her eyes.

"No?" he repeated incredulously for nobody had ever spoken to him like this or denied a request from him before.

"You heard me,"

"I'll just get the truth from Jai. I am quite within my right to punish the man who tried to seduce my wife," Tariq informed her and Katie shot up in bed wincing as she did so.

"You can't punish Jai. He didn't do anything wrong," Katie snapped. She had no intention of letting an innocent man, her friend be punished and possibly evicted from the desert village simply because he had agreed to help her. Jai was a good man and he was selfless and kind. Everything her husband was not. She would not let him hurt Jai simply to punish her.

"Interesting," Tariq murmured and Katie stared suspiciously at him.

"What is?" she asked curiously, certain that she would regret asking.

"That you would protect your lover from my wrath," he said anger pulsing through his tone making her wince at the accusation he casually flung her way.

"Jai is not my lover and he is an innocent man who I refuse to let take the blame for my mistakes," Katie informed him with ice lining her tone.

"And how exactly would you stop me?" Tariq enquired lazily making Katie stiffen at the threat.

"You think your wife getting drunk is embarrassing? It's nothing compared to what I'll do if you hurt Jai in any way," Katie told him choosing her words carefully and Tariq stiffened as he turned incredulous eyes on her. No woman had ever threatened him before and he had not expected one to come from his wife who should have been doing everything in her power to convince him of her loyalty.

"I do not respond well to threats," he warned as he stepped even closer so he was just inches away from her. Rather than being cowed Katie lifted her chin and glared at him.

"It's not a threat. It's a promise," she returned and was surprised when instead of being angry at her Tariq threw back his head and laughed.

"Luckily for you I had time to cool off and I already decided you're right," Tariq said and Katie frowned.

"About what?" she questioned warily.

"Jai shouldn't be punished for your mistakes," he replied and Katie sighed wondering when they would get to the point of this conversation so she could close her eyes and try to get rid of the pain that seemed to consume her entire body.

"You know it's a sad state of affairs when a man doesn't believe his own wife," she offered and Tariq threw his hands up in disgust.

"It is not like you give me many options, Catherine. Perhaps if you did not act so difficult I would find it easier to trust you," he suggested and Katie glared at him. How dared he? She was not the difficult one and she was not the one who needed to regain someone's trust.

"Perhaps if you were not such an arrogant, cheating bastard I might find it easier to trust you and be less inclined to be.. how did you put it? Oh yes, difficult," she offered in response and Tariq's lips tightened.

"You are speaking nonsense," he said and Katie gave a harsh laugh.

"Well, of course you would say that," she replied.

"Enough. I can see that there is no point in speaking to you in this mood," he said with a sigh and Katie glowered at him. How was it that he always managed to make it seem like she was the one being unreasonable?

"I am not in a mood," she said with what she realised was a hint of moodiness.

"Clearly," he offered with a sweep of his hand and Katie gritted her teeth furiously.

"What are we doing in the palace anyway? I thought you didn't want me around here. Too much of a flight risk," she reminded him and Tariq's jaw tightened.

"Clearly I can't trust you to be on your own for more than five minutes so I intend to keep you where I can see you," he informed her coolly and Katie glared at him as she pulled the sheets tighter around her slender frame.

"Great. Well as you can see I'm here so you can leave," Katie informed him as she rolled over and buried her head under the pillow willing the pain and dizziness to leave her.

A week later relations had still not improved between them. Katie had barely seen Tariq and when she had been forced to endure his company she had kept conversation to a minimum. She was still furious at the way he had treated her and the fact that Amber was constantly around. No longer was she simply an unseen presence who haunted their marriage. No matter where she turned Amber was always there. Judging, smirking and silently laughing at her for being trapped in a loveless marriage. It didn't help that Katie hadn't felt entirely well since the incident with Jai. Every morning she had woken up feeling weak, faint, aching and had thrown up on several occasions. Her appetite had both increased and decreased. She couldn't stop eating one moment and the next couldn't stand the thought of food. Add to that the fact she felt completely out of sorts and it was no wonder that Katie was not feeling particularly generous towards Tariq.

Deciding that this illness had gone on long enough Katie finally gave in and called the doctor. She had thought at first that it was just a hangover but as the days went on she had realised that it was more than that and it didn't seem to be going away any time soon. Which left her with no other choice than to get a professional opinion.

"I'm glad you called me," the kindly doctor said with a smile and Katie sent him a faint one in return.

"Well, I got a little worried when it continued," she replied.

"And you're sure of these symptoms? Tiredness, aches, increased hunger, sickness, and an aversion to certain foods?" he queried and Katie frowned.

"Yes. Why? Do you know what it is? Is it serious?" she asked suddenly realising that it could be worse than a bug she'd caught somewhere.

"Well I have some good news for you. It's nothing serious," he said and Katie let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank god. You had me worried. So, what is it that's causing this?" she asked and the doctor gave her a beaming smile.

"Well, it's quite simple my dear. I believe you're pregnant!"