The Sheikh's Pregnant Bride (The Jawhara Sheikhs Series Book 1) (5 page)

Erin felt herself being picked up, but her exhaustion had finally reached a break point and she couldn’t muster enough energy to open her eyes. When she heard Talib murmur to her she relaxed back into his hold, hoping that he would simply lay her on her couch and then leave. She would deal with Kam in the morning.

She briefly awakened when she felt her shoes being removed, but then she was laid down upon a soft mattress and she rolled over and went back to sleep.

Talib took his own seat in the plane and placed the call to Kam, “We are on our way. We will be there tomorrow.”

“I will have the palace physician waiting for her when you arrive.  Bring her directly to the palace when you arrive.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Talib relaxed back, anxious to return to his homeland, and hoping that the beautiful young woman sleeping in the bed would find Jawhara just as attractive. She was going to be his Sheikha, and it would not do for the country’s ruler to have a bride who detested where she was forced to live.

Talib had just closed his eyes, when he heard the bedroom door open and saw Erin stumble from the room.

Erin had awakened, needing a drink of water, but upon seeing her surroundings knew that something was not right. When she saw Talib calmly sitting in the plush chair, she glanced around at her surroundings and immediately knew that she was in an airplane. “Where are you taking me?”

“To Jawhara. To the Sheik.”

Erin let those words sink in before asking, “So, he knows?”

“That you are carrying the next ruler of Jawhara? Yes.”

Erin nodded and took another chair across from him.  “What was his response?”

“This,” Talib gestured to the plane, “is his response.”

Erin nodded, not really surprised. Kam was highhanded and expected everyone to do what he commanded them. She had no doubt that if she had spoken with him on the phone and told him the doctor’s findings, he would have demanded her presence in Jawhara. Seeing that there was nothing that could be done at this time, to prevent her arrival in Jawhara and the upcoming confrontation with Kam, she decided to enjoy the trip.

“Well, I look forward to seeing my cousin again.”

Talib shook his head, “I’m afraid that will not be possible.”

“What?! Why?” Erin was alarmed, and afraid that something had happened to Shira. She desperately needed her council about now. With her parents still on their world-tour, she had no one else to depend on.

“She returned to the states with Khalil earlier today. That is why the jet was available so quickly.”

“Shira’s home? But I thought…”

“I’m sure the Sheik will be happy to explain everything once we arrive. Allow me to call for something to eat.”

While Talib arranged for a tray to be brought to her, Erin tried to focus her thoughts on the direction her life was currently headed. She was having the ruler of Jawhara’s child and she couldn’t see the dominating man she was coming to know as the Sheik allowing her to raise his child in another country.

Talib set the tray in front of her with the instructions, “Eat. Then you should try to sleep. This is a seventeen-hour flight. It will be nighttime when we arrive in Jawhara. You will have lost a day by the time we arrive.”

Erin nodded, tasting the soup he had set in front of her. Waiting for her stomach to rebel, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the soup seemed to agree with her tender stomach. She finished the soup in silence, too lost in her thoughts to engage in mindless chatter.

Talib removed the tray and then gestured for her to return to the bedroom, “Please, sleep. Whatever is bothering you will look better once you have rested. His Majesty wishes you to rest, for both you and the child.”

At the reminder of the innocent life, she was now responsible for, Erin nodded and returned to the bedroom. She expected to have a hard time falling asleep, but her body’s need for rest overtook her busy mind and sleep consumed her immediately.

She was awakened as the plane began its descent, having slept the entire flight.  Sitting up, she mentally commanded the nausea that once again made its presence known to go away. Putting her shoes on, she exited the room, carefully.

Talib saw her and immediately ushered her into a chair and fastened her seatbelt. “We are preparing to land, now. Are you feeling any better?”

Erin shook her head, “Not really.” She swallowed convulsively, trying to keep the nausea at bay.

Talib looked at her and hoped that she would be able to hold off becoming sick until after they had landed.

Erin closed her eyes, only to open them again right away. The movement of the plane only seemed to make the nausea worse, and closing her eyes doubled the sensation. Taking shallow breaths, she counted slowly in her head until she felt the tires of the jet touch down on the tarmac.  Breathing out slowly, she was thankful when the plane came to a stop and Talib stood from his seat. “Come. The Sheikh waits.”

“Great,” Erin muttered under her breath. Standing up from her seat, she stopped to allow the nausea to even out. She could already see that this trip was going to be dictated by the unborn child she carried and her unruly body.

Following Talib to the awaiting limo, she tried to calm her racing heart and take in the scenery, but the nausea she was feeling was getting worse. “Talib…”

“We will be at the palace momentarily.”

Erin nodded, hoping she could hold on until she found a bathroom. It wouldn’t do to embarrass herself in front of the Sheik by throwing up all over his palace floor.

“Here we are. “

Talib opened the door of the limo, reaching back inside to pull her from the car. The humidity and overwhelming fragrances on the air caused her to cover her mouth with her hands. She wasn’t going to make it, she needed a bathroom. Now!

Talib wasn’t paying attention to her as much as he was looking for his Sheik to arrive. When Erin pulled her arm from his hold and rushed towards the nearest bushes, he cursed himself for failing in his duty to see to her safety. She was sick, tired, and nervous.

Seeing Kamal arrive, he stepped away from the young woman, currently being sick into the bushes, as the ruler of Jawhara started issuing demands to the waiting staff.

Kamal waited until Erin had finished being sick before picking her up and carrying her up the palace steps. Calling once again for the doctor to attend him in his chambers, he climbed the grand staircase with his precious bundle cradled against his chest.

Erin opened her eyes, mortified to find that Kamal was indeed carrying her into his palace. Looking at his expression, she cringed at the look of fury on his face as he continued to bark orders at those he passed. Closing her eyes, she tried to keep her tears at bay, only to feel them sliding down her cheeks and wetting the hair at her temples.

Kamal saw the tears leaking from beneath her closed eyes and pulled her closer to himself, “Habibti, please do not cry. The doctor is on his way. Whatever is wrong, he will help. I promise.”

Erin tried to shake her head, to explain that she wasn’t crying because she felt ill. It was everything else – the loneliness, the unplanned pregnancy, the confusion she felt at being so near to him once again. It was all too much for her body and mind to handle and as the darkness invaded her bleary vision, she gave into it, passing into oblivion.

Kamal felt her body go lax and looked down at the beautiful woman he carried in his arms. Having her so near again was causing his body to harden in ways that were inappropriate given how sick she appeared to be. Mentally chastising himself for his body’s response to her nearness, he hurried his steps towards his chambers. Her breathing was slow and even, but it appeared that she had blacked out. Something was definitely not right.

As he entered his chambers he was pleased to see the palace physician already in attendance. Erin stirred as he laid her upon his bed and he bent to remove her shoes.

“Kam?”

“Shush. The doctor is here and will soon know what is wrong with you.”

“Your Majesty, may I examine her?” the physician requested.

Kamal backed away from the bed, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. When the doctor helped Erin to a sitting position and proceeded to unbutton her shirt, she grasped the sides together and looked at Kam, blushing furiously.

“Make him leave,” she implored the physician.  She knew she was being ridiculous, after all, she and Kam had created a baby together. But having him see her like this was not setting well with her sense of modesty.

Before the physician could answer, Kam spoke up, “Erin. You will allow the physician to examine you. I am not leaving so don’t even bother putting up a fight. That is my child you are carrying and I will be part of everything to do with his or her safety, as well as your own.”

Erin looked at him as the extent of his dominating personality began to make itself known. He had been controlling before, but now he would be impossible. Too tired and sick to continue fighting him, she dropped her eyes and her hands.

The physician eyed his ruler once before continuing to unbutton her top and then helped her lay back down. After a thorough examination, the physician packed his instruments back into his bag and gently pulled a sheet over the young woman lying in the bed. She had refused to meet his gaze during the exam, or look at the Sheik. She had answered his questions in a soft voice, in single words whenever possible.

Gesturing for Kamal to follow him out of the room, he gave him his diagnosis, “Your Majesty. She is indeed pregnant, most likely only five or six weeks at this point. I have taken a blood sample and will have it analyzed. Hopefully the nausea she is suffering from will dissipate over the next several weeks. I will have the prescriptions her physician in the states ordered filled and delivered immediately.”

“Is her condition normal?” Kamal asked, having never spent much time around pregnant females.

“Well, she does seem to be suffering more than usual. It could be stress, however, I would like to monitor her closely for the next several weeks to see if her condition improves.”

“Of course. Schedule weekly checkups with my secretary. Miss Malone will be staying in Jawhara.”

The physician looked at his ruler and then asked, “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but this is your child?”

“Yes. And before you ask, Miss Malone will be marrying me as soon as the ceremony can be arranged.”

The physician nodded, smiling in response, “That is good. She is a strong young woman from what I can tell and will make an excellent bride for you.”

Kamal nodded, “If there’s nothing else?”

“No, Your Majesty. I will let you know the results of her blood work as soon as it becomes available.”

Kamal nodded and headed back into his bedroom.

Erin was still lying in the bed, but had rolled to her side, facing away from the doorway. He approached her slowly, noticing that her shoulders were shaking with silent tears. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he placed a hand upon her shoulder only to have her shrug his touch off.

Erin didn’t want to talk to Kam right now. Maybe never. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours, and she hadn’t had time to process any of it. When he gripped her shoulder again, turning her back to face him, she reluctantly let him. Looking up at him, she was surprised to see the look of concern on his face.

“Habibti, I am so sorry the child is making you ill. The physician assures me that this too shall pass. I am so glad you are here, I have missed you.”

Erin looked into his dark gaze, once again amazed at the physical response her body was having to his nearness.
“Kam…,” she began, not sure what to say. He already knew about the baby.

“Erin, everything will be fine. You’ll see. We will be married within the month, and then….”

“What?!” Erin almost screamed, pushing herself up to sit in the bed. “Kam, you can’t just order people to marry! Especially me! We hardly know each other!”

“That will soon be remedied, hence the month wait. We will get to know each other and then you will marry me, have my child, and become the perfect Sheika for my people.” Kam saw no problem with his declaration and was confused as to why she was upset.

Erin shook her head, “I don’t know that I want to marry you. Just because I’m having your baby….”

“…definitely means that you will be marrying me. The future ruler of Jawhara will not be born a bastard. That is non-negotiable. My child will also not be raised in another country. He will be raised by both of his parents, here in Jawhara.”

Erin tried to think of a suitable response, but finding none, turned her back on him, “Go away! I’m tired and the physician did say I should get plenty of rest.”

Kam looked at her back for a moment before rising to his feet, “Fine. I will leave now, but be warned. We will be getting married within the month. You will learn to be obedient and stop arguing with my every decree. That might have worked somewhat while you were still in America, but here, you will obey me.”

Erin shut her eyes, closing out his voice and his words.
He wanted a biddable wife who would do what she was told. That was so not her! She was an intelligent, confident woman who wanted to help people. She might end up having to stay in Jawhara until the baby was born, but she was not going to become a lapdog. She had her own opinions and he would just have to deal with it!