Possession of the Sheikh: (Interracial BWWM Erotica) (The Men of Sharjah Series Book 2) Read Free

the boardroom table.  I was furious.  Amir could marry the woman of his choosing, although I realized he would suffer the consequences in doing so, but eventually he would go about his merry little way.  Not so for me. 
    “I can’t believe the both of you,” I continued, growing angrier by the second, because if I didn’t feed my fury, another emotion would creep its way in, and I refused to let Khalil see me cry ever again.  “You think you can just stand in for Amir, and all is well?  I’m not some toy to be tossed around from fiancé to fiancé—cousin to cousin.  Even without my approval, my father will probably still agree to this travesty, because he doesn’t want to ruin his friendship with your family, so why even come here, and act like I really have a choice?  We already know this deal is practically done so why even show up and patronize me as if any of you care about me or my feelings?”
    “ I care.”
    Those two whispered words captured my attention and I stared at Khalil whose eyes bore into me.  I wanted to believe him, but I just couldn’t trust him anymore.  He’d taught me a very painful lesson about trusting in the word of the wrong person.  It was a lesson I’d learned well. 
    “If you honestly think you can’t do this, that you would be miserable if you did, then don’t agree to it.  I, nor Amir, will force you into this, and your father cannot either since my cousin is the one who has broken the agreement.  If you say no, then we will all have to accept your decision.”
    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I was so completely stunned that I couldn’t tear my gaze from him.  I kept searching his face for just the hint of deception, any telltale sign that he would renege on his word, but it wasn’t there. 
    I turned from him then, to collect myself and my thoughts.  The man I knew Khalil to be was far too arrogant and domineering to give me a choice, although I recognized immediately, that this was really just a formality, an empty gesture.  To reject his proposal would spark a blood feud between our two families; and while I was pretty sure, we had progressed beyond the time of blood feud wars, I knew that a political fallout to the magnitude this would turn out to be, would ultimately tear Sharjah apart by forcing the other noble families, and our people to take sides.  At a time when our nation was prospering and progressing forward, this kind of dissention would only set us back and weaken us as a nation.
    “I won’t force you to marry me, Sabeen, not if you think you will never be happy.”
    I closed my eyes against the torrent of emotions that swamped me.  There had been a time when all I’d wanted was to be Khalil’s wife.  It had been a long held and deeply buried secret that I’d kept from everyone, even him.  And now my girlhood fantasies and dreams were on the verge of coming true.  I choked back a sob because it was Khalil who’d shattered every single one of those stupid, silly dreams.  I wasn’t a girl anymore, which also meant, my selfish needs didn’t matter either.  As much as I despised him, I would marry him to maintain peace across Sharjah and to see that my people continued to thrive.
    “I’ll do it,” I said with a sigh.  Somehow I located a pen nearby, and managed to keep my composure long enough to sign the documents he’d brought, and basically sign my life away. 
    “Sabeen—”
    “Don’t,” I said sharply and this time when I shoved the papers at him, he took them. 
    “It doesn’t matter what I think or feel about any of this.  I’ll marry you which is all that matters.” I stepped around him and headed toward the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to prepare for.  I’m sure you can show yourself out—“
    He halted my retreat with a single arm that he wrapped around my waist, locking me to his side.  “I know you hate me.  I know the way I treated you was inexcusable, so I