The Sheikh Bear Read Free Page A

trouble?” Elle heard and she nearly jumped out of her skin.
    Turning around, she saw Malik leaning against the doorframe, smirking at her with amusement. He was dressed in a dark violet three-piece suit, perfectly tailored to his broad and slim figure.
    “No…” Elle said, frowning.
    “I’m just looking over the rules. Some of these are a bit extreme.”
    “Oh?” Malik asked, “Thinking about quitting?”
    Elle fixed the dark skinned man a flat stare before turning back to her work.
    “It’s just some of these are sort of vague. Like… I have to make sure the Sheikh’s needs are all attended? What does that mean?”
    Suddenly she felt Malik right behind her. His abrupt presence made her skin shiver and feel tight, and when she glanced up, he was grinning down at her wickedly.
    “What do you think it means, Miss Roberts?”
    Elle fought the urge to push away, feeling disturbed by this man’s nerve.
    “I think it means that the Sheikh really needs a mother, not a secretary.”
    Malik pushed away, letting out a short laugh before placing his hands in his pockets.
    “Don’t let him hear you say that. Otherwise it’ll be the can for you.”
    “Then I’m glad he’s not around,” Elle replied, taking a breath to calm her down. The comment brought up a question she had been meaning to ask.
    “Speaking of which, where is the Sheikh? I haven’t met him since I’ve arrived even though I’ve been sending all the information and placing his coffee in his office.”
    “He’s a lot closer than you think, habibi .” Malik said before heading towards the empty desk feet away from her.
    He leaned against the edge, watching her with unreadable eyes.
    “What is that? That word you keep calling me?” Elle asked, thumbing over the pages of the Rules before shutting them close.
    “It’s a term we have for dear, habibi ” Malik explained.
    “Nothing insulting. So no need to fret. If anything, it’s an endearing term.”
    “I’m sure,” Elle said, before turning back to her work.
    “Anyway, I hope you don’t mind if I just continue working…”
    “Why would I mind?” Malik inquired, looking rather comfortable watching her. Elle fought the urge to kick him out, but was still wary about where he came from.
    In all honesty, she didn’t know him, just that he was somehow related to the Sheikh and that he clearly had the permission to move about as he pleased.
    “Can I ask you something?”
    Malik blinked, dark eyes narrowing somewhat before he gave her a sudden grin, “If you want to know where the nearest exit is, it’s in the back.”
    Elle felt a twitch begin in the arch of her eyebrow.
    “That’s not what I want to ask. You said you’re related to the Sheikh, right?”
    “In a matter of speaking,” he replied as vaguely as he did the day before.
    “What’s he like?” The question seemed to surprise Malik, because one moment he was smiling at her, the next a strange emotion passed over his face.
    It disappeared much too quickly for Elle to tell what it was before he let out a small scoff of amusement and pushing away from the desk.
    “You better worry more about yourself than that guy, Miss Roberts. Trust me, he’s out of your league.”
    A red flush burned up and over Elle’s neck and into her face, making her steam with irritation.
    “That’s not why I was asking, Mister Malik!” But he was already slinking away, his steps languid and graceful before he disappeared out the door with a final wave.
    Elle glared at the direction Malik disappeared off to before getting back to work. That evening when she returned, Elle was exhausted and was sporting several papercuts over her fingers, but it had gone better than it did her first day.
    If there was anything she didn’t want to do, it was running back home with her tail between her legs.

 
     
     
    Chapter 3
     
    She arrived the next morning an hour early, her phone ringing in her palm incessantly since she woke. Alliana’s voice was