Their Virgin Princess: Masters of Ménage Read Free Page A

still didn’t know about all the rehab she’d had to
     go through. The last thing Alea wanted the world to know about was her drug
     addiction.
    She wondered if Landon knew, if one of the reasons he, Dane,
     and Coop were so zealous in their guardianship was that they had been tasked to
     ensure she didn’t hit the streets looking for a fix.
    “I think you should come home with us in a few weeks. We’re
     going to spend the winter at the country estate. I know my brothers would love
     to see you again.”
    Oliver’s brothers were outrageous flirts. She didn’t need
     that. But it did point out a problem. Lately, she been thinking that she
     couldn’t stay in Bezakistan, aimless and lonely, for the rest of her life. She
     hadn’t really left the palace. Instead, she’d been hiding here, taking classes online.
     Sure, she could get a degree that way, but what would happen when she
     graduated?
    The door opened again. Yasmin glided through the door. She
     looked gorgeous in her designer gown, her pale hair in a perfect upswept do.
     “Oliver? Oh, you’re out here with Alea. I thought you had gone back to your
     room, dear.”
    Yasmin utterly ignored Landon, moving around him like he was
     just a piece of furniture. Her perfectly manicured hands reached for Alea’s.
    “Hello, Yas.”
    Yasmin had been her childhood playmate. Their fathers had
     both been connected to the Bezakistani royal line maternally. Alea’s parents
     had drowned when she was very young, so her aunt and uncle, the sheikh and shaykhah , had taken her in, given her
     the al Mussad name, and raised her at the palace. But Alea had always looked
     forward to the weeks when Yasmin would visit. It had been the only time she’d
     had another female playmate.
    Yasmin hugged her briefly. “Alea, it’s so nice to see you. I
     tried calling for ages, but no one would put me through. I rather thought you
     were ducking my calls, dear.”
    Alea groaned inwardly. Yasmin seemed to know how to make her
     feel guilty, even when she didn’t mean to. “Sorry. I really haven’t felt up to
     socializing.”
    “Talib has allowed you to hide away for far too long. You’re
     never going to feel better if you don’t get back to normal.” Yasmin frowned,
     her perfect face forming a mask of disapproval.
    “Yas, let it be. We talked about this.” Oliver reached for
     his wife’s hand.
    “I know, but seeing her has made me more certain than ever
     that she can’t recover by languishing here. She hasn’t truly smiled once. And
     what is Tal thinking putting those guards on her?”
    “They’re here for my protection.” Despite her own problems
     with the guys, she felt an urge to defend them.
    “You don’t need a constant shadow reminding you of danger,
     Lea. Come to England with us. You can enroll at university and take up your
     schooling again. Or you can work with me at the foundation.”
    Ah, yes. Reaching Across Cultures. One of the surprises
     she’d been faced with when she’d been rescued was the fact that Yasmin had
     taken over the European offices of this al Mussad charity, a job that had been
     earmarked for Alea.
    But it wasn’t like she could do the job now, endure all
     those glittering fundraisers and public speaking engagements. How would that
     work when she could barely manage to leave the palace?
    “I just mentioned that myself,” Oliver said with a long
     sigh. “I thought we were going to do this with a little subtlety. I’m sorry
     about the hard sell, love. I’m afraid Yasmin has done nothing but plot and plan
     to take you back with us.”
    Yasmin pouted prettily. “I miss my cousin. I was beside
     myself when we thought you were gone forever. It was like losing my sister.”
     She sniffled a little, a tear sliding down her face. “Lea, I miss you. Please
     think about coming back with us. I want you to be there when—”
    “You weren’t going to tell her that, either,” Oliver
     muttered under his breath.
    “I