Altair - Marian Tee Page 0,4

- who had voluntarily given up her Ramilian citizenship for an American green card - stood absolutely no chance at capturing the sheikh's interest.

A noisy commotion at the back distracted Afaf into looking over her shoulder, and all at once she forgot about waiting for the professor's answer.

Sheikh Altair had appeared!

Afaf and her friends rushed to join the other students in trying to get past the human barricade of the sheikh's security.

Alshaykh! Sheikh! We love you so much!

Anisah wrinkled her nose as the cries of her students reached a near-deafening volume. Oh well. It had only been a few months since the king and his vassals rode dashingly to the queen's rescue.

This kind of adulation was only to be expected, Anisah decided. Personally, she thought it a little too much, but since the students' hysterics appeared harmless, it was best to simply wait for the girls' excitement to die a natural death.

Afaf, meanwhile, was already lost in her own daydreams. He's so large and powerful. I bet he's going to crush me in bed.

The other girls' thoughts pretty much echoed the same thing, and many found themselves wet and horny just staring at the sheikh's exceptionally formidable build. Since Ramilian men were generally known for their leaner physiques, the sheikh's particularly brawny build called into mind mythical heroes of old. Add to that the fiercely carved edges of Altair's handsome features along with the infamous scar that ran from his left eyelid down to his jaw, and the result was one devastatingly attractive man made even sexier by his air of brutal strength.

Sheikh Altair was not an ordinary sheikh and never would be. Most princes only wielded their swords for show. Sheikh Altair, however, had willingly lived in the shadows, turning himself into an assassin to avenge his father's death. He was danger and nobility personified, and even to this day, Ramilians were just as excited and passionate when swapping stories of Altair's battlefield victories during the blood-drenched years of the Sand Wars.

Ramilian males saw Altair as a modern-day warrior they could only hope to emulate in their next lifetime. Ramilian women, on the other hand...

Afaf and the other girls only had one thought in their minds as they watched the sheikh descend the steps of the mosque.

Oh, to be the lover of such a man as Altair Al-Atassi...

Let it be me!

Let it be me!

Let it be me!

OBLIVIOUS TO THE AMOUNT of attention he was attracting from the opposite sex, Altair headed straight inside his limousine, and the sheikh was already contemplating his next move even before his back hit the seat.

When he had told the other sheikhs of his plan, he had known right away that his younger brother would be the first to refuse an engagement with Sheikh Mahmud's daughter. Malik, after all, had already given his heart away years ago, and Altair's brother was only waiting for the right time to claim his woman.

Khalil, too, had been automatically out of the equation. The king was not only married, but the man also loved his queen with all his heart.

As for Rayyan...

Altair had never voiced his suspicions to anyone, but he was certain that Rayyan's affections were otherwise engaged, and he therefore hadn't been surprised when the other sheikh coolly expressed his unwillingness to take part.

In the end, the choice had boiled down between him and Tarif, and although Altair was privately convinced the role of fiancé would've suited the other sheikh better—-

His thoughts drifted back to the advice the palace's imam had given him. While Altair did not consider himself Christian or Muslim, he had always respected the imam's wisdom, and for the most part, the older man's counsel had always been helpful.

Now, however...

Innocent or not, traitor or not, the princess should not be your excuse to dishonor yourself.

The holy imam had cautioned Altair against doing anything he might regret, but if ever things came down to choosing between what was right and what would keep everyone alive—-

He just could not...and would not lose another member of his family again.

Chapter Two

Travel brochures frequently described the luxurious resort town of Alfiraz as one of Ramil's crown jewels. A lush and modern oasis set amidst sand dunes and fields of cacti, brittlebush, and Joshua trees, Alfiraz was also home to the royal family's vacation estate. It was the only privately owned property in the area, and it was here that the princess of Farigha had been quietly spending her days since her father, Sheikh Mahmud, had been quietly placed