Beholden to the Throne - By Carol Marinelli Page 0,51
that. Each pounding thrust confirmed she was his and Amy knew that was what she wanted.
‘Please …’ she sobbed, her legs coiling around him, possessing him, locking him in while ensuring his release.
She gave in as he did—gave in to the ultimate pleasure, lost in the throes of an orgasm that sealed their union as they pulsed together in time, lost with the other and returned together, lying with each other as they would now every night.
And Emir slept as he never had, in an untroubled sleep, for he knew that this was right.
Except Amy could not rest beside him. She heard every car that passed and listened to the rain battering the window in the early hours of the morning. She was petrified about what she’d agreed to.
She was going to be Queen.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
‘You need to come home,’ was his answer when she told him her fears, and she knew that he was right—knew that Alzan was where she wanted to be.
They did not stay long in London. Just long enough to sort out her things and for Amy to try and convince her mum, who would fly to Alzan for the wedding, that she knew what she was doing, that it would all be okay.
And how could they not be okay? she asked herself. For it felt so right to have Emir by her side.
The journey home was a blur—the luxurious plane a mere mode of transport that allowed her to follow her heart. Even the people cheering the arrival of their King and soon to be new Sheikha Queen did not really register. But for all it was a blur, for all her mind was too busy to take in every detail, Amy would never forget her return to the palace.
He held her hand as they walked through the foyer where he had not kissed her goodbye, as they walked up the stairs—together this time—and then to the nursery. Emir let go of her hand, stepped in first, and she walked in quietly behind and smiled at the delighted reaction when the twins saw him. They were playing with their dolls’ house, making everything right in a world where they could, but their beloved toy was instantly forgotten. Their father was back and that was all the girls needed to know—and then they saw her.
‘Ummi!’ It was Nakia who squealed it first and Clemira frowned, glanced at her sister and chastised her, for she had learnt that word was bad.
And then Clemira looked over to where her little sister was pointing and when she saw who was there she forgot to be the leader; she just burst into tears and took first steps towards Amy.
‘It’s okay.’ Amy realised how much she had been hurting because her pain was gone the second she picked up Clemira. Poor Nakia stood too, but her legs didn’t know how to walk yet, so she burst out crying too, and cried some more when Amy picked her up. Overwhelmed, the twins cried till they were smiling, kissing her face because Amy was crying too. She looked to Emir and it was the closest to tears she had ever seen him.
He had lost so much—his parents, his wife and almost Amy. That he could trust in love again was a feat in itself, and his decision was the right one, Amy told herself as she held his new family.
How could this be wrong?
Yet Amy awoke on the morning of her wedding with dread in her heart. She understood why Emir had been unable to make his decision when love was around, for when he was close, when he was near, it felt so right that they marry, that love was the solution. But Emir had spent the eve of his wedding in the desert, and without him it was far more than pre-wedding jitters Amy was struggling with. This morning she didn’t even have the twins to keep her busy, for they were being readied for the wedding by the new nanny.
She felt as if she were cheating the people.
The maid came in and opened the window and the room was filled with humid desert air. Amy felt as if it was smothering her as she tried to swallow the ripe fruit that had been picked at dawn in the desert and prepared and served to her.
As was the tradition for the future Queen of Alzan.
The maids watched as she drank fertility potions from huge goblets and with every mouthful Amy felt sicker.