The Sheikh’s Tempted Prisoner by Holly Rayner Page 0,8

all the mean thoughts you are currently having about me. I will assure you, once again, that you have nothing to fear from me. It is honestly rather nice to have a bit of company after being on my own for so long.”

“How long?” Lily asked, desperate for information. The man was such an enigma. He was handsome, proud, and strong, and yet behind that royal exterior, his eyes darted ever so slightly toward the door, as though he expected at any moment to be caught and taken to jail.

Why?

He turned and began walking away from her, leaving her no choice but to follow. Watching his muscular back as he distanced himself from her, she released a huff and jogged forward, falling in stride beside him.

“Remember our deal? No questions about me equals no questions about you?”

“If we’re going to be trapped here for an indeterminate amount of time, I think I have a right to ask some questions about you. What else will we talk about? The weather?”

He glanced down at her with a tiny smile, a dimple in his cheek. Her fingers ached to run along that crease, and she folded her hands behind her back, silently scolding herself.

The Sheikh lifted an eyebrow, as though he really had been reading her thoughts, and Lily felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

“I suppose you have a point. I am willing to share some things about myself, but you will be advised not to pry excessively or I will have to make good on my word. After all, there is no proof that I can trust you, either.”

They walked in silence down a long hallway, Lily keeping her eyes anywhere but on the Sheikh’s handsome face. The walls were lined with painted images of flora and fauna, and Lily found herself deeply impressed by the artwork.

“Were these all painted by the same artist?” Lily asked, keen to change the subject. She had no idea how long they would be staying in the palace together, and if reality TV had taught her anything about being stuck in the same space with other people for an extended period of time, it was that human relationships and the ability to get along were the only survival tools that mattered.

Atnan stared at the paintings, his expression appearing haunted for a moment.

“Yes, they were,” he replied.

They walked on, Lily waiting for him to elaborate. When he didn’t, she sighed, keeping her eyes on the artwork as they strolled along. Finally, Atnan stopped at a door with a rusted-over knob.

“This suite should suffice,” he said, turning the knob and pushing the door open.

Lily stared into the space, her feet moving without her awareness as she floated inside, enchanted. The room was enormous, but it was divided into a series of smaller areas, almost like her own apartment. It was far larger than Marissa’s apartment, not to mention her own dingy place back in Wyoming. The walls were a pale pink color that hadn’t been dirtied over time like the rest of the place, and there was a sense that this area might have been untouched by time altogether.

“This is…so different from the rest of the palace,” she breathed.

Atnan nodded, glancing around as though just noticing that this was the only room without chipped paint.

“Some of the rooms have been renovated more recently than others. There are certainly parts of this estate that are completely uninhabitable, but this one is not one of those, as you can see.”

“And this is meant to be where I stay now?”

“Would you prefer a prison cell?”

“You have been subtly threatening me since the moment I arrived. I don’t appreciate it.”

Her voice was like steel, her warning clear. If he intended to hold that over her head for the entirety of her stay, he would find himself alone very quickly, police be damned.

Atnan frowned.

“Forgive me, that was not my intention. It has been a very trying afternoon, and I believe some rest would do you some good. This room still has some clothing in it that might fit you, and I believe there should be some soaps and such still stocked in the bathroom. While I live a quiet life out here, I do have access to provisions.”

“Well, that is encouraging,” Lily quipped.

“Did you think me a hermit?” he asked.

His eyes searched hers, as though her answer truly mattered. She stared up at him, utterly confused. What did he want from her?

“I don’t know what to think,” Lily whispered, the weight of

readonlinefreenovel.com Copyright 2016 - 2024