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Chapter 48 Doubts
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DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 49 Back To Muscat
AMIRA GAZED OUT of the window of the royal jet at the perfect azure sky and marveled at how quickly things had changed. Just forty-eight hours earlier she’d been sobbing into her pillow, stuck in the middle of the desert with no possibilities and no hope.Now she was flying back to Muscat with Abdullah by her side, planning a wedding in just a few days’ time, and everything was possible.Well, almost everything. She snuck a sideways glance at Abdullah who sat opposite her, his face looking as if it had been chiseled from marble. A deep frown had settled between his brows and his mouth was its usual hard line. He’d barely spoken to her since he’d reconsidered her marriage proposal, a proposal which Amira had wondered more than once whether she should have accepted.Yet in the moment before she’d agreed, when he’d been waiting for her answer, she’d seen a look of uncertainty on his face, almost as if he were bracing himself for a blow. As if he expected her to reject him.That moment of
DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 50 The Council
She stared at him uncertainly for a moment and he imagined how hard it must have been for her, all of nineteen years old, devastated by grief and so utterly alone, trying to assert herself against the sanctimonious prigs of her Council. The fact that she was still here, still strong, both amazed and humbled him.‘You can do it,’ he said softly. ‘You can do anything you set your mind to, Amira. I know that. I’ve seen it.’She gave him a small, tremulous smile. ‘Except maybe make a fire in the middle of the desert.’He felt himself grin back at her. ‘There were a few flames going there. If that snake hadn’t come along...’‘If you hadn’t come along,’ she shot back, her smile widening, and then she drew her up and turned towards the double gold-paneled doors.He watched as she threw open the doors, grinned at the sight of twelve slack-jawed, middle-aged men rising hastily to their feet as Amira walked into the room.‘Good afternoon, gentlemen,’ she greeted them regally, and Abdullah had t
DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 51 He Learned To Trust Her
Suddenly her mouth was dry. Her heart beat harder. ‘No,’ she whispered.He took another step towards her and then another, so if she lifted her hand she could touch him. He smiled down at her. ‘I didn’t think so.’Of course, he didn’t think so. Her need for him was obvious, overwhelming, and undeniable. And the very force of it made her bold. ‘I want you, Abdullah.’ Appreciation flared in his eyes. ‘I want you too.’Want. So basic, so huge, yet Amira felt even more than just that. She felt gratitude and admiration, respect and joy, all because of what he’d done, who he was. How he’d helped and strengthened her. She’d never expected to feel that way about someone, to have that person fulfill a need and hope in her she hadn’t even known she had.The need to tell him all that she felt was an ache in her chest, a pressure building inside her, so she opened her mouth to speak, to say even just a fraction of what was in her heart.But Abdullah didn’t let her.He curled his hands around her
DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 52 The Fake Wedding?
Their wedding took place in the palace chapel, with only the Council members and their wives, as well as a few ambassadors and diplomats, in attendance.Amira wore a cream silk sheath dress and a matching fascinator, no veil or bouquet, or really anything bridal at all. She’d picked the outfit with the help of her stylist when she’d arrived in Muscat, thinking only of what image she wanted to present to her public. She’d wanted to seem like a woman in control of her country and her destiny, perfectly prepared to begin this businesslike marriage.She hadn’t wanted to look like a woman in love, yet she knew now that was what she was. And as she turned to Abdullah to say her vows she wished, absurdly, perhaps, for a meringue of a dress and a great, big bouquet, a lovely lace veil and a father to give her away.Never mind, she told herself. It’s the marriage that matters, not the wedding. Yet what kind of marriage would she have with Abdullah?Last night had been so tender, so wonderful a
DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 53 I Want To Love You
THE NEXT MORNING they boarded the royal jet to Paris. Since last night Amira had felt closer to Abdullah than ever before, even though neither of them had put a name to what they felt. Perhaps it was too early to put such fragile feelings into words; in any case, Amira was simply glad to be sharing Abdullah’s life, and that he wanted her to.‘You must be very close to your aunt,’ she said as the plane took off and they settled into their seats. A royal steward brought a tray of coffee and pastries into the main cabin.Abdullah poured milk into both of their coffees, his mouth twisting in something like a grimace. ‘I am, but it is a complicated relationship.’‘How so?’‘When Aunt found me, I’d been in the desert for three years. I was...’ He paused, his gaze on the bright blue sky visible from the plane’s windows. ‘Difficult. No, that is putting a polite spin on it—feral is a better description.’Feral. Amira swallowed and blinked back sudden tears. Emotions, ones she’d suppressed and
DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 54 The Secret
As they left the airport for Aunt’s Diyannah townhouse near the Ile de la Cité Abdullah marveled at the change in himself. He felt like some shell-less creature, pink, raw and exposed, everything out there for another person’s examination. It was a strange and uncomfortable feeling, but it wasn’t necessarily bad.He’d been glad to tell Amira about his childhood, his aunt, his own fears and weaknesses. He’d never talked that way to another soul, yet he craved that kind of honesty with Amira.He just didn’t know what to do next. How it all would actually work. Take one step at a time, he supposed. For now he needed to think about Aunt Diyannah.He’d phoned her from Muscat, so she was waiting as their limo drew up to her townhouse and their security detail quickly got out to check the surrounding area.Aunt Diyannah came out to the front steps, her face wreathed in a tremulous smile, her wispy white hair blowing in the breeze. She looked so much older, Abdullah thought with a pang, and h
DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 55 Not His Son
Abdullah stared at her, his expression shuttered. ‘You are speaking in riddles.’ ‘Only because I am still afraid to tell you the truth,’ Diyannah admitted quietly. ‘But I can see you have changed, Abdullah. I know you love Amira—’‘Don’t tell me what I feel.’ Abdullah cut her off brusquely and everything in Amira cringed and shrank. What was happening, and how had it all gone so wrong, so quickly?Because it hadn’t been strong enough to begin with.‘Abdullah.’ Diyannah faced him directly, bravely, as if she were facing a firing squad—a death sentence. ‘Hashem is not your father.’His expression, amazingly, did not change. It did not so much as flicker. He didn’t even blink.‘Say something,’ Diyannah said softly and a muscle in his jaw bunched.‘Nonsense.’‘You don’t believe me?’ Diyannah blinked, incredulous.‘Why are you telling me this now, Diyannah, after so many years?’ He nodded towards Amira. ‘Is it because of Elena? Because you think I’ve changed?’Amira flinched; he sounded s
DUBAI THE CITY OF DREAMS Chapter 56 I Am A Pretender
Amira paced the salon of Diyannah’s townhouse, her mind spinning, her heart aching. Abdullah had left that morning, right after that awful confrontation, and although it was nearing midnight he had still not returned.Diyannah had gone to bed, after reassuring her that Abdullah would return soon and things would look better in the morning. Amira had felt like shaking her. Things wouldn’t look any better in the morning, not for Abdullah. She knew what kind of man he was, how strong and proud. How he’d built everything on the foundation that the throne of Jumeirah Dubai was his by right. To have it taken away would devastate him...and he would be too proud to admit it.And how would he be feeling, knowing that the man he’d thought was his father wasn’t? That the truths he’d insisted on believing for so long, that had been sustaining him, were actually lies?She longed to see him, to put her arms around him and comfort him. To tell him it didn’t matter to her whether he was Sheikh or not
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