Chapter Eight

HA. HA. HA.

Zahir stares at me oddly. "What are you doing?"

I stop with the fake laugh. "N-Nothing?"

He crosses his arms over his chest. "Did I hear you right earlier?"

"No?"

"Did you truly think—-"

"I honestly think—-"

"—-I would want to kill you?"

His gaze bores through me as he asks this, and I end up panicking in a mixture of guilt and shame.

"I'm sorry, okay? It was the only thing that made sense!"

"Spending the night together is a plausible reason for murder?"

"B-Because... you might not want others to know."

My voice is barely audible by the time I finish.

Several moments pass, but the silence remains unbroken. I finally lift my gaze...and the first thing I see is the brooding expression on his handsome face.

"I will never be ashamed of you."

No one has ever said such words to me.

No one.

And so... why?

Why is it Zahir of all people saying those words to me?

"Do you get it now, habibti ? Do you finally understand the truth?"

The truth...

With everything that's happened, I actually forgot about why we had ended up hiding in Jamieson's room in the first place.

I told him earlier that I wanted to see the truth for myself.

"The boy from your past no longer exists."

But I no longer know if that's still the case—-

"And I am now both your present and future."

Because I realize now how terrifying the truth can be.

"We are already married in the eyes of Kivran laws, Alysse."

All I can do is shake my head. "That's in —-"

Zahir raises a brow, and I'm suddenly reminded of the fact that he's both a sheikh and a general in his kingdom.

"—-credible," I finish lamely. "It's just so incredible, for you to, um, think that . Really, truly... incredible ." The word doesn't have the same ring as 'insane', but I'm hoping it can still get my point across.

"You flatter me."

Or not.

"But in truth, I also find you incredible in many ways."

He did?

"Such as the way you have been with that man for years. Others may see it as an incredible display of loyalty on your part—-"

Is this his way of flattering me back?

"But all I see is a demonstration of incredible stupidity."

Or not...yet again.

"Why did you waste so many years on someone obviously wrong with you?"

"I did not waste—-"

"You did."

"Well, you're wrong."

"Mm."

It's all he says, but I still feel like he's judging me.

"Don't look at me like that!"

"I simply think it is incredible—- "

A gracious winner who doesn't make digs...Zahir clearly isn't.

"That such truths are not yet clear—-"

I know I shouldn't let his words get to me, but...

"Nothing has been clear since I woke up!"

Yes, I am letting his words get to me—-

"Then let me make it clear to you, shall I?"

Because his arrogance has no bounds.

"You barely know me!"

"And yet I know your ex-boyfriend has every right to resent you."

"Excuse me?"

"Because you have kept him dangling for years—-"

"Oh my God."

"Even though a part of you has always suspected the truth—-"

"Are you hearing yourself?"

I know it's stupid to risk incurring the wrath of a sheikh-slash-general like Zahir, but I am just done with all this insanity.

"I've known Jamieson for years while you —-"

"—-are the one who owns your body."

Aaaargh.

It's pointless arguing with this man.

Just pointless.

And so I simply do everything I can to free myself.

Even to the point of trying to claw his face and kicking him.

But this only backfires, and the next thing I know, I'm lying flat on my back, and I'm trapped under his powerful weight.

"A person does not become suitable for you just because you have known him for a long time, habibti . "

I still don't know what that means, but I'm beginning to fear the way it makes me feel.

"Your society—- "

I'm half-fascinated, half-offended by the way his lip curls as he says this.

"—-has made you believe that every decision must be quantifiable."

"It's called science—"

"And that is why your instinct for survival has grown dull."

I feel like I should defend myself, but...

It's been so long since I heard anyone talk about their instincts that I'm honestly at a loss.

And I can't even recall the last time I relied on mine.

"In my kingdom, it is different, habibti ."

Zahir touches my face, and I have to fight off the urge to rub my cheek against his hand.

"We hone our instincts like a blade that needs to be sharpened regularly. We see not only with our eyes. Listen not just with our ears. Speak not only with words."

I feel like he's saying I'm stupid, but he does it so eloquently that it's kinda hard to tell.

"Unlike you and your people—-"

I'm back to feeling judged again.

"We do not compartmentalize . But instead, our mind, heart, and soul must be one."

Golden eyes stare down at me, and my heart starts pounding against my chest.

"And if you find the courage to listen to your instincts as well—-"

Can I?

"You will also see the same truth I do. And that is—-"

A knock sounds on the door.

"Good morning. Room service!"