Bride Behind The Desert Veil (The Marchetti Dynasty 3)

Liyah panicked. She wasn’t ready to deal with Sharif and his accusations again. Especially not here, where her father’s disapproval permeated the atmosphere.

She told the aide she would meet Sharif, and as soon as he left pulled a shawl from her wardrobe and wrapped it around her shoulders and head before leaving her room.

A group of female palace workers were hea

ding towards the palace entrance and Liyah followed them, slipping between them. When they reached the main courtyard Liyah’s step faltered.

Sharif was standing beside a four-by-four vehicle in a polo shirt and jeans. Sunglasses. She wasn’t the only one who faltered. Sharif’s gaze tracked to the women and Liyah averted her face suddenly, hurrying to keep up with them. She wrapped the shawl over her face to try and disguise herself.

She had no moment of warning, and the breath left her chest when her arm was taken and she was whirled around. Dark brown eyes ringed with gold met panicked green.

‘I knew it was you,’ Sharif breathed,

He pulled back the shawl, revealing Liyah’s face and hair. Her heart slammed to a stop, before starting again at an accelerated rhythm. She cursed her too-distinctive hair. Of course she hadn’t been able to blend in. She never had.

His gaze raked her up and down. ‘What are you doing? Trying to avoid me?’

Liyah pulled her arm free, conscious of her less than glamorous outfit. She was wearing a traditional tunic over slim-fitting trousers. Flat sandals. A far cry from the wife he’d moulded to fit into his world.

‘I find that I’m not all that keen on being accused of espionage again. I told you to get your legal team to contact me.’

Sharif muttered something under his breath.

Her pulse was hammering and her insides were swooping and fizzing. Even though she hated his guts.

Liar.

She stepped back. ‘Just leave me be, Sharif.’

She turned to go, and then he said from behind her, ‘I know you didn’t do it, Liyah. I’m sorry. I just... Look, can we talk? I need to talk to you.’

Liyah stopped in her tracks. She was breathing as if she’d run a marathon. The other women were gone. She absorbed what Sharif said. I know you didn’t do it.

Her hurt and sense of betrayal were still acute. And she didn’t want him to see that. So she didn’t turn around; she kept moving.

Another muttered curse came from behind her and then, before she could react, Sharif was in front of her and bending down. She only knew what he was doing when the world was upended and she realised he’d flung her over his shoulder.

His hand was on her bottom. She was so astounded and indignant that she could hardly breathe, let alone speak.

He opened the back door of his vehicle and put her on the seat. Liyah sprawled inelegantly, looking at him. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’

His jaw clenched. ‘We need to talk.’

He closed the door before she could respond and strode around to the front. Liyah leapt for the door handle but it was locked. Both sides. And then the car was moving.

For a long moment she fumed in the back seat. Sharif was silent. Navigating his way out of the city and into the surrounding desert. Past the oasis. On into the desert. And on. And on. Further and further away. Towards Al-Murja.

Eventually she couldn’t stay silent. She leant forward, doing her best to avoid looking at Sharif directly. ‘Where are you taking me?’

‘It’s at least another half an hour. Make yourself comfortable. We’ll talk when we get there.’

Liyah sat back and folded her arms over her chest. She caught Sharif’s eye in the rearview mirror and pointedly looked away. But she couldn’t help but wonder what he wanted if he really did now know she hadn’t been the source of the leak.

Roughly half an hour later a structure appeared on the horizon. Despite herself, Liyah leaned forward to look. Gradually it was revealed as a modest fortress-type building, with turrets. Greenery dotted the ground outside. It must have been built on an oasis.

Liyah recognised the skyline of Al-Murja’s capital city in the distance. She recognised where they were: the border between Taraq and Al-Murja.

Sharif drove straight up to the building, and to her surprise she saw the gates open to admit them. Her jaw dropped as they drove in. Inside the walls was a lush oasis. Flowers bloomed on almost every wall. Vines twined and tangled around columns. There were ponds and fountains. Palm trees.