And clearly, Liyah thought, not much had changed. He might have realised she was innocent of his accusations, but he still blamed her f
or upsetting his life.
Liyah stood up too. ‘Look...thank you for your apology. You didn’t have to go to all this trouble. I know that it’s still over.’
Sharif looked at her. ‘Over?’
‘The marriage.’
Sharif shook his head. ‘That’s not why I brought you all the way here.’
Liyah’s silly heart skipped a beat. ‘Then...why?’
He took her hand. ‘I want to show you something.’
He tugged her after him and, feeling bemused, she followed. He led her back out to the main courtyard and then around to the side, to the back of the complex. It was huge. With lush greenery blooming from every point. Liyah itched to explore, even amidst the turmoil in her gut.
‘What do you think of this place?’ Sharif asked.
‘It’s beautiful. Stunning.’ It was like the dream she’d always had of a desert home. Not that she was going to admit that to Sharif...
She could see now that he was leading her to an area of stables and courtyards. More staff milled around. They addressed Sharif as Sheikh—Liyah had almost forgotten he was royalty too.
She heard a familiar whinny and stopped. It came again. Half to herself, she said, ‘It can’t be...’
She let go of Sharif’s hand and followed the sound to see her beloved stallion’s head poking out over a half-door. She went over, disbelieving until the moment she smelled him, and then she put her hand on his face and felt him nuzzle into her palm, looking for the apple she always brought.
She’d ridden him out from the Taraq palace only two days ago. She saw another stallion poke his head out from a neighbouring stable. Sharif’s?
She looked at Sharif, who was standing a few feet away, watching her carefully. ‘But...how is Aztec even here?’
‘I had him transported yesterday.’
‘You...? But why?’
Sharif didn’t answer that. He said, ‘Sheba is here too.’ He pointed to the other side of the yard.
Reluctantly leaving Aztec, Liyah went over to a spacious shed where Sheba was in an enclosed structure far more luxurious and spacious than her home at the Taraq palace.
Liyah was too stunned for a moment to do much but stroke her soft feathers.
Sharif was in the doorway, blocking the light. Liyah turned to face him. ‘But...why are they here?’
‘Because this is yours, Liyah. I bought this fortress for you, so you’ll always have your own home in the desert.’
She was stunned into speechlessness. The emotions his gesture evoked within her were too huge and confusing. Eventually she said, ‘But I can’t accept. It’s too much.’
He was firm. ‘It’s yours. In your name. To do with what you will. A place where you can come and be free. Independent. Beholden to none.’
Liyah couldn’t believe what Sharif was saying. He was literally offering her everything she’d ever thought she wanted and needed to be happy.
But that had been before. Before Sharif had come along and blown it all up. Exactly as he’d accused her. Except, for him, it was just a superficial wound.
She shook her head. ‘I don’t want it, Sharif. It’s too much.’
‘It’s too late.’
Frustration, anger, love and pain all mixed together and threatened to overflow. She pushed past Sharif, moved back into the courtyard, needing air. Space.