The Sheikh's Pretend Fiancée (The Sharif Sheikhs 1)

Thankfully, the car was still waiting for her, and Ori drove her straight home. Her thoughts were muddled. The money was almost too good to be true, but she didn’t know Asad from a can of paint. Sharing a hookah for half an hour didn’t exactly build a bond of trust. At least Amira seemed honest and relatable.

After they reached the house, Ori stopped her as she opened the door to escape the car. “A moment, Miss!” He got out, opened the door for her, and held up a hand to forestall her. At her quizzical look, he held out a piece of paper. “It’s instructions for getting in touch with the Sheikh,” he said in a solemn voice.

She met his gaze and flushed. Did he know that Asad was trying to buy her? Not even buy, but rent? Liyah didn’t even bother to read what was written there, shoving it deep into her pocket. She needed to get away as quickly as possible. Thankfully, Mila was already at work, and Liyah quietly snuck in, hoping that she wouldn’t draw Sahaar’s attention.

The older woman didn’t even look up from the kitchen table, but Liyah suspected it had nothing to do with her own prowess and more to do with the piece of paper in Sahaar’s hand. Sahaar dropped the paper on the table and cradled her head in her hands, and her shoulder’s slumped.

Curious, Liyah quietly walked in. “I already want seconds,” she announced brightly and reached for a plate on the counter behind Sahaar.

Startled, the older woman’s head jerked up. “Liyah! You scared me! You were gone when I got back. I assumed you were out, having fun.”

Having fun

? Not exactly. “Just trying to absorb the culture.” Her eyes fell to the paper on the table, and her gut tightened. A hospital bill.

Sahaar was still trying to pay off her husband’s medical bills, and she was obviously struggling.

Liyah knew right then and there that she had to take the job.

Even if the thought terrified her.

She was surprised that Mila didn’t wake her up that night to demand what had happened, but her friend waited until the next morning to barge in on her. Mila’s makeup was still streaked from last night, and her hair was a tangled mess. She was a terrifying sight.

“What happened?” Eyes wide, she sat on the bed.

Liyah had read Asad’s note carefully. She was to tell no one about the proposal, and she hated lying to both Mila and Sahaar. “The sheikh was there, but he wasn’t really the one who’d summoned me,” she said quietly. “His sister and I hit it off at the lounge that night, and she wanted to invite me to the palace, to stay, for the rest of my visit.”

Mila gasped. “Are you kidding me? That’s an amazing offer! You have to do it, and then you have to let me come visit you every single day! You are going to, right?”

“I think so,” Liyah admitted. “But I guess I’m still thinking it over.”

Smiling, her friend leaned over and hugged her. “I know you’re thinking about Sahaar, but I’ll still be here, and she’ll be fine. I bet she’ll be thrilled.”

Liyah wasn’t so sure. She had a feeling that she and Mila were filling a hole that Sahaar’s family had left behind, but she also knew that the money would save Sahaar from having to sell the house to pay the bills. Guilt settled deep in her chest. “What are you doing up so early?” she said as she squinted at the clock. “Did you get off work early?”

“No, I just couldn’t sleep. I was way too excited to talk to you. I’m going back to bed now. Liyah, you’re always doing things for other people. Even when we were young, you did everything that you could to help your mom out. Now it’s time you did something for you.”

Liyah’s mother didn’t need her help anymore. Not after she’d married that narcissistic jerk three months ago. Yet another reason that Liyah had escaped to Dubai. “Go back to bed. I’ll let you know what I decide later.”

Sahaar was still asleep, so Liyah left a note saying that she was going to have breakfast in the city. She let herself out of the house as quietly as she could manage and proceeded to follow the instructions on the note. Taking the bus to the inner city, she called the number on the paper from the payphone.

The phone number must have been Asad’s direct line. His voice was still husky from sleep when he answered, and her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t even bother to introduce herself. “I have some questions,” she said without any preamble.

“Not over the phone,” he said quickly. “I’ll have a driver pick you up. Tell me your location.”

She waited, the city still relatively quiet around her, and she closed her eyes and enjoyed the peace. If she hadn’t been so stunned yesterday, she would have remembered to ask questions. Like—would she have to live with Asad? What was she supposed to say when people asked how the two of them met? How was Asad going to explain not inviting her to any events in the past?

The same driver picked her up, and he said nothing as he drove her to the palace. When she stepped out of the car, she was stunned by the immense structure sprawling before her. It blended the beauty of Middle Eastern architecture with the hint of a desert oasis, palm trees lining the drive in the front. Rather than stopping at the entrance, Ori had driven to the back of the mansion—building—palace. Yes, palace. For starters, Liyah could see the sun sparkling from a pool that was easily half the length of a football field.

No wonder Asad had offered her so much money. It was probably pocket change to him. “Does all this belong to Asad?” she asked quietly.

“This is the Sharif home,” Ori answered. “All four children reside in their own suites, but when the current sheikh passes, all this will belong to the eldest. More than likely, Asad will allow his brothers and sister to stay, but they are free to reside in their own homes. All of them have condos in the city, as well.”

It wouldn’t matter if all four siblings stayed here. The palace could house twenty families and still have plenty of room left over.

Feeling more out of place than ever, she slowly followed Ori from the car to what appeared to be a private back entrance. The driver pushed a button to the side of the door, motioned to her to stay where she was, and went back to the car.

When the door swung open, a slender young servant peered shyly at her. “Right this way,” she whispered and ushered Liyah in.