“The police think that there’s an illegal gambling ring associated with Rashid’s complex. He’s been upset about it for days. You didn’t know?”
Mila felt even more despair wash over her. “No. But we were so busy talking about my problems last night—It didn’t even occur to me to ask him how his day went.”
“That’s still no excuse for tonight,” Amira said with a frown. “I have his credit card, if you want to do some real damage.”
Mila and Liyah burst out laughing. “Amira, I have no idea what you do with all the clothes that you buy. I don’t even see how they would fit in your suite, let alone your closet.”
“I frequently donate them. You don’t expect me to wear the same outfit more than four or five times, do you?”
“The entire female population of Dubai thanks you for your contribution,” Liyah said dryly.
The three women were laughing again when the doors opened. Asad and Rashid stormed out into the main dining salon, and they both looked angry.
“Liyah,” Amira whispered. “You’re going to have your work cut out for you tonight if you want to soothe your husband’s temper.”
“I’m already on it.” Liyah squeezed Mila’s hand and kissed the top of her head as she stood up from the table. “Welcome to the family, Mila.”
As Amira nodded her head encouragingly, Mila also rose and went to Rashid.
“We’re leaving,” he snapped. “Let’s go.”
Mila blinked. Did he just growl at her? “Rashid,” she muttered. “Are you going to say goodnight to your sister?”
“No.” He grabbed her arm and practically dragged her out of the dining hall. Mila stumbled behind him, and he had to turn and grab at her to keep from falling. Swearing, he steadied her. “Asad has me all riled up. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
Mila gently tugged her arm out of his grasp and looked around. They needed to have a conversation, and she didn’t want to do it out here in the open. “Come on. You can tell me about it once we get back to your suite.”
“Our suite.”
She didn’t correct him. As they silently walked along the ornately decorated halls, complete with huge golden-framed portraits of Rashid’s ancestors, the space between them seemed to grow. Wrapping her arms around herself, Mila glanced uneasily from side to side. It felt almost like the portraits were staring at her, judging her.
Liyah was right. Mila almost felt she was suffocating under the weight of the palace, and she wasn’t even living here yet.
Maybe she wasn’t cut out for this after all.
As soon as they were in the suite and the door had slammed shut, he was reaching for her.
“Rashid,” she protested. “We need to talk.”
“I don’t want to talk,” he growled as he pushed her against the wall. “I want to touch you. I’ve been thinking of nothing else for days now. Do you have any idea how insane you drive me?”
“We just told your family that we were engaged, and I don’t think they took it very well.”
“Speaking of that.” He roughly jerked on the chain around her neck. It bit briefly into her skin before it broke. Freeing the ring, he slid it back on her finger. “You don’t ever take that off again, do you understand me? I want everyone to know that you belong to me.”
She was about to point out that she didn’t belong to anyone, but he started kissing her, and the words flew right out of her head. Just as it had been the first time he’d touched her, she lost all common sense. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned into his hard body and rubbed up against him.
She’d ached for him, and now she was going to have him.
His tongue plundered her mouth until he suddenly ended the kiss. Grabbing her waist, he turned her and pushed her face-first up against the wall.
He swept her hair aside and kissed the back of her neck. Her pussy tingled in anticipation as he found the zipper on her dress and slowly lowered it. The fabric loosened around her, and when she dropped her arms, the dress slithered down her body. She wore no bra underneath, just the small scrap of black fabric that made up her panties.
“Hands here,” he muttered as he placed the palms of her hands flat against the wall. “Don’t move them until I say. Widen your legs.”
She wanted to snap at him to stop ordering her around, but her legs widened almost of their own volition, and his fingers skimmed the length of her spine. The feeling was incredible. She moaned and shivered.
“So perfect,” he grunted as his fingers moved lower until he could tease at the elastic at her hips.