apter 17
Nassir stood before the governmental official who would marry him this day, trying not to think about the woman who should have been part of it. Janna.
She’d planned everything perfectly, down to the last detail. and the guests seemed overwhelmed with the gardens’ transformations.
Beautiful as the surrounding landscape was though, he couldn’t appreciate it. Not with Hazim and Nehla approaching. The white kaftan she wore with its elaborate silver beading and her extravagant jewellery only served to proclaim to him how superficial she truly was. So unlike Janna’s beautiful gown of modest ivory and green.
Nehla didn’t smile, her head held high with an air of misplaced confidence.
The soloist to his right began a traditional song used during marriages in Al-Sarid and a group of local dancers emerged from behind one of the tents to perform for the guests. Even in this small detail, Janna had gone the extra mile for him, ensuring the ceremony was a perfect blend of both his culture and hers. His heart ached with longing for her, Janna, not the woman walking down the aisle. Adilan had been right. He should not have gone through with this farce. It was wrong. All wrong.
Nimr sat in the second row back with his wife, several of the other board members and their families nearby. They’d all shown up to witness the taming of their wayward CEO. Today, they would be disappointed.
He stepped away from the front of the aisle and walked over to where the music was playing. “Stop, please.”
“Excuse me?” the soloist said.
“The music. Stop playing.” He waited until the man stopped then took the microphone from the stand before him. “I would like to thank you all for coming, but the woman coming down the aisle is not the woman whose name appeared on the wedding invitations.” He gestured toward the aisle. “This woman Nehla agreed to marry me today to save my position with Adjalane Oil.” He glanced at the board members before continuing. “But she is not my chosen fiancée. Therefore, I will not marry her today or any day because she is not the woman that I love. The woman that I love is an American named Janna Davis.”
A low murmur rippled through the assembled guests and Hazim protested in earnest. “You can not go back on your word, nephew. Not now, in front of the board and all of these people.”
“Sheikh Nassir!”
The new voice drew Nassir’s attention from Hazim to the back of the garden’s near the veranda. The voice sounded familiar, but…
No. He must’ve imagined it. Nassir refocused on Hazim, who now practically vibrated with fury before him.
“Sheikh Nassir!” This time when Nassir raised his head, time seemed to slow. For at the end of the aisle stood the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen.
“Janna!” He turned away from Hazim and started down the aisle.
“But that’s not possible,” Hazim yelled from behind him.
Possible or not, Nassir refused to let the woman he loved out of his sight again. Once he reached her, he scanned her appearance from the tips of her satin pumps to her beautiful face.
Janna looked at him, tears sparkling in her gorgeous azure eyes, her lovely smile radiant. “You love me?
Nassir could only nod as he opened his arms to her. She was here, and he would get to the bottom of her disappearance, but first, he needed to hold her. Just for a moment.
Chapter 18
Janna stepped into Nassir’s embrace and relished the feel of his strong arms around her once more. A few hours ago, she’d doubted she’d ever feel them again. Janna pushed away and grinned. “By the way, I love you too.”
Adilan stepped in beside them and whispered, “I will handle Hazim and Nehla. Know that I have already ensured your revenge.”
“Tell me what happened.” Nassir held her close, one hand stroking up and down her back in a hypnotic, lulling rhythm.
She sighed, not wanting to relive the past few days, but knowing Nassir needed to hear the truth. “Hazim kidnapped me. He locked me up in the north wing of the palace.”
“What?” Nassir’s muscled form tensed against her and he swivelled to glare at his uncle, who was now being led away along with Nehla by Adilan and the four Sharqi Sheiks—Amare, Taleb, Karim and Mahil.
From what she could see peering around Nassir, Hazim still attempted to persuade his brother Nimr of his innocence, and Nehla did her best to slip away, but the five men surrounded the pair and quickly escorted them from the gardens. Janna felt nothing but relief at their departure.
Once the group was gone, Nassir turned back to Janna, his expression expectant. “We have a garden full of guests waiting for a wedding today.”
Janna revelled in the emotion glowing in his ebony gaze, and sank back into his arms once more. She couldn’t seem to get enough of him now, his heat, his kindness, his love. Still, she teased him a bit longer. “Hazim said you were only interested in getting married to save your position with the company. That you were only pretending with me.”
“And you believe him?” Nassir frowned.