The Sheikh's Christmas Baby (Shadid Sheikhs 3)

The two thoughts warred inside him, and he couldn’t seem to hold on to either of them. Anger. Betrayal. Shock. They whirled around inside him, and he sagged against the wall.

It seemed like hours when Kristy finally joined him in the hall. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her arm and pulled her down the corridor. “Kashif, what are you doing?” she gasped.

“I’m going somewhere where my daughter can’t hear me,” he said through clenched teeth. “You told me she was two.”

“She told you that she was two,” Kristy snapped back. “Any adult looking at her knows that she’s not two.”

“For three years you hid my daughter from me,” he whispered. “I don’t even know what kind of person would do that.”

“Are you kidding me?” she hissed. “I sent you letters. I made phone calls. I got on a damn plane to see you, remember? I told your bodyguard that I was pregnant, and I got a check for two-hundred-thousand dollars to keep my mouth shut. I ripped that up by the way. So don’t you dare tell me that I hid your daughter from you!”

“I told you a week ago that I had no idea. A week! You didn’t think you could find a way to tell me that Arella was mine? Instead, you told me to stay away from her! Even after we rekindled our relationship, you still lied to me!”

“Relationship?” she scoffed. “You can’t have a relationship in a week, Kashif. Yes, I tried to open up and let you in. I wanted to believe that what happened four years ago wasn’t your fault, but I’m not stupid. For all I knew, you were going to take Arella away from me, too!”

Kashif stared at her, and it was like looking at a stranger. “You really think I’m that kind of person? I guess you’re right. We really don’t know each other at all.”

Kristy’s shoulders slumped, and she closed her eyes. “Kash, that’s not what I meant.”

He held up his hand to silence her; his gut churning at the nickname. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m going to visit with my daughter. When you get home tonight, we’re going to have a nice long chat about what happens next, but I know one thing. You’re not keeping her from me again.”

Kashif wasn’t in the lodge when Kristy brought Arella back. The little girl had worn herself out talking incessantly about her adventure. Not only had she gone dog sledding for the first time, but she got to meet a bunch of doctors and found a new daddy.

A Prince.

Kristy didn’t say much. Thankfully, Arella didn’t question why she didn’t have a father before or where he’d been. She tucked her daughter in bed and kissed her forehead.

Then, she waited.

And waited.

Hours passed, and Kashif still hadn’t returned. She was surprised when she woke up the next morning still on the couch. At some point, she must have lain down but she didn’t recall grabbing a blanket. Rubbing her face to wipe away the last of the sleep and banish her bad dreams, she slowly mounted the stairs to check on Arella.

With each step she took, the realization that she truly loved Kashif made her slow down as the intensity of how she felt made her feel ill. This was so much worse than before. She’d hurt him so badly, there was no way she could tell him. Not now. Not ever.

When she finally reached the landing, she heard voices coming from Arella’s room.

“But why?” the little girl asked.

“One day, I’ll be able to explain it to you,” Kashif responded. “But I promise that I will call you all the time and send letters and photos, and I’ll be back soon to visit you. Okay?”

“Can I come to your palace and be a princess?”

“You’re already a princess, and it has nothing to do with my title. You’re a princess because you are a kind and loving little girl. But yes, one day soon, you’ll come visit me. My father and brothers would very much like to meet you.”

Kristy’s heart broke when she realized what she’d denied her daughter all this time. A wonderful man, who truly loved her.

Not wanting Kashif to know she’d been eavesdropping, she walked heavier down the hall and pushed the door to Arella’s room open. Her heart broke when she saw her daughter sitting in Kashif’s lap. They both turned as she leaned against the doorframe.

“Momma! Daddy says I can come visit the castle!” Arella chimed out happily.

“I heard,” she said in a hoarse voice. “Baby, why don’t you go get dressed so the Prince and I can talk. I’ll let you wear whatever you want, okay?”

“My princess dress?”

“Yes, darling, but only for a little while. It’s too cold for you to wear it for long.”

“Daddy, wait until you see it,” she squealed and raced to her closet. Kristy took a deep breath, but it wasn’t enough to steal her against the rage and anger that simmered in Kashif’s eyes as he rose.