7
The next day, Feraz was up early and ready to work. He spent the morning reviewing all the paperwork that he hadn’t gotten done the day before then met with his brothers before lunch to discuss plans for a new resort to be built near the island’s western shores. It was intended to draw in more international clients and boost Djeva’s status as a luxury destination around the world.
Before they’d concluded their talks, however, a knock sounded on Feraz’s office door.
“Yes,” he called, and his secretary peeked his head around the door.
“Very sorry to interrupt, Your Highness, but today’s papers have arrived, and you asked to see them right away.” The older man, mid-fifties with graying hair, bowed slightly, not meeting Feraz’s eyes. Abdul had worked for Feraz since he’d taken over the reins of the country and had worked for their father before that. It took a lot to shake the secretary’s rock-solid, efficient façade, but from the way he was avoiding everyone’s gaze and the slight paleness of his expression, whatever was in those papers was not good.
“Thank you, Abdul. Please bring the papers in,” Feraz said, leaning back in his seat. Had to be those damned paparazzi who’d been hovering near the gates yesterday when they’d arrived. Roxanne was used to being splashed all over the front pages, even enjoyed it, he suspected. But Feraz did not like the attention, and only cultivated it when necessary for his political agenda. Just one more way he and his wife were unsuited. Except Roxanne had seemed anything but pleased by all the photographers and reporters jostling for her picture yesterday. She’d seemed almost shy, even. Maybe he could put that down to her pregnancy as well, but maybe not.
His thoughts swerved to his wife again. He’d done his best to not think of her this morning because he didn’t need the distraction, but now she rose to the forefront of his mind. Not that she’d ever really gotten that far away. She’d missed the family dinner last night, claiming a headache and fatigue and had dined in her rooms instead. This morning, he’d been up before dawn and hadn’t wanted to disturb her, so they’d not talked since the previous day at lunch.
Abdul hurried in with a stack of newspapers from around the world and Feraz picked up the top one, a tabloid from England. The headline read Randy Roxanne Returns Home. His stomach knotted and a muscle near his clenched jaw ticked. He tossed that one aside and looked at the next—Wild Bride Submits to Her Desert Sheikh At Last. Feraz swallowed hard as his brothers picked up on the source of his distress and snorted.
“Honestly, brother,” Raheem said, chuckling. “What did you expect? She’s finally getting her due for running around outside your marriage, I say.’
“What goes around comes around,” Rehaj agreed.
“Enough!” Feraz pushed to his feet, scattering the papers around his desk. He wasn’t given to bouts of rage, but once his temper got the better of him, look out. His brothers shut up and stared at him wide-eyed, their expressions shocked.
“I meant no offense—” Raheem started, but Feraz cut him off.
“I know exactly what you meant, brother.” He stalked over to the windows and stared out into the gardens where his wife was doing yoga with his sisters. What the hell was happening to him? Last week, he would have agreed with Raheem and
Rehaj, would have laughed along with them. But now, the thought of his wife being made the butt of rude jokes ignited a storm of righteous anger inside him. He wanted to track down the scumbag reporters who’d written such trash about the mother of his child and slam his fist into their faces. He wanted to burn every copy of those papers in existence before his wife saw them. He wanted to protect her against any insult, any foe.
He took a deep breath and forced his tense muscles to relax. The harm was done now and frankly, the press had printed far worse things about his recalcitrant wife in the past. But what they needed to do moving forward was give Roxanne and their marriage a facelift. Create a new, wholesome media persona for themselves as a couple before the birth of his son. How exactly that would take place, Feraz had no idea. Perhaps he should consult with Jess. She had good instincts for PR. Maybe she would have some ideas on implementing a new strategy to change his wife’s reputation from Randy Roxanne to devoted wife and mother.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Feraz said at last, clearing his throat as he turned back to face his brothers. “Rehaj, please contact the American developers and tell them we are a go on the resort project. Raheem, could you please oversee the environmental impacts to make sure our natural resources are protected during the building phase?”
“Of course.” Raheem rose, along with Rehaj and all three men started toward the door. “How are plans for the official state dinner coming?”
“No idea.” Feraz held the door for his brothers then followed them out of his office and down the hall, letting Abdul know he was breaking for lunch. “I was just going to head out to the gardens to discuss things with Jess and the others while we eat. Care to join us?”
“Can’t,” Rehaj said, pulling out his phone. “There’s another cabinet vote this afternoon and I need to meet with a few of the advisors before then. I’ll see you later.”
Feraz turned to Raheem. “What about you?”
“Sorry, brother. I’m due back at the wildlife refuge. We have a lioness who’s ready to give birth and I don’t want to miss it. Speaking of babies, when is your wife’s next appointment with the doctor here?”
“Tomorrow.” Feraz glanced out the windows toward the garden again. “I hope I did the right thing by bringing Roxanne here.”
“What other choice did you have?”
“None, I don’t think.” Feraz sighed. “I just want her to be happy and for the baby to be healthy and for us to live together as a normal couple from now on.”
“Have you told her that?” Raheem asked.
“We haven’t talked much since our return. I’m hoping perhaps after my lunch with Jess that I can speak to Roxy and figure some of this out.” He watched his wife move gracefully through her poses despite her awkward proportions. Her belly seemed much bigger than five months, but when he’d asked Dr. Phillips about it back in Manhattan, she’d said that each mother carried the baby weight differently and that with this being Roxanne’s first pregnancy she was carrying hers all in front. As Feraz watched her from across the courtyard, he had to agree. Roxanne had turned to face away from him and her backside in those yoga pants looked just as firm and well-curved as usual. A tingle of awareness shot through him and headed straight for his cock. Feraz cleared his throat and adjusted his suit jacket to hide his unexpected arousal. “Right. Well, good luck with your lion birth, brother.”
“Good luck with your conversations,” Raheem said, that hint of amusement back in his tone. “We’ll have lunch later in the week.”
Feraz waved as his brother walked away, then headed outside to the gardens where the ladies were finishing up their exercise.
Jess placed one hand on her hip as he walked up, using the other to shield her eyes from the sun. “Is it lunch time already? I need to take a quick shower and change first.”
“Go ahead, Feraz said. “I’ll meet you in the dining room in an hour?”