Chosen by the Sheikh by Kim Lawrence Page B

bad!’
    The colour seeped from Tariq’s face. ‘Is what you say true?’
    â€˜Yes, but—’
    â€˜You disgust me!’
    Khalid looked shaken by the venom in his brother’s voice. ‘I didn’t want to lie, but Beatrice is—’
    Sucking in a breath through flared nostrils, Tariq held up his hand. ‘I saw her face when she heard about your accident… Shesat by your bed—’ He stopped, shook his head, and regarded his brother with contempt. ‘If you were not already in a hospital bed I would put you there.’
    With a last contemptuous glare at his brother, Tariq walked out of the room.
    Â 
    As she opened the door to allow Tariq to enter, Beatrice was very conscious of her packed cases in the next room.
    â€˜I have just been to see Khalid.’
    Beatrice looked at his face and her heart sank.
    â€˜Something has happened?’
    Tariq nodded. ‘Yes, it has.’
    Beatrice sank into a chair, pale-faced and feeling sick. Emma was even now on her way here, and she had told her Khalid was fine.
    â€˜Not that kind of something.’
    Her head came up. ‘You mean he’s all right?’
    Tariq’s jaw tightened. ‘He is well.’ That would only be a temporary situation.
    Beatrice expelled a long shaky sigh of relief. ‘Then what…?’
    â€˜There is no easy way to tell you this.’ His dark eyes moved over her face before he swung away suddenly, saying something angry in his own tongue.
    Beatrice stared at his rigid back, a perplexed frown pleating her brow as he began to pace the room. ‘I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong, because I promise you I’m imagining all sorts of terrible things.’
    â€˜There is another woman.’
    Beatrice stared at him. ‘Another woman?’
    His lip curled in contempt. ‘She is called Emily.’
    Suddenly comprehension and relief dawned. ‘Emma,’ Beatrice corrected.
    His brows shot up. ‘You know about her?’
    â€˜She’s my best friend.’
    Tariq swore under his breath. He dropped down and, squatting on his heels so that their faces were level, caught one of Beatrice’s hands. ‘If he told you he had finished with her I’m afraid he was lying, Beatrice,’ he told her gently.
    â€˜He didn’t tell me that. I know he loves Emma.’
    Tariq’s brow creased as his dark eyes scanned her face. ‘You know he…and yet you are with him?’
    His tone made her flush defensively. ‘It’s not like that,’ she protested, wondering why Khalid had only told his brother part of the story.
    He shook his head and raised a clenched fist to his forehead as he struggled to control his temper. ‘Are you so besotted that you are willing to share him? Have you no pride? No self-respect?’ he raged. ‘Did you also know that he has married this woman?’
    Beatrice’s eyes widened. ‘Married?’ she yelped. ‘They got married?’
    â€˜And she is carrying his child.’
    Shock wiped the colour from Beatrice’s face. ‘A baby!’ Beatrice ex claimed, her face registering her amazement at the news.
    â€˜You think this is the end of the world,’ he said. Beatrice didn’t resist as he took her shoulders and pulled her to her feet. ‘But it is not,’ he promised her. He hooked his thumb under her chin and forced her face up to his. ‘You could have any man you wanted.’
    The kindness in his voice was her undoing. Tears began to seep from her eyes, streaming un checked down her face. ‘I don’t want any man,’ she quivered. ‘Only one man.’
    Anger, molten hot, surged through him as he looked down into her shimmering eyes. His fingers tightened around her upper arms. ‘That is not true. You wanted me,’ he gritted.
    Oh, my God, he knows. With an inarticulate cry of horror she began to pull away, but Tariq jerked her back,