The Sheikh's Purchased Bride by Holly Rayner

statement and finally decided to believe him—or at least make him think that she did.

 
    THIRTEEN

With renewed vigor, Amie spent the whole evening prepping herself for a night of romance; choosing a beautiful dress, curling her hair, and slapping on as much makeup as she could without looking like she was trying out for the world’s oldest profession.
     
    Rabayat City was set in a narrow valley filled with rich history: temples, tombs and monuments from the early years of civilization. With all of its architectural gems, it was no surprise to Amie how beautiful their theater looked, and just as grand and breathtaking as Azim had described, way back on her first night in the country. The outside was beautiful brick with an Old-Hollywood style marquee; the inside bustling with excited locals coming to see opening night of the newest production.
     
    Ah, opening night. Back in Chicago, Amie hadn’t experienced opening night of Carolina and the Bridge like the rest of her cast had, but the energy backstage had still been unmistakable; a nervous, palpable excitement running through every actor as they whispered their lines and prepped their costumes over and over again. It gave her butterflies just thinking about it.
     
    Malik took her to their seats; a private box, offset from the center balcony. The theater was a fair size, and had meticulously-carved designs down the walls, as well as that signature red curtain shielding the actors from the audience.
     
    Amie gripped Malik’s arm and whispered excited giggles into his ear until a hushed, anticipatory silence filled the room; the play was about to start.
     
    Malik took a look around, surveying the rest of the audience, before taking her hand in his and giving it a squeeze as the first scene began.
     
    The play was a Middle-Eastern take on Romeo and Juliet; star-crossed lovers held back from one another by their warring families. While spoken in Arabic, the plot was easy enough to follow, which was probably why Malik had chosen it in the first place. Still, every few moments he would lean closer to her, whispering translations of the dialogue in her ear.
     
    Seeing a play in another language proved easier than Amie had anticipated. With this story—a classic—she almost didn’t need Malik’s updates; she could feel the actor’s emotions playing across the stage. That being said, her heart nearly stopped each time she felt his breath in her ear, ghosting over her skin; their proximity to one another sending shivers down her spine.
     
    As promised, Malik made sure Amie was able to meet some of the actors after the play. To her surprise, two of the leads knew exactly who he was and gave their best regards to his father. She shook their hands and had Malik translate what a beautiful job she thought they had done, and wished she could hear their inflections in English as they thanked her for her support.
     
    Malik told the leads that Amie was a renowned actress from America. Hearing this, they instantly seemed bonded to her; telling her to always keep her talent in the theater. Even though Malik was over-exaggerating her success, their advice touched her all the same.
     
    Not wanting the night to end, Malik suggested that the two of them grab a drink after the show. Unsure what the nightlife would look like in Rabayat, Amie imagined Malik would take her someplace fancy; upscale. She pictured crystal glasses with thin stems and liquor that cost more than her wedding dress had.
     
    With this vision in mind, Amie was shocked when their car pulled up to a bustling nightclub with a playful, inviting atmosphere. Once inside she thought that the club felt younger than she imagined Malik enjoyed, with purple and pink uplighting and a heavy play on Middle-Eastern décor. The ceilings piqued to a domed roof, while in other areas vibrant red and purple fabrics were draped to give the place an exotic, romantic feel. Colorful lanterns hung everywhere and were the centerpiece