Read Online To Tempt a Sheikh by Olivia Gates - Free Book Online

abusers of millions.”
    He stared at her. There really was no end to her surprises. Almost anyone in her place would have said and given anything for a chance to walk away from the situation. But he’d pegged her right in those first moments. She would rather die in defiance, for a cause, than beg for her life from someone she despised and have her survival mean untold misery to others.
    He fought the need to pull her into his arms, chide her for being such an obstinate hero. The one thing that stoppedhim, besides the settling weariness of the whole thing, was that he knew she’d resist. Spontaneous expression of emotion was something he’d have to work on re-earning.
    He at last said, “You seem to realize the gravity of the information you have and what having it fall into the hands of the wrong people can mean. Have you decided what you’ll do with it?”
    Her shoulders drooped. “If I get out of this in one piece, you mean? I’ll solidify my facts first. Then I’ll think long and hard how best to use it.” She shot him a sullen glance. “I may announce it to the world, maybe paving the way for Zohayd to become a democracy at last.”
    He raised both eyebrows, answering her surliness with sarcasm. “Like one of the so-called democracies in the region? That is the epitome of peace and prosperity, in your opinion? You want to save Zohayd from its current wealth and stability, from the hands of a royal family who have ruled it wisely and fairly for five hundred years and place it into the hands of hungry upstarts and militia warlords? And that’s only Zohayd. Do you have the first inkling what the sprouting of such a ‘democracy’ among the neighboring monarchies would do? The unending repercussions it would send throughout the whole region?” He waited until he again found evidence of his points sinking home, in the darkness of grim realization in her eyes, the tremor of ominous possibilities in her lips. Then he went on, “Even if we’re deposed tomorrow, and that doesn’t plunge the region into chaos, it still doesn’t help your brother. Or would you settle for avenging him, seeing his abusers punished, and leave him in prison for the rest of his sentence?”
    â€œI don’t know, okay?” she cried out, her eyes flaring her confusion and antipathy. “I told you, I had no time to think. And it’s pointless to start right now. I’m in the middle of nowhere where I’m neither help nor threat to anyone. Askme again, if I get out of this mess in any condition to be either.”
    Before he could assert that he would do anything to see her to safety, she winced, almost doubled over.
    His heart folded in on itself, mimicking her contortion.
    Before he could move, she keened, lurched back, and a ball of panic burst in his gut.
    He’d taken her word that she was fine. What if he’d left an injury she’d sustained unseen to that long?
    He pounced on her, disregarding the pain the careless move shot through his side. He raised her face to his, feverishly examining its locked-in-pain features.
    It was only when she tried to escape his solicitous hands that he could rasp, “Talia, stop being stubborn, not about this. Are you injured?”
    â€œNo.” He firmed his hold on her shoulder, on her head, detaining her with support and solicitude, demanding a confession. She groaned, relented. “It’s those punches. Guess I was too distracted to focus on anything my body was feeling till now. But suddenly it…cramps with every breath. You know, like being cripplingly sore the morning after too many sit-ups.” Something feral rolled out of his gut. Her eyes shot wider. Then she gave a huff that segued into a moan as her eyes slid down his body to his abdomen then back to his eyes. “What am I saying? It’s sit-ups that are probably sore after a stint with your six-pack.”
    She was