Claimed by the Sheikh. Rachael Thomas

       ‘You must come back to Barazbin. I am the sole heir.’ He resisted the urge to tell her that their marriage must provide heirs for the country. That was a given fact.

      She shook her head. ‘No, Kazim, that’s never going to happen.’

      He sighed impatiently. ‘I am concerned for our people. Your absence has brought my ability to rule into doubt. You will come back with me. Do you understand?’

      Irritation surged through Amber, instantly replacing the softer emotion she’d felt for Kazim as he’d told her about his father. ‘Oh, I understand, Kazim. You think you can send me away and order me back at your whim. I don’t feel like your wife, Kazim. It has been ten months since we married and this is the first time I have seen you.’

      All the hurt and anger she’d kept inside her since that night bubbled up, giving her the confidence to face this man who had broken her heart and shattered her foolish dreams.

      ‘We married out of duty, Amber—never forget that.’ His calm voice was full of authority, his expression harsh and forbidding. ‘And now my duty is to return to Barazbin—with you.’

      RACHAEL THOMAS has always loved reading romance and is thrilled to be a Modern Romance™ author. She lives and works on a farm in Wales—a far cry from the glamour of a Modern story—but that makes slipping into her characters’ world all the more appealing. When she’s not writing or working on the farm she enjoys photography and visiting historic castles and grand houses. Visit her at www.rachaelthomas.co.uk

      Claimed by the Sheikh

      Rachael Thomas

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      For Kate Walker and Sharon Kendrick, whose inspiring and encouraging courses have helped me enormously.

      Contents

       Cover

       Introduction

       About the Author

       Title Page

       Dedication

      PROLOGUE

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

       CHAPTER FOUR

       CHAPTER FIVE

       CHAPTER SIX

       CHAPTER SEVEN

       CHAPTER EIGHT

       CHAPTER NINE

       CHAPTER TEN

       CHAPTER ELEVEN

       CHAPTER TWELVE

       EPILOGUE

       Extract

       Copyright

       PROLOGUE

      THIS WAS THE MOMENT Amber had been looking forward to. Her wedding day. Her new husband, Prince Kazim Al Amed of Barazbin, was powerful and, despite her nerves, Amber wanted their first night together to be perfect. He might be the man her father had chosen for her to marry, but she’d given her heart to him the moment they’d first met. His reputation preceded him and she intended to hide her virginal innocence by playing the role of seductress to perfection.

      As soon as they’d left the wedding feast things had changed, had gone wrong. His warm smile had disappeared and he stood in their suite, anger clouding his handsome face.

      ‘I have no wish for this marriage.’ He almost had to force the word ‘marriage’ out. ‘There is no need to change your life.’

      ‘Change my life?’ How could he so calmly say that? Of course her life would change, but she held her chin high, kept her strength, not wanting to appear weak to a man so strong.

      ‘Like you, I have married out of duty and respect for my family.’ His eyes, as black as obsidian, fixed on hers and a sizzle of something indefinable raced down her spine. She clenched her fingers tightly beneath the silk of her abaya.

      He picked up her hand; the warmth of his fingers around hers made her heart race and for a moment she saw confusion in his eyes.

      ‘We have done our duty. Now you will return to your family.’

      * * *

      Kazim breathed a sigh of relief, thankful his bride was a level-headed woman not prone to hysteria. It must be the Western influence she’d had in her life. The same influence that had corrupted her. Rumours of her secret assignations with men in hotel rooms whilst at boarding school had only just reached his ears. She was not the innocent bride he had been expecting. He had done his duty, married the woman his father had selected. He would do no more.

      ‘So what must I do?’ She looked panicked for a moment and he wondered if his assumptions had been premature.

      ‘Whatever it was you were doing before you arrived here. You will, of course, have my full financial support.’ As far as he was concerned, after what he’d just learnt he had every right to send his new wife home and then one day call into question her suitability.

      ‘So I just go back to my life?’

      ‘There is one problem.’ He hesitated. ‘It will be expected for the marriage to be consummated.’

      ‘That’s easily sorted.’ She jumped up impetuously and tugged at her abaya, pulling the long lengths of silk. ‘We can make it look as if it has.’

      Kazim couldn’t believe what he was hearing and seeing. As each piece of silk was removed and tossed aside lust thudded through his veins. This woman was his wife, an innocent virgin, but she was performing some kind of striptease. What had she learnt in England?

      With each movement she became bolder, seducing him with her curves, her sexy pout. Anger mixed with disbelief was making a heady cocktail. This woman was no innocent. But still he watched as lust thundered in his blood.

      The silk ripped as her movements became faster and she gasped, her face full of genuine shock. Then she smiled. The smile of a woman who knew how to tease a man. ‘That will make it look all the more real.’

      Then the last piece of silk slipped to the floor, leaving her almost naked, and their eyes met. She stood and looked at him, as if daring him to resist her now. He was hardly able to, but taking her now was out of the question. His rage was so strong he knew what could happen and he couldn’t risk that.

      ‘Put some clothes on,’ he growled, hardly able to contain the anger he felt. In just a few minutes she’d proved herself completely unsuitable as his bride.

      A short while later she emerged from the bathroom, her lush body covered by the soft towelling robe. She sat on