Royals Untamed!. Annie West

      ‘Your past has caught up with you.’ Every muscle in his body tightened as he said the words that would finish their marriage for ever.

      ‘My what?’ She flung the question at him full force.

      ‘It has come to the attention of officials here at the palace exactly where you worked whilst you were in Paris.’ He fought hard to keep his voice calm, still humiliated from being told just what she’d been up to. She’d made a fool of him.

      ‘I was a waitress!’ she said, interrupting his explanation—one he still found hard to believe, but the evidence had been put before him. The decision was no longer only his. He was now doing his duty. As the only heir to Barazbin, he had no option, no other choice. They couldn’t remain married and that was before he took her activities with her father into consideration.

      ‘I have told them exactly that. I defended you, Amber.’ Strangely, after every lie had been exposed, he did believe she had only been waitressing.

      ‘Why?’ Her voice was hardly above a whisper as she spoke.

      ‘That I can handle. That I can sort. But it is not just that, Amber,’ he said quietly, unable to believe how events had unfolded since their return from the desert. There, as the wind had calmed its fury, he’d thought they had made a truce. But he’d been wrong. ‘It is your involvement with the rebels—you knew that attack was going to happen.’

      She shook her head fiercely. ‘No, not that. I don’t know anything about it.’

      ‘That is not what the evidence suggests,’ he said and walked towards her, unable to help himself. He balled his hands into fists at his sides, trying to keep from touching her. Her gaze darted to the movement then back to his face, questions lingering in her eyes.

      ‘B-but...’ she stammered then shook her head as if knowing that any form of defence would be useless.

      ‘I want you to go, leave Barazbin. Divorce is the only option and, for my people to consider that, they must have more than sufficient evidence against you.’ He couldn’t forgive her part in the rebel attacks. She had to go. The marriage had to end.

      ‘So, I am no longer fit to be your princess,’ she said haughtily. ‘No longer fit to be the mother of the heir of Barazbin and all because of lies. Lies that aren’t mine, Kazim.’

      ‘I can’t forgive what you have done to my people. There is no way back from that.’ He clenched his jaw against the hurt of her betrayal, wanting only to have her gone from his kingdom and his life.

      She shook her head. ‘It’s lies—all lies.’

      He couldn’t say anything to that and closed his eyes briefly against the tidal wave of strange emotions that crashed against him, demanding his attention. When he did open his eyes she was watching him, her face marred by confusion. Once again he’d hurt her, but this time it really was out of a sense of duty instead of the cowardly panic that had seized him on their wedding night.

      ‘Is this your duty too, Kazim?’ she said tartly, her chin lifting in defiance, making her more elegant than ever. ‘Are you following orders or do you hate me that much?’

      ‘I don’t hate you, Amber,’ he said more softly and gripped his hands harder into tight fists. He mustn’t weaken his resolve. He had to be firm and tell her. ‘Your reputation has been brought into question and against that I stood firmly with you. As for the rest, there isn’t any choice; you might as well have attacked me personally. I have to do my duty, honour my kingdom. I cannot defend what you did, not ever.’

      ‘Cannot or will not?’ She glared at him, her eyes sparking with gold, highlighting her anger.

      ‘We both know our marriage isn’t a love match and, in light of current circumstances, it can’t go on.’ Now he sounded just like those men who had informed him, as his father looked on, that he must get rid of his wife. Cold and unyielding.

      He didn’t want to send her away; he wanted her to stay. He’d glimpsed last night what they could have had, how it could have been. But that was over now. He could never forgive her involvement in the attacks, however small it might have been. All he wanted was to see her leave—right now.

      * * *

      Amber crumbled inside, her heart shattering into tiny shards that threatened to lacerate every part of her body. A body that craved Kazim, even now. She couldn’t move, couldn’t say a word. Shock had rooted her to the spot as surely as if she were one of the plants around her, and the hot sun beat down relentlessly, sapping every last bit of strength from her.

      She shook her head, denying what was blatantly obvious. He didn’t want her and was probably glad of that final bit of evidence that had condemned her and their marriage. He’d even organised a plane to get her away from him as fast as possible. This was worse—far worse—than what he’d done to her on their wedding night. This was more than rejection. It was total annihilation of her and the love she had for him.

      She closed her eyes against the memory of the moment she’d told him she loved him. Love is a fool’s indulgence. His words haunted her and she snapped her eyes open. She couldn’t go there now. Not yet. Not while he still stood watching her. Did he have no mercy at all?

      ‘If you’ll excuse me, I need to pack.’ He looked startled at her words. But what had he expected her to do? Beg and plead? Why should she when he couldn’t even defend her against the decision of his officials? He hadn’t even waited to hear her side of the story. He’d just decided she was guilty, believing those around him instead. ‘I will be ready to leave in an hour.’

      More like five minutes. The thought of staying for an hour almost knocked her breath away, but she needed time alone to compose herself, to regroup her emotions. If she was leaving she would do it with her head held high. Whatever charges had been made against her, she was innocent and she would leave this beautiful palace with as much dignity as possible.

      ‘Very well,’ he said then turned and marched away, his white robes seeming to trail after him. She watched him go, his fast pace suggesting he couldn’t get away from her quickly enough. Finally he disappeared into the grand archway that led to his offices. Was he now reporting back to those who’d believed she was little better than a traitor?

      * * *

      True to her word, one hour later Kazim watched as Amber walked from the palace to the waiting car. Her face was a mask, hiding all her emotions. Her body, now dressed in jeans and a soft white blouse, seemed to call to his and he gritted his teeth against the stab of desire that raced through him, reminding him of the hours they’d spent making love.

      Desire would not rule his country. Strong will and determination would. It was his destiny, his duty, and Amber was not and never should have been part of it.

      She stopped by the car and turned to face him as he stood on the steps of the palace. He kept his eyes hard as he looked into hers, glad of the distance that now prevented him from reaching for her. That tightness clamped a little harder round his chest as her eyes met his and for a moment it was as if it was only them, nobody else existed.

      This wasn’t helping at all. ‘Goodbye, Amber.’

      She didn’t say anything. She just looked at him, head held high, body full of regal composure. Then she slipped her sunglasses on and for a moment longer watched him before getting into the car.

      The driver shut the door; the noise, though hardly audible, banged in Kazim’s head painfully. He remained tall and strong, not wanting anyone to know the agony that stabbed at him now, as if someone was actually putting a knife into his heart.

      The car moved away from the palace; the darkened windows meant it wasn’t possible to see Amber, to see if she felt the knife too. But why would she, when she’d wanted to leave all along? He took a deep breath and the pain intensified. Deep down he knew why, but he couldn’t admit it now. Not whilst those who’d exposed her lies stood watching nearby. He had to remain focused. He had a duty to his people, his country and,