Читать книгу Modern Romance September 2016 Books 5-8 - Natalie Anderson, Carol Marinelli - Страница 20

CHAPTER TEN

FELICIA SAT IN her office as Kedah’s other world intervened.

Or rather his real world.

This was all temporary. They had always had a use-by date and she had to remind herself of that.

Not any more, though, for now there was no hiding from the truth.

From her office she could see Mohammed striding out, one hand massaging his neck, and she guessed there had been a tussle.

Felicia honestly could not deal with it now. She had been going through her calendar and trying to work out when her last period had been. Her world was a blur since she’d been working for Kedah.

She couldn’t be pregnant?

Surely!

‘Hey.’

Felicia looked up and there he was. ‘How did it go?’ she asked.

‘He stated his case.’

And, after weeks of wanting to know more, and a career based on revelation, suddenly Felicia didn’t want to know what had been said. She did not want to hear that their time was running out.

‘Shall we go and get dinner?’ Kedah suggested.

‘It’s not even five.’

‘Let’s go back to my apartment, then. We need to talk.’

‘I have a meeting with Vadia soon.’

‘Well, cancel it,’ he said. ‘We need to talk. Things are coming to a head back home. My brother has spoken with the elders. They want him as Crown Prince.’

She said nothing.

‘My father seems to think if I choose a bride then we can put things off...’

Very deliberately, Felicia did not flinch.

‘I have called for a meeting of the Accession Council this Friday at sunset.’ For once the arrogant Kedah was pale. ‘I shall leave on Thursday.’

‘For how long?’

‘I doubt it will be dealt with quickly. If the vote is in my favour I expect that things will get dirty, and the elders will do their best to question my lineage. I shall be busy there for the foreseeable future.’

‘Where does that leave me?’

It was the neediest she had ever been, but thankfully Kedah took her at her selfish, career-focused best.

‘Your contract is for a year. Whatever happens to me.’

It was like a slap on the cheek, but a necessary one, and it put her back in business mode.

‘And if it goes in your favour?’

‘Then it is time for me to step up.’

And, whatever way it went, Felicia knew things would never be the same.

‘We need to sort out—’ Kedah started, but she interrupted him.

‘Not now.’

Felicia wanted to curl up on her sofa and hide from the building panic. She wanted a night spent with chocolate, convincing herself that she couldn’t possibly be pregnant.

She had been right never to mix business with pleasure, because she was finding it impossible to think objectively now—and that was what he had hired her to do after all.

‘I need to go home and think this through.’

‘You can think it through with me.’

‘No.’

She couldn’t.

Because when she was with him feelings clouded the issue. A part of her didn’t even want Kedah to be the rightful King, because if he was not that meant there might a chance for them.

Oh, surely not?

She had become Beth, Felicia realised, or one of the many others who had hoped against hope that things with Kedah might prove different for them. She had fallen head over heels, even with due warning, and had hoped he might somehow change.

One day she would laugh, she decided.

One night in the future she would sit with friends, sipping a cocktail, and make them laugh as she told them how, even as he’d spoken of his future bride, even as he’d told her not to worry about her contract, she had hoped—stupidly hoped—there was a chance for them.

‘I’m going home.’ Felicia stood. ‘I’ll think about it tonight...’ And then she did it. She offered the lovely wide smile that she gave to all her clients. The one that told them she’d handle this, that they could leave it with her. ‘I’ll come up with something.’

And Kedah said nothing. He just stepped aside as she brushed past.

He hadn’t been asking her to come up with a solution! Conversation and something rather more basic would have sufficed. He’d never needed anyone in his life, yet tonight he needed Felicia Hamilton.

And she had walked off.

She’d had no choice but to.

It had been walk away or break down and cry—something she had sworn never to do in front of someone else, especially Kedah.

And so she headed for home, turned the key in the door, and stepped into the flat that had once felt familiar but no longer did.

She felt upended now.

At the age of twenty-six Felicia had fallen in love.

Real love.