Читать книгу The Sheikh's Collection - Оливия Гейтс - Страница 31
ОглавлениеThe woman in the catsuit looked ready for a catfight, but Piper wasn’t about to bite. “I’ll leave you two with your privacy,” she said as she targeted the door as her means to escape.
Talia stormed into the room, blocking her escape. “Oh, do stay, chicky. The party is only getting started.”
Adan stepped to Piper’s side and moved slightly in front of her. “Calm down, Talia. If anyone has cause to be irritated, it should be me. You might have had the courtesy of notifying me of your impending arrival.”
“And you might have told me you married—” she pointed a finger at Piper “—this wench.”
“Piper is not a wench,” Adan stated with a touch of venom in his tone. “And your argument is with me, not her. If you will join me in my study, we will discuss our son.”
Talia smirked. “Here seems fine. After all, you’ve obviously been taking care of the bonking business in the bedroom with her for quite some time, according to the press.”
And Piper had only thought they’d covered all their media bases. “You can’t believe everything you hear or read, Talia. Adan has done whatever it takes to protect Sam.”
The woman nailed her with a seething glare. “Our son is not your concern.”
“But he is my concern,” Adan said. “And I am prepared to offer you a sizable settlement in exchange for retaining full custody of Samuel.”
Talia flipped a hand in dismissal. “Your attorneys have already worked that out with my attorneys.”
Adan’s expression was a mixture of confusion and anger. “How is that possible when I have not consulted the palace barrister?”
“Maybe you should talk to your brother about that,” Talia replied.
“The king knew you were coming?” Piper chimed in, earning a quelling look from Adan.
“Yes, he did,” she said. “I had Bridgette call when I arrived back in Paris. Rafiq wouldn’t let me speak to you, the duffer, so I hopped on a plane and came here. He practically met me at the door with the papers. I signed them and then I had to evade the houseboy on my way up here.”
Piper knew very little British slang, but it didn’t take much to interpret Talia’s words. “Then I assume you’re okay with giving Adan full custody,” she said, sticking her nose in where it obviously didn’t belong.
Talia screwed up her face in a frown. It wasn’t pretty. “No. I’m giving him to Adan. What would I need with a kid?”
A litany of indictments shot into Piper’s brain, threatening to spill out her mouth. Luckily Sam’s cry filtered through the monitor at that exact moment, supplying an excuse to bail before she blew up. “I’ll take care of him.” She brushed past Talia, resisting the urge to rip the expensive designer bag from her shoulder and stomp on it for good measure.
She took a few calming breaths as she quickly made her way to the nursery to see about the baby. The minute she walked into the room, Sam’s cries turned into wails, as if he somehow sensed the stressful situation brewing down the hall.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” she said as she picked him up from the crib. “Did you have a bad dream or just need some company?”
His sobs turned to sniffles as she cradled him in her arms, and then she realized he was in dire need of a diaper change. After she saw to that task, she considered instituting Adan’s plan to take the baby for a stroll around the grounds. She discarded that idea when she remembered she was still wearing her robe. Nothing like giving tabloid reporters more fuel for gossip should she get caught on camera. Of course, if any of the bottom-feeders had been hanging around in the past hour, which they had been periodically known to do since she’d arrived in Bajul, they would have a field day with Toxic Talia.
Her anger came back full throttle when she considered how the woman had agreed to relinquish her child without a second thought. Couldn’t she see what a precious gift she’d been given? Of course she couldn’t. She wasn’t concerned about anything that didn’t promote her personal gain...just like her own mother.
Piper refused to make this decision easy on the selfish supermodel, and with that goal in mind, she strode back down the hall with Sam in tow. She arrived at the open door to the suite in time to hear Talia say, “Now that everything’s settled, I’ll be on my way.”
“You’re not going anywhere yet,” Piper said through gritted teeth. “Not until you take a good long look at what you’re giving away.”
Talia spun around and rolled her eyes. “For the last time, this is none of your business, ducky.”
Undeterred, Piper walked right up to her and turned the baby around in her arms. “Look at him, Talia, and think about what you’re doing. It’s still not too late to change your mind.”
Adan took a few steps forward. “It’s no use, Piper. She’s made her choice, and she chooses her career. She wants no part in raising him.”
Ignoring Adan, Piper kept her gaze trained on Talia. “This is a life-altering decision. There’s no turning back if you walk away now. Is that what you really want?”
A spark of indecision showed in Talia’s eyes. “I can’t raise him,” she said, an almost mournful quality to her voice.
Piper’s disdain lessened as she witnessed the woman’s defenses began to crumble, one fissure at a time. “Are you absolutely sure?”
“If I were a different person, perhaps I could. But I’m never going to be good at it, and it would be unfair to him if I tried.” Then she surprisingly reached out and touched Sam’s fisted hand. “So long, little fellow. Be good for your daddy and your new mum.”
Talia hurried out the door, but not before Piper caught a glimpse of tears in her eyes. “Maybe I misjudged her,” she said as she placed Sam against her shoulder. “Maybe for the first time in her life, she’s doing something unselfish.”
Adan shoved a hand in his pocket, rubbed his neck with the other and began to pace. “Do you find it odd that all three of us have been betrayed by our mothers?”
In a way, he was right, but not completely. Piper had intended to tell him the truth before Talia’s interruption. She now recognized she walked a fine line between breaking a promise and bringing him peace. Perhaps she could avoid crossing that line by handing him only a partial truth. “There are some things you don’t know about your mother, and it’s high time you do.”
He faced her and frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“You need to ask Elena,” she said. “She holds the answers, and she’s prepared to tell you.”
At least that was what she hoped.
* * *
A few moments later, Adan found himself standing outside Elena’s private office, his mind caught in a maze of confusion. He had no idea what Piper had been talking about, yet he suspected he would soon find out, even if he wasn’t certain he wanted to know.
When he rapped on the frame surrounding the open door, Elena looked up from her position behind the desk, obviously startled before surprise melted into a smile. “Come in, cara.”
He entered, pulled back the chair opposite her and sat. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“Of course not. You are always welcome here.”
He stretched out his legs in an attempt to affect a casual demeanor, when in truth his nerves were on edge. “Talia stopped by to sign over custody of Samuel.”
“I heard,” she said. “And I am very sorry that your son will not have the opportunity to know his mother. On the other hand, since I do know his mother’s shortcomings, the decision she made was the best course of action in this case.”
“Piper suggested it was an uncharacteristically unselfish act on Talia’s part.”
“Piper is correct, but then she has wisdom beyond her years.”
The moment had arrived to transition into his real reason for being there. “And continuing on with the subject of motherhood, Piper also informed me you had information about my mother that she’s convinced I should know.”
Unmistakable panic showed in Elena’s eyes. “I told her I would tell you in due time.”
“Perhaps that time is now.”
Elena hesitated for several moments, leading him to believe she might thwart his attempts at garnering information. “I suppose you are right.”
“Then proceed,” he said as he braced for the possibilities and prepared for the worst.
She picked up a stack of papers and moved them aside before folding her hands atop the desk. “First of all, I must clarify an incorrect assumption you have long held regarding your parents. Your mother always remained true to her husband during their marriage, and they both grew to love each other. Most important, Aahil Mehdi was your biological father, not some unknown man.”
He had waited all his life for confirmation or a denial of his theory, yet something didn’t quite ring true. “If that is a fact, then why was I the only son not raised and schooled here at the palace? Why was I the only brother sent away during my formative years?”
“To protect you, Adan.”
“From what?”
“The chance someone could learn your true parentage, and you would suffer the consequences from being labeled the child of a concubine.”
Anger began brewing immediately beneath the surface of his feigned calm. “Then you are saying my father was the adulterer and I am the product of his affair with a servant?”
“No. Your father was a good man, but you were the reminder of his failure to make his queen happy by giving her the baby she was not able to conceive.” She sent him a wistful smile. “Yet you were the greatest joy in my life from the moment you came into this world.”
Awareness barreled down on him with the force of a hundred wild horses. “You gave birth to me?”
“Yes, cara, as a favor to the king, and during the process of conception, your father and I fell in love. And as you already know, that love continued until his death, but I assure you we did not act on it until the queen’s demise.”
Questions continued to bombard his brain. He chose the one that took precedence over all. “Why did you wait to tell me this?”
“I promised your father I would never reveal the truth to anyone, even you.”
Once the initial shock subsided, ire took its place. “He had no right to ask that of you, and you had no right to keep this from me all these years.”
“I realize that now,” she said. “And had Piper not come to me and then pressed me to reveal the truth to you, I might have carried the secret to my grave.”
Adan was torn between gratitude and resentment aimed toward both Elena and Piper. “How long has she known about this secret?”
“For a while.”
One more betrayal in a long line of many. “She should have told me immediately.”
“Do not blame Piper for not saying anything, Adan. I begged her to allow me to tell you.”
“She should not have come to you in the first place.”
“She did so because she loves you, Adan. She only wants what is best for you, and she believes with this information you’ll find some peace.”
Piper’s declaration of love intruded into his thoughts, but he pushed it aside. “If that is so, then why would she subject me to this confession knowing it would cause such turmoil?”
“I suspect she recognizes that lies have the capacity to destroy relationships.”
And so could the truth. His relationship with Piper had been fraught with lies from the beginning, and he wasn’t certain he could trust her now.
Bent on a confrontation, he shoved the chair back and stood. “We will discuss this further after I have had time to digest this information.”
Tears filled Elena’s eyes. “Please tell me you do not hate me, Adan.”
How could he hate the woman who had been the only mother he had ever known? In reality, his real mother. “I could never hate you, Elena.”
“But you might never forgive me,” she said, resignation in her tone.
“I will try, and that is all I can promise at this moment,” he said before he turned to leave.
“Where are you going, Adan?” Elena called after him.
“To have a serious conversation with my alleged wife.”
* * *
“What possessed you to interfere in my life?”
Piper put down the art book she’d attempted to read in the common sitting area, moved to the edge of the uncomfortable chair and faced Adan’s wrath head-on. “I assume Elena told you everything.”
He released a caustic laugh. “You would be correct in that assumption, and you have yet to answer my question.”
“Okay. You see it as interference, and I see it as making an effort to find the answers you’ve always longed for.”
“I never sought those answers for a reason.”
“And that reason is?”
“I knew nothing good would come of them, and nothing has.”
She couldn’t believe his attitude or his misdirected anger. “What’s not good about finally knowing the identity of your real mother? Believe me, Sunny and I unsuccessfully tried to find our father, but we could only narrow it down to three prospects. One was in prison for insider trading, one was a money-hungry gigolo and the last was married with four children. With that field of prospects, we decided it wasn’t worth pursuing. At least you now know you have a wonderful mother.”
He ran a fast hand over his jaw. “I am not you, Piper. I had no desire to learn the truth. And now that I do know, I have been shown that even the most trustworthy person is capable of the ultimate betrayal.”
She felt as if he’d placed her in that category, along with his biological mother. “Look, Adan, I don’t agree with Elena concealing the truth for such a lengthy period of time, but on some level I did understand why she was afraid to reveal it. Seeing your reaction only validated her fears.”
He paced back and forth like a caged animal before pausing before her. “How would you wish me to react, Piper? Should I be celebrating the lies I’ve been told my entire life? Or the fact that you knew the truth and concealed it?”
“Believe me, keeping it from you wasn’t easy.” A colossal understatement. “But it wasn’t my place to tell you, although I would have before I left if Elena hadn’t.”
He narrowed his eyes into a hard glare. “It wasn’t your place to go on a bloody fact-finding mission, either.”
No matter how hard she tried to see it from his point of view, his condemnation hurt like the devil. Time to fight fire with fire. “Sometimes it’s necessary to set a lie into motion to protect those you love, just like you’re protecting Samuel by lying about our marriage.”
“You are absolutely correct,” he said, taking her by surprise. “And I plan to put an end to that fabrication immediately. Now that Talia has relinquished her rights, you have no cause to remain here any longer. I will make the arrangements for you to fly home as soon as possible.”
As she came to her feet, she seriously wanted to cry, maybe even beg, but instead called on fury to give her strength. “So that’s it, huh? I’ve served my purpose and now you’re going to toss me out into the street like refuse?”
“I am not tossing you out,” he said. “I am giving you back your freedom.”
And he was going to hold her emotionally captive for a very long time. But deep down, hadn’t she known all along this would happen? And she’d been an unequivocal fool to believe otherwise. “Shame on me for believing I meant more to you than just a quick fix to save your sterling reputation. And shame on you for leading me to believe you were honorable.”
She could tell by the harsh look on his face she’d delivered a knockout blow. “I would be less than honorable if I kept you here any longer when we both know that I will never be able to give you what you need.”
Battling the threatening tears, Piper snatched up the book and clutched it to her heart. “You’re right, Your Highness. I need a man who can let down his guard and take a chance on love, even though I’ve recently discovered love is a risky business. But just remember, there’s a little boy who’s going to need all the love you can give him, since, like his father, he’s never going to know his mother. Don’t fail him because you’re too afraid to feel.”
Without giving him a chance to respond, Piper stormed down the hall to the make-believe lovers’ hideaway, slammed the door behind her and started the process of packing. Only then did she let the tears fall at will and continued to cry until she was all cried out, though she inherently knew she was only temporarily done with the blubbering.
Not long after Piper finished filling the last of the suitcases, a series of knocks signaled a guest had come calling, the last thing she needed. Unless... On the way to answer the summons, she couldn’t help hoping Adan had somehow come to his senses and decided to ask for a second chance. That he would appear on the threshold on bended knee with his heart in his hands and a declaration of love flowing from his gorgeous mouth. As if that fairy-tale scenario was going to happen. Most likely she’d find Abdul standing in the hall with his head slightly bowed, a live-to-serve look on his face while he declared his unwavering need to carry her luggage.
She discovered she’d been wrong on both counts when she opened the door to the ever-smiling Kira. “I’m so sorry to bother you, Your—” She sent a quick glance over her shoulder. “...Piper, but the art shop didn’t have any canvases available and they only had colored chalk. They did offer to order the supplies for you.”
She’d forgotten all about the painting she’d planned to give Adan. “That’s okay. I won’t be needing those supplies now.” Or ever.
Kira appeared sorely disappointed. “But you seemed so excited over surprising your husband.”
He’s not my husband, she wanted to say, but opted for a partial truth. “I probably shouldn’t mention this, but you’ll know soon enough. The marriage isn’t working out, so I’m returning home this afternoon.”
Kira hid a gasp behind her hand. “I am so sorry, Piper. I was so certain seeing you and Adan together today that you were completely in love.”
“Love isn’t always enough, Kira,” she said without thought.
“I know that all too well, Piper.”
She sensed her newfound friend did, at that. “Oh, well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say. And I’m going to miss having the opportunity to get to know you.”
“Surely I’ll see you when you bring the baby to visit his father.”
If only that were the case. Leaving Sam would be equally as difficult as leaving his father behind, never knowing what might have been. “Adan is going to have full custody. I travel a lot with my job and we both think it’s important Sam grows up in his homeland with his people.”
“But you’ll be coming here to see him often, right?”
And now for the final, and most painful, lie. “Of course.”
That prompted the return of Kira’s smile. “That’s wonderful. We can still have those smart-remark sessions when you’re here.”
“I’d offer to have one now, but I want to give Sam one last bottle before I go.”
As Piper stepped into the hall to do that very thing, Kira drew her into a hug. “Goodbye for now, Piper. I wish you the best of luck.”
“Same to you,” she replied as she started toward the nursery, before she gave in to the temptation to tell Kira the truth.
As much as she wanted to see the cherished baby boy, Piper dreaded telling him goodbye. That didn’t prevent her from lifting the sleeping Sam from his crib and holding him for the very last time. He opened his eyes slowly and didn’t make a sound, as if he understood the importance of the moment. She walked around the room as one more time she sang the lullaby she’d used to put him to sleep. If only she could be his mother. If only his father had loved her back. If only...
“The car is waiting, Your Highness.”
Piper wanted to tell Abdul it would just have to wait, but she saw no use in prolonging the inevitable farewell to the second love of her life. She kissed Sam’s forehead, laid him back in the crib and managed a smile. “I love you, sweetie. I know you’ll forget me once I’m gone, but I will never forget you.”
Or the man who had given him life.
After one last look at Sam, Piper turned to go, only to discover Adan standing in the open door looking somewhat remorseful. “I did not want you to leave before I expressed my gratitude for all that you’ve done for myself and Samuel.”
She truly wanted to tell him what he should do with that gratitude, but she couldn’t. She honestly wanted to hate him, and she couldn’t do that, either. “You’re welcome, Your Highness. It’s been quite the adventure.”
He attempted a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yes, it has. And I also want to assure you that I will treat my son as he should be treated. I will make certain he has all that he desires.”
Too bad he couldn’t promise her the same. “Within reason, I hope. I’d hate to think you’d buy him his first plane on his first birthday.”
He favored her with a dimpled grin. The same grin she’d noticed the first time she’d laid eyes on him. “Rest assured I will withhold that gesture until his second birthday.”
“Good idea. We wouldn’t want him to be too spoiled.”
A lengthy span of silence passed as they remained quiet, as if neither knew what to say next. Piper had already said what she’d needed to say when she’d told him she loved him, even if he hadn’t done the same. Now all that remained was the final goodbye. “Well, I guess I need to get my things and take to the friendly skies. I’d like to say give me a call if you’re ever in need of ending your celibacy, but that wouldn’t be wise.”
He streaked a palm over the nape of his neck. “I suppose it wouldn’t be, at that.”
“And just so you know, I don’t regret the time we’ve spent together. I only regret this little fake fairy tale didn’t have a happy ending. But that’s life. Goodbye, Adan.”
When she tried to make a hasty exit, Adan caught her arm and pulled her into an embrace that didn’t last nearly long enough. “You are a remarkable woman, Piper McAdams. I wish for you only the brightest future with a deserving man.”
She was convinced he could be that man, if only he believed it, which he didn’t.
Piper began backing away, determined to leave him with a smile. “I’m going to forgo the whole man-hunting thing for a while, but I’ve decided I am going to further pursue a career in art.”
“I am pleased to hear that,” he said sincerely. “Perhaps you can send me some of your work in the future. I will pay top price.”
How badly she wanted to run back into his arms, but her pride had already suffered too many hits as it was. “I’ll certainly give that some serious consideration. In the meantime, take care, Adan.”
“I wish the same to you, Piper.”
She chose not to afford Adan another look for fear she might do something foolish, like give him another kiss. But after she climbed into the black limousine a half hour later, she glanced back at the red-stone castle and caught a glimpse of someone standing at the second-floor-terrace railing—the someone who had changed her life.
The sheikh of her dreams. A prince of a guy. The one who got away...with her heart.
