Bought And Paid For: The Sheikh's Kidnapped Lover Page 11

  Alanna had gone wild when Jenna told her about what had happened. She hadn’t even been upset, but that was Alanna; she was an adventurous spirit, and had listened with bated breath through the entire tale. Jenna had appreciated her friend’s support when she had returned home. The events of the kidnapping still lingered, and she’d found that speaking with a counselor, as well as her family and Alanna, had helped immensely. And knowing Balal that had saved her, and would always protect her, gave her great comfort.

  Balal had suggested a big white wedding, so as to give Jenna the wedding she had always dreamed about. Jenna had been thrilled, and had started planning only two weeks after he’d proposed.

  Now, her father stood with her at the doors of the pavilion that led out into the park. She could hear the bubbling fountains right outside, and the murmurs of their guests. A single violin player played a traditional Al Mezindan tune, and Jenna felt a rush of shivers down her spine.

  “You look more beautiful than ever, honey,” Brent said with a wide smile. “And I’ve always thought that you were the most beautiful girl in the world. Besides your mother, of course,” he added, and winked at her.

  She was glad that her father wasn’t crying, because she knew that if he did, she would as well, and she didn’t want to greet Balal on their wedding day with tears in her eyes. That was how he had met her, and that was not how she was going to begin their marriage.

  “Thanks, Dad,” she replied, and smiled back at him.

  “Are you ready for this, kiddo?” he asked, and he squeezed her hand, which was resting in the crook of his arm.

  “More ready than ever,” she answered, and felt another shiver.

  “Well…then let’s go get you married.”

  The violin player started up again, and Jenna knew immediately that it was the song she had chosen to walk down the aisle to; it was the song she and Balal had first danced to on their first “real” date.

  Her father reached forward and pulled the door open. Suddenly, they were immediately bathed in sunlight, and father and daughter stepped out into the warmth.

  All eyes were on Jenna, and she almost felt embarrassed until she spotted Balal standing up at the end of the aisle, beside his cousin, the ruling Sheikh, who was to officiate the ceremony.

  He beamed at her, his large, dark eyes full of emotion, and Jenna knew, even from this distance, that he could see no one else but her.

  She matched her father’s pace, allowing him to lead her down the aisle, past all of the people she and Balal loved. Alanna gave her a thumbs up from the altar, and her mother cried into a silken handkerchief. Adina was smiling so wide that Jenna wondered if she would ever be able to stop. She noticed with a smile that the older woman was wearing the necklace she had given her.

  They reached Balal, and he and Brent looked at one another meaningfully.

  “You take good care of her,” her father said, suddenly sad. “She is my only child. You saved her once. I ask that you will always do so.”

  “You have my word, always and forever,” Balal replied.

  With that, her father took Jenna’s hand from his arm, kissed her on her cheek, and gave her hand to the Sheikh.

  Balal walked with her to the trellis, where white and red roses were blooming, and they stood facing each other, holding hands.

  They had chosen to write their own vows; with everything they had been through, it felt like the only way to truly cement their unique relationship.

  Balal went first.

  “Jenna, I promise to protect you, each and every day of your life. I promise to love and to cherish you in every way that I can. I will respect you, care for you, and ensure your happiness and wellbeing at all times. You have my whole heart. You’ve had it from the moment we met.”

  Jenna felt the tears coming, but she forced them back, pulling a small piece of paper from the bottom of her bouquet.

  “Balal, I will be your faithful, loving, and ever supportive wife. I will love you, I will care for you, and I will be by your side for every step of our journey together. I will trust your judgment for our lives, and I will give you the very best of me, each and every day. You have my whole heart, and you have from the moment that we met.”

  The fact that they had both used the same line at the end of their vows only further reminded Jenna that she and Balal were truly meant to be.

  This was her destiny. This was her dream.

  “I now pronounce you, husband and wife!”

  Balal and Jenna turned to face the crowd of people in front of them, those whom they loved. Her parents were there, clapping and cheering happily. Alanna stood beside Jenna, mascara running down her cheeks. Adina was so excited that she was laughing like a young girl.

  But all that Jenna and Balal could focus on was each other, and the beautiful adventure they were about to embark upon together.

  The End

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  The Prince’s ASAP Baby

  Copyright 2017 by Holly Rayner

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part by any means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the explicit written permission of the author.

  All characters depicted in this fictional work are consenting adults, of at least eighteen years of age. Any resemblance to persons living or deceased, particular businesses, events, or exact locations are entirely coincidental.

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  Chapter One

  It was Friday night in Brooklyn, and Eva Nightingale had just finished her shift at Gustavo’s Coffee Shoppe. She’d spent her long, tedious day pandering to the requests of coffee-loving hipsters who, in her expert opinion, needed to take up home brewing rather than spending so much cash on mediocre drinks.

  It didn’t help that Eva wasn’t much of a coffee drinker herself. If given the choice, she’d rather waitress at a nice restaurant. But this was her reality, and she was thoroughly stuck in it.

  “Have a good night, Eva,” her manager said as she walked out from behind the counter. “We’ll see you next week.”

  Eva shrugged her shoulders and shuffled toward the staff room.

  “Yeah. See ya, Chris.”

  Her halfhearted goodbye was hardly enough to convince Chris that she liked, or even appreciated, her job. She figured it didn’t matter much. He’d only hired her because he thought she was attractive. That much was clear from her first interview, when he’d spent more time ogling her than he did taking notes on the hiring form.

  Eva didn’t understand it, but she wasn’t going to turn down a perfectly reasonable job opportunity—those were few and far between, these days.

  She’d only been working at Gustavo’s for a few months, and already Chris had asked her out three or four times. Each time, she shut him down. But she was starting to run out of family emergencies, study sessions, and extracurricular commitments. Eventually, Chris would start asking questions. It wouldn’t be long before her stories fell apart. She wasn’t even in college anymore. Once he knew the truth, that she’d been avoiding him and lying to him, he’d conveniently start to notice that she wasn’t the greatest barista after all.

  Then, it would be goodbye, independence and hello, unemployment line.

  She couldn’t let that happen. Not when she still had some control over it.

  Eva knew she’d have to go out with Chris at least once or twice if she wanted to keep her job. It would be different if she was attentive, or even halfway positive, at work. Then, she would have a case for wrongful termination. But she spent the majority of her shifts moping around the shop, doing as little as possible and hoping no one would care enough to speak up. She wasn’t the kind of employee worth saving, and she knew it.
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  When she reached the staff room, Eva pulled off her uniform and changed into the simple black dress she’d brought.

  Stuffing her polo shirt and coffee-smelling pants into a plastic shopping bag, she removed a rather large purse from her assigned locker. She’d brought the purse on purpose, hoping to shove the uniform inside and conceal her barista identity for a few hours.

  On ordinary days, Eva left her uniform at work. But this wasn’t an ordinary day. It was laundry day, and she couldn’t afford to miss another week. She only had so many copies of the same red polo and black pants.

  Eva changed shoes, grabbed her bag, and left the staff room. Chris was still standing behind the counter when she emerged, smiling as he cleaned. He was getting ready to close the shop.

  Closing was the worst. She considered offering to help, but the idea quickly dissipated. Chris would wonder why she wasn’t rushing home to get ready for her three-day study session—an obligation she’d invented to avoid weekend shifts altogether.

  She’d almost reached the exit when Chris called out to her.

  “Hey, Eva! Can we talk for a minute?”

  Eva sighed and turned back. She didn’t move away from the door.

  “What’s up?”

  Her voice was stale, and Chris looked disconcerted for a moment. His consistent smile faltered. Eva felt sorry for him. He was a good looking guy, and pleasant enough, but too cheerful and optimistic for her taste. She was waiting for someone more independent and interesting. It just wasn’t a good fit. She wished that he could see that without being told. Besides, the last thing on Eva’s mind was a boyfriend.

  “I’d like to take you out sometime,” he said.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but Chris wasn’t finished.

  “I know you’ve been avoiding me,” he said. “If you don’t want to go, just say the word. I won’t ask again. I’m not going to harass you over it.”

  Eva looked down at the floor. This was a crappy start to her weekend. Should she continue to be dodgy, or should she be honest? Chris sounded sincere enough.

  She decided to go with complete honesty.

  “I know you hired me because you think something might happen between us,” Eva said. “But I don’t think it’s a good fit. You’re a great guy, and I’m flattered that you’ve taken an interest in me. It’s just that you don’t really know anything about me. This isn’t easy to admit, but I haven’t been honest with you.”

  Chris looked concerned.

  “What do you mean?”

  She sighed.

  “I’m not in school anymore,” Eva said. “I dropped out six months ago. That’s why I needed this job in the first place. I live in this awful studio apartment and I need to pay rent. This job isn’t some part-time thing for the school year. This is my income. It’s pathetic and hard and I’m just not looking for a love interest right now.”

  There was a moment of silence. Chris took a breath.

  “Oh,” he said.

  “That’s it?”

  “Honestly, I’m relieved,” he said, the smile slowly returning to his face. “I thought you were going to tell me you’re married.”

  Eva laughed.

  “Nope,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m not married. But I’m going through a lot right now. I’m sorry if I seem grumpy at work. And I hope you don’t fire me for it. I’m adjusting. This job is all I have.”

  “Eva,” Chris said. “I’m not going to fire you.”

  He stepped out from behind the counter and walked over to her.

  “I appreciate you being honest with me,” he said. “And I’ll do what I can to help you adjust. Would that be all right?”

  Eva nodded.

  “Okay,” Chris said. “I’ll see you next week.”

  “See you then,” Eva affirmed.

  She pushed open the door and walked onto the sidewalk outside Gustavo’s. As it shut behind her, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. At least she wasn’t living a lie at work anymore.

  Eva began walking toward the nearest subway station. It was ten blocks away, a sizable hike in her heels, but she felt cool and confident. For the first time in six months, she felt that she was capable of handling herself without the help of her parents or her friends—all of whom she’d lost when she’d decided to leave Columbia.

  She shook off the thought. There was nothing like bad memories to kill a good mood.

  Still, the longer Eva walked, the harder it became to maintain her positivity. She was going home to nothing but a studio apartment and a pile of laundry. The nearest laundromat would be open late, but finishing her chores early would mean two whole days of silence until her shift on Monday morning.

  It wasn’t like she could afford cable or Wi-Fi. Her cell phone data plan was laughable; not even enough for a few episodes of her favorite show. All she had to entertain herself was a stack of free magazines. She’d been making plans to shop for leisure reading at a used bookstore in Manhattan, but she couldn’t bring herself to go into the city alone.

  Now that Chris knew the truth, she could pick up extra shifts at work to fill her time. But the thought depressed her even further. Did she really have nothing better to do with her life? That had been the reason she’d avoided opening, closing, and weekend shifts. Underneath it all, she wanted her life to revolve around more than a coffee shop.

  Still, it was time to face reality. And, according to reality, she had bills to pay.

  “You look like you could use a pick-me-up,” a man’s voice said from behind her. It was kind, not intimidating, but Eva was startled all the same.

  She turned to find a young man wearing a white apron. There was a name tag pinned to his chest, informing her that his name was Calvin. He clearly worked somewhere nearby. The cigarette in his hand suggested that he was taking a smoke break. Eva was intrigued.

  “You aren’t wrong about that,” she replied.

  “What if I told you I could help?”

  Eva raised an eyebrow.

  “How do you plan on doing that?”

  “I’m an assistant chef at Oasis,” Calvin said, gesturing to the building directly behind him. Through the front windows, Eva could see there were at least fifty people inside, chatting and laughing and drinking.

  She recognized the bar. She passed by it twice on weekdays.

  Oasis was an exclusive venue with a rooftop terrace and a renowned dinner menu. This wasn’t a place where people came to get wasted. This was a place where the financial bucks of Wall Street came to kick back with their all-too-rich buddies.

  Usually, when Eva passed it, the building was dead silent. She hardly ever worked the evening shift at Gustavo’s, especially on Fridays. She’d never seen it the way it was now—filled to the brim with people in suits and cocktail dresses. She longed for one night with them.

  Calvin continued.

  “It isn’t easy to get in, but I think you could use a night off.”

  Eva stared into the bar, then looked in the direction of the subway station. She thought about the tips she’d earned during her shift and wondered if they’d be enough for a couple of drinks. She figured they probably were, even if the drinks were expensive.

  Still, she wasn’t sure. What if she did something stupid and embarrassed herself? What if she stood out from the crowd like a sore thumb? She didn’t think her ego could take another hit.

  Weighing her options, she figured a night of the high life would be better than a night at the laundromat, embarrassment or not. No one had to know who she was. She wasn’t looking to take anyone home.

  Eva was skeptical, though, of Calvin’s intentions.

  “No strings attached?” she asked. “You just let me inside and go back to work?”

  Calvin laughed.

  “Lady,” he said. “I bat for the other team. No strings attached.”

  She smiled.

  “Eva,” she said. “My name is Eva. And I’m in.”

  Calvin nodded, dropped his cigarette o
n the ground, and smothered it with his shoe.

  “Let’s go, then,” he said, offering an arm. Eva took it.

  Calvin led her through the front door and into a different world.

  Chapter Two

  There were suited men everywhere. Stunning, attractive, successful men, with equally stunning women on their arms. Most bars in New York were dim. Eva found them dreary and dirty. Oasis was different. The lights were bright and inviting. Each table was decorated with fresh flowers.

  To her surprise, no one stared at her entrance. She wasn’t given a second glance, either, but at least she didn’t feel out of place.

  “This is incredible,” Eva whispered to no one in particular. “I’ve never been anywhere like this before.”

  “Oasis is something else,” Calvin said with a grin. “But if you think this is incredible, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

  Calvin led her through a pair of double doors toward the back of the room. Behind the doors sat a metal staircase that seemed to lead up and up forever.

  “I have to get back to the kitchen,” he said. “But you follow those stairs up to the terrace. If you hurry, you’ll be able to catch the sunset over the Manhattan skyline. Tell them Calvin sent you. It’s strictly VIP up there.”

  They stopped at the foot of the stairs.

  “Thanks,” Eva said sincerely. “I kinda wish you batted for this team.”

  He laughed.

  “Have a good time, Eva.”

  And then he was gone, leaving her alone at the bottom of a metal staircase that led to a life she’d only dared to dream about.

  “You can do this,” she said softly. “No one knows you here.”

  Eva collected her courage and started up the steps. When she reached the top, she found a big, beefy man in black standing behind a podium. He was holding a clipboard.

  “Name?”

  “I won’t be on that,” Eva said, her voice noticeably shaking.