Page 11

“Of course, my dear.”
Khalid
I glanced around the crowd of the restaurant. Even on a Tuesday evening, it was filled with rich celebrities, employees and couples. I had postponed my visit to Azmia till next week, and although Zain was not happy hearing about the news, he was being extremely nosy. I knew he wanted me to be present and look over the country while he took care of Nasrin, who was five months pregnant. He wanted to spend some time alone with her before the baby shower. Zain and Nasrin deserved it.
I wished to find the deeper love like them, but I knew that no man like me would ever find peace with his demons.
I thought back to the letter I had written for Valeria and internally cringed at my sweet rose.
Who the fuck calls their date a sweet rose?
I was definitelywaybehind in the dating scene.
Zara had called me the night before. I was more than delighted to see my little sister having the time of her life in Australia. She had been travelling the world, so it wasn’t a surprise that she flew from Sri Lanka to Australia. Her hair was still a shortish pixie, making her cheekbones and pert nose stand out. She was on a beach, her pale skin sun bathing as she asked me if I was having fun.
I had shrugged.
“You need to loosen up, Khalid,” she had said, scrunching her nose at me as if she was disappointed with my answer. “You need to live, brother. You are thirty-two so have fun before your hair turns grey. Ask Zayed to help you.”
Zara had said with a mocking grin, the beauty spot on the corner of her lip, looking adorable, with her hazel eyes gleaming in the sun. I missed her. I told her to keep me and Zain updated on her whereabouts and give us an emergency call if anything else happened.
No one knew where she was except our family. As a royal princess, it was her wish to stay anonymous, travel the world and learn photography. I just hoped she would take care of herself.
I didn’t have the courage to tell her I couldn’t ask Zayed to have fun.How could I have fun when I had taken someone’s life?
I snapped back to reality when the server asked me if I would like to order a bottle of wine. I dismissed him, still drowning in my thoughts about the past when my eyes pinned on the stunning redhead who entered the restaurant with an air of elegance. Hot blood thrummed in my veins as I shamelessly raked my eyes over her body, covered in navy blue.
Lust.
Images of the blue painting flashed in my head the longer I gazed at her. Her long legs were bare beneath the knees, delicate sandal heels donning her ankles. Her glowing skin was as pale as alabaster, her bright copper hair falling in waves around her shoulders, a small smile curving on her pillowy red lips.
My body reacted in a primal way when I noticed someone old, possibly her father, holding her arm. I had never felt that way before.
“Hello, Prince Khalid.”
I stood up, counting the adorable freckles on her nose and cheeks. Cute. I couldn’t wait to kiss them.
“Hello, Valeria.”
Angel. Her face was of an angel.
Even though stunning sunglasses covered her eyes, I could notice her long lashes blinking in my direction. Color red dusting her cheeks as she smiled at me.
Fuck me.
“This is Mr Benjamin,” she introduced the old man by her side.
“Of course,” I replied.
I couldn’t stop staring at her.
“Should I stay, Valeria?”
With a great amount of effort, I managed to look away from her and to the man standing beside her. Benjamin. The man who called himself her father, who had asked me for my intentions.Why was he here with her?
Valeria gave Benjamin a smile. I narrowed my eyes. I wanted to be on the receiving end of that smile. I quickly shook off the ridiculous idea.
I must be going insane.