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Her head snapped back just as her heart threatened to leap out of her chest.

Oh, Gates of Heaven, it was just as she feared.

From the corner of her eye, Kyria noticed the sheikh frown and knew he had felt her sudden tension. She wished she could apologize, but she also knew that was impossible. Right now, even the mere thought of looking at him in the eye was too much to contemplate.

Inside his suite, which was as vast and luxurious as one would expect, the sheikh gave her a swift tour: an open-layout living room, a shared balcony for the living room and the master’s, a library, and finally the spare bedroom where she would stay.

“Will it do for you?” Standing by the doorway, the sheikh began to unknot his tie as he spoke—-

It was too sexy, just too much of everything, and everything that Kyria had fought so hard to suppress in the club surged to the fore.

Her knees started to quake.

“Kyria?” The sheikh raised a brow at her as he whipped his tie off.

Oh God.

She smiled brightly at him. “Everything’s alright.” And then she slammed the door in his face.

Again.

Her hands flew to her mouth in dismay.

Oh dear.

This was...this was very, very bad.

Outside the hallway, the sheikh stared stoically at the door that had been slammed shut in his face.Twice,he thought grimly. This had only happened twice in his life, and in both instances Kyria had been the instigator.

He had thought – and foolishly so, as it seemed now – that things could still change between them. He had thought that things could go back to the way they used to. But now he knew.

“Kyria?”

Inside the room, Kyria literally shuddered at the too-soft voice of the sheikh, knowing from experience that it wasnota good sign. Gulping hard, she whispered, “Y-yes, Malik?”

“If you don’t open this door in three seconds, I’ll take it as a sign that you wish nothing to do with me.”

Her face paled.

“And if so, I shall never show my face to you again.”

Her hands fell to her sides.

Three...

Two...

She threw the door open, crying out, “It’s all your fault!”

The sheikh only stared at her, unflinching and too painfully handsome for her heart to take.

“All y-your fault!” Her tone was violent, but her eyes were shimmering with tears, and the sight of it killed whatever hope he had left of keeping her in his life. He knew how much Kyria hated to cry, and for her to be on the brink of tears now...

Two years, he thought bleakly. He had fooled himself for two goddamn years, but now it was time to face the truth. The thought made him feel weary, and far, far older than his thirty-one years. Looking at Kyria, he said tonelessly, “I’m sorry.”

The sound of his voice made Kyria swallow back a sob. “I wasn’t asking you to say sorry.”

“I know. But it’s all I can say. I’m sorry that morning happened.”