Page 20 of Her Irresistible Sheik (Al-Sintra Family #9)

“Your Highness,” Tom said, his voice cutting through the silence of the room like a scalpel.

Mikail turned from the wide window, dragging his gaze away from the ink-black garden beyond. Sleep had eluded him—again. The echo of Nahla’s kiss still burned on his mouth, and no amount of logic or discipline could extinguish the primal fire she’d lit inside him.

But Tom’s expression killed all lingering thoughts of pleasure.

“Nahla?” Mikail demanded immediately.

“She’s fine,” Tom assured him, stepping into the office. “She’s asleep. In the library.”

“The library?” Mikail blinked. “Why the hell is she in the library?”

“We’re not sure,” Tom said. “But…it may be a good thing she was.”

A chill swept across Mikail’s spine. “Why?”

“There’s evidence that something happened in her suite,” Tom said, voice steady. “We haven’t confirmed if it was an accident or a breach. I’ve spent the last hour reviewing every camera feed. But there were no unauthorized entries or exits. Nothing on the perimeter sensors. All secure.”

Mikail moved forward, every inch of him tight with tension. “So what’s the concern?”

Tom exhaled. “Two things. First—yesterday, Heather flagged something unusual in the kitchen. A broken tooth. Blood on the floor. No staff injuries. No explanations.”

Mikail folded his arms. “We’re alarmed about a tooth now?”

“That was odd enough,” Tom agreed. “But then, tonight—about two hours ago—guards stationed outside Nahla’s suite heard something. A thump. They investigated. Found nothing.”

“She could’ve knocked something over,” Mikail offered. “Dropped a book. Hell, tripped on her suitcase.”

Tom’s mouth pulled to one side. “Except she wasn’t in her suite. She was already in the library—and hasn’t left since.”

Mikail’s brows snapped together. “Then who knocked something?”

“That’s just it. There was a broken perfume bottle found in her bedroom this morning by the cleaning team.

Lavender perfume, oil-based. It was all over the floor.

There wasn’t a trace of it when the guards checked after hearing a suspicious sound.

Which means the bottle fell off of Princess Nahla’s dressing table after their sweep. ”

Mikail stared. “So you’re saying…someone else was in her room.”

Tom gave a slight nod. “We haven’t ruled it out.”

“Could one of the maids have knocked it over and lied about it?” Mikail asked, though even as he said it, the answer felt wrong.

“Possible,” Tom conceded. “But Nahla doesn’t let anyone clean her living space. They do the bathroom, pick up dishes—but she makes her own bed, tidies her things. She’s…private.”

Mikail cursed under his breath.

Every word from Tom was another cold stone in his gut.

If there was a breach, Nahla would have to leave the palace. He’d be forced to send her away for her safety. And that was unacceptable. He hadn’t touched her since the kiss—hadn’t let himself indulge in anything more—but the thought of her gone, out of reach…

No.

Not happening.

He took a deep breath, his eyes intense as he looked at his security director. “Investigate quietly. I don’t want to frighten her unless there’s something real to fear.”

Tom inclined his head. “Understood.” Then he nodded and turned, leaving the office.

Mikail didn’t hesitate. Something inside him was clawing at him, needing to see Nahla—just to assure himself that she was okay.

And why the hell was she sleeping in the library?

Did she not like the bed in her suite? He’d put her in a new suite today, that was for sure.

If someone had snuck into her room, there was no way she could go back.

Not even if it was just a palace servant who had accidentally knocked something off a table.

He didn’t realize how fast he was moving until he had to stop at the library door. He opened it silently.

There she was.

Gripping the doorframe, he stared at her—her gorgeous, dark hair draped over the pillow, a book resting on her chest. Absently, he noticed the title and smiled.

It was one he’d chosen for her.

Walking closer, he knelt beside her and reached out to touch her hair, then pulled back. Touching someone so intimately while they were asleep felt like a violation.

So instead, he gently touched her shoulder, then pulled back again, waiting for her long, dark lashes to flutter open.

His heart was already pounding, but that was nothing compared to the feeling that shot through him when she smiled dreamily up at him. Then she reached out, those long, delicate fingers caressing his cheek.

“You ran away last night,” she whispered, her voice still sleepy and slightly slurred.

Mikail lifted a hand, pressing her fingers more firmly against his cheek. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Good,” she murmured, and her eyes drifted closed once more.

Mikail stood up, intending to let her sleep.

Obviously, she was exhausted. He knew how she felt.

He’d spent most of the night staring out a window, replaying their kiss over and over again in his head—while also berating himself for kissing her.

Nahla was under his protection. She trusted him to keep her safe, and he’d kissed her.

He’d violated her trust.

And that couldn’t happen again.