Page 14 of The Earl That Got Away (Sirens in Silk #2)

It was Majida who had convinced Naila that a foreign man with limited prospects was an unsuitable match for the daughter of a prosperous Arab New York merchant.

A man should have at least as much as you , she said, if not more .

And Naila, young and naive enough to assume that great love was as common as falafel in New York’s Little Syria, had foolishly listened.

And she’d paid dearly for it. She snuck another peek at Hawk and found him looking in her direction. An electric charge jolted through her as their gazes locked.

She tumbled into those metallic gray eyes, once so full of compassion and sultry need, but now unreadable.

Longing, urgent and physical, streaked through her.

It was as if she and Hawk were having a silent conversation.

About what could have been. About the road not taken.

And the happiness that could have, should have , been theirs.

Naila blinked back tears. She’d thrown away so much.

Hawk continued to watch her as though they were alone in the room. A muscle ticked in his jaw. Why wouldn’t he look away? Why couldn’t she? Naila didn’t want to break the spell. There was no doubt that Hawk saw her now. And she relished his undivided attention.

Murmurs of congratulations sounded around her and Auntie Majida’s keening voice tore through the air.

Naila reluctantly dragged her attention away from Hawk to find the duke kissing Raya’s forehead.

Auntie Majida’s high-pitched rhythmic sound was an ululation, a celebratory zaghrouta that was integral to Arab festivities.

“ Ha hee ,” her aunt called out in a high-pitched Arabic tone that sounded from the back of her throat.

“Oh groom! Oh bride! Oh you, blue-eyed bead! Protect them from the evil eye!” she called out, ending the zaghrouta with rapid side-to-side movements of her tongue, a “lolowee!” sound that all of the Arab relatives joined in on.

Flushed and triumphant, the duke took his bride’s hand and faced the assembled wedding guests. “May I present Her Grace, Raya, Duchess of Strickland?”

Just like that, Naila’s sister was a married woman.

And, as happy as Naila was for her sister, she’d never felt more alone.

The staff had spent days readying Castle Tremayne’s Great Hall for the wedding ball. Fresh flowers and hundreds of glittering candles would greet the guests.

Naila was in her bedchamber getting ready for the ball when Nadine came in.

She stared at Naila. “You’re wearing the orange gown to Raya’s wedding ball?”

“It’s what Mama and I picked out.” Naila studied herself in the mirror.

For the first time in quite a while, she’d put some real effort into her appearance.

Her hair was upswept with thick tendrils framing her face.

Dangly gold earrings sparkled from her ears.

She thought she looked quite well. Vivid shades really were much more flattering to her skin tone.

“But you hate bright colors,” Nadine insisted. “Don’t you think subdued colors are more appropriate for a spinster?”

“No,” Naila said, a trace of laughter in her voice. “I do not. Not so long ago, you were encouraging me to wear bright colors.”

Nadine shot Naila a dubious look. “But wearing such a bright color could detract from the bride.”

It occurred to Naila that Nadine might be more comfortable with a wallflower younger sister who remained in the background. She pushed thin, gold bangles onto her wrist. “Raya doesn’t mind. She encouraged me to wear this gown.”

Naila was determined to cast off the melancholy that had gripped her during the exchange of vows.

She didn’t intend to spend her entire life pining for what could have been.

It was past time to throw off her mourning, to fully embrace life again.

Raya’s wedding ball was the perfect place to take charge of this next phase of her life, the one in which Hawk and their broken secret betrothal no longer took center stage in her thoughts and actions.

“What has gotten into you?” Nadine’s forehead wrinkled. “Why do you seem so... I don’t know... happy?”

Not happy precisely. More like determined to get on with her life. “Our sister got married this morning. She’s a duchess now. If that is not an occasion for celebration, then I don’t know what is,” Naila said. “Is there something you need?”

“I wanted to borrow that pair of gold hair clips that Mama bought you.”

“I’m already wearing them.” Naila shifted, giving her sister a better view of her hairstyle. “They are part of the updo.”

“Well, if I can’t borrow your hair pins, I supposed I’ll have to find something else to dress my hair.” Nadine turned to go but then paused. “Will you tuck Malik into bed this evening? He specifically asked for you.”

Naila slipped two gold rings onto her fingers. “I’ll stop in to say good night but I cannot stay and tuck him in.”

“Why not?” Nadine asked.

“Because your children go to bed late and I intend to be at the ball.”

“Doing what?”

“I plan to dance all night.”

“What?” Nadine stared at her. “What has come over you? It’s as if you are a completely different person than the girl who came to England just a few weeks ago.”

Naila assessed herself in the mirror. The gold in her hair sparkled, winking at her. She smiled at her sister. “Maybe I am.”

Nadine rolled her eyes. “Don’t forget to stop in and see the kids before you go to the ball.”

“Don’t worry.” Naila adored her nephews. “I won’t forget.”

Hawk took another glass of champagne and poured it down his throat, wondering how long courtesy demanded that he remain at the wedding ball.

“You’ll have to stay at least until after supper,” Guy said.

Hawk suppressed a groan because the food wouldn’t be served until close to midnight.

Guy sipped his drink. “Strick looks happy.”

“He does,” Hawk concurred. “In fact, I don’t think he’s ever looked happier.” Elegant in black evening clothes, the duke stood across the room with his new duchess, his face glowing and animated.

“Shouldn’t you be dancing?” Guy asked.

“I have been. I’m taking a break.” Hawk had danced with a handful of ladies, including Miss Hind, which was pleasant enough, and also Naila’s older sister, Nadine, who couldn’t stop talking, mostly about herself.

Hawk took care only to dance with each woman once to avoid sparking talk that he favored any particular one of them.

They were more than an hour into the ball and Naila had yet to make an appearance.

It had been a mistake to allow himself to fully look at her during the wedding ceremony.

Her lavender gown was a step above her usual uninspiring dresses but not by much.

Still, he couldn’t help staring at her. He was starting to get a glimpse of her loveliness again.

Hawk shook his head against the thought of being drawn back into Naila’s orbit. Only a fool would allow that.

“Oh my.” Guy whistled low under his breath. “Would you look at that?”

Hawk followed his friend’s gaze. When he realized what Guy was reacting to, his eyes widened and he swallowed hard.

Naila had arrived.

And what an entrance it was. Gone was her customary frumpy attire, replaced by a vibrant tangerine silk that brightened her eyes and gave her skin a luminosity that heightened her beauty.

The gown emphasized her beautiful curves in a way her dowdy dresses never could, the generous neckline showcasing ample breasts that he’d once had the honor of feeling against his palm.

And his tongue.

“I never realized,” Guy said in breathless wonder, “that our Miss Naila is a beauty!”