lot, but she’s so happy here. Plus you’re her family—this is where she belongs.”
The king continued to hold her hand. “Cleo, I repeat what I told you before. You are welcome to make this your home, as well. I would be delighted if you would stay in the palace. Or if you would prefer, you could live in the City of Thieves. Either way you would be close to your sister.” He paused, then smiled.
“I have to say that I would recommend Bahania . You do not strike me as the medieval city type.”
Cleo tried to laugh but found herself crying instead. Hassan pulled her close.
“Such sadness,” he murmured. “Tell me what I can do to ease your pain.”
His kindness only made her cry harder. Part of her couldn’t believe this was happening. Hassan wasn’t just Zara’s father, he was the king of Bahania . What was wrong with this picture?
Still, Cleo found comfort in his embrace. Her father had died before she was born, and she hadn’t had the chance to know him at all. She’d never had a substitute father while she was growing up.
“My daughter,” he said, stroking her hair. “Your troubles bring me discomfort, as well. If you do not explain what is wrong, I can not fix it.”
She raised her head to gaze at him. After blinking back the tears, she managed to speak. “You said ‘my daughter.”‘
“You are the beloved sister of my Zara. That makes you beloved to me, as well.”
He cupped her face. “You cry as if all is lost, but I know it cannot be so.”
Cleo wasn’t sure what weakened her resolve. Hassan’s gentleness, of course, but also his willingness to claim her. She doubted he actually thought of her as a daughter, but just saying the word was enough to shatter her reticence.
“You wouldn’t be nice if you knew the truth about my past,” she said, in a last-ditch effort to gather some control.
“I know all I need to. You are a part of my family. As such, I want only your happiness.”
She desperately wanted to believe him. Ducking her head, she grabbed back the handkerchief and sobbed into it. “I’m p-pregnant.”
Hassan continued to stroke her hair. “I see. Would you like me to have the unworthy dog flogged?”
Despite her desperate situation, the visual image of Sadik hanging in chains while being beaten cheered her immensely. She risked a quick glance.
“How disappointed are you?”
The king frowned. “Why would your pregnancy disappoint me?”
Cleo flushed. “I’m not exactly a virgin.”
“My claim on you as family is not conditional, my daughter. To me, you and Zara will always be perfection itself.” He dropped his hand to hers. “Now tell me of the man who has left you so. I do not see an engagement ring, so he has not done the honorable thing.”
Propose? The idea was laughable. As if that would happen. Cleo sniffed. “He doesn’t know. I’m going to have to tell him eventually, but first I want to figure out what I want.” She smiled. “I mean, I know I want the baby, but where do I want to live and what’s the best way for us to share in his or her
upbringing?”
Hassan smiled. “I’m glad you want your child.”
She stiffened. “Why wouldn’t I? Obviously, this wasn’t planned, but I will never abandon my baby. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep us both safe.” She thought of how she’d been abandoned over and over again in her life. Long ago she’d vowed that when she had children, they would know she loved them more than anything in the world.
“I see the flash of a tiger in your eyes. That bodes wells. A strong mother has strong sons.”
Typical, she thought, starting to feel a little better. “I could be having a daughter.”
Hassan dismissed her with a flick of his fingers. “Regardless. You must come to terms with this jackal of the desert, Cleo. I will stand beside you in whatever way I can.”
While she appreciated his words, they brought her back to earth with a thump.
What had she been thinking, telling
The king continued to hold her hand. “Cleo, I repeat what I told you before. You are welcome to make this your home, as well. I would be delighted if you would stay in the palace. Or if you would prefer, you could live in the City of Thieves. Either way you would be close to your sister.” He paused, then smiled.
“I have to say that I would recommend Bahania . You do not strike me as the medieval city type.”
Cleo tried to laugh but found herself crying instead. Hassan pulled her close.
“Such sadness,” he murmured. “Tell me what I can do to ease your pain.”
His kindness only made her cry harder. Part of her couldn’t believe this was happening. Hassan wasn’t just Zara’s father, he was the king of Bahania . What was wrong with this picture?
Still, Cleo found comfort in his embrace. Her father had died before she was born, and she hadn’t had the chance to know him at all. She’d never had a substitute father while she was growing up.
“My daughter,” he said, stroking her hair. “Your troubles bring me discomfort, as well. If you do not explain what is wrong, I can not fix it.”
She raised her head to gaze at him. After blinking back the tears, she managed to speak. “You said ‘my daughter.”‘
“You are the beloved sister of my Zara. That makes you beloved to me, as well.”
He cupped her face. “You cry as if all is lost, but I know it cannot be so.”
Cleo wasn’t sure what weakened her resolve. Hassan’s gentleness, of course, but also his willingness to claim her. She doubted he actually thought of her as a daughter, but just saying the word was enough to shatter her reticence.
“You wouldn’t be nice if you knew the truth about my past,” she said, in a last-ditch effort to gather some control.
“I know all I need to. You are a part of my family. As such, I want only your happiness.”
She desperately wanted to believe him. Ducking her head, she grabbed back the handkerchief and sobbed into it. “I’m p-pregnant.”
Hassan continued to stroke her hair. “I see. Would you like me to have the unworthy dog flogged?”
Despite her desperate situation, the visual image of Sadik hanging in chains while being beaten cheered her immensely. She risked a quick glance.
“How disappointed are you?”
The king frowned. “Why would your pregnancy disappoint me?”
Cleo flushed. “I’m not exactly a virgin.”
“My claim on you as family is not conditional, my daughter. To me, you and Zara will always be perfection itself.” He dropped his hand to hers. “Now tell me of the man who has left you so. I do not see an engagement ring, so he has not done the honorable thing.”
Propose? The idea was laughable. As if that would happen. Cleo sniffed. “He doesn’t know. I’m going to have to tell him eventually, but first I want to figure out what I want.” She smiled. “I mean, I know I want the baby, but where do I want to live and what’s the best way for us to share in his or her
upbringing?”
Hassan smiled. “I’m glad you want your child.”
She stiffened. “Why wouldn’t I? Obviously, this wasn’t planned, but I will never abandon my baby. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep us both safe.” She thought of how she’d been abandoned over and over again in her life. Long ago she’d vowed that when she had children, they would know she loved them more than anything in the world.
“I see the flash of a tiger in your eyes. That bodes wells. A strong mother has strong sons.”
Typical, she thought, starting to feel a little better. “I could be having a daughter.”
Hassan dismissed her with a flick of his fingers. “Regardless. You must come to terms with this jackal of the desert, Cleo. I will stand beside you in whatever way I can.”
While she appreciated his words, they brought her back to earth with a thump.
What had she been thinking, telling
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