The Sheikh's Baby Scandal

How the mighty fell!

Today this oh, so arrogant man would reveal his troubles to Felicia. Of course she would look suitably unshocked as he did so, and assure him that whatever trouble he was in she could sort it.

Felicia was very good at her job because she had been doing it all her life.

She had been taught to smile for the cameras alongside Susannah, her long-suffering mother, long before she could even walk. She had on many occasions sat in the family lounge with spin doctors and PR people as they had debated how her father’s multiple affairs and the trashy headlines and exposés should best be dealt with.

There had even been times when they had come to her school. Felicia could remember sitting in the headmaster’s office with her parents, being reminded that cameras would be on them when they left. She had been told what to do as they walked, as a family, to the waiting car.

‘Remember to smile, Felicia.’

‘Susannah, hold his hand as you walk to the car and don’t forget to laugh when he whispers to you.’

And her mother had done as she was told. Susannah had done everything that had been asked of her. But in the end it had all been to no avail. When Felicia was fourteen her father had decided to update to a younger model and had walked out on them.

A legal wrangle had ensued.

The lovely private boarding school that had been such a haven for her had disappeared when the school fees hadn’t been paid, and with it had gone Felicia’s friends and her beloved pony.

Susannah had fallen apart, and it had been up to her daughter to be strong. They had rented a small house while waiting for the money to be sorted out and Felicia had enrolled in the local school—but she hadn’t fit in. Her dreams of being a vet had long gone by then, and she’d left school at sixteen. She had taken an office job to help with the rent.

Those days were gone now.

Felicia was highly sought-after, and her troubleshooting talents were coveted by the rich and famous. Her mother lived in a house that Felicia had bought and paid for, and Felicia owned her own flat.

Some questioned how she could defend these men—but, really, Felicia was just doing what she’d been taught.

The only difference was that now she was paid.

And paid handsomely.

She ran a comb through her dark blonde hair, touched up her lip gloss and added a slick of mascara to bring out the green of her eyes. As she headed out Anu told her to take a seat. Guessing the newspaper article would soon be taken down, she took a few quick screenshots on her phone as Sheikh Kedah now kept her waiting.

Oh, well! She had done the same to him.

Working with this type of man, Felicia had found that it was terribly important to establish early on that his ego had to be put aside and that from this point on she ran the show. It was even more vital to establish that they weren’t suddenly best friends and, given the reputations of the men she dealt with, to make it clear they would never be lovers.

Felicia would be very nice at first, of course, while he told her what was going on, but then her smile would fade and she’d tell him what had to be done if he wanted to come out of this intact.

The truth was that Felicia despised these men.

She just knew, from wretched experience, how to deal with them.

‘You might want to put your phone away,’ Anu suggested.

Felicia was about to decline politely when a rich, deep and heavily accented voice spoke for her.

‘I’m sure Ms Hamilton is just keeping up to date with the news.’

She looked up.

She had prepared thoroughly for this moment—determined not to let such a superfluous thing as his stunning looks sideswipe her. She had examined many photos to render herself immune to him. Only no photograph could fully capture the beauty of Sheikh Kedah in the flesh.

He was wearing an exquisitely cut dark suit and tie, but they were mere details for she had little interest in his attire. And it was not the caramel of his skin against his white shirt or his thick glossy black hair that forced her to try to remember to breathe. Nor was it cheekbones that looked as if Michelangelo himself had spent a couple of days sculpting them to perfection. Even sulky full lips that did not smile hardly mattered, for Felicia was caught in the trap of his eyes.

They were thickly lashed and a rich shade of chocolate-brown with golden flecks and—unlike most of her clients—he met her gaze steadily.

Oh, she was extremely good at her job. For, despite the jolt to her senses, Felicia did not let her reaction reveal itself to him and instead stood up, utterly composed.

‘Come through,’ he said.

And she smiled.

Widely.

She had a smile that took men’s breath away. It was a smile so seemingly open that hardened reporters would thrust their microphones a little closer and their lenses would zoom in, so certain were they that it would waver.

It never did.

And long ago she had trained herself not to blush.

‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ Felicia said as she walked towards him. ‘The traffic was terrible.’

He almost forgave her, for in turn Felicia was not what Kedah had been expecting. He had thought, given she had been invited for a formal second interview, that she would be in a suit, but Felicia looked rather more like a lady who lunched and was wearing a pretty off-white dress.

It was fitted enough that it showed her slender frame and pert bust, while short enough to reveal her toned legs. She was wearing high-heeled strappy sandals and looked nothing like the hard-nosed woman he had been prepared for. In fact she was as delicate-looking as she was pretty. She was so soft and smiling that Kedah was quite sure Matteo had got it all wrong.

Felicia Hamilton was the very last person he needed. Moreover, she was exactly the soft and submissive type he desired!

Naturally he had looked her up and had seen a picture of her in a boxy suit with her hair worn up. She had been coming out of court, with a terribly famous and thoroughly disgraced sportsman by her side. She had spoken for him and her voice had been crisp and to the point.

Today Kedah had expected brittle, and yet there was a softness to her that confused him. Her hair was long and layered and framed a heart-shaped face, and her fragrance was light and floral, meeting his nostrils as he held the door open for her and she passed him.

‘Please...’ Kedah gestured. ‘Take a seat.’

Felicia did so, placing her bag by her side and crossing her legs at the ankles. Though he seemed utterly composed, Felicia was prepared for anything. Often the door had barely closed before her future client broke down. ‘For God’s sake, Felicia, you have to help me!’ they all too often begged. ‘You have to stop this from getting out!’

Yes—client.

Oh, she might call them her boss when she was in front of the camera lens but, as Kedah would soon find out, it was Felicia who was in charge.

Yet instead of begging for her help Kedah calmly offered refreshments.

‘No, thank you.’

‘You’re sure?’ he checked.

‘Quite sure. I had a late lunch.’

And his troubles would be a very sweet dessert!

He walked around the desk and took his place and Felicia ran a tongue over her glossed lips as she waited for him to reveal the salacious truth.

‘You come highly recommended.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Ms Hamilton?’ he checked. ‘Or can I call you Felicia?’

‘Felicia’s fine,’ she offered. ‘How would you like me to address you?’

‘Kedah.’

She nodded.

They went through the formalities. He told her he was an esteemed architect, which of course she already knew.

‘I used to sell them off, but now once I design a hotel I tend to hold on to it,’ Kedah explained needlessly.

She just wished he’d get to the point.

‘So I have a fleet of hotels across the world, which in turn means I have a lot of staff...’

Felicia nodded and wished they could lose the charade and get to the good bit.

‘Do you have much experience in the hospitality industry?’ he asked.

Felicia frowned. She’d expected a confessional—to sit, seemingly non-judgmental, as he poured out his past—yet he seemed to be actually interviewing her.

‘Not really. Though of course I’ve stayed in an awful lot of hotels!’

Oh, she had. And if Kedah was going on word of mouth then he’d know that she worked for just a few weeks a year.

He didn’t even deign to smile at her small joke.

‘As I hope Anu explained, the role would involve extensive travel. If you work for me the hours will be very long. Sometimes there are eighteen-hour days. If we are away you would also work weekends. Do you have other commitments?’

‘My current employer is my only commitment,’ Felicia answered. It was the truth—whatever his crisis, it would have her full attention.

‘Good.’ Kedah nodded. ‘How soon would you be able to start?’

‘As soon as the contract is signed.’ Felicia smiled. ‘I trust Anu gave you my terms?’

‘Indeed she did.’

Felicia Hamilton commanded quite a fee.

‘What about your personal life?’ he asked.

‘That’s not your concern,’ Felicia answered.

‘Be sure to keep it that way,’ Kedah said. ‘I don’t want to hear that your boyfriend is upset because you missed his birthday, or that your mother-in-law has surgery next week and you need some time off. Care factor? Zero.’

Felicia’s response was to laugh, and for once it was genuine. Honesty had been somewhat lacking in her life, and she would far prefer the truth than a dressed-up lie.

And now she waited—how she waited—for that cool facade to crack and for Kedah to admit that he had royally stuffed up and needed his past to disappear. But instead he spoke of hotels and designs, and she stifled a yawn as he told her about Hussain, a graphic designer he regularly used.

‘He’s excellent. He actually studied with my father many years ago. We have worked on many designs together—mainly in the UAE.’

Felicia stifled another yawn.

‘Why don’t I show you some examples of my work—as well as a few of the hotels we shall be visiting in the coming weeks?’ Kedah said, and then dimmed the lights.

Felicia wondered for a brief second if refreshments might be in order after all. Was she about to get a private screening of the trouble Sheikh Kedah was in? A steamy sex tape? The Crown Prince bound and gagged in a seedy encounter, perhaps?

Kedah watched that tongue pop out and moisten those lovely lips as she sat straight in the chair, giving him her full attention.

Then he smiled unseen as her shoulders slumped and she sat through the forty-minute presentation that took her through some of his luxury hotels. She fought to keep her eyes from crossing as she watched it.

What the hell...?

‘Do you have any questions?’ Kedah invited as he flicked on the lights.

No! She just wanted him to cut to the chase and reveal the truth. ‘Not at this stage,’ she said.

‘There must be things that you want to ask me?’ he invited. ‘Surely you have come prepared? You will have looked me up?’

‘Of course I have.’

‘What do you think your role might entail?’ he asked as he went through her file.

Maybe he was shy, Felicia thought. Though that made no sense. He looked far from shy. But perhaps he needed a little help revealing his dark truths, so she decided to broach things gently. ‘I would guess, from my research, that I’ll be running a dating agency with only one man on the books,’ Felicia said, and watched him closely for a reaction.

Kedah merely looked up from the papers and stared back at her as she continued.

‘Though of course rather more discreetly than my predecessors.’

‘Discreetly?’ Kedah frowned.

‘You tend to hit the glossies rather a lot.’

‘That’s hardly my staff’s fault.’

‘Well, they should monitor what’s said. If a woman’s upset...’

‘As far as my sex life goes, you would just have to deal with the bookings and the brochure, Felicia...’

‘Brochure?

He didn’t enlighten her. ‘What I am saying is that you do not police comments or apologise on my behalf. I am quite grateful for “the glossies”, as you call them, for if women expect anything more from me than a night in bed, possibly two, then that is their own foolish mistake. They cannot say they haven’t been duly warned.’

No, not shy, Felicia decided as he continued to speak.

‘But I do expect discretion from all who work for me. Naturally you will have to sign a confidentiality agreement.’

‘I told Anu yesterday that I shan’t.’

Kedah, who had gone back to going through the papers, glanced up.

‘Nobody would employ a PA without one.’

‘If you look through my references you’ll see that they do.’ She gave him a smile, as if she was asking if he took sugar with his coffee—one lump or two? ‘You either trust me or you don’t.’

‘I don’t,’ he responded. ‘Though please don’t take it personally. I don’t trust anyone.’

‘Good, because neither do I.’

Kedah was fast realising there was nothing apart from her appearance that was delicate. She was actually rather fascinating, and any doubts he might have had about her being up to the job were starting to fade.

He had no intention of telling her his situation just yet, of course, but he had decided that he wanted her onside. ‘We can’t go any further without you signing one.’

‘Well, we can’t go any further, then,’ she said, and reached for her bag.

He didn’t halt her.

‘Thank you for wasting my time,’ she added, and gave him another flash of that stunning smile.

Kedah noted that it didn’t quite reach her eyes. They were a dazzling emerald-green—a shade that was one of a forest reflected on a lake...emerald, yet glacial.

He watched, quietly amused, as she began to flounce off.

‘Sit down, Felicia.’

There was such command to his tone that it stopped her.

His voice wasn’t remotely raised. If anything his words were delivered with an almost bored calm. But he might as well have reached for a lasso, for it was as if something had just wrapped around her. Oh, Felicia heard his words—yet she felt them at the base of her spine, and it tingled as he continued speaking.

‘I haven’t finished with you yet.’

CHAPTER TWO

IF EVER A voice belonged in the bedroom, it was Kedah’s.

Not just a bedroom.

A boardroom would do nicely too.

For the second time in an hour Felicia was transported to that headmaster’s office—but it was a far nicer version this time!

He was utterly potent. She almost wanted to keep walking towards the door, just for the giddy pleasure of finding out that she had a scruff to her neck as he hauled her back.

What she could not know was that the very controlled Sheikh Kedah was actually thinking along the same lines.

Felicia was absolutely his type.

He stared at the back of her head and then took in her rigid shoulders, let his dark eyes run the length of her spine. Her face was heart-shaped, and so too were her buttocks, and his eyes rested there for a moment too long.

Then he forced them away.

Kedah did not need the complication of a fake PA who turned him on.

He liked softness on his pillow and sweet, batting eyes, and he didn’t care if his women lied as they simpered.

It was, after all, just a game.

And then he thought of the games he might play with Felicia.

He wanted to haul her to his knee and give her the job description as he ravished that mouth.

Know my hotels inside out, meet my staff, handle the press, and keep my world floating as I fight for my title. Now, let’s go to bed.

Of course he did not say that.

This was business, and Kedah was determined it would remain so.

‘Take a seat,’ he said.

Felicia breathed out through her nostrils as he mentally undressed her. She felt as if he had even seen what colour knickers she had on. Flesh-coloured, actually. Not because she was boring, she wanted to hasten to add, but because of the white dress.

Oh, help!

And though common sense told her to leave now, to get out while she still could and most definitely should, neither had Felicia finished with him.

She wanted to know why he’d brought her here. She was positive that he didn’t really want her working as his PA. So she turned around.

‘Why are you so against signing a confidentiality agreement?’ he asked, in such a measured tone that Felicia wondered if she’d misread the crackling tension.

‘They’re pointless.’ She fought for professionalism and cleared her throat as the interview resumed. ‘If, as you’ve stated, you trust no one, then a confidentiality agreement, no matter how watertight, cannot protect you.’

‘It offers some level of security.’

‘Well, it doesn’t for me,’ Felicia responded. ‘What if something is leaked and you assume that I was the source?’

He didn’t answer.

‘I’m pretty unshockable, but what if you do something abhorrent?’ she challenged. ‘Am I supposed to turn a blind eye just because I’ve signed up for silence?’

‘I’m bad,’ Kedah said. ‘Not evil.’

That made her smile, and this time it reached those stunning cold eyes.

‘Sit down,’ he said again. ‘We can discuss it at the end of your trial.’

‘There’s nothing further to discuss on that subject—and also I don’t do trials.’ Felicia did sit down again, though. ‘A one-year contract is the minimum I’ll sign.’

‘I might not need you for a year.’

That was the first real hint that there was more going on here. Maybe he felt awkward about telling her about his past—but that made no sense. There was nothing chaste about that blistering gaze. Perhaps there was something big about to come out? A huge scandal about to hit?

Felicia was tired of playing games. She wanted to know what she was getting into before she signed.

‘Kedah, I’m not a defence lawyer.’

He simply stared back at her as she spoke, and she thought that never before had she had a client so able to meet her gaze.

‘You can tell me whatever it is that’s going on.’

Still he said nothing.

‘I’m quite sure I already know.’

‘Do tell,’ he offered.

‘I think you need me to restore your reputation,’ she told him. ‘And I can. Let me get to work, and in a matter of weeks I’ll have you looking like an altar boy,’

‘I hope not.’

‘So do I...’

She faltered. Her voice had dropped to a smoky level that had no place at work—actually no place in her life till this point. Felicia dated, but she preferred the safe comfort of feeling lukewarm to this feeling of being speared on the end of a fondue stick and dipped at his whim.

She cleared her throat. ‘Well, an altar boy might be pushing things, but if there’s anything you’re worried about...’

‘Worrying is a pointless pursuit—and, as I thought I’d made clear, I’m fine with my reputation,’ Kedah answered smoothly, and although his expression did not display even a trace of amusement Felicia felt as if he was laughing at her. ‘In fact I’ve loved every minute that I’ve spent earning it.’

Kedah was entranced, for Felicia hadn’t so much as blinked, nor had she blushed, and he decided then that she was hired.

‘Okay, no confidentiality agreement. But mess with me, Felicia, and I will deal with you outside of the law.’

Now she blushed—but at a point far lower on her body than her face. She was about to make some glib comment about being tipped over his knee but rather rapidly changed her mind.

‘Six months,’ Kedah said.

‘A year,’ she refuted. ‘And when I’m no longer needed you pay out the rest of my contract and I’ll be on my way.’

‘Is that what generally happens?’ For a moment he let his guard drop—just a little. He was curious about her job. Fascinated, in fact. ‘You do a few weeks’ work for a year’s pay?’

She nodded and Kedah—albeit briefly—forgot his own dark troubles. He wanted to know more, but Felicia shook her head when he asked.

‘I don’t discuss my previous clients, and of course I’ll provide you with that same courtesy.’ Her voice sounded a little frantic now. ‘Now you need to tell me what’s going on if I’m to do my job.’

‘Felicia,’ he offered, in a rather bored drawl, ‘I didn’t hire you to tidy up my reputation. This leopard shan’t be changing his spots. I want a PA and I hear that you’re amongst the best. Do you want the role or not?’

Her smile slipped and those once glacial eyes clouded in confusion.

He pushed forward the contract.

‘We need to discuss terms and conditions,’ Kedah explained, and then went through them.

Basically, for the next year she was his.

Well, not his!

Just at his beck and call. Even if he was in Zazinia without her she would be working here.

There would be no reprieve.

Felicia wondered if now was the time to state, as she usually did, that she never slept with clients.

She looked at his long slender fingers as they turned the page and moved on to remuneration.

‘Regarding your salary...’ he said.

‘Kedah.’

She watched as with a stroke of his pen he doubled it.

‘I expect devotion.’

Now! she thought. He had given the perfect opening, Felicia knew. Right now she should smile and nod as she warned him that there were certain things out of bounds.

And there were.

Of course there were.

But actually to state that nothing could possibly happen might make her a liar. Even if he didn’t, Felicia trusted her own word, so she refrained from her usual terse speech.

He crossed out the confidentiality clause, and initialled it, and then it was time for them both to countersign.

Felicia read through the contract again, and noted that her starting date was today.

Now.

‘Kedah...’ Felicia felt it only fair to warn him. ‘I don’t think I’ll make a very good PA.’

‘On the contrary,’ he said. ‘I think you’ll be excellent.’

There was more to this.

Quite simply, there had to be.

And Felicia wanted to know what it was.

With a hand that somehow remained steady she used her own pen to sign her name and initial in all the right places and that was it—she was tied to him for a year.

Unfortunately not literally.

‘Why are you laughing?’ he asked, when she suddenly did.

‘Just something I said in my head.’ Felicia replied, and tried to right herself.

She looked out of the window to a bosky summer evening and knew the rush Kedah gave her was a giddy one. She wanted to go home now, to collect her thoughts.

‘I’m looking forward to working with you, Kedah,’ Felicia said, and held out her hand to shake his.

‘Good,’ he said, but did not shake her hand.

It became suddenly clear she was not dismissed.

‘Anu will show you to your office. I believe my assistant in Zazinia will be free to speak with you in an hour.’

‘I thought...’ she started. But, as she was about to find out, the interview was over, the negotiations were done, and Kedah had nothing more to discuss.

‘That will be all for now.’

It would seem that at five p.m. on a Friday her work day had just begun.

The gorgeous office would tomorrow have Felicia’s name on its door, Anu told her, and there was an award-winning chef a phone call away who would prepare whatever she chose for supper.

And so she got busy.

It was late in Zazinia but Vadia, Kedah’s assistant there, looked fresh and crisp on the video link.

‘The offending article has been taken down,’ she informed Felicia. ‘If you could let Kedah know that?’

So she didn’t use his title when she spoke of him either, Felicia thought as Vadia continued.