Free The Sheikh's Pretend Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 2) by Cara Albany Page A

cutting into her shoulders.
    Ella remembered how Raz's eyes had peered into her own. His gaze had been filled with concern, even fear for her well-being. He had gently stroked the loose strands of her hair away from her face, peering into her eyes, an obvious expression of anxiety written on his face.
    Raz had asked her if she was alright. She remembered murmuring something to him, incoherent words that had merely increased Raz's anxiety. Ella recalled how he had called out to her to stay with him, ordered her to keep talking, as he had gently lifted her out of the car. Ella had felt herself sink into his arms, feeling him stumble on the sand as he had carried her to his own car.
    As she had allowed herself to be placed on the passenger seat of his red sports car, Ella had glanced down the embankment and been shocked at the sight of the battered wreck that was jammed into the soft sand. She had wondered how she had survived.
    Then her memories faded into a blackness punctuated by images of Raz behind the wheel of the red car, driving fast, going to some unknown destination, glancing over and over at Ella, lines of worry etched on his face.
    Ella sighed and let her head sink back into the soft pillow.  
    Raz had rescued her!
    It had been him in the red car that had appeared on the horizon just before Ella's car had been driven off the road.  
    Ella shuddered as she thought about what might have happened to her had he not come to her aid.
    But, where was she now?
    Once again, her attention was called by the sound of waves crashing against rocks somewhere out there, beyond the open doors.   She could see the blue sky and feel the heat of the day. A cool breeze shifted the fabric of the ornately patterned curtains. Ella felt the air brush her skin.
    Ella ran her gaze once more around the room. The interior had the look of some kind of palace bedroom.
    And then she remembered! A startling memory flashed into her mind. She recalled opening her eyes while still lying in the passenger seat of Raz's car. Staring ahead, she had seen a junction in the road leading off toward a rocky promontory. A range of mountains stretched off into the distance, and the road had cut through a narrow valley of hills.  
    And then, in the distance, she had seen a vision out of a child's fairy tale. A stunning white palace perched atop a mountain. The palace overlooked a rocky coastline, and Ella saw the dark ribbon of road lead all the way to a gated entry. For a moment she had thought she had been dreaming, as if childhood memories from storybooks had conjured a fantasy out of her mind, tormenting Ella, confusing her. But then she had realized the palace wasn't a mirage. It was a reality, and Raz was driving her through the gateway.  
    And that was the last thing she could remember before sinking once more into the darkness.
    Now, she lay on the bed, suddenly realizing that she had been hurt in the crash and that Raz had brought her somewhere safe, someplace where she had been taken cared for.  
    How long had she been sleeping? Ella had no way of knowing. She could have been lost to the world for hours or days.  
    Suddenly, the door opened, and he was there.
    Raz!
    Ella gasped and pulled the blanket up to her chin. It was a reflexive action and one that she immediately regretted. He'd brought her somewhere safe, and all she could do was try to protect herself from him.
    Raz was dressed in a casual white shirt that was open at the collar. He had on casual black pants and loafers. He stepped into the room and paused as he closed the door softly behind him. He looked across at Ella, concern written on his face. "How are you feeling?" he asked in a soft voice.
    Ella drew in a deep breath and frowned. How did she feel? She didn't even know. Ella shifted on the bed, trying to get a better sense of how her body felt. Nothing seemed to be broken, but there was still that aching in her head, and her shoulder didn't feel quite right.
    "I think I'm fine,"