Free His Reluctant Bride by Sheena Morrish

instant. Even if she could avoid the temperament of the desert and it’s creatures, the heat would get her before she reached civilisation and she would die long before rescue came.
    “Catherine? Answer me,”
    Again she ignored him as she contemplated the folly of risking such a plan but then even if she somehow miraculously made it to help she had no doubt that Tariq would find her and simply drag her right back and then she would be too weak and emotionally drained to fight back. At least stuck here she still had her spirit to fight back and she wouldn’t let Tariq wear her down.
    “There you are. Why didn’t you answer me?” he demanded as he appeared in the doorway and she didn’t even glance up as she continued to trail her fingers over the small rocking horse that looked as though it had seen a lot of use in its days.
    “What are you doing in here?” he asked curiously and Katie continued to ignore him as she turned to survey the dolls that had been strewn about as though abandoned during play. She wondered just how long this place had been empty and where the children were now.
    “Answer me, Dammit!” Tariq ordered as he spun Catherine round to face him and she gave him her best blank stare as she crossed her arms over her stomach protectively vowing that she would never give him a child. Never give him the chance to keep her child in a place like this, abandoned and hidden from the world.
    “Catherine,” he said more gently and it was the gentleness that did it for her. She could ignore him when he was being a ruthless bastard but somehow she couldn’t deny him when he was this gentler person.
    “How many of your children were here?” she asked quietly as shadows haunted her gaze and he actually looked surprised by the accusation.
    “I have no children,” he informed her and she gave a humourless laugh.
    “Amber hasn’t been that generous?” she asked certain that one day this nursery would hold several children of his. She just hoped that they weren’t ill-treated though this place was as much a palace as the Darlayan palace and she could imagine several nannies being employed to care for them.
    “You are speaking nonsense. What has Amber got to do with anything?” he asked and she had to give him credit for his acting because he certainly looked confused though she knew that every word was a lie.
    “Everything… Nothing…” she said not really caring what he made of it.
    “You have heatstroke,” he said seeming to think that this accounted for her bizarre behaviour.
    “Doubtful given I was only in the sun for five minutes,” she offered making Tariq frown.
    “You will come and rest!” he ordered expecting her to comply immediately but Katie simply turned her back as she moved around the room to examine a hand stitched blanket that was only half finished and had been abandoned on the floor.
    “Catherine!” he snapped and she turned back to him with her eyes blazing.
    “Stop that!” she shouted and he looked taken aback.
    “Stop what?”
    “Stop saying my name like I’m one of your subjects,” she said and he frowned.
    “I didn’t realise I was,” he responded and she blew out a sigh.
    “Well, you do. And as you’re so fond of reminding me, I’m your wife not one of your dutiful subjects,” she told him making Tariq’s frown deepen.
    “I apologise,” he offered and it was her turn to frown for she had never heard him apologise for anything before.
    “Thank you,” she graciously accepted and for a moment there was an uneasy peace between them but they both knew that it wouldn’t last.
    “Come and rest… please,”
    Katie knew what it had cost Tariq to add the please and not just command her to do as he said so she complied with his request and silently followed him back to the main bedroom glad that he knew where he was going for the place was a maze and she didn’t think she would have found her way back alone.
    When they arrived back in the bedroom Katie was