Free Never Resist a Sheikh (International Bad Boys) by Jackie Ashenden

in a shadowed room and he wanted more. He wanted that sunlight shiningdirectly on him. Preferably while she was naked.
    “Yes,” he said slowly, “I might indeed want a piece of that.”
    Her smiled widened. “Well…maybe you can have it as well as Al-Harah. I’ll give you the software and you give me my freedom. Easy.”
    “Alas, it is not so easy. Your software would be very useful, no question, but it will not take the place of a wife.”
    The brightness in her face dimmedand for some reason the loss felt acute. As if he had taken a small, priceless jewel and cast it under his boot heels, crushing it into dust.
    “But you said you wanted to modernize—”
    “I also said I wanted heirs. So unless this software of yours can create children as well as provide cheap Internet, you will stay.”
    She sat back abruptly in her seat. All the brightness had gone now, the glow inher eyes dissipating. The light through the canvas awning glinted on her red-gold lashes as she lowered them, veiling her gaze. “So you’ll give me nothing.”
    He should not care about the look on her face or whether he’d disappointed her. And yet an inexplicable anger at the look on her face licked up inside him all the same. “Why should I give you anything? You are mine to do with as I see fit.”

    Her chin firmed and those pretty lashes of hers swept up all of a sudden, her gaze calculating. “Okay, baby steps then. What would you need from me in order to give me internet access?”
    A burgeoning respect began to thread through his anger. She really didn’t give up, did she? That kind of spirit was certainly to be commended. “What would I need?”
    “Yeah. I’ll do whatever you want if you giveme access to my email and the net.” She blinked. “I mean, within reason. I’m not going to….” She paused, another violent blush rising to her cheeks. “You know…”
    He did know. “Sleep with me?”
    Her throat moved and she hurriedly reached for a glass of water, taking a quick sip. “Yes. That.”
    Under the coiling anger, desire stirred yet again and along with it a curiosity that really shouldn’t bethere. She had no problem with sharing her anger with him and yet at the mention of sex, she suddenly became reticent. Why was that?
    Ah, but no. He couldn’t think such things. “Do not worry.” He kept his voice hard, certain, addressing both her and the desire that seemed to be leaking through him like blood in pool of water. “Sleeping with you at this point is the last thing I want to do, MissCartwright.”
    She blinked, something flashing through her eyes he didn’t quite catch. Then her lashes swept down again, the blush on her cheeks now crimson. “W-well, that’s good. Because sleeping with you is the last thing I want to do, too.” She cleared her throat. “So, for the record, I’ll do anything other than that.”
    A tense silence fell and he let it hang there a moment.
    He didn’t needto give her anything at all. He could make her do whatever he wanted. And yet…
    You want to be different to your father? From Farid? Might is not the only way.
    He did want to be different. He had to be different. Otherwise what kind of legacy would his family leave on this country? He would not let it end in blood.
    “Tonight is the feast where I present my bride prize to my court,” he said aftera moment. “If you acquit yourself well, I will grant you access to my office. You may use the phone there to call your business and your family to let them know you are well. I cannot let you do anything more than that.”
    Copper red brows drew down, annoyance flickering in her eyes, though really, what did she expect? “Generous of you. And acquitting myself well being…?”
    “You will wear the clothesI give you and act as though you are perfectly willing to be there. You will not protest or insult our customs. You will comport yourself with grace and dignity.” His ministers were suspicious of his choice—he’d already