An Inconvenient Marriage (Married to a Prince) Read Online Free Page A

from his smug cousins.  He got more than enough from his brother.  After vowing never to allow himself to be trapped into marriage, Sami ate his own words for dinner.  Because not only was he trapped, he had no way out.
    The shy, demure woman gracing their table captivated his parents.  She was the epitome of charm, regal, even royal in her quiet dignity.  Of course, they had not been treated to her thorny side.  Nor did they know that their sweet little daughter-in-law wanted out of this marriage even more than their boorish, arrogant son.
    After the meal they retired to the private salon, the one place in the palace where protocol was dropped and they could all be themselves.  His parents indulged in a friendly game of chess.  Just behind them, his sister shared an amusing anecdote with Delilah, bringing a smile to her lips.  Her face lit up.  Yet the moment she caught sight of him watching her, the light in her eyes dimmed and she looked away.  Apparently she didn’t have even a spark of interest in him, which was ironic since his curiosity was now piqued.
    His brother, Yousef joined him in the far corner of the room.  “Mother and Father seemed very pleased with this lucky turn of events.”
    “And you couldn’t resist rubbing it in either,” Sami grumbled. “Don’t you have a wife to annoy tonight?”
    “She’s at an education symposium until tomorrow.” Yousef glanced at Delilah.  “I thought you said she was nothing special to look at.  You’ve had your head in the law books too long, brother.  Your eyesight is obviously failing.”
    “She didn’t look like that when she got off the plane,” Sami muttered, but the truth was, he hadn’t bothered to look beneath the facade.  He had formed an opinion and made a decision before she set foot in Nadiar.
    “Do you think you look like a prince after you’ve been traveling all night?”
    They both burst out in laughter.  And since they both happened to be looking at Delilah, she must have thought that they were laughing at her.  Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes sparked with anger.  She whispered something to his sister, who pointed towards the hall, then left the room in a hurry.
    His stomach muscles clenched.  Was that guilt?   He followed Delilah, ignoring a call from father.  At twenty- nine, he was too damned old to be lectured by his parents.
    “Lilah,” he called out.  His voice echoed down the long corridor.  “Will you please wait?”
    She stopped but didn’t turn around. “Delilah.”
    “You will always be Lilah Rafik to the family.”
    “All right.” At least she didn’t deny her father’s name.
    “Is something wrong?” he asked.
    She sucked in a calming breath.  “No.  I just need the bathroom.”
    “It’s easier if you go the other way.”
    “Oh.”  She tried to edge past him without meeting his gaze.
    He caught her wrist.  “Are you crying?”
    “No.  I’m having a problem with my contacts.”
    A tear streamed down her cheek.  Regret pricked at his conscience.  In his time he had probably reduced more women to tears than he could count, but this time it bothered him and he didn’t like the feeling. He handed her a handkerchief from his pocket.
    “You are crying.  Don’t lie about it.”
    She raised her head and shot him a furious glare. “I am trying my hardest not to do or say anything to embarrass you with your family.  Do you think you could afford me the same courtesy?”
    “We were not laughing about you.”
    “I don’t care,” she said, but her voice cracked with emotion.
    “My brother was making a joke about me.”
    “Because you’re stuck with me for a wife.”
    “No.  Because you got me for a husband,” he corrected. He cupped her chin and tilted her head back until she met his gaze.  “He thinks you were cheated in the deal.”
    A small smile broke through, although she tried to stop herself.  She rubbed her eyes with the linen cloth.  “Oh, right.  You were