The Duke's Runaway Princess (Love By Accident) Read Online Free

with me and work with me and my family for a little while until you feel up to facing your responsibilities again.” Suzanne had a different view of the possibilities.
    Zarah looked over at her friend, shaking her head as she immediately dismissed the suggestion. It was completely out of the question. There was no way she could outright defy her brother. Argue with him yes. Disregard an order? No. “I couldn’t just leave.”
    “Why not?”
    Suzanne said that as if it were an obvious solution but she had no idea of the chaos that kind of action would cause. “Because my brother would be furious.”
    “And?” She continued to look at Zarah with wide eyes, still not understanding the culture of Tasain and the way families were all connected through marriage and alliances. It wasn’t just her family because her brother was the ruler. It was done all over the country. Business was conducted, agreements finalized and partnerships formed with familial alliances that started with a marriage. It might be antiquated, but it made things work in her country.
    Zarah tried to explain this to Suzanne, but she was at a loss herself. In the end, she shook her head. “I just couldn’t do it.”
    Suzanne shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. “Okay then, go ahead and meet these guys, test the waters, but don’t reject my offer too quickly. Worst case, you get out into the world and get a little work experience, reassure your brother that you’re safe every once in a while, but put your foot down and don’t let him push you into a marriage that you’ll hate. Stand up for yourself,” Suzanne urged. “Think of all the other women in the world who pushed for change in various areas of their culture and risked so much. You could help be the transformation in Tasain and help women all over the country by not marrying a man hand selected by your brother.”
    Zarah considered her friend’s comments but knew she wouldn’t do anything so outrageous. Rashid would find her anyway and Zarah didn’t want to contemplate her brother’s fury when that happened. They sipped their drinks and discussed their graduation which was just around the corner. Eventually, they were joined by their other friends who were also graduating and, for a little while, Zarah was able to ignore her impending nuptials as her friends laughed and joked about their futures and the end of classes.
    The laughter was completely gone three days later while Zarah sat in the elegant restaurant, her hands resting under the table as she waited for the first groom candidate to arrive. Rashid had set up lunch meetings over the next two weeks with each of the potential grooms.
    The first one was already fifteen minutes late. She was just about to stand up to leave when she heard a commotion at the entrance. And there he stood, surveying the room with a pompous, overbearing attitude. He was short, she thought initially. This man couldn’t be taller than she was and as he approached her table she had to smother her laughter at his enormous entourage. There were probably ten people all trying to follow him, each one attempting to look important and efficient.
    She stood up as he arrived at her table and she smothered a groan when she realized that she was at least an inch taller than this man even without her heels. With the shoes she’d selected today, she was about three inches taller than he was and the initial greeting was awkward. He had a very thin frame, narrow shoulders and obviously prized his black goatee since he smoothed it down with his thumb and index finger as he stood in front of Zarah, looking her up and down as if she were some sort of prize horse.
    “You are very beautiful,” the man said as he took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “We will make great babies together and you will give me many sons.”
    Zarah gasped and pulled her hand away, bowing her head and hoping he thought she was being deferential, while she tried desperately hard to smother her