Isla looked around the classroom, noting that the body guards had shooed out the teachers and administrator so they were thankfully alone for this conversation. “Yes. We should probably leave so they can finish up their day.”
He turned back to her and stepped slightly closer. “And are you finished for the day?” he asked, a somewhat ominous tone in his voice.
She looked up at him warily. “I’m finished for today. But what about tomorrow?”
He didn’t answer her immediately. “Considering that I canceled my inspections when I heard you were out and about…”
She shook her head, her mouth showing her surprise at his statement. “Why did you do that? I had my security guards clear it with their supervisors.”
He rubbed his hand over the top of his head, his hair moving right back into place since he kept it so short now that the war and fighting was over. “Let’s go back to the palace to discuss this, okay?”
He didn’t stop and wait for her answer. Putting a hand to the small of her back, he led her through the doors, shaking the hands of the teachers and administrators who were almost prostrating themselves as he passed by. He was very gracious, but all of them were in awe of his presence and Isla saw a whole other side to him. She was very confused. After spending two days in this man’s country, she couldn’t reconcile the man’s evil reputation with the man she was getting to know and the reactions of his people who appeared to adore him. But how could so many rumors be false? And why wouldn’t he allow reporters into the country? What was the issue with the rest of the world getting to know all the wonderful things that were going on inside the country?
She kept her silence though as they made their way through the crowds. So many people had heard that Hussan had arrived and they were thrilled to see him, exuberant at their upcoming wedding and several people rushed up to give her flowers, smiling eagerly at Hussan before backing up. Isla took the flowers, feeling a warm glow of acceptance with the lovely gesture.
As soon as they were inside the vehicle, Hussan took the flowers and tossed them into a bag his body guard handed to him.
Isla was horrified as her pretty flowers disappeared. “Why did you do that?” she demanded, reaching for the bag, intending to take the flowers out again. They weren’t the best, but they had been a very sweet token by a little boy and a teenage girl. Both of them had looked so sweet and sincere as they’d handed her flowers they’d probably picked out of their garden or any field they’d come across.
“We don’t know what’s on the flowers,” Hussan explained quickly and wiped her hands down with a cloth that smelled of rubbing alcohol.
She couldn’t believe what he was saying and grabbed her hands, hiding them behind her. “Pollen?” she snapped. “What are you thinking? They’re just flowers!”
He shook his head and grabbed her hands again, wiping off as much as he could before tossing the wipe into the same bag into which her flowers had disappeared. “They might not be just flowers, Isla.”
She sat there staring at his strong profile for a long moment. “Why would you say something so ridiculous?”
He sat back against the leather seat and stared straight ahead. “One of the tactics I used to get rid of my enemies during the civil war was to send presents to them. They thought it was a gift meant to show them my respect and acquiescence, but there was poison on various parts of the gifts. Not enough to kill, but something that would disorient them.”
She stared at him, stunned and more than a little horrified. “You’re kidding me, right?”
He shook his head emphatically. “Nope.”
It took her several minutes to absorb this tactic, considering the man and how tough he looked right at the moment. “How many times did you do this?” She wasn’t sure if she was impressed or disgusted.
“Too many times to count,” he responded grimly.
Ugh. That meant that his uncle and all of his generals and deputies had been stupid, vain and greedy. Once was bad. Twice was just evil. But when one’s enemies fell for the same trick over and over again she couldn’t help but think that Hussan was diabolical. “Um…okay then.” She took a deep breath and thought over that idea. “So your uncle was….” She considered her words carefully, wondering if he might have respected the man or had some familial feelings towards his father’s brother. She had to be considerate if he still thought of the idiot man as a revered family member who was just in the way of his political ambitions. Even as she thought it, she knew that wasn’t the case. Hussan was strong, but she didn’t think he was maliciously ambitious.
In the end, she didn’t have to be careful. Hussan filled in the blank she was struggling to define.
“My uncle was a greedy idiot who ruined this country, bankrupted the economy and tortured his people. He didn’t deserve to rule and if you have any issues with my assumption of power, we need to get those reservations out of the way immediately because I will not tolerate that man’s name being brought up within the borders of this country.”
Isla had never seen him so harsh, so absolute. He’d laid down the law and expected her to follow. She thought about it for a moment, but then nodded her head. Isla had seen the destruction. Had assumed it was because of Hussan’s rule but she was now coming to understand that it was more likely the result of his uncle’s greed and dissolution. “I have no issues with you being the Sheik of Silaria, Hussan,” she said softly.
He watched her for a moment, noticed the sincerity in her voice and her eyes, then nodded. Turning away, he looked out the window as the driver brought them back within the palace walls. Isla noticed that Hussan visibly relaxed now that they were back within the confines of his security system. She wondered if it was for his safety, or if he was more concerned with her own safety.
Despite all the things she’d heard about Hussan, the one description that had repeatedly come up in conversations was that this man was fearless. He would dive into any battle and come out the victor. So she felt a warm glow of happiness come over her as she deduced that Hussan was more concerned about her safety than he was about his personal security. It made him a bit more human, more caring than she’d originally given him credit for.
The vehicles pulled up outside the main entrance and Hussan stepped out first, then turned to help her out, taking her hand initially, but then simply lifting her out of the car and placing her in front of him on the ground. She looked up at him, her thoughts immediately returning to the night before and all he’d made her feel. He held her gaze until she blushed and pulled away, looking down at the ground in embarrassment.