He refocused on her face, listened to her impassioned speech about equality and the empowerment of women through the granting of greater rights. The sound of her voice, husky and beautifully cadenced, threatened to cut through the cold rage locked in his chest. Much like had been happening with far too much frequency in the past few weeks, he recalled her heated implorations as he’d trapped her beneath him and scaled new heights of ecstasy with her. Like every rapt member of the audience, he’d been enthralled with her, enough so that as he’d fallen asleep that night two months ago, he toyed with the idea of prolonging their encounter.
Even waking up and discovering the theft, Rahim had been willing to consider letting her keep the box if it meant convincing her to stay in Dar-Aman a little while longer. Discovering her gone, and the piercing ache of disappointment that had followed, had sent an icy premonition down his spine. The reminder of his father’s weakness where his mother was concerned and the parallels to what he was willing to let slide because of one woman had been shocking enough to bid Allegra good riddance. But, Rahim thought bitterly, out of sight hadn’t meant out of mind.
She paused in her speech, allowing the captive audience to share in her joke. For a brief moment, her eyes slid to his. The shock she hadn’t quite been able to hide reflected in her eyes and in the tiny quiver of her lips. But alongside that, Rahim read fear, stark and real.
A lesser man would have been thrilled to be in the position to leverage her actions against her both publicly and privately. To pay her back for daring to invade his thoughts day and night where no other woman had consumed him with such fervour. But all Rahim wanted was to be alone with her. To test this insane attraction and see if it was as real as his mind and body insisted it was.
He would satisfy himself that Allegra Di Sione was forgettable. Then he would show her the progress he’d made in the past two months in Dar-Aman. It was strictly a matter of pride that she not continue to believe that he was content to live in his opulent palace while his people suffered from his father’s neglect.
The moment her speech was over, he surged from his seat. He waited, hands clenched by his sides as the room erupted in rapturous applause. Again her gaze cut to him, wary questions chasing through the blue depths, before quickly skittering away.
He followed her slender figure as she returned to her seat. Impatiently, he waited as the chairman officially closed the conference before he mounted the podium to where Allegra was indulging in photo ops with a few first ladies. Uncaring about the flashing camera, he cut through the throng surrounding her and stopped in front of her.
Her sleek head turned towards him, and Rahim knew, in that moment, he hadn’t exaggerated the powerful chemistry between them. Every fibre in his body hungered for her with a desperation that was blindingly visceral.
‘Allegra,’ he rasped her name, and just the act of doing so seemed to expand the pressure in his chest.
‘Y-Your Highness. I wasn’t informed you would be attending this conference, or I would have made time to meet with you...’
The formal address, falling so stiffly from her lips, made him want to pull her close, take her mouth in a ruthless kiss and shame her for daring to keep him at arm’s length.
‘Make time now.’ Rahim made sure his tone conveyed he wasn’t making a polite request. ‘I insist.’
She glanced beyond his shoulder and spotted the two burly bodyguards behind him. Her vivid apprehension thickened, reached out and curled around them.
‘I can’t just...leave,’ she parried.
Rahim raised a mocking brow. ‘I think we both know you can do exactly that.’
Every last trace of colour fled her face. Her lashes swept down and she breathed deep before she looked up at him. Against his will, he devoured her lovely features, cursing himself for being this captivated with her despite all she’d done.
His breath caught as she took a step closer and leaned towards him. ‘I can’t do this here, Rahim. Please,’ she whispered shakily.
He caught the delicate scent of her perfume, felt the heat radiating off her body and reined in enough control not to reach out and pull her tight against him. ‘Then leave with me. We’re going to talk, Allegra. It’s your choice whether you want an audience or not. You’re an intelligent woman. Choose the latter.’
She swallowed, and stepped back. Glancing to the side, she smiled at a younger woman who hurried forward. ‘Zara, please cancel my lunch appointment, and send my apologies to Lady Sarafina.’
Her assistant tried to hide her surprise, and failed. ‘I... Yes, of course. Should I cancel the press junkets too?’
Allegra glanced at him, a thousand questions in her eyes. Rahim stared back, biting down the uncivilised growl that threatened to erupt from him. He’d never been possessive about any of the women who’d passed through his life. And yet, the thought of sharing Allegra with anyone sent a pulse of deep displeasure through him. Adding caveman to the list of unpleasant characteristics he’d had to acknowledge since meeting Allegra Di Sione made his teeth clench.
She caught the look, and quickly nodded at Zara. ‘Yes, reschedule those for tomorrow.’
Rahim barely saw the assistant melting away. He saw nothing and no one except Allegra. When she turned to leave the conference room, he followed.
Her stylish navy dress and matching jacket clung to her body as she walked beside him. Rahim watched her smile in acknowledgement at several people, her movements displaying a regal grace that would make his kingmakers proud.
From nowhere, he wondered what his mother would’ve thought of her. Would the queen who’d lived most of her life as a fairy tale have taken to Allegra? Or would she have feared for her son and the near-obsessive emotions bubbling through him right now?
Slashing through the fog of futile musings, he crossed the grand foyer of the five-star hotel and inserted the keycard for his private lift.
‘Um...where are we going?’ Allegra asked.
He tried his best to ignore the wariness in her voice. ‘To my penthouse. It’s the only place we’ll be guaranteed complete privacy.’
‘There are offices reserved down here for the conference. I’m sure we can find one that isn’t occupied.’
He faced her as the lift doors opened. ‘Why, Allegra, are you suddenly afraid to be alone with me? Do you fear for your reputation, perhaps?’ he mocked.
The firm shake of her head belied the racing pulse at her throat. ‘No, I merely thought it would be expedient. You seem in a hurry.’
‘Oh, I am in a great hurry. I cannot wait a moment longer to find out how you thought you’d get away with stealing from me when you knew there was nowhere you could hide that I wouldn’t find you.’
She inhaled sharply and glanced over her shoulder. Only his bodyguards were within eavesdropping distance. With a wave of his hand, Rahim dismissed them. And then did what he’d been dying to do since he walked into the conference room two hours ago. He reached out and grasped Allegra’s wrist. She resisted for a tiny second before joining him in the lift.
Passing the keycard over the LED monitor, he watched her swallow as the doors sealed them in. Silence surged along with the lift. Sliding his hand up her arm and over her shoulder, he caught a finger under her chin. ‘Look at me, Allegra.’
Stunning blue eyes met his.
‘I asked you a question. Answer me.’
Her mouth worked for a moment before she answered. ‘I tried to pay you for what I took. I sent you five cheques. They were all returned, ripped in pieces.’
Rahim allowed himself a tiny, mirthless smile. ‘Not only did you grossly insult me by stealing from me, you then presumed to know