The Things I Lost In The Desert

Chapter 9 - Mother of The Al Jabir Heir

My conversation with Raheem was too much to swallow so I asked for some time and space to recover, and digest. Which he respected to a certain extent. Now and then I'd see a royal guard peek into my hospital room and I wouldn't be surprised if this place was littered with hidden cameras.

He was suggesting a marriage of convenience. His family got an heir, and my life and the baby would be protected by royal resources. He made it sound like a fair deal when it wasn't, if I agreed to this, I'd be his royal incubator. Trapped in a marriage to a man I hardly knew and thrown into a life that I could bet my bottom dollar was strict and controlling. I nibbled at my short nails, nervously trying to come up with an exit plan.

The door quickly swung open and two figures dressed in lab coats rushed in. My scream died in my throat when one of them rushed towards me holding an index finger to their lips and a large knife pointed at me.

"Shhh, don't scream, it's me!"

"What the hell are you doing Sofia!" I reached over to rip the surgical mask off of her face. I could recognise her green eyes anywhere. I shot an irritated glance at her frat-boy, man of the month, boyfriend Jono who was acting like a watch tower by the door.

"I had to make sure you wouldn't scream because we had to sneak in." The thought made me laugh, I didn't even want to think about how they had gotten a hold of the lab coats they were wearing but I was glad she was here. 

We embraced each other with a hug. "What the hell is going on Rome?" She whispered against my hair before pulling away. "I've been trying to get visitation rights for days and this whole floor is crawling with CIA-looking agents? What's going on?"

She looked like a mess, her hair was frizzy, and she looked flushed. I can only imagine what she had to do to get in here.

"It's a long story." I breathed out, it sounded pathetic but it was true.

"Bitch, I feel like I risked my life coming in here. Explain." An uneasy feeling washed over me, it had just come to light that I was being poisoned, so I didn't know if it was wise to tell Sofia everything. But then a counterargument immediately bit back, reminding me this was the only person I had in my life, she would never put me in harm's way.

I quickly looked at Jono who was eyeing the glass window on my door, clearly trying to make sure no one was coming. I turned my attention back to my best friend and lowered my voice.

"Remember that medication I was taking for my appendix?"

She nodded, "After it burst, yeah."

"It wasn't medication for that. It was prenatal medication."

Sofia blinked her eyes rapidly and shook her head. "Wait, wait, wait. You're not..."

She let her question linger and I answered it with a firm nod.

"What?" She exploded, earning a dirty look from Jono who hushed her. "When? Who?"

"You remember that camel-riding guy?"

"The guy you got trapped with?" I nodded again and she gasped bringing a hand over her mouth to keep herself from involuntarily making too much noise. "But you said he was a total ass!"

"I only said that because he ditched me the next morning after we spent the night." Sofia sank onto the bed, gripping my hand softly. She was careful not to disturb my drip. "That isn't even the crazy part."

"What do you mean?"

"Get this. He says he's some kind of Saudi prince." Sofia shouted a what at the same time Jono did. I didn't even know he was eavesdropping.

"I'm sorry, I thought Amir Rayan was married?" Jono said completely confused. His eyes bounced between Sofia and me.

"What? No, his name is Raheem." My heart skipped a beat, was Raheem married? I mean, he managed to hide from me that he was a frikken prince in the first place. Jono's mouth shaped into an 'o' shape as realization hit him.

"Your baby daddy is Amir Ali Raheem Al Jabir?" He let out a low whistle and sat back. "Damn, Rome..."

"You know him?"

"You don't?" He shot back, genuinely shocked. "Al Jabir is only the most powerful family in the world. They got real oil money. You're either the smartest woman or the dumbest to have a baby with him. How did you not know you were fucking a prince?"

Sofia gave him a dirty look and he muttered an apology for his foul language.

"I- he didn't-" To be fair the signs were there. The bodyguards, the way they looked at me crazy every time I didn't refer to him correctly, the way Karim was so far up his ass, I should've known. My face heated up with embarrassment just thinking about it. "He didn't say. He just...said he was sort of someone important. Besides all I had was a name."

"Doll, one Google search would've saved you the surprise. He's the first thing that pops up when you type in Raheem, weren't you the least bit curious? He's like the Harry of his family, the people's absolute favourite."

"They both have to same taste in women..." Sofia added, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Oh shut up." I groaned in embarrassment. Jono was so distracted by my juicy revelation that he didn't notice the two dark figures approaching the door until it was too late.

One of them kicked open the door with so much force, Jono stumbled back. When the two men entered, the first man tackled Jono to the ground. He had the poor guy face down on the cold tiled floor, with his hands tied behind. I couldn't tell who was shrieking louder, Sofia or me.

The other guy who I recognised as one of the hospital staff, had a gun pointed at Sofia who had sprung up from the bed, when the door was kicked open. She stood with her back to the wall and her shaking arms raised. Typical Raheem, even the hospital staff was working for him.

"What the hell are you doing!" He ignored me and kept his eyes and gun trained on Sofia.

"How'd the two you get in here?"

"We snuck in, I just wanted to see my friend that's all! We haven't done anything!" Sofia pleaded.

"Bro get off me!" Jono muffled on the ground.

"Who sent you!" The nurse with a gun took a step closer and Sofia shook even more, staring at the pistol pointed at her.

"Are you mad! Drop the gun!" I screamed with my hands also raised in the air but there was nothing I could do, I was bedridden. "She was just visiting!"

Without looking at me, the nurse spoke to me in a tone, I'd never heard him use on me before. "Do you understand the kind of danger you're in Miss Bailey? The bloody Taj Mayt are after you! They've killed royals in such a way that the world's top investigators couldn't find a shred of evidence to link to them. I don't think it scares you enough that these two idiots could sneak in, with that kind of organisation after you! Hell, you don't even know how they managed to poison you!"

"Poison?" Sofia looked at me, her fear was for a different reason. "What? What's going on Rome?"

I didn't want to worry Sofia with this kind of detail. "Well, I'm telling you they're harmless so lower your guns!"

"Respectfully, I do not take orders from you, Miss Bailey."

"But you will take order from your Princess!" I spat out. The minute I said it, I regretted it but there was no backing down now. The nurse and the other man exchanged confused glances before looking at me. "Raheem and I have agreed to get married. Now I may not be his wife yet but I promise you, you do not want to make an enemy of me. Lower your gun."

I did not know what I was doing but I was desperate to de-escalate the situation. After a moment of confusion from everyone in the room, including me, he lowered his gun. As both men slowly backed away, they bowed their heads slightly, muttering what I could only assume was my royal title. 

"As you wish, Amira." They said in unison.