Queen of Barrakesch by Delaney Diamond

Author:Delaney Diamond
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781946302168
Publisher: Garden Avenue Press
Published: 2020-03-27T04:00:00+00:00

14

The doors were barely opened before Imani swung through them and marched over to Wasim’s desk. He didn’t look up when she entered, as if he didn’t hear her or know she was coming, when they both knew no one entered his offices without being announced first.

He continued writing with his head bent over some document. His indifference further inflamed her anger and she slammed the contract on the desk in front of him and received a small spurt of satisfaction when he jumped. He hadn’t been expecting that.

“How dare you delay the signing!” she said.

“Lower. Your. Voice.” His voice seethed with anger.

“I will not!” Imani slammed her hands on top of the contracts again. “We worked on this for over a year. All you have to do is sign it.”

He tossed a dismissive glance at the papers and then met her gaze. “I’m a very busy man. I have other responsibilities now and don’t have time to review those documents. When I have time, I will, but I don’t know when that will be. Could be in three days, three months, or three years from now.”

Imani straightened with her hands clenched at her sides. “You’re despicable.”

“Are you going to spend all day paying me compliments?”

“That wasn’t a compliment, you ass.” He arched a brow, and she immediately regretted the remark. She was here to get him to change his mind, and insulting him would probably not do that. She shifted tactic. “Kofi is your best friend and the Kingdom of Zamibia is depending on you to sign this agreement.”

“The Kingdom of Zamibia delayed the process several times. I believe it is your environmental commission that put you in this tough spot. Besides, I’m sure Kofi will understand when he finds out I couldn’t get to signing the agreement because my father just died. He will be disappointed but understanding, since the mourning period has only recently passed.”

She felt a slight twinge of guilt when he pointed out that his father just died, but she quickly dismissed it because that was a false explanation and they both knew it.

“Is this you now? You’ll be a fantastic king.”

“Thank you. I look forward to a long rule.”

She’d never seen him so dismissive of her feelings and while sarcasm and witty remarks had been common in their relationship, he’d never behaved like this with her before.

“This is beneath you, Wasim,” Imani whispered, hoping to appeal to his softer side.

“Wanting to marry you is beneath me?” he asked sarcastically.

“Forcing my hand.”

He lowered his voice. “Everyone expects us to get married.”

She lowered her voice further. “But we agreed we wouldn’t go that far. Marriage was not the endgame.”

“The game has changed. My father is dead. On his deathbed, he asked me to marry you. All you have to do is say yes.”

“Whether I want to or not? Forced marriages are forbidden in Islam.”

“I am not forcing you to marry me. I offered you marriage, which you did not accept. According to my religion, which you love to toss in my face, we cannot be married without your consent.

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