Chapter seven

"Rebecca, may we talk?" Jamal's voice was gruff, his eyes scanning her disheveled appearance. Her brunette shinny brown hair tumbled untidily around her shoulders, framing her face and highlighting her beautiful eyes.

Sex parties, he thought, a rage like he'd never experienced surging through him. The idea of other men seeing her naked, imagining her with someone else, filled him with violent fury. He wanted to break something, hit something, make someone bleed. The thought of men already familiar with her slender, curvaceous body drove Jamal into a towering rage.

Rebecca stood and led him into the rarely used dining room, turning to face him when she reached the head of the table. Her chin was set defiantly as he closed the door behind him. She knew what he was going to do; he was going to ask the one unforgivable question.

Jamal exhaled slowly. "Is it true?"

There he was, right on target. Her anger and disappointment were overwhelming. "Which part? The insatiable desire for sex or the sex parties?" she asked tightly. "Choose your answer...it's all the same to me."

Taken aback by her boldness, Jamal's jaw hardened. "Don't take that attitude with me. I have the right to ask."

"No, you don't have any rights over me. I'm not married to you yet. You didn't question my past when you had the chance, and I didn't question you about yours. It's a little late to start changing your mind now."

His long lashes screened his gaze, and a dark flush accentuated his high cheekbones. Something she said had struck a nerve, but she didn't know which part of her speech had hit home. She realized she had, for once, managed to put Jamal out of countenance.

"Unfortunately, I don't have the freedom to overlook a wife's colorful past. I have too many other considerations, not least the royal status I would be granting you," Jamal bit out, his hands clenching into fists by his side. He could give her up if he had to. He could revisit the idea of putting her in the Dubai apartment, couldn't he? The tightness in his chest eased slightly at that thought.

What was she doing? What was she thinking? Rebecca asked herself, realizing that a few defiant words could ruin her parents' rescue plan, which she didn't want. But Jamal had disappointed her, demeaned and offended her by asking that inexcusable question.

"Is it true?"

Rebecca could understand why he was asking. Eldoria was a conservative country, and a scandal involving the future queen would be disastrous. Nathan had really managed to create a mess, and she wondered how she could possibly defend herself against such accusations. Mud always stuck. But she refused to see herself as a victim, especially not of her greedy brother.

"Surely you had my lifestyle checked out before you proposed?" Rebecca asked, incredulous that Jamal would propose without first ensuring her suitability. "Surely you already know the answer to your own question?"

"Regrettably not. I had no thought of marriage in mind when we met at the hotel," Jamal admitted stonily, angered by her evasiveness.

"My goodness, that was very irresponsible and quite unlike you," Rebecca noted with dulcet surprise, her head tilting as if to emphasize her point.

His eyes darkened with fury. "Answer me!" he demanded, his tone sharp.

"What kind of past did you think I had?" Rebecca asked, striving to stand her ground against his intimidating presence.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. I don't expect you to be a virgin. I assume you've had normal adult experiences, and I don't want to pry any further into your past. But," Jamal said with emphasis, "in my public role, I have to consider my people's expectations. We are traditional, and my family must set high standards. I also want to know how this information got to the press."

"Family photos were in that article. Mom and I think Nathan sold the story."

Jamal frowned in disbelief. "Nathan did this to you?"

"Yes. Nathan is bitter and resentful because he won't benefit from our marriage, and that has enraged him."

"I assumed he would consider the benefits to your parents."

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "My brother has a vengeful streak. You should understand that."

"Do not compare me to your brother," Jamal said, outraged.

"Blackmailing me into marrying you to get me into bed is revenge," Rebecca shot back. "Maybe you think it's an honor for me, but I don't feel the same way."

"You still haven't answered my question about the truth of that newspaper story," Jamal reminded her, stubbornly pressing the issue.

"Because you don't deserve an answer," Rebecca replied bitterly. "You should be ashamed for even asking. You knew me three years ago. Do you really think I've changed that much?"

A hard line set across Jamal's jaw as he spoke. “I’ve been around long enough to know that people can change in unexpected ways. Life’s events can make someone act out of character,” he said flatly, standing firm on this point, aware of how his own past mistakes reflected that truth.

Rebecca shot him a defiant glance. “Well, I suppose you must know everything about change. But let me be clear—my decision not to marry you three years ago didn’t lead me into the lifestyle of a scandalous celebrity,” she retorted, her blue eyes flashing with righteous anger. “I’ve never heard of Jackson Matt before, and I’ve certainly never met him. I’m convinced he’s someone Nathan paid to tarnish my name. As my brother, it would be strange for Nathan to accuse me of something like this, especially since it would also reveal how he betrayed me.”

A fraction of the tension in Jamal’s stance eased. “You’ve never even met this so-called ex-boyfriend?” he pressed, trying to discern whether the whole story was fabricated. “Don’t just tell me what I want to hear, because I will investigate this matter further.”

“Honestly, right now,” Rebecca said, tossing her disheveled shinny brunette hair back with a dismissive flick, “I don’t care about impressing you.”

“You do need to make sure that our wedding proceeds,” Jamal said, his voice rough as he took in the sight of her rumpled pajamas and how they clung to her curves, betraying a hint of his own intense frustration. He fought to push down his emotions, cursing himself for letting his focus waver and feeling like he was acting like a lovesick teenager.

Rebecca was acutely aware that her parents’ future depended on her next steps. Although Jamal had deeply offended her, he held the power, and while she refused to beg, she knew she needed to clear her name. “I’m telling you the truth. I’m innocent of all these claims. I’ve been framed and maliciously slandered by the press.”

“If you are indeed telling the truth, then I will pursue legal action,” Jamal said, his intense golden eyes fixed on her with a steely resolve. “But be warned, if I do, any past secrets of yours might be dragged into the open.”

“I have no secrets to reveal,” Rebecca shot back, her voice firm as she took a deep breath. “My conscience is clear. If you want to sue, then go ahead.”

“Am I to expect that there might be real truths coming from your past relationships?” Jamal asked, his teeth clenched with tension.