Chapter 424

• He broke off and gave a grim laugh. "Did you honestly think I wouldn’t notice the indisputable proof of your innocence?" It’s possible I hurt you.’ His conscience burned when he recalled how he had taken her, with a distinct lack of finesse. "But you only have yourself to blame if I did," he growled, guilt adding to his inexplicable fury that he had somehow ruined a moment that should have been special for both of them. "Perhaps you concluded that all you were gaining financially was worth a few moments of discomfort?" he added scathingly.
• ‘No. "You've got it all wrong," Kate cried frantically, pushing her tangled curls out of her eyes as she jerked upright, and then blushing scarlet when his eyes settled on her bare breasts. To her horror, her nipples immediately hardened into provocative peaks, and smothering a groan of mortification, she dragged the silk bedcover around her before she lifted her head to him.
• Only moments ago, Ahsan had taken her to heaven. Now he was looking at her as if she were the lowest life-worm on the planet. "I admit I lied about the details of my marriage," she choked, wishing that instead of putting her on trial the minute he had withdrawn his body from hers, he had taken her in his arms and stroked her hair, making her feel that giving her virginity to him had been something to cherish. ‘You’re right. I was afraid that if you knew I had been Farhan’s wife in name only, you would have used it as leverage to take Hazem from me. "But Farhan never wanted me to be his proper wife," she explained urgently. "He only ever loved one woman, and he spoke about Farrah until the day he died."