I am not his. I will die before I suffer him ever again.
“How did you get this?” he asked.
Her lashes lowered. “When my parents were killed, I fled, as you know, but…” She paused, drawing in a deep breath. “The man who betrayed my father, who cut him down, was an Arabian named Samir Al-Zahrani. He took me captive as I fled. I thought he was helping me, but I soon learned the truth. Another shah wanted to take over our lands, and I was Al-Zahrani’s payment in exchange for betraying my father. I was to become part of his harem.”
“He hurt you?” Lawrence’s voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it that would have scared her had he been directing his tone at her.
“Yes, more than once, but he never took me. He thought he had the rest of my life to torture me with the promise of sharing hi
