Free chapter Claimed By The Sheikh

Date: 22nd February 2024, Posted by mollie

what you wanted…

Hi my loves
I hope you enjoy this excerpt from Claimed By The Sheikh. It features a special scene where Salim, the young child, was pulled from the car wreckage that killed his parents (no spoiler alert- if you’ve read this love story, you’ll know what I mean!)

CHAPTER 50

“I thought it was what you wanted.” Tariq stood in the guesthouse doorway, watching Melanie thrust clothes into her suitcase.

“This will be your home,” Tariq said. “We will raise our son together. You will want for nothing. You can build a life here. A career. A reputation. All that you have ever desired.”

“This is not my home. My life is in London. Oh, my goodness, Tariq. Why are you making this difficult? You don’t want a difficult wife any more than I want a controlling husband.”

“I will not lose my son.”

“And I will not give him up. Not again. So, what? You will marry me, and we will be a happy family? Is that what you believe? Our parents tried that, and how did that work out?” she threw at him.

“I don’t want Salim to be a motherless boy like I was. I won’t allow him the indignity and disgrace of being a bastard, so I will take you as my wife. Problem solved.”

“You will take me?” she said, throwing a book of orchid photography in her case. “Problem solved?”

“Yes, isn’t that what you say in the West? Do you take this woman as your lawful wedded wife?”

Melanie frowned and exhaled a breath of loud disbelief. “For an educated man, you’re pretty ignorant. Wedding vows have evolved since those archaic misogynistic rites. We’ve evolved. Women no longer regard themselves as a man’s property. As usual, men have been slow to catch up. But it’s all semantics. No matter what words you choose, you’re missing the point.”

“I am?”

“Yes, contrary to your belief, marriage is a partnership. A woman has to agree. As in, ‘Do you, Melanie Lenore Jones, take this Sheikh, Tariq na Hassir, as your lawful wedded husband?’ And I don’t. I don’t want a belligerent sheikh. I don’t want a reluctant husband. And I definitely don’t want to marry a man out of a sense of duty.”

She thrust forward the picture of a giraffe family Salim had drawn. Her heart clutched as she studied the happy yellow polka-dotted daddy and mommy giraffe, standing with their pink polka-dotted son, their faces beaming with joy.

“Salim wants a family. A happy family. He wants, needs, and deserves love—and you haven’t said you love me or him since you found out the truth. Not once. Just the opposite. You’ve made it clear that you despise me. My only worth to you is my ability to design a landmark building. Well. I’ve done that. I kept my side of the bargain. Now I’m asking you to do something for me. I’m asking you to let me leave with my son.”

“I can’t.”

“You can, and you bloody well will. I’ve spent years trailing and stumbling and clawing my way through sheer hard work and torturous hours along the misguided path to self-worth, imprisoned by my fear of not living up to my father’s ambition for me to be a famous architect.”

Melanie flung her traditional Arabic dresses into her suitcase. “I’ve spent years believing my self-worth depended on achieving career success,” Melanie continued. “So, I guess I should thank you. You’ve taught me that the real path to self-worth isn’t how famous or good I am at my job—it’s how good I am as a woman, person, and parent. It’s about being true to myself and opening my heart. I did that. I gave you my heart. But you never gave me yours. I told you I loved you—and you, Tariq? What did you do?”

Tariq stood mutely, stiff as a sentry, stoic and silent.

“Yes, that’s right. Nothing. You will do anything to avoid experiencing loss again—even if it means losing out on true love. Even if it means denying Salim a real family. You’re imprisoned by your mistrust and your refusal to love fully. As long as you cut yourself off from others, as long as you cage how you feel, as long as you hold onto your judgmental standards of absolute perfection, you will never feel fulfilled. And you’ll never be able to give me or Salim what we need. Unconditional, authentic love.”

“So no, Tariq. I won’t take you as my lawfully wedded husband. And I won’t be your obedient wife.”

“Have you finished?” he said. “I came to tell you I was wrong,” he walked toward her. ‘This whole confounded situation is wrong,” his tone was low, his emotions guarded as he studied her face for her reaction. “If it weren’t for my father, none of this would have happened. We would have been together. I forgive you. I’ve behaved like a child. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”

She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t focus. She couldn’t concentrate on what he had just said because she wanted to run away from him, and she wanted to run into his arms at the same time. But she still hadn’t heard the three little words confirming the grand truth.

Enjoy Tariq and Melanie’s sensual love story:

AMAZON US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YBN6JG7

AMAZON CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07YBN6JG7

AMAZON UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YBN6JG7

AMAZON AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07YBN6JG7

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Enjoy more free sample chapters:

CLAIMED BY THE SHEIKH is part of Mollie Mathews’ THE SHEIKHS UNTAMED BRIDES series starring Maverick Sheikh Billionaires. While it can easily be read as a standalone story, you’ll likely enjoy reading the other books, too.

THE SHEIKHS UNTAMED BRIDES

Claimed by the Sheikh (Tariq and Melanie)

Stolen By The Sheikh (Anwar and Lucy)

Bought By The Sheikh (Fazza and Grace)

Other Novels by Mollie Mathews

TRUE LOVE STORIES

Love In Venice (Mauro and Maggie)

Love in Mexico (Oliver and Ruby)

Love in Montana (Lizzie and Jack)

Love In Sicily (Kate and Gianni)

P.S! Do you enjoy short stories? You’ll love my new release…Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories 6 Book-Bundle Box Set: Small Town Romance

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The Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories 6 Book-Bundle Box Set contains stand-alone fun and frisky later-in-life, small-town romance romance books by award-winning author Mollie Mathews.

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Still reeling following his unexpected divorce, billionaire Tech guru Jonathan James has returned home feeling disillusioned and low in spirits. The last thing he needs when he flies home from London to New Zealand is complications.

When a baggage mix-up leaves him with nothing but a suitcase full of stilettos, lush lashes, and Dolly Parton-like wigs, he goes in search of the owner. He quickly discovers that all is not as it seems as his life takes off in a hilarious and unexpected direction.

Love Me Forever (Joey and Tomasso)

Viticulturist Joey Harper’s organic vineyard is under siege from neighboring landowners with chemical sprays who want to turn a fast profit and someone purchasing large tracts of land under incredible secrecy.

Venetian winemaking tycoon Tomasso Rivetti has it all: a loving family, good looks, and a considerable fortune. When he ventures Down Under to New Zealand, underneath his apparently perfect world, cracks begin to appear…and no one is more surprised than Tomasso when the billionaire lifestyle he takes for granted is turned upside down by a chance encounter.

Forever and Always (Lily and Leonardo)

Still reeling following her malicious sacking, family therapist Lily Rose is feeling rejected and low in spirits. Even worse, she’s broke. Two weeks before Christmas, the last thing she needs is more money woes. Which is exactly what happens when she collides with billionaire water magnate Leonardo Ermenegildo Bressolini’s mint-condition Lamborghini.

Love Me As I Am (Kiri and Benotti)

Kiri Love had no need for friendships. She had no time for distraction. She was in her final year of medical studies by the grace of God to do a job—and she was determined to do a darned good one. But when her mother is murdered, she sacrifices her ambitions and travels back to the tiny Far North town that had created so much pain.

With three sisters under nine to feed, she’ll do whatever it takes to provide them with the security they need—even if it means groveling to Benotti Zegna, reclusive billionaire jeweler-to-the-stars.

The Lightkeeper’s Lover (Lucy and Andrew)

When their world crashes, will their love meet the test? A woman who flees from love and a man who can’t keep it.

Finding a Husband (Julie and Oliver)

Amateur matchmaker Cassie Roberts has only one wish—to help her best friend find a husband. What she doesn’t realize is that sometimes love doesn’t come easily, and destiny is impossible to predict. When her efforts don’t bear fruit, she considers abandoning her fledgling career until she makes one last attempt.

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AMAZON US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVRBG532

AMAZON CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CVRBG532

AMAZON UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CVRBG532

AMAZON AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CVRBG532

UNIVERSAL LINK: https://mybook.to/6SassyShortStories

Audio and Paperback coming soon