Captured By The Sheikh ( His Hired Bride )

Caught

Chapter one

Kacie

“This is quite unusual,” I muttered, as I sneaked past some guards seated around a table. So far, meandering my way into the mansion, hadn't proven to be as tough as Josh had exaggerated.

The hallway was vast, if not empty, and my weeks of training proved to be useless. I mean, what was there to fight?

“What is unusual?” Josh asked, just as I leaned against a wall, and waited for an all black dressed guard to move past.

“Everything. For a Sheikh, the security around here is so low. It just seems so easy.” And it was.

I had been expecting lots of guards, but from the number I'd sneaked past, I was sure they weren't up to ten in the entire mansion.

Josh sighed from his end. “That shouldn't bother you. Maybe he isn't heavy on security. You know how these billionaires are. Get the art piece, and forget about the security.”

“That's easy for you to say. I trust my instincts, Josh. Whatever, where's his gallery located?” I asked, pushing the fact that as I hurried along the hallway, I didn't encounter another guard, to the back of my mind.

My legs ached from hours of monitoring his mansion. All I wanted to do at that moment, was to grab the art piece, get the f**k out of the mansion, get into my little hot tub at my condo, and soak up.

“Hold on-” Josh said. I heard the clicking of his keyboards from his end. I patted the pepper spray which I'd tucked into the side of my trouser. Although I wondered why I'd brought it, in the first place. It wasn't like I'd need it, anyways.

“The West wing. Cream colored door.” His voice came on, again, and I nodded. That was where I was headed to.

I rounded a corner, and a large cream colored door came into sight. “Got it.”

The Art gallery was just as I pictured it to be. Superseding my imagination, even. I didn't waste much time, as I hurried over to grab what'd brought me here in the first place.

It was an average sized art piece, which was worth billions. I'd been planning on its raid for weeks now. Along with my best friend, Josh.

And now, it was finally going to be ours…

Sparing a quick glance at the other art pieces, I tentatively grabbed it from its stand, and just then, an alarm began blaring. My heart skipped a beat, and I cursed. Just what I thought. Everything had seemed so easy.

“Kay? Kay? What's up?! What's happening?” Josh's panicky voice sounded in my ear, as I rushed out of the gallery, the art piece in my left hand.

“Just a perk of a billionaire's mansion.” I was almost out of breath, by the time I sneaked into a room, at the end of the hallway.

As I leaned against the door, I could hear the heavy steps of the men, as they ran past.

“Do well, not to get caught.” He begged, and I turned to take a closer look at the room I'd sneaked into.

“You bet.”

The room was dark, and had an ominous feel to it. But, I'd rather stay here all night, than go back outside and be caught by the sheikh's men, or worse still, by Al-Zayn himself.

Light snaked into the room, through the window located at a far end. No sooner had a thought formed in my mind, did I move quickly towards it.

I could escape through the window, with the art piece. Great.

As I stared down from the window, my heart caught in my throat. It was a long way down. I could break a leg, if I attempted to jump.

But not jumping down, meant I'd be caught. I made a decision quickly.

I'd just stretched a leg forward, after saying a short prayer, when a voice stopped me. It was colder than the ice on an ice desert.

“Don't even think about it.” The voice said, just as the lights came on. When I turned back, my heart almost stopped beating.

Leaning against the headboard of a king-sized bed, was a tanned handsome looking man. His hair lay in curls, doing not even the slightest bit to hide his deep blue set eyes. His black shirt did beautiful justice to his well sculpted chest. God help me, but I was sure I was drooling.

He was staring at me intently, and then his eyes drifted downwards towards the art piece in my hand.

I had been distracted by his looks, that I'd forgotten that I was supposed to be escaping. To get the f**k out of the mansion. But my damn legs weren't cooperating.

“So you're the one who made the alarm go off?” He drawled. It was a rhetorical question, but I felt inclined to give an answer.

I didn't know why. Maybe it was because of his royal demeanor. Or the way his voice commanded respect. Perhaps, it was his good looks, and the way he stared at me, like he was about to swallow me whole.

I nodded, and took a quick glance at the art piece in my hand. It had suddenly lost its allure, in my eyes, and I wished I could get away from it at that moment.

“Kay, are you out yet?” Josh's concerned voice came on, and that roused me from my temporary trance.

“I need to go.” I whispered, and rushed towards the window.

“You could die, if you attempted to jump down. And even if you don't, my men would make sure you do.” He stood up, and approached me, slowly.

My heart turned numb. His men? Then was he-

“Besides, you haven't introduced yourself, yet. I'm Al-Zayn Fazzal.”

If my heart had turned numb at the mention of his men, then at his introduction, blood literally rushed to my head.

I'd been caught.

“Kay?” I flinched at the sound of Josh's voice, and even more so, when Al-Zayn stretched his hand forward towards my ear.

His hand barely brushed my skin, but I gasped at the contact. He retrieved the earbuds, and placed them in his ears.

“You can forget about your partner.” He looked at me, as he continued. “She wouldn't be coming back.”

Whatever strength I had left in my legs dissolved, and they suddenly felt like jelly. I wobbled on my feet, grabbing at the nearby wall for support.

He threw the buds on the ground, once he was done speaking. Up close, his face was so strikingly handsome. And he looked hot too. But I knew those weren't what I should be thinking about.

Heck, I'd just been caught by the owner of the mansion. By the powerful Sheikh Al-Zayn, himself. What was he going to do to me?

“You're quite bold. Did you really think you could sneak into my mansion, and steal one of my art pieces?” Gone was the casual look on his face. In its place were disgust and scorn, all melded into one.

His stare bored into my skin, and my body suddenly felt scorched. He tilted my jaw, forcing my gaze to meet his.

“You know, I could just end your life right now. But that'd be too easy. You deserve a sentence worse than death.” His voice was cold, emotionless, and totally unfeeling.

I swallowed hard, gripping at the art piece, like it was some sort of life support. My stomach churned, and I was pretty sure I'd be retching out whatever it was I had for lunch, soon.

“P-please-” I whispered. I'd never begged anyone before. But maybe that was because I'd never been in a situation such as this one. Right now, I could as well grovel.

He finally let go of me, after some seconds. His laughter filled the room. “The only reason I'm not hurting you right now, is because you're pretty. And for you to have sneaked into my heavily guarded mansion, you've got some balls.”

I blinked, at his definition of ‘heavily guarded.’

He went over to the bedside table, on which a telephone was placed. “Send two men to my room.” He ordered whoever was on the other line. My breath came in short raspy pants, as I tried avoiding his gaze.

‘And that was it,’ I thought. I was going to be killed. Rumors of how ruthless the Sheikh was, had been flying around. I was about to witness it, first-hand.

He turned back towards me, with the ghost of a smile on his face. “Rest easy. You look like you've just swallowed bile.”

I wish that was the case.

He studied me for some seconds, but there was no way in hell, was I ready for his next words.

“I'm going to offer you a deal. You agree to it, and I'd forget about what just happened. Not literally of course. I wouldn't let you go. But at least, I wouldn't kill you.” His eyes glinted.

I knew I couldn't disagree with whatever his deal would be, and he was just toying with me.

And even though I wanted him to go to hell, I found myself saying, “And what's the deal?” With a voice that was pathetically cracked, I asked.

He smirked. “She speaks. Perfect. I was afraid you might have lost your voice, from fear. The deal is to-” He was right in front of me, within a couple of seconds.

“-become my fiancèe.”

I might have burst into laughter, if the situation had been any way different. But doing so at that moment, might ignite his fury.

“Sorry, what?” Not bothering to conceal my confusion, I asked.

The confident look on his face didn't crack. “You heard me right. Become my fiancèe, and I'll spare you.”

His men came into the room, at that moment. They were dressed just like the other guards I'd sneaked past.

“Who was in charge of the gallery?” he questioned them.

“It was Kabir, Amir-” One of them began saying, when Al-Zayn threw him a punch.

“Bastards!” He hissed. “I'd deal with you all, later. For now, take her to the prisoner's room.” He ordered, pointing at me.

He barely spared me a glance, as he began speaking. “Think about it, and let me know your decision. But I'm sure you wouldn't choose death.” And to his men, he said, “Take her away.”

And as I was led out of the room, I was pretty sure my life wasn't going to remain the same.