by Sienna Snow
The room grew completely silent with only the sound of the air conditioner blowing.
Holy fuck, Ashur had just threatened his father. Was I in a parallel universe?
“I see where I stand in this family.” Minesh broke the quiet standoff between father and son.
“You do. Now—” Ashur tucked my arm in the crook of his elbow. “I believe it is time for dinner. Papa, you can join us or you can leave. The choice is yours.”
With those words, Ashur led me out of a stunned room.
Chapter Five
Three hours after the most uncomfortable pre-wedding dinner on the face of the planet, I sat with my mom on a quiet bench in the rose garden of the White House.
“Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind and start drinking?” I joked to my mom.
“That man could drive a person to do it, but I have more resolve than that. Plus, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.”
After Ashur’s statement, the evening was anything but pleasant. Minesh spent the dinner complaining about everything from the food to the uncomfortable chairs to the stuffiness of the old building. The only saving grace was when Samina and Devin arrived with their two children, DJ and Mira. The toddlers were so full of life, asking questions and requesting kisses that even the asshole cracked a smile.
However, the moment dinner ended, my mother and I escaped to the gardens, Anya and Samina left for Sam’s townhouse to put the kids to bed, and the men…well, I wasn’t sure where they’d gone. Mummy and I wanted out of the Residence so badly that we barely said our goodbyes.
My phone rang with a tone that made my stomach hurt. This was not good.
I was no longer part of this world, so why were calls still forwarded to me?
I glanced around, opened my purse, and then pulled out the mobile, scanning the caller ID.
My heartbeat accelerated.
It was Ameera’s mobile, but I knew it couldn’t be her.
God, I hoped Tyler was monitoring this call.
“Hello,” I answered, trying not to fidget as my mother scrutinized me.
“Where is my daughter?” Hamir Ustaf’s deep, agitated voice said in Urdu, a language native to the area around North India and Pakistan.
I’d grown up speaking the two languages of my parents. My father’s being Urdu and my mother’s being Gujarati, a language spoken in the Gujarat region of India. My parents had been the scandal of their age.
They’d met while studying abroad in the United States at the University of Texas. As my mom liked to tell me, one look from across their university classroom and she knew her destiny was sealed.
I’d had the same reaction to Ashur when I’d walked down the hallway of Kumar Technologies for a lunch date with my father.
I shook the thought from my mind and focused on the dipshit on the phone.
“Who is this?” I responded in English, knowing it would annoy the shit out of Hamir.
“Don’t fuck with me. That girl is my property. She was supposed to come to me, but because of you, they kept her. And now there is a third bidder.”
My hand shook with anger. I knew if I were standing I’d have swayed. This bastard had arranged for Ameera’s kidnapping. How had our intelligence team missed this? The agents who constantly watched him hadn’t picked up an inkling of news he’d been involved in the abduction.
I kept my voice cool as I said, “She is no one’s property.”
“My daughter, my property.”
“Sperm donor doesn’t make you a father. You abandoned her mother for a lucrative marriage in another country. Do your wife or heirs know you have an illegitimate child with an American model?”
“Because of you, her cost has tripled.”
“I’m not the one who expected a terrorist group to play fair when he had his biological daughter kidnapped. Did you really think I wouldn’t do everything I could to find her?”
“Drop out of the auction or I will make your life a living hell. How do you think your husband will feel when he learns your secret activities?”
“What makes you think he doesn’t know?” I glanced at my watch and then clenched my fists.
Twenty more seconds and we’d have a trace in addition to the recording of this conversation.
If I went with my first instinct, the second his location was established I’d send in the most overzealous team in Solon to get rid of the bastard immediately.
But it would cause more grief than I needed and the priority was getting Ameera back, not starting a war.
My mother set a hand on my arm, making me jump, and then glared at me.
“I’m not an idiot. A man like Kumar would never let his woman interfere in affairs that aren’t her concern.”
“Some men are more secure in their manhood than others. If you really think I’ll let Ameera go from one living hell to another, you have another think coming.”
“As I said, don’t go against me or you will be in the middle of a scandal that will ruin any chance of your husband winning reelection.”
The line went dead, and a sense of anxiety hit me.
God, please keep Ameera alive until we can get her out.
I sent my prayer to heaven, stood, and turned to my mother.
“I’m sorry, Mummy. I need to make another call.”
She frowned and then nodded.
I dialed Tyler’s number. The second he came on the line, I said, “Tell me you got the trace.”
“No. Only the recording.”
My heart sank. I knew it was too good to be true. I hoped luck would throw us a bone and a trace would lead us directly to Hamir but it wasn’t in the cards.
“Any luck with your leads on locating the package?”
“Nothing yet but I’m following a few leads.”
I pushed down the disappointment. “Tyler, she’s been missing too long.”
“You think I don’t know this?”
“I’m sorry. I’m worried.”
“Forget about it. Just make sure the money goes into the account by the end of this coming week.”
“Already scheduled.”
“Tara, you didn’t have to marry Ash for his money. He would have given it to you regardless of whether you married him.”
I winced. “That’s not the only reason for this.”
“I know the reason. Do you?”
“Leave it alone.”
“I can’t do that. I wouldn’t be a friend otherwise. You know Ameera would agree. We’ve kept each other accountable for years. I won’t stop just because she isn’t here.”
“I can’t right now, Ty. Let it go.”
“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow when I transition to my groomsmen’s duties.” He hung up.
I took a deep breath and returned my attention to my mother. There was no hiding my agitation from her, and I was pretty sure she’d caught some of my conversation with Hamir.
The best course of action was to pretend all was good and hope she believed me.
“Where were we?”
Mummy frowned, looked around, and then said in Gujarati, “No more adventures. You hear me.”
I was in deep shit.
“Yes. I hear you,” I responded in Gujarati.
“I want a few answers, and then I won’t ever ask about it again.”
I sighed and then nodded. “Go ahead.”
“How long have you been doing this other job?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“When did you stop practicing law?”
“I never stopped, Mummy.”
“How did you get that scar on your shoulder?”
“I fell.” How was I going to say someone tried to punch me, and when I tried to avoid the blow, I tumbled into a shelf?
“Are you going to give me a straight answer to any of my questions?”
“I am giving you the information I can.”
Mummy growled and folded her arms across her chest. Oh shit. She was pissed.
“Are yo
u planning to have children?”
“Yes. Within the next two years.” It was a condition of the contract, but I kept that information to myself.
“Tara, I will never forgive you if you leave any children you have without a mother. You are done with this life that makes it necessary to have a gun on you at all times. Am I making myself clear?”
Well hell. She knew about the piece I tended to carry the majority of the time.
“Yes, Mummy.”
“Does Ashur know?”
“That I carry a gun? Probably not.”
That was the wrong thing to say because her eyes grew angry. She opened her mouth to give me a piece of her mind but shut it as she caught sight of Ashur coming outside with my father and Devin. At least Minesh wasn’t with them. Thank God for small favors.
“We will continue this discussion later.”
“Yes, Mummy.”
I had no fear she would say anything to anyone. My mother would step in front of a bullet before putting my life in danger or causing me any more scandals than the ones I tended to put myself in.
Mummy stood and said in English, “Did you come to enjoy this beautiful summer night with us?”
“A man had to be insane not to want an evening with the two beautiful women he loves,” my dad stated. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Absolutely,” Ashur said as he watched me with a predatory gaze.
He took my hand in his and pulled me to my feet. A wave of need pulsed to life, and the anxiety of my conversations with Tyler and Mummy disappeared from my mind.
I wanted this man with a desperation I’d never felt for anyone else.
“I’m counting the seconds, Tara.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I licked my now dry lips, knowing without a doubt that I was in deep trouble…and not because of my secrets.
Chapter Six
I stirred as rough stubble grazed up my inner thighs. My body was on fire, covered in sweat and in need of release.
I moaned, “More. Please more.”
Gripping thick, wavy hair, I tried to position the mouth delving into my core to the spot I was desperate for touch.
“I’ll stop if you don’t move those hands back into position.” He lifted his head and stared up my body to my face.
“You’re making me crazy.” I glowered at him but threw my head back as he swiped a tongue down the length of my lower lips.
“Then you know how I’ve felt for the past two years. You made us wait, knowing how explosive we are in bed.”
Lifting my hips, I rode the fingers he’d pressed into my sopping core.
“Oh God. Ashu, I’m almost there.”
“I know, baby.”
“Then why won’t you let me come?”
He stopped his ministrations and slid up my body, letting his hard cock glide into the folds of my sex.
My pussy spasmed, readying itself for his invasion.
“Because you have to come to me. I told you I’d stick to our bargain. The only person who can break the no-sex-until-marriage rule you asked for is you.” He pressed in a fraction and then retreated.
“So, you’re going to leave me hanging?”
“That is your decision.” He laughed and thrust deep.
I cried out, sitting straight up in bed, and gasped for air. I searched the dark room for Ashur.
Son of a bitch. It was another one of those tormenting dreams.
Every day for the last week, I’d dreamed of Ashur and me in some sexual situation or another.
What had happened in Ashur’s office yesterday was only adding to the frustration I felt.
I’d tried self-gratification, but it left me unsatisfied. What was the point of my battery-operated boyfriend if I couldn’t get the relief I wanted?
I threw myself down onto my mattress and wiped a hand down my sweat-covered face.
Turning, I glanced at the clock.
Four AM. Fuck.
This was getting ridiculous.
Maybe my dreams were getting worse because of the fact Ashur had become more forward the closer we got to the wedding. Or maybe it was because I’d gone years without needing sex and my body was ready to break free from the self-imposed drought.
I rolled over onto my stomach and covered my head with my pillow. How the hell was I going to go back to sleep when my body ached for a man I shouldn’t want to this level?
You’ll crave me as much as I crave you.
Ashur had said those words to me, not knowing that my desire for him hadn’t stopped in the past fifteen years.
Shit, I had to get some rest, but I’d only be wasting time lying in bed for the next two hours.
Maybe I could get Casey up for a sparring match in the basement. He’d probably bitch, but he had offered.
Besides, even if I decided to go for a run, he’d have to go with me. So, a workout in my townhouse was the better alternative.
I reached over and grabbed my cell phone and dialed his number.
“Stop dawdling and hit me,” Casey yelled as he knocked me on my ass for the fourth time in less than twenty minutes.
“I hate you,” I muttered.
I’d thought getting Casey up for sparring match was a good idea, but now I was rethinking my stupidity. My fifth-degree black belt skills meant nothing against his seventh. Especially when I hadn’t trained properly in over a year and a half.
Casey was killing me, and from the look on his face, he loved it.
Bastard.
When I’d first met Casey, he’d been one of my training instructors in Solon. His job had been to weed out anyone who couldn’t cut it as part of the organization. By the end of the eight-week course, I’d called Casey every name in the book and believed he was the spawn of Satan, but I’d made it to the next level. I hadn’t realized it at the time, that Casey was hardest on those he saw potential. And to this day I am forever grateful he taught me ways to use my petite, five-foot-two size as an asset.
He’d remained a mentor until I’d started taking assignments and moved up in the chain of command. Then, he’d become a friend. I’d known it was more than a coincidence that he was now the lead in my Secret Service detail. The man had connections and a way of maneuvering bureaucratic red tape that could boggle the mind. Casey viewed me as the daughter he’d never had and wouldn’t let anyone else head my protection.
No one outside of Solon knew of my connection to Casey beyond his current position. In the public eye, we’d kept a professional relationship. It was only in situations like this one, where we were trying to beat the shit out of each other at four forty-five in the morning that we let our guard down.
I rested my head on the concrete floor, gasped in shallow breaths, and then glared at Casey. “I’m exhausted, dammit.”
His bright green eyes crinkled at the corners and his lips turned up in amusement. “I’m not the masochist who wanted an MMA workout the day before her wedding.”
“You’re my security. You’re supposed to talk me out of stupid decisions.” I grimaced as I struggled to stand. “If I have bruises, Neya is never going to forgive me.”
“When the wife to my new boss wakes me at a god-awful hour and asks to work out, I give her what she wants. Plus, you have something more to worry about than Neya.”
I frowned and took the proper stance. “Like what?”
“How you’re going to explain the bruises to your soon-to-be husband. If I hadn’t pulled back in time, you’d have a nice black and blue shoulder accessory to go with your sleeveless wedding lengha. That man notices everything about you, if you haven’t realized.”
I straightened. I hadn’t thought about that. In less than twenty-four hours we’d be married and on our way to our honeymoon. And I was already going to have to explain a few of my older scars. It would be better not to add a new one to the list.
“Shit. That puts a damper on any more sparring.” I released a deep breath. “You’re mean whenever anyone wakes you early and more than likely w
ill continue this beat-down if I don’t end this now.”
“Excellent observation, Commander.”
“Not you too with the Commander shit. Really? Tyler put you up to it, didn’t he?”
Casey’s lips turned up a bit before he went back to his usual serious expression. “Secretary Camden is too busy of a man to discuss ways to annoy you.”
I walked over to a bin of towels and picked up two, throwing one to Casey.
“Yes, Mr. I’m-a-Prankster would never put you up to anything. Especially not something that gets me riled up.”
“It is who you are.”
I rolled my eyes and decided to change the subject. “I let you knock me around for the last half-hour to help me release aggression not antagonize me. Now, I’m back to square one.”
Casey wiped his face. “You could sneak into your fiancé’s bedroom and take it out on him. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to accommodate you.”
“Not funny. I thought you were on my side.”
“I’ve been on your side since the moment you walked through the doors of that training facility in Geneva.”
I remembered that day like it was yesterday. It was the summer before I started law school. My former professors at Harvard had offered me an internship with an “international relief organization,” saying it was the perfect stepping stone for my future career in international law. Needless to say, I’d learned more than I’d bargained for or expected and entered a world I hadn’t known existed.
I wiped the perspiration on the back of my neck and held the towel to my face. “I know.”
“Now back to the subject you wanted to change. Your man wants you. You want your man. The least you could do is reduce the tension everyone feels whenever the two of you are in the same room.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I threw the towel to the ground, grabbed my water bottle, and then gulped down the cool liquid.