by Leslie North
“Hard, strong, stubborn as hell, and independent on the outside,” he murmured as he dipped his tongue into her belly button. “Soft, loving, and warm on the inside.”
Bahir finally shifted, and from his new position, he pushed her knees apart. Sinking a finger inside her, he grunted. “And apparently, very wet. Still want to leave my bed, Amy?”
“Shut the hell up and fuck me,” she demanded, bucking her hips.
With a low, wicked laugh, he removed his finger and sat up. In a powerful, fluid motion, he pulled her knees up and flipped her over so that she was on her abdomen. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her up onto her knees, pressing her back against his chest. Her head rolled, giving him better access as his lips touched her neck and his hands parted her folds.
“I want you, Amy,” he groaned. “All the time. I can’t get enough of you.”
She knew exactly how he felt. As she eased herself onto his erection, taking him in, her whole body shuddered in response to the exquisite sensations. The position was incredible; his hands moved freely over her body, caressing her breasts, playing with her clit. Reaching out to grip the headboard, she began to rock.
Soon, there was nothing but the sound of their bodies moving together in the dark, mixing with the sounds of their pleasure. Every deep stroke brought her closer and closer to the edge.
“Amy,” he moaned breathily in her ear. “Orgasm with me. I need to feel it. I need to feel you around my cock.”
It wasn’t hard to do. As he stroked her clit one more time, she almost fell forward, her orgasm sweeping through her like a tidal wave of pleasure. His name was on her lips as he held her against him, and soon, he was spurting deep inside her with his own low groan of pleasure.
“I love you,” she whispered in the darkness. “I love you.” She chanted it mindlessly over and over, shivering.
Slowly, Bahir pulled out of her and lowered her to the mattress. Immediately, he pulled the covers over her and turned her over. The only thing that stopped her confession was his lips against hers.
She fell asleep in his arms.
14
Bahir woke Amy early and made love to her for hours the next morning. When they were both sated, at least for a time, he took a quick shower and left her slumbering in his bed. Her words rang in his ears.
She loved him.
Now he had everything he could ever want. A beautiful daughter and a beautiful woman who loved them both. Now, she’d stay, and there was nothing left to worry about.
“Could you turn your cheerfulness down a notch?” Riyad complained at the breakfast table. “Nobody cares that you got laid last night. Especially since I didn’t.”
Bahir chuckled as he sat down. No use denying facts. “As I hear it, you don’t spend too many nights alone. If anyone has a love child out there in the world, it’s you.”
“Hardly. I know how to be careful,” his younger brother grunted, and picking up his glass of juice, he scrutinized it as if it held the answers to eternity’s secrets. “So when do I get to meet the lucky lady?”
“Aisha or Amy?”
Riyad grimaced. “I’m sorry I missed the family reunion, brother,” he said quietly. “Despite what Iman thinks, I was out chasing rumors, not women.”
“Aisha isn’t going anywhere.”
“And Amy?” his brother asked with a grin.
Bahir settled back as a servant brought him a cup of coffee. “Nor Amy. What rumors were you chasing?”
“That the leader of the rebellion wasn’t in the raid.” Riyad rubbed his eyes. “The authorities have provided a preliminary report. It seems the rebels weren’t nearly as hardcore or loyal as we thought. They’re more than happy to talk.”
His eyes narrowing, Bahir tensed. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what his brother had to say next. “And what are they talking about?”
“They were spreading political propaganda to hide their true intentions. Money.”
“They were going to demand ransom for my daughter?” Bahir hissed.
“Actually, I think their original plan was to kidnap Iris, but when the maid shared news of your daughter, they thought she’d be easier to abduct from the orphanage.” Riyad shook his head. “With the money, they were planning to buy weapons.”
“To sell? They were going to use my daughter to fund their own arms deals?” Bahir gritted his teeth. “Where are we in finding the leader?”
“We don’t have a name yet, but we’ll get one, brother. I promise.”
Bahir didn’t doubt his younger brother for a minute. For all of his faults, Riyad was protective over his family.
It was time for a change of subject. “You know, I always wondered what kind of father I’d be,” Bahir mused as he ran his finger over the porcelain handle of the coffee cup. The contents were still steaming hot. “Father wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t hands-on. I guess I’d always assumed we’d do the same, but seeing Iman with Iris, the way he dotes on her and disciplines her, made me realize we could do better.”
“Sometimes I don’t even recognize Iman when he’s with Iris,” Riyad grunted.
“That’s because I love my daughter,” Iman said mildly as he walked in. “Though I barely manage to tolerate you.”
“Rude.”
Bahir snorted and turned to glance at his older brother. The man was dressed casually in loose-fitting linen pants and a T-shirt. If the Crowned Sheikh had any meetings today, he obviously wasn’t planning on attending them. “Staying in today?”
Iman rubbed the back of his neck and sat down heavily on Bahir’s other side. “I’ve postponed all council activities today until we finish assessing the threat offered by the remaining rebel members. I want to have eyes on Iris and Natalie at all times.”
“I know exactly how you feel,” Bahir sighed.
“Are you planning to marry her?” Iman’s tone was light, but his eyes were keen on Bahir.
“I am.” It made him almost dizzy to admit the fact. He was going to marry Amy. She was going to sleep next to him for the rest of their lives. He sipped at his coffee to cover his feelings.
“Good,” his older brother grunted. “I did not get laid last night because Natalie was more concerned about whether you were going to do right by Amy, and if you should not, Natalie made it clear that it would be my fault.”
“Glad I wasn’t the only one,” Riyad muttered. Both his brothers smiled then and leaned in to clap Bahir on the back in unison.
“Congratulations.”
“Can’t wait to meet the lucky lady.”
“Well, I haven’t told her yet, so don’t get too far ahead of yourselves,” he retorted.
“Afraid she’ll turn you down?” Iman laughed.
“No. I want to make sure I’m the first person telling her that we’re getting married and not the last,” Bahir complained. “You two will ruin everything.”
Iman grinned. “It’s obvious that she loves you. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
On that note, Riyad stood. “Brothers. As much as I would love to stay and talk about your love lives, I’m going down to the police station to interrogate the rebels we have and see what I can do about saving my darling nieces. I’ll be back for dinner.”
“Since when do you interrogate people?” Iman questioned.
“There’s quite a bit you don’t know about me, big brother.” Riyad winked as he cracked his knuckles. “I’ll be in touch.”
“That’s not at all disturbing,” Iman grumbled. “Sometimes I think he’s adopted.”
“Except that he looks exactly like us.” Quickly downing the rest of his coffee, Bahir stood. “I’d like to chat with Iris’s tutors. Iris is more advanced in her education than Aisha is, and I want to make sure there’s a solid plan to help her catch up. Then we need to have a serious talk about the orphanages. We can’t be the kingdom that lets orphaned children live in squalor on our borders, Iman. Not if we want to bring this land into the future.”
Pleased that things were getting accomplished, Bahir stopped by the study rooms where Iris’s tutors were setting up and discussed Aisha with them. It pained him to see their dismay at Aisha’s lag in learning, but he was optimistic that she would catch up soon.
Tahira, the maid Natalie had befriended upon arrival, was already helping Aisha prepare for the day. After learning of the earlier maid’s treachery, Iman would only allow Tahira to attend to Iris until the rest of the staff were checked out again.
It didn’t surprise him at all to see Aisha already bonding with her. The woman was amazing.
“Sheikh Bahir!” Tahira smiled as she stood. “I was about to escort Aisha to the kitchen for breakfast.”
“I can do that. Thank you, Tahira.” Bahir stretched out his arm in invitation, and Aisha didn’t even hesitate to take his hand.
“Good morning, Daddy,” she said cheerfully.
His heart skipped a beat. It was the first time she’d called him that, and he loved hearing it. “Good morning, Daughter,” he responded with a smile. “Do you and Kedar approve of your room?”
“I love it,” she whispered with a smile. Her eyes widened in recollection. “The bed is huge! Can Iris and I have a sleepover with Beetle?”
“I’m sure we can arrange something.” She and Iris were going to be a handful; he could already tell. He walked her out of her room and down the hallway toward the kitchen. Amy was seated at the table, wearing a dazed look. Perhaps she was still thinking about last night.
Iris and Natalie were also at the table with Iman. Aisha and Iris both squealed with delight upon seeing each other.
After greeting his sister-in-law, Bahir leaned down and whispered in Amy’s ear that he wanted to talk to her.
Excusing herself, she got up from the table, and he led her out onto the terrace. When he knew they were alone, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Good morning,” he murmured.
“Bahir,” she whispered in embarrassment. “You can’t be doing this out in the open.”
“Everybody knows, sweetheart. I think half the palace heard you this morning,” he teased gently. “I only wanted to assure you that I spoke to Aisha’s tutors this morning, and they have a plan to get her caught up to Iris’s level.”
“That’s great.” She leaned back to gaze at him, eyes serious. “We don’t want to overwhelm her. I know that she seems fine, but homesickness could hit her at any moment.”
“She is home,” Bahir said thoughtlessly.
Amy’s face immediately clouded. “You can’t erase the past seven years of her life with a giant palace.”
“I know.” Bahir cleared his throat and tried again. “I shouldn’t have said that. Actually, I spoke to Iman this morning, and we’re going to focus on the orphanages. That’s all thanks to you.”
Her expression softened. “Bahir, that’s amazing news. You have no idea how incredible that is.”
“Good. I want you to be happy. Speaking of happy, how long would you like our engagement to be? I’d prefer to be married as quickly as possible, but it’s fine with me if you want to take a little longer. I want you to have the wedding you always wanted.”
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he tried to pull her in for another kiss, but she put her hands on his chest to stop him. “I’m sorry. What?” she whispered, eyes wide in shock. “What did you say?”
“Our wedding,” he said patiently.
“Our wedding,” she repeated faintly. “I think I’m a little confused because I seemed to have missed the part where we got engaged.”
“We’re talking about that right now. Our engagement.” Perhaps he should have made sure that she’d had a cup of coffee before he broached the subject.
“You’re serious.” Her bewilderment changed to outrage as she stepped back and stared at him. “At what point did you think I wanted to marry you?”
“The point where you told me that you loved me,” he reminded her, an edge in his voice. “You and Aisha love each other, too. I don’t understand the problem here.”
“You think we should get married because you need a mother for your child.” Her face hardened; she took another step back and shook her head. “You know, when I first met you, I thought that you were a cold bastard. It turns out I was right.”
Cold bastard? Bahir certainly felt cold inside as Amy tried to walk by him. “Where are you going?” he hissed, reaching out to grab her elbow.
“I’m going to talk to Aisha, and then I’m going to pack my things and leave,” she said calmly. “You obviously love your daughter, and I’m sure you’re going to make her transition here work out fine. You don’t need me.”
Didn’t need her? How could she not see how much he needed her?
He didn’t say anything as she walked away. He’d never begged a woman in his life for anything, and he wasn’t about to beg her to stand there while he tried to figure out how to explain himself a little better.
Not wanting to go back in to see her, he hopped over the low terrace wall and strolled, agitated, through the gardens. His mind was reeling. This morning, he’d imagined the rest of his life with Amy, and now she was leaving.
“Bahir. What are you doing, darling?” He looked up sharply to see his mother sitting on one of the benches. Too late, he remembered how his mother loved her morning strolls outside.
“Mother.” He forced a smile. “I’m trying to wrap my head around my new life.”
Taslima raised an eyebrow. “It can’t be Aisha. I saw the way you looked at her last night, and it’s too soon for you to realize how much work children are.”
“Not helping,” Bahir growled.
“So it must be Amy. What’s wrong?”
He couldn’t come right out and tell his mother that the woman of his dreams had called him a cold bastard and walked away from him, but before he could come up with an excuse, shouts filled the air. Whirling, he stared in horror at the sight of guards streaming out of the palace.
“What is going on?” Bahir demanded of the man who hurried up to them.
“There’s been a security breach. Come. We need to get you and your mother to safety.”
“Breach?” Bahir immediately turned and pulled his mother to her feet. “Is everyone accounted for?”
The guard hesitated, and Bahir grabbed the man’s arm. “Is everyone accounted for?” he repeated in a growl.
“I’m sorry, Your Royal Highness. We’re still searching, but we’ve been unable to locate your daughter and her guardian.”
His mother gasped, and his heart dropped.
Aisha and Amy were missing.
15
Amy was terrified, but she clung tightly to Aisha, her arm wrapped protectively around the trembling child. Trapped in the back of the van, she held the child close and sang to her in a low, trembling voice.
Aisha’s screams fell to whimpers as Amy rocked her back and forth.
“Where’s Daddy?” Aisha sobbed.
“He’ll come for us,” Amy tried to assure her. She had no doubt that if Bahir knew where they were, he’d come for them. The only problem was that she didn’t know where they were or where they were going. How was Bahir going to find them?
“Silence!” the driver roared.
“Stop yelling!” she hissed back. “You’re scaring her.”
He grumbled under his breath, and Amy turned an accusing glare to the man in the back of the van with them.
Mohamet. One of Bahir’s most trusted guards was working for the rebellion.
“Please. She’s only a child,” Amy whispered. “Don’t do this.”
“He’ll pay, and we’ll let you go,” Mohamet said, avoiding her gaze.
Ransom? This was all about ransom? Forcing herself to relax, she held Aisha close and kissed the top of her tousled head. “It’s going to be okay, baby. We’ll be back at the palace in no time.”
The van st
opped suddenly, and Amy tensed. She tried to focus on her breathing. All she had to do was stay calm. Bahir would pay anything to get his daughter back.
Her, not so much. After all, she did walk out on him after his ridiculous attempt at a proposal. Seriously. What kind of lover demanded marriage based on a mutual love for his daughter? She needed more. She needed to know he loved her.
The door opened, and strong arms grabbed her and pulled her out of the van. Holding Aisha tightly to her, she fought the urge to scream and forced herself to remain calm.
“Walk,” the voice hissed, and something cold and unyielding was jammed into her back. A gun?
“You could try asking,” she muttered. They were parked in the middle of nowhere, next to what appeared to be an abandoned building. The rebels forced them inside, the blazing sun cut off as they entered the shadowy but still oven-like interior. Dust rose as they walked, and she sneezed.
“Sit down,” the man behind them demanded suddenly.
Amy looked about the empty room. No chairs in sight. As she bent down to settle Aisha, the gunman kicked at the back of her legs to force her down. Hitting the ground hard, she inhaled sharply as pain lanced through her knees.
“Amy!” Aisha cried out. “Don’t hurt her! Please!”
“It’s okay,” Amy said through gritted teeth. “I’m okay. Come here, sweetheart.”
Folding the girl into her arms, she glared at the men as she rocked Aisha in her embrace. They paid her no attention but gathered in the corner and spoke in furtive tones. Finally, nodding, they broke apart.
Mohamet approached and knelt down before them. “We will call His Royal Highness now to make the ransom demand. This will all be over soon.”
“Really?” Amy lifted an eyebrow. “You call him His Royal Highness as if you respect him.” She peered into his shadowy face. “You kidnapped his daughter.”
“I do this to protect him,” Mohamet growled angrily. “We need the money to defend ourselves! We are a small land, and with all the changes happening, we’re gaining unwanted attention. I am protecting us!”