The Karawi Sheikhs Series: The Complete Series

by North, Leslie

  Under his gaze, she felt incredible.

  “Stunning,” he whispered. “You are stunning.” He pressed his lips to her abdomen and, rising slowly, kissed his way up her body as he straightened. He placed feather-like kisses over the crest of her nipple and lapped at the curve of her neck before he cupped her ass in his hands and picked her up.

  Her legs immediately wrapped around his waist, and she whimpered as she rubbed along the erection that pressed against his pants.

  “Patience, sweetheart,” he chuckled in a low voice as he pressed her down onto the mattress. “We have all night.”

  “It’s almost dawn,” she reminded him. “There isn’t all that much left of the night.”

  “Don’t worry. I promise that it’ll be equally good during the day, but to be sure, we’ll experiment,” he said with a wolfish smile. Standing up, he reached for the waistband of his pants, and her mouth dried as she watched him pull the belt loose before unfastening the clasp and bending to remove his pants.

  Licking her lips, she greedily drank him in. The man was absolutely perfect. Those well-shaped calves and muscular thighs. That V-indent that guided her gaze downward to the….

  Oh, God.

  She swallowed hard. The man wore nothing under his pants, and his cock was more than impressive. Suddenly, she didn’t care if it was night or day. All she knew was that she wanted him.

  Sliding back on the pillows, she lifted her hips and shimmied out of her panties and then sat up before shifting to her knees. “Hurry,” she urged him. “Please.” The whole night had been nothing but foreplay, and she was soaking wet thinking about how he would feel when he slid inside her.

  As he approached her, she reached out to touch him. Circling his hard length, she squeezed, sucking on her lower lip as she watched him. His eyes darkened, and he immediately thrust himself into her hand with a groan. As she leaned over and flicked her tongue over his nipple, he suddenly growled and pushed her back on the mattress.

  Sinking his fingers inside her, he stroked gently, teasing her as he settled over her. “You are so wet, Danielle.”

  “Too wet for you to keep playing with me.” She lifted her hips in invitation. “Fuck me.”

  “Who knew someone so sweet would have such a dirty mouth,” he hissed as he leaned closer. He wasted no time settling between her legs, and she immediately wrapped her legs around him.

  Feeling wicked, she pushed herself up and bit his ear lobe. “You have no idea just how dirty my mouth can get.”

  Nudging at her opening, he eased into her until they were both moaning. “Good?” he grunted as he pressed his forehead against hers.

  “More than good,” she whispered and bucked up against him. Inhaling sharply, he started to thrust, and she lost herself in the pleasure that streaked through her.

  Anticipation of this moment had already set her on edge, and it wasn’t long before she was spiraling out of control, but her first orgasm did nothing to temper her desire. Pushing up against his chest, she guided him to lie on his back so she could straddle him, and the deeper angle was even more incredible.

  As she took control, his hands were free to roam. They pinched and teased her nipples until the tension built inside her again.

  “Riyad,” she whimpered, closing her eyes. He was close. She could tell from the way his thighs were shaking under her.

  “Come, Danielle,” he groaned. “Come on my cock, baby.”

  There was nothing that she could do but obey. With a loud cry, she shattered around him, and he took control of her body, grabbing her hips as he slammed into her one more time, his moans of release mingled with hers.

  It had been the most incredible sex of her life, and yet this man was a complete stranger to her. For a split second, she wondered if this would be the last time she might feel so free.

  3

  They hadn’t left the room in two days. Relying on room service, they’d made use of every surface in the suite. Riyad couldn’t have found a more perfect way to spend the weekend. Not only did she have no idea who he was, but she seemed to have no designs on a future with him. He was surprised that she’d asked him no personal questions, but to be on the safe side, one of the times she was in the bathroom, he’d pulled her passport from her purse and snapped a picture of it, intending to run a background check on her…but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he rewarded her by tracing over every inch of her skin with his mouth and tongue. He might know nothing about her life, but he now knew every sensitive spot on her body.

  Normally, he’d have been happy after one night of sating himself with a woman, but there was something different about Danielle. No matter how often he fucked her, it was only a matter of time before a simple glance in her direction had him hard as a rock again.

  With a soft moan, she stirred in her sleep and brushed up against him. Reaching around to cup her breast, he stilled when he heard his phone vibrating.

  There were only two reasons someone would call him an hour before dawn. Family or the agency, and he couldn’t afford to ignore either.

  Reluctantly, he rolled over toward the nightstand and glanced at his phone. It was his handler, Atif, with a time and a place. The location was a good hour’s drive, leaving no time for goodbyes.

  It was just as well. Goodbyes were not his thing.

  Quietly, he reached for his clothes and dressed. Wanting to make sure Danielle didn’t slink back to that hole in the wall she’d originally stayed in, he left her a quickly scribbled note telling her that the hotel room was hers for as long as she needed it. He didn’t like the idea of her staying alone at a place like Rose Towers.

  He wasn’t becoming attached. He was only looking out for the tourists in his kingdom.

  She didn’t stir as he opened the door and turned back for one last look at her. Riyad had no intentions of ever seeing her again, and he wanted to commit her image to his memory. Every curve and dip. She was one lover he would not forget, although he didn’t know why she’d affected him so.

  After quietly closing the door behind himself, he hurried outside. He’d made arrangements to have the palace pick up his car, so he hailed a taxi. Though he knew his tux was attracting some attention, he wasn’t worried. Even if the driver should recognize him, Riyad would pay him handsomely to keep quiet.

  His father’s cousin, Atif, was waiting for him inside the teahouse. The much-older man was his handler within the agency and helped him maintain his cover. It was easy enough. A falling out between his father and Atif had happened years ago, so Riyad and his brothers weren’t close with the man. It wasn’t unusual for them to meet casually at public events, and his brothers didn’t question Atif too closely when Riyad was away.

  The older man frowned in disapproval when he saw Riyad. “Couldn’t find the time to go home and change after the gala?”

  “Something came up,” Riyad said airily. “What was so important that you could only give me an hour’s notice to get here?”

  Atif slid a photograph across the table. “My contact came through. The other evening, you dropped off the activity sheet of a person of interest. My contact identified him.”

  Riyad’s jaw clenched as he picked up the photo. He knew the man well. “Miksa Antar. Wealthy businessman in Al Aqa.” He narrowed his eyes as he looked up to meet Atif’s watchful gaze. “They are our allies, so why are you tracking Miksa’s movements?”

  “Because you were right.” Atif looked around at the deserted restaurant and dropped his voice. “The rebellion is still alive, and I believe Miksa is not only funding it, but he’s the leader.”

  Riyad stiffened. “You’ll need more than belief if you’re going to accuse Miksa of leading a rebellion in our kingdom. That could start a war.”

  Atif nodded slowly. “True, and that is what I need you for. Everything I have is circumstantial. Sightings and dinners with known rebellion members are not enough. I need you to get hard intel.”

  Riyad tapped his fingers on the pho
to, staring at it. “That isn’t going to be easy. My family has had business with Miksa in the past. He’ll easily recognize me,” he added as he pushed the photo away. “Besides, if Miksa wanted a rebellion here, he had ample opportunity before now. Our kingdom has never been more stable.”

  Leaning back in the booth, Atif stroked his long beard and shrugged. “The rebellion has been promoting religious and traditional connotations, but Miksa is progressive. I have a feeling it comes down to money. There have been rumors that his most recent investments have been with the German arms dealer, Schlang. Starting a war between two independent kingdoms would create profitable unrest in this region.”

  “No.” Riyad shook his head vehemently. “Not possible. Miksa has a reputation for being a good man. He would never involve himself with arms deals, and he certainly wouldn’t start a war for profit.”

  Atif’s smile held no humor. “Perhaps you don’t know him all that well.”

  “Atif,” Riyad growled.

  Atif held up his hand. “Careful. I’m still your superior. Gaining more intel could as easily prove him innocent. I am content keeping this between us until we have more evidence.”

  Riyad gazed out the window and steepled his fingers. “My brothers are suspicious. It’s been easy to dodge them with the distractions of Bahir’s wedding and his child, but now that things are dying down, they’ll want to know the truth. I was too involved with Aisha’s rescue. They’re going to want to know where I got my information and who my contacts are.”

  “Secrecy from your family was never necessary. You’re welcome to tell them. I’m not sure why you didn’t tell them.”

  Riyad had wanted to prove himself before telling his brothers. He was good. More than good, but their contempt for his lifestyle went a long way in keeping his cover. As much as it pained him to see the disapproval in their eyes, he wasn’t ready to tell them yet. “I’ll feel out Miksa. Remember to keep this between us. As for my brothers, you leave them to me.”

  “Good. I have a car en route for your use. Until then, why don’t you have a cup of tea and tell me where you’ve been the last two days.”

  Shaking his head, he rose from his seat. “I don’t think so. I’m going to get some coffee from around the corner. I’ll be back.”

  As he walked away, he heard Atif chuckle under his breath. The man knew how to push his buttons.

  Outside, he took a deep breath. It was good that they were getting closer. It was good that they had a lead, even a doubtful one.

  Still, he had the oddest sensation that he’d rather be back at the hotel, wrapped up in the sheets with the beautiful woman he’d just met.

  * * *

  Danielle dropped the scribbled note and bit her lower lip. It hadn’t surprised her to wake up and find Riyad gone. Truthfully, she’d been surprised he’d stayed as long as he had. She could tell he wasn’t the kind of man to stick around.

  The hotel suite was nice, but she couldn’t impose on him. It wasn’t fair. She’d scout around for a new place today.

  Changing into a pair of jeans, a loose-fitting blouse, and the hijab, Danielle stopped downstairs for a quick lunch and then headed out. The sun was already high in the sky by the time she walked out of the lobby onto the street, and she was drawn by the voices and music filtering around the corner. The local marketplace was in full swing, and Danielle couldn’t resist doing a little window shopping. At one vendor’s display, she tentatively fingered the bold, beautiful fabrics draped over hangers. Should she learn how to sew? Wasn’t she supposed to learn how to knit?

  Sighing, she dropped the fabric and moved on. Who was she kidding? She wasn’t the sewing-and-knitting domestic type. Her whole life, she’d been focused on her career. Family was the furthest thing from her mind.

  A few tables down, she stopped to look at hand-sewn stuffed animals. A lump formed in her throat as she picked up a teddy bear. Was this whole bazaar focused on kids?

  “For your little one?” the older woman behind the table asked. Unconsciously, Danielle touched her stomach, and the woman beamed. “A little one on the way! Congratulations! How far along are you?”

  “Not far,” Danielle said softly. It was the first time she’d admitted it to someone else. “Two months.”

  “Ah. Your first. I can see it in your eyes. Every child needs a teddy bear. You can’t go wrong.”

  Every child did need a teddy bear, right? Hesitantly, she reached into her wallet and parted with some of her precious funds. Holding the bear tightly to her chest, she tried not to cry.

  How had everything gone so wrong? Just a few short months ago, she had been happy. Despite her unprofessional relationship with her boss, she was happy. Then, when the plus sign appeared on the pregnancy test, her whole world came crashing down.

  Apparently, her boss was married, and all he wanted was to keep using her as a sidepiece.

  Of course, he’d demanded that she have an abortion.

  Remembering the conversation made her want to throw up in her mouth. After a short, clipped, I quit, Danielle went home, sold her furniture, packed the rest of her things, and left. After traveling aimlessly around the States for a few weeks, she still felt as if she wasn’t far enough away from the tragic mistake that she’d made.

  Then her friend had told her about this little place, and so far, it had been perfect. A whole little kingdom full of people who would never know her sin.

  Riyad complicated things somewhat, but who was she kidding? She was never going to see him again.

  Brushing the soft fur of the teddy bear with her fingertips, she absently walked through the marketplace. No matter how far she ran, she couldn’t escape her fear. She’d never thought of herself as a mother. Would she make a good one? Or would she screw up her little one’s life the same way she was screwing up her own?

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking down, a hand on her stomach. “But I promise I’ll do the best I can. Please be patient with me.”

  Suddenly, something hard slammed into her from behind. With a cry, she fell forward, but strong hands grabbed her and jerked her back onto her feet. She looked up to thank the man for catching her and came face-first with the barrel of a gun.

  Screams sounded in the marketplace. Before she could react, arms wrapped around her and lifted her into the air.

  “Help,” she screamed. “Someone help me!”

  “The only one who can help you is your lover,” a rough voice hissed in her ear. “You think the father of your child will come looking for you?”

  “No. No, he’s definitely not going to do that,” she babbled before a large hand pressed a rag over her nose. She fought against it, fought to hold her breath and not inhale the strange scent, fought to free herself, but it was useless.

  How was this possible? She was in a crowded market in broad daylight. Who would do this?

  Giving in to her body’s urgent demand for air, she inhaled sharply. The world grew fuzzy, and as if from a distance, she heard the man laugh cruelly in her ear and then whisper, “You better hope Riyad comes for you because we will have no problems shipping your lifeless body to him.”

  Riyad? What the hell? What did Riyad have to do with anything?

  Her muscles seemed to be turning to mush, the teddy bear dropped out of her hand, and darkness overtook her.

  4

  Riyad’s preliminary research on Miksa involved spending the day at an out-of-the-way cafe. The man’s social life was always a source of gossip. He’d married at an early age but was widowed after only a few years. Rather than marry again, the billionaire simply took on lovers, a different one every few months. His most recent lover might actually become his next wife, rumor said. He’d been seeing her for almost a year now.

  From what Riyad could tell, Shaia was an escort. She made a living out of seducing and entertaining powerful men. In fact, she was well-protected for that very reason.

  Shaia probably held a great many secrets. If anyone had proof that Miksa was fu
nding the rebellion, it would be Shaia.

  After a little more preliminary work, Riyad shut his laptop and called it a day. If he knew what was good for him, he’d head back to the palace and put his brothers’ fears at ease, but he didn’t want to go home. Not yet.

  He wanted to see Danielle again. The woman haunted him, and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. She was pretty, but he’d spent most of his life surrounded by beautiful women. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt a strange connection when he was with her.

  After a moment’s debate, he decided to head back to the hotel and visit her. Maybe he simply needed to get her out of his system again.

  After finishing his coffee, he paid and strolled back out to the street. He wanted to hail a cab and get to the hotel as quickly as possible, but he also needed to get himself under control. As a man who rarely acted on impulse, he was bothered by the fact that the woman was under his skin.

  Passing a flower shop, he ducked in and bought a bouquet. Also a rare move for him, but it felt right. Sleeping with Danielle was not enough. He wanted to spend time with her. Get to know her better.

  Finally, he arrived at the hotel. After stopping by the front desk to make sure that Danielle hadn’t checked out, he took the elevator to her floor. At her door, he raised his hand to knock, but as his knuckles landed, the door opened.

  He stiffened. Reaching for the gun holstered at his ankle, he nudged the door farther open. Barely breathing, he inched to the nearest corner and did a quick sweep of the room. It appeared to be empty.

  Moving silently, he eased open the closet door. Also empty.

  Dropping the flowers onto the dresser, he gently pushed open the bathroom door before exhaling in relief.

  No intruders, but no Danielle, either. It was always possible that she’d headed downstairs to grab a bite to eat and hadn’t closed the door all the way. Backing out into the room, he turned to grab the flowers and froze.