As expected, after the formal engagement announcement last week, the press had done everything they could to find dirt on the man who’d reportedly won Princess Tahira’s heart and hand in marriage. Outside of his SEAL teammates, very few people knew Darius had been one too. Those that did could be trusted to remain quiet about the Trident he’d earned and worn proudly yet secretively. Most of the people in his hometown thought he’d been working on a submarine during his time in the Navy, and that was the way Darius wanted it. As for his teammates, former and current, they had been a given—none of them would ever speak to a reporter.
However, although his black-ops life was protected, thanks to Brody’s and Nathan’s bad-ass computer skills, his personal life was up for grabs. There was only so much they could hide in this day and age, and it hadn’t taken the media long before they’d descended on Brookford to harass its residents into telling everything they knew about Darius Knight. Levi had assigned an around-the-clock detail to sit outside their father’s trailer to make certain no reporters ambushed the man and ended up on the wrong end of a shotgun. Unfortunately, the tabloids were now running stories about how the Knight patriarch lived in squalor, while Darius was marrying a wealthy princess. Thankfully, Darius had already explained the situation to King Rajeemh during a telephone call the other night. It was Phillip Knight’s wish to reside where he did, and he resisted any attempt by his family to upgrade his living arrangements. Since he wasn’t a threat to himself, only anyone stupid enough to ignore the “Trespassers Will Be Shot - This Is Not a Joke” signs Levi had put up along the property lines, their dad remained where he was—peacefully, most of the time.
As if sensing his reluctance, Tahira added, “I mean, your brother and sister. They realize meeting your father might not be possible. My grandfather had dementia for years before he passed away, so we understand what you must be going through. My father suggested we could meet Levi and Barrie within driving distance of your hometown. He does not want to invade Brookford with the royal entourage that must always accompany them. What would be the nearest city that would be convenient for them?”
The more time he spent with Tahira, talking about anything and everything, the more she tunneled her way into his heart. He was attracted to her, there was no denying that. And they got along great. She was more fun to be around than he’d realized—at least when he wasn’t on bodyguard detail. Then, she seemed to disconnect from him, and that confused the hell out of him. But it also put him back in his place. He wasn’t royalty and never would be. He was a military man who’d seen things Tahira could never imagine—the worst of humanity. Yes, she’d suffered through her own barbaric assault, but the things Darius had seen and done, in the name of God, country, family, and the innocent, should never touch the beautiful woman sitting across the table from him. He wasn’t worthy of her. Despite the rape, she was still virtuous and naïve, and he would only sully that.
But, damn, he wanted her. Maybe it was because he shouldn’t. Or maybe it was because in any other lifetime, the princess wouldn’t be caught dead with such a lowly peasant. No, that wasn’t it—he suspected Tahira would be the same person even if she’d grown up poor—gorgeous, funny, sweet, caring, generous, and intelligent. Most of those traits he’d never noticed before, simply because he’d been a hired gun who only needed to be ready to take a bullet for her.
The first time he’d been on her protection detail, while she’d attended an AIDS research fundraiser, he’d seen a ravishing young woman, dressed to the nines, with curves that would have a comatose man sitting up to take notice. But he’d also seen a woman so far out of his league that they were on two different playing fields. She traveled the world and stayed in the most luxurious resorts and palaces available. Hell, the woman wore a fucking crown on certain official occasions. Darius had also traveled the world, but he’d done it while wearing combat boots, a KABAR, and camouflage. And “luxurious” accommodations for him meant anywhere he didn’t have to sleep on the floor. Yup, they were the complete opposite, but as they say, opposites attract. And he was attracted to her—big time. Hell, he’d taken to jacking off almost on a daily basis. Being so near her and not being able to do more than kiss or hold her was wreaking havoc on his libido. But the last thing he wanted to do was push her into something she wasn’t ready for. And she wouldn’t be ready until at least after they were married. She’d held onto her virginity for so long, and just because it had been ripped from her didn’t mean it no longer mattered. To him, she’d be a virgin in every sense of the word until after the wedding, and then it was her decision where they would go from there.
“Darius?”
He shook his head and gave her a small smile. “I’m sorry. I zoned out there for a little bit. Um, yeah, I guess we could arrange that. I'll call Levi and Barrie and ask them what day and place would be good for them. We have Levi’s officers and some family friends who can watch our dad for a few hours. We’ll have to figure something out so they can both attend the wedding.”
As much as he didn’t want his siblings and teammates flying to Timasur to attend the event, he hadn’t been able to come up with a good enough reason for them not to. There was no way he could tell them the marriage would be over in a few short months. When he’d suggested the ruse to Tahira three weeks ago, he’d thought the whole thing would be easy-peasy—just another mission. Marry, wait a few months, get a divorce or an annulment, then go on with the rest of their lives—simple, right? But every time Darius turned around, there was some other issue he hadn’t considered. There were more speed bumps in the road than he’d expected, but their destination stayed the same. The wedding would take place, hopefully without a hitch, and he’d deal with the fallout of the divorce when the time came. In another year or two, when Tahira met someone worthy of being her husband for the rest of her life, everyone would forget her first marriage had ever existed.
They had five more weeks until the wedding took place—apparently, everyone involved, including the caterers, the wedding planner, the florist, and the dress designer, had dropped everything to be involved in the Timasur wedding of the year. It was going to be a huge shindig that Darius couldn't even comprehend, even though Tahira had insisted on a having much smaller event than her brother’s wedding the year before. The day before the official Christian wedding was a huge affair, including traditional Timasurian dress and festivities. Their culture and customs incorporated bits and pieces from other countries in Europe and Africa, including Mali, Egypt, England, France, Portugal, and Morocco. Darius would be wearing a tuxedo for the church service and a silk shirt, silk pants, and sash for the cultural ceremony. He would also be barefoot for the latter.
Yeah, he couldn't wait to hear how much shit Levi was going to give him when his younger brother saw the outfit. Hell, he was already taking a ribbing from his teammates after McCabe had walked in on Darius being measured for both outfits by a royal seamstress who’d brought several versions to the estate for him to try on.
“Have you spoken to Lahana lately?” It had been a week since Tahira had spoken to her cousin, who was spending time at her family’s vacation home in the French Riviera.
Tahira sighed. “No, I have not. She will not return my calls or texts anymore.”
Things hadn't gone well the first time she’d finally gotten Lahana on the phone. Even though her cousin had been raped and assaulted too, Tahira hadn’t been comfortable admitting that fact, especially over the phone where there was always the possibility of someone listening in. After their terse conversation, Tahira had told Darius that Lahana blamed her for getting them into the mess in the first place, which was ridiculous. The cruise and destinations had been Lahana’s idea, and there was no way they could have foreseen the abduction. Apparently, Lahana was also resentful over the fact Darius had saved Tahira, while Lahana had no white knight—her words—who’d rushed in to rescue her before she’d been raped. The woman had ended the call by hanging up on Tahira when she’d been in mid
-sentence.
“Maybe I should tell her we do have something in common, that we were both . . .” She glanced around; wary someone might overhear her. “You know.”
Darius reached across the table, took her hand, and kept his voice low. “That's completely up to you, sweetheart. I'll support you in whatever way I can. But the more people you tell, the better chance there is that it gets out.”
“I know. I will have to think about it.”
“Well, whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”
A brilliant smile spread across her face. “Thank you. Darius, for everything.”
When her gaze dropped to where their hands were, Darius’s followed. Without him realizing it, his thumb was caressing her soft skin. Heat flared in his groin, making him hard, and he cursed inwardly. He had to stop thinking about her in a sexual manner, but she was making it very difficult. Aside from a few chaste—in his opinion—make-out sessions, he hadn’t pushed her any further. Then, again, with the increase in staff at the estate, between the security guards and the people assigned to help plan the wedding, among other things, Darius and Tahira hadn’t had much time to themselves except for moments like this. But here and there, they’d been able to share a few intimate moments. After all, they had to appear comfortable and in love in the presence of others—at least that was what he’d told himself every time they’d kissed.
He was about to pull his hand away when she squeezed it and then released him. Shy passion simmered in her eyes, stirring his own desire, but she changed the subject. “So, what movie is on the agenda tonight?”
They had a mutual love of horror movies, much to Darius’s delight. Tahira hadn't seemed like the Stephen King or M. Night Shyamalan type, but Darius had been off on most of his assumptions about the pretty princess. Three or four times a week, they could be found in the mansion’s sixteen-seat, movie theater-style, viewing room with its ninety-eight-inch screen, watching a classic or newly released horror film. Some nights, it was just the two of them. Other nights, Tahira had invited some staff members and Darius’s teammates and significant others to join them. The Omega team got a kick out of it because there was a popcorn cart, a stash of usual snack bar candies, a soda fountain, leather reclining seats, and a surround-sound system to rival a commercial movie theater—talk about the lifestyles of the rich and famous. And that was only a quarter of the size of the one at the royal palace in Timasur, Tahira had told them.
After wiping his mouth with his napkin, he said, “I was going to talk to you about that. They’re having a small get-together at the Trident compound—nothing fancy, just a barbecue. Would you like to go with me? We wouldn’t have to worry about the press, even if they do follow us. The security over there is top-notch. Any reporter that manages to step foot on the property will have to deal with armed guards and BDS&M.”
Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
A chuckle vibrated from his chest. As far as he knew, she wasn’t aware there was a sex club at the compound, having never been on the property. “Sorry. Not BDSM as in kink. BDS&M is the nickname for the four guard dogs Kat Michaelson trained for Trident. Their names are from the military alphabet—Bravo, Delta, Sierra, and Mike.” He shrugged. “Ian’s weird sense of humor.”
“Oh.” She relaxed back into her seat and smiled. “Yes, Ian does have an odd sense of humor sometimes, although, I think he curbs it around my family, as we are clients as well as friends. And to answer your question, I would love to go. I have wanted to see the yard Angelina designed for Ian. I hear it is wonderful.”
“Great, then it’s a date . . .” He mentally smacked himself. “Sorry, I mean—”
“Please do not be sorry, Darius. If it is okay with you, I would like to consider it a date. But if that is not what you want—”
God, he was going to hell. Before now, he’d been able to talk himself out of the feeling they were dating. But it did make sense—after all, in a few weeks they’d be husband and wife. Being a couple should proceed that, right? “Then a date it is.”
29
“May I hold him?” Tahira asked Kristen. Little JD—John Devon Sawyer—had just woken up from his nap, and she was dying to cuddle with the infant.
“Of course!” Devon’s wife didn’t hesitate to hand over the little boy.
Cradling him in her arms, Tahira gently swayed back and forth, inhaling his sweet baby scent. He studied her with a piercing blue gaze that’d been passed down from his paternal ancestry. JD was going to be as handsome as his father. “He has your nose and mouth and Devon’s eyes.”
“I wish he had Devon’s nose too. Mine’s shaped weird.”
“That’s five, Pet,” her husband responded from a few feet away, causing Kristen to blush.
Pivoting toward him, she placed her hands on her hips. “Darn it. You weren’t supposed to hear that. How the heck can you talk and listen to a conversation five feet away at the same time?”
“It’s a gift. Want to try for ten? Just roll your eyes like I know you want to, Pet, and it can be arranged.” When she didn’t respond, he smirked and went back to his conversation with Val, Tristan, and Cain—Darius’s teammates who’d helped rescue the women in Argentina.
Tahira’s eyes narrowed when the woman turned back to her. “What do those numbers mean?”
“It means I’m going to have my rear-end spanked because I put myself down.” She sighed. “Actually, I put my nose down, but it doesn’t matter. Dev doesn’t like it when I talk about myself in the negative sense.”
Having read all of Kristen’s books, and those by other BDSM authors, Tahira knew Doms didn’t tolerate their submissives denigrating themselves. And Devon was definitely a dominant, as was his older brother, Ian. Their younger brother, Nick, was all alpha too, except when it came to his husband, Jake Donovan, his brothers’ friend, employee, and teammate. Then Nick’s submissive side came out. If Tahira hadn’t read numerous gay and ménage romance books over the past few years, she probably wouldn’t have noticed the change in the man when his Dom was near or the charm that Nick wore on a chain around his neck. Tahira had been curious about the Triskelion after reading about it in several books. It was similar to a Yin Yang but had three equal parts instead of two and was commonly used in BDSM communities.
While Tahira had gotten to know her Trident bodyguards better over the past two years, especially since she’d grown close to Ian and Angie, she’d learned a lot more about them and their significant others over the past few weeks. With Darius living in Clearwater Beach with her, his co-workers came by often and not always to work. When they were off duty, they let down their hair, so to speak, in a way they usually didn’t do around her. She felt herself being drawn into their extended family and was enjoying it. She loved how, while still respectful of her title and her status as a client, they treated her like she was one of them.
However, this was the first time she’d heard Kristen mention she participated in the lifestyle. Well, it did make sense, since on the other side of the compound there was a sex club that Ian, Devon, and their cousin Mitch had founded. Tahira had only learned about that a little over a year ago, but she’d never been to the compound before, so she’d never seen the inside of the club. She had to admit her curiosity was getting the better of her. Was it similar to the way Kristen described her opulent fictional club, “Leathers”? Or was it more of a dark dungeon like she’d read about in other books?
Someone moved in behind her, and Tahira had an unfamiliar urge to jump away. When Darius’s head peered over her shoulder, her body almost sagged against his in relief. His hands rested on her hips in a way she was beginning to get used to. When others were around, the couple did their best to appear in love and engaged—that meant they needed to show off a certain level of intimacy. While in the public eye, there were rules about displays of affection for members of the royal family, but those rules were tempered while among only family and friends.
Now, she felt the heat of Darius’s body against
her back and through her jeans where his palms and fingers made contact. A stirring of want and passion swirled in her lower abdomen. What she wouldn’t give to have this attraction she was imagining between them to be real. She’d never met a man she wanted more than her next breath. Her body responded to Darius in a way she’d never experienced before. It tingled when it felt his gaze upon it. Desire made her panties wet—something she never expected with the aftereffects of her rape. Maybe it was because she couldn’t remember the way she’d been violated. Everything after being thrown onto the bastard’s bed that day was a blur.
But maybe, it was Darius himself, who made her feel safe, who was the reason her body felt like this. The kisses they’d shared over the past few weeks were wonderful, yet she knew he was holding back. While she would not have sex with him until after they were wed, it was getting frustrating that they hadn’t gone any further than making out.
“You look comfortable holding him. You’ll make a great mother someday.”
Tahira smiled at him and then down at the baby again. “I hope so. Despite my royal upbringing, I am very close to my parents and they were good role models for my brother and I throughout our childhood.” While she and Raj had grown up with several nannies and teachers always around, the king and queen had made certain they were an active part of their children’s daily lives. One of Tahira’s favorite memories was being tucked in at night by either her mother or father and having them read a story or two for her. That was probably why she’d developed a deep love of books over the years.
In Tahira’s arms, JD squirmed and grew red-faced.
“Uh-oh,” Kristen said as she reached for him. “That’s his I’m-going-to-scream-because-my-tummy-is-empty face.” Sure enough, the little boy opened his mouth and let out a wail for everyone to hear. “If you’ll excuse me.”
Forty Days & One Knight: Trident Security Omega Team Book 2 Page 18