From just inside the door to the main club, Harper appeared, cutting off anything Darius may have said. The woman grinned, knowingly, when she saw them. “Are you ready to go back? I’m getting hungry.”
Placing one last kiss on Darius’s lips, Tahira climbed off his lap, stood, and held out her hand. As he took it, hope and love filled her heart. She’d discovered several things in the past few minutes. The most important one was she’d found her soul mate. Now she just had to wait until he realized it too.
31
“Would you stop fidgeting, Barrie?”
Darius’s sister glared at him from across the opulent, private elevator in the Knoxville hotel where King Rajeemh and Queen Azhar were staying for the night. It was an hour away from Brookford. While the royal couple had wanted to make their visit longer, it hadn’t been possible—they were heading to New York for a session at the UN tomorrow. But maybe that was a good thing since Barrie looked like she was going to faint at any moment.
Levi and Barrie had arrived a short time ago, and Darius and Amar had taken the elevator down to meet them and escort them back upstairs to the thirty-sixth-floor penthouses. There was a full dining room in the suite where Tahira’s parents would host supper for them, as well as Prince Raj and Princess Kainda who were sharing the second three-bedroom penthouse with Darius and Tahira. The king and queen were keeping the dinner low-key, with family members only, so members of their loyal entourage would not be attending. They’d wanted Darius’s siblings to feel relaxed and not overwhelmed. Only a few staff members would be on hand to assist with the meal and anything else that was needed.
Of course, there were bodyguards strategically placed all over the hotel and the buildings around it. Tahira’s royal guards had accompanied her and Darius on the private jet they’d taken from Tampa to Knoxville, while Amar led the others protecting the rest of her family. An advance security team had arrived earlier in the week to ensure their safety, going over the floor plans of the building and noting any possible issues that could arise. Until the royal entourage had walked into the lobby this morning, no one at the hotel, with the exception of the manager and the security staff, had been aware of who’d reserved the two penthouses and the entire floor below them. And those people had only found out when the team had arrived to fill them in. The Knoxville police department and local FBI, however, had been aware of the royal family’s visit for several days and had worked with the security team. As far as Darius could tell, Amar’s men had everything under control.
The press had swarmed in not long after word of the King and Queen’s visit had been leaked—that had been expected—but by then the couple had been safely ensconced in their suite. An underground parking garage would ensure their departure tomorrow would go just as smoothly.
“I’m nervous, all right?” Barrie responded with a growl, as she fiddled with the neckline of her black and ivory dress for the hundredth time in the past five minutes. “Do I look okay? Maybe I should have worn the blue dress. Are these shoes too high? I don’t want to be taller than anyone. It would be offensive if I looked down on them, right?”
“You look great, and they put their pants on the same way we all do, sis. Just remember to address them as ‘Your Highness,’ unless they say otherwise. And I’m sure your height will not be a problem.” Hell, she was only five-foot-four without her three-inch heels.
“I forget; do I curtsey? What if I do something wrong? Oh my God, I’ll be mortified. My palms are sweating, and I forgot to bring tissues.” Instead of wiping them on her dress, she used the back of Levi’s suit jacket.
Darius and Amar chuckled as Levi rolled his eyes and said, “You read the protocols more times than I did, and you don’t remember any of this? No, you don’t need to curtsey in the private setting, but you do bow when you’re first introduced. And don’t hold out your hand until they do. Now chill. You’ll be fine.”
When the doors opened, an amused Amar led them out to the small foyer that served both penthouses. Four heavily-armed guards had been expecting them, and one of them opened the door to the left of the elevator. The siblings followed the head of security into the spacious living room of the suite, before he disappeared into one of the extra rooms. The royal family stood to greet them, and Darius did the honors. “Your Royal Majesties, may I introduce my brother and sister, Levi and Barbara Knight.” Gesturing to the patriarch first, he continued. “Levi, Barrie, this is His Royal Highness King Rajeemh, Her Royal Highness Queen Azhar, His Royal Highness, Prince Raj, Her Royal Highness Princess Kainda, and this . . . this is my fiancée, Her Royal Highness, Princess Tahira.”
Without hesitation, a smiling King Rajeemh stepped forward and held his hand out to Levi, who shook it and bowed slightly at the waist. “It is a pleasure to meet you both.” Barrie was flustered and blushing when the man turned to her, but she didn’t make any of the faux pas she’d been afraid of. “It is an honor to welcome Darius’s family into our own.”
As if on cue, the rest of the royal family welcomed them, with Tahira giving Levi and then Barrie a hug. “I am so happy to finally meet you, Levi. Barbara.”
“Thank you, Princess Tahira,” Barrie responded, clearly still trying to get her bearings. “Please call me Barrie. I haven’t gone by Barbara since I was an infant and Levi couldn’t pronounce my name.”
“Barrie it is then. And please call me Tahira. I prefer it in a private setting.”
“That goes for my wife and I as well,” Raj said, gesturing for them all to take a seat. “Please feel free to call us by our given names. It can get quite stuffy with all the protocols. May I offer you something to drink?”
Darius had to hand it to the royals. Within no time, his brother and sister were relaxed and enjoying the evening. As always, Barrie was in her element when the casual talk began to flow easily. She was a brilliant conversationalist, and it never ceased to amaze him how she communicated with others—making certain there was never a shortage of topics, nor did she monopolize the discussion. She listened to what others had to say and contributed her own opinions without putting anyone on the defensive.
Like Darius, Levi was a little quieter, but he was constantly aware of his surroundings. Between his stint in the Marines and then his training and experience in law enforcement, it came with the territory. But he also contributed to the conversation in an easy manner. However, also like Darius, he probably couldn’t wait to shed the suit he wore. Levi had grumbled about it when told he had to wear one since the royals would be formally dressed.
Taking a sip of the Tennessee whiskey he’d been served, Darius side-eyed Tahira sitting beside him on the couch. She looked stunning in her violet-colored, one-shoulder dress which stopped just below her knees and accentuated her bronze skin. It was made of a light material that swayed freely when she walked. He’d almost swallowed his tongue when she’d come out of her bedroom earlier. Her hair was up in some complicated twist, and her makeup and jewelry were understated. He was having a difficult time taking his eyes off her.
Something had happened between them the other day in the club—well, beyond the obvious. There was a change in Tahira—she seemed stronger and more confident than he’d ever seen her. She seemed more at ease and was flirting with him again, and not in the way she’d done with him and her other American bodyguards before her abduction. No, this was the kind of flirting a woman did with a man she really wanted. A man she was falling in love with. And, damn it, instead of scaring the crap out of Darius, it was doing the opposite. Somewhere along the line, he’d stopped thinking of her as a friend in need. Now, she was a woman he could imagine himself spending the rest of his life with. But there were several problems with that line of thinking—one of them being she was royalty and he was a Navy frog who’d killed people in defense of his country and while protecting the innocent. He wished he could be the man for her—for a lifetime—but that was impossible. Her home was on the other side of the freaking world, and he couldn’t leave his own home to f
ollow her there. His family and team needed him. Even if she wanted to live in Florida, it was highly doubtful things would work out for them long-term.
But the longer they were together, the harder he knew it would be to leave her when the time came. She deserved someone better than him. Someone sophisticated and well-bred. Someone who was more comfortable in suits and tuxedos than cargo pants and boots. Someone who could maintain the lifestyle she’d grown up in. While Darius had quite a bit of money saved, there was no way he could afford to give her a mansion like the one they were currently sharing. It would be her money that supported them in anything beyond a middle-class status. He couldn’t bring her down to his financial level. However, he could give her what she needed right now.
Darius had spoken to Ian and Devon alone after returning to the barbecue. They’d agreed to start the engaged couple’s BDSM training starting this weekend, in private sessions at the club when it was closed. While Ian and Darius would remain the only ones aware of Tahira’s rape, Kristen and Angie would also be involved in the couple’s training.
He was nervous about the whole thing, but Darius was now convinced the experience would help Tahira. He just hoped he would be a good Dom for her. Ian had given him a packet of papers to look over, and complete as needed, with Tahira. There was a long list of protocols—something Tahira was used to—and a three-page limit list. Through an embarrassing-at-times conversation the other day, they’d gone through the list of all types of BDSM play. Darius had been happy to see they were on the same page with practically every activity. While Tahira did not have personal experience with any of the items on the list, she’d been able to tell him what she was interested in trying and what were hard limits for her. Most of those matched Darius’s own. Suffice to say they would probably be the least kinky couple in The Covenant, and that was fine with both of them.
Tahira had read and signed the non-disclosure agreement the club’s owners insisted on for every member or guest. The couple was also given a three-month, free membership to make certain this was something they wanted to continue to explore. Darius suspected their D/s relationship would exist mostly behind closed doors, and he was perfectly fine with that.
The rest of the evening went well, and when Barrie and Levi bid the royal family goodbye, there had been lots of hugging and friendly handshakes. After Darius’s siblings confirmed he and Tahira would be visiting Brookford tomorrow, they took their leave to drive home. Tahira had wanted to see where they’d all grown up, and Darius couldn’t say no to her. As for stopping in to see his father, they would have to play that by ear. If Phillip Knight was having a bad day, Darius didn’t want Tahira anywhere near the man—no offense intended to either of them. It was just safer and less embarrassing for everyone.
As Darius prepared to return to the other suite with Tahira, Raj, and Kainda, Amar exited the security room. “Darius, my friend. May I have a word with you.”
The man’s eyes were cold. This can’t be good.
Darius turned to Tahira. “Do you mind going with your brother and Kainda? I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
He could tell she’d picked up on Amar’s mood, but she nodded and did as he’d asked. The king and queen had disappeared into their bedroom a few moments ago, so Darius and Amar were alone. The other man gestured for Darius to join him in the meeting room, where Jabari Bastide, the head of Tahira’s guards, and two members of Amar’s special-ops team were sitting at the long, oval-shaped table. Numerous monitors and computers had been set up around the room, with at least one of them hooked into the hotel’s surveillance camera feeds.
Once they were behind the closed door, Darius sat down across the table from Amar, and undid his tie, letting it hang loosely from his neck—he hated the damn things.
The head of security leaned back in his chair. “I’m afraid I have some news about the investigation into Princess Tahira’s abduction, and it’s not good.”
Darius tensed. “Tell me.”
This was the first break they’d gotten since Tahira and her cousins had been rescued. He knew the investigation had stalled, but neither the royal guard nor Trident Security had been willing to let things go. Someone had been behind the kidnappings, and Darius, Ian, and Amar were afraid it was someone Tahira knew—not that they’d told her that yet. In fact, the men had decided to keep their suspicions from Rajeemh until they had some evidence that pointed to a suspect. The king had plenty to worry about and deal with, and this is what he paid Amar and his team for. He trusted his head of security to handle things and fill him in when needed.
Amar slid a stack of a dozen or so papers across the table toward Darius. “We went back to the phone records again. This time, I had Kadar and Damis call all the numbers.”
As Darius scanned the printouts of calls made by Tahira and the group she’d gone on the cruise with, Amar gestured for one of his two men to fill Darius in. Kadar was the one who spoke with his thick French accent. “We didn’t find anything on Princess Tahira’s phone. The same for Nala’s and Lahana’s and those belonging to our security team.”
Darius’s eyes narrowed. “Farid’s?”
“No, Farid’s phone was clean as well. But I cannot same the same for Diallo’s.”
Clenching his fist, Darius tried to recall what he could about Tahira’s cousin’s best friend. Nothing had stood out other than he was a pompous fucktard, just like his buddy, Farid. The two men loved to flaunt their wealth and privilege in the faces of those they deemed unworthy to even kiss their asses. They traveled around the globe, staying in the swankiest hotels and attending elite parties that required its guests to have an ungodly amount of money. Diallo came from money—his father being a businessman whose family would never have to work a day in their lives thanks to his billionaire status.
Kadar continued. “As you can see, the ones I’ve circled were made to a number allegedly belonging to Georgette Chapuisa, a former Miss France contestant he’d briefly dated two years ago.”
“Allegedly?”
“Yes. We don’t believe Miss Chapuisa is in possession of the phone, but we have someone contacting her to confirm that. It seems to be a dummy cell—a red herring, as you might say. The calls were all forwarded from that number and through several others around the world until they reached their destination—a phone we’ve traced to Felix Secada.”
Darius saw red at the mere mention of the man who’d raped Tahira, but none of these men knew how their beloved princess had been brutalized. He barely managed to keep a leash on his fury. “Where’s the fucking bastard now?”
“Partying with Farid in Miami Beach,” Amar responded, dryly. “I’ve already called Ian and asked him to send some men to bring both the little shits to the embassy in D.C. I want Diallo on Timasurian soil for the interrogation, where I can rip his fucking head off and shove it up his ass if I need to, without getting arrested when he bawls like a baby.”
Despite his rage, a snort escaped Darius. Being around his employers all the time and needing to follow protocols, it was very rare for one to hear Amar curse. In a way, it made him sound even deadlier than Darius knew he could be. The man had been trained among numerous black-ops forces from around the world, including Israel’s Mossad, China’s MSS, and Britain’s MI6.
“Good. I’ll be joining you.”
Amar’s intense gaze met his. “What about Her Highness and the trip to your hometown?”
“We’ll still go but just cut it short.” He glanced at Bastide, who acknowledged the change in plans with a nod of his head. “We’ll be in D.C. by late afternoon. Do me a favor and let Diallo sweat it out until then.”
“That can be arranged,” Amar said with a smirk before pausing. “What are you going to tell Her Highness?”
“As little as I can until we find out what the fuck is going on.” Darius sighed and stood. He was exhausted and needed sleep if he was going to deal with both his father and Diallo tomorrow. “When are you going to let the king know?”
&
nbsp; “First thing in the morning before I leave for D.C. My men will accompany him and Queen Azhar to New York.” That said a lot about how much Amar trusted his team when he handed over the detail of guarding the most important man in his country to them.
Nodding, Darius headed for the door. “Keep me posted.”
32
When Darius returned to the suite, he found Tahira sitting alone on the living room sofa, with worry in her eyes. She’d changed out of her dress and heels into pajamas with a robe and slippers. Her gaze met his. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” he replied with a fake smile painted on his face, as he unbuttoned his dress shirt to reveal a white T-shirt underneath.
She frowned at him. “Darius, please do not lie to me. I know when something is wrong, and we should not have any secrets between us. After all, we share the biggest secret of my life.”
After removing his suit jacket, shirt, and tie and draping them over the back of one of the chairs, he sat down on the couch next to her and took her hand. He didn’t want to do this, but, when she put it that way, he couldn’t deny her. “We may have discovered who was involved in your kidnapping.”
Her eyes widened. “Who?”
“There were phone calls we've connected from your cousin’s friend, Diallo, to Felix Secada.”
She blanched, and Darius figured it was more from her rapist’s name, than the man’s connection to someone she knew. Her face turned red, and outrage flared in her eyes. “I never liked him, but—but why would he have done this to me? Why would he have done this to any of us? He likes Lahana—I know it. He’s always flirting with her and staring at her. Why would he put her, Nala, and me through that?”
Forty Days & One Knight: Trident Security Omega Team Book 2 Page 20