by Leslie North
“Two, actually.”
After several turns, they managed to maneuver their way back toward the warehouse district. Scouting around, they could see that the police were gone but there were still a couple unmarked cars parked out front. Samine pointed to a park within view of the warehouse and they skirted around it before finding a bench. She took the bag from him and sat down. Grabbing the first phone, she ripped the package open and began setting it up.
“How’s your Italian?” she asked as she began tapping the keys. At his stare, he caught her smirk. “Okay, I’m setting the language to English.” As she talked, she continued to smirk.
“What’s so funny?” he demanded. Now was not the time for jokes.
Shrugging her shoulders, she grabbed the second phone. “Nothing.”
“Clearly, it’s something. Out with it.”
“It’s just that for someone who has traveled as much as you have, you really don’t speak that many languages and, well, I haven’t been anywhere, but I do.”
“And that’s funny to you?” he bit out.
Her grin grew wider. “No…”
Adil was about to respond when they heard someone yell, “Watch out!”
Adil looked up to see a soccer ball flying their way. He reached up and snagged it. Standing, he saw a small group of kids looking at him. “Hey, mister! Toss it back!” one of the boys called out in Italian.
Smiling, Adil tossed the ball in the air, executed a quick kick and sent the ball toward them. They cheered at his precise aim, and one of the kids tried to kick it back. It flew to the left, and Adil reached out to grab it.
“Close,” he said in Italian. “Watch.” This time, he moved more slowly to show the kids the direction of his foot. The ball arced perfectly. “You want to kick it here and not at the toes.” He knew his Italian wasn’t perfect, but he couldn’t resist smirking at Samine, as she stared at him with her mouth open.
“So, you do speak Italian,” she declared as he shrugged. Before he could answer, the boy called out to him. Turning back to the kids, he tossed it in the air, kicked it again, and this time it was farther on point, as the others cheered and clapped.
“Very good,” Adil said as he grabbed it. He dropped it to the ground and began to dribble it toward them. The kids surrounded him and tried to take the ball. Some fancy footwork later, the kids were laughing and shoving at him.
“Foul!” Adil cried with a laugh. The kids lunged and stole the ball. “It’s like ten against one!”
He crouched down and crooked his fingers. “Boys. Have you been here all morning?” The kids nodded, and Adil smiled. “Did you see the police earlier?”
Toothy grins all the way around. Adil nodded. This could be good. “Before the police came, did you see any of the trucks leave the warehouse?”
This time, the kids exchanged uneasy looks. Adil understood. Clearly, something was going on. Maybe they were worried that someone would get in trouble. However, it meant that they did see a truck leaving the warehouse. Now, he needed to know what that truck looked like and where it went.
Crooking his finger, he gestured to the kids to come closer. “I’m not looking for anyone local. No one from Venice. No one from this town. I just need you to tell me about the truck. That’s all.”
The kids put their heads together and whispered. Finally, they pulled apart and grinned. “Dark. Big. Plates VE0810T.”
Adil nearly choked. “You got the plates? Really?”
The boy smiled. “I’m ten, and my name is Tiano. My brother is eight, and his name is Ventura. That’s how I remembered the plates.”
“Tiano. You are my hero today. Thank you.” Adil reached in his pocket and handed each boy five Euros. “Thank you,” Getting up, he turned to find Samine watching him.
“Did you find anything?”
“Funny. Of all the things that I expected you to do, playing with kids isn’t one of them.”
Adil gave her a side look choosing not to react to her obvious dig. “Can your contacts trace a license plate? The kids saw a truck leaving earlier. There’s a good chance my necklace is on that truck, and our thief was driving.”
Samine gave him a smile, and it wasn’t one of her cold ones either. “Come on. We need to get off the streets and into some place where we can hide so I can make a few calls.”
“Are you just keeping me for my wallet, Samine?” he asked jokingly.
“Your wallet is no good, Adil. We have to rely on cash, and believe me, I don’t have much on me. So no five-star hotels for you.”
He felt his face fall as he followed her. Damn. She was right. He wouldn’t be able to use any of his credit cards while they were on the run. He was almost completely at her mercy.
Never before had he fallen so low.
8
Wandering up and down the walkways with Adil grumbling beside her, Samine carefully dodged the more touristy areas and looked around for the right location. They stopped in front of a small, privately owned bed and breakfast. “This will work,” Samine muttered as she pulled Adil in.
He frowned at the place. “Work for what?”
Pulling out her press credentials, she plastered a bright smile on her face. “Hi! My name is Lori Daniels, and this is my photographer, Mark. We’re reviewing some of the best places to stay in Venice, and I just love the view you have outside. Now, you’re not on my list of places, but I was hoping you had a room where we could stay tonight. I just have such a good feeling about this. My editor wants me to focus on bigger names, but I think small and intimate bed and breakfasts is the way to go.”
The large woman with bright red curls clapped her hands together. “Oh! Yes, you should definitely stay here for the night.”
Samine reached into her purse to pull out her wallet when she stopped. “Oh, damn.” Looking over, she frowned at Mark. “We can’t use the card. The editors won’t want to pay since the hotel isn’t on the list.”
Adil quickly caught on. “I don’t have any cash on me. We just have the business card.”
“I am so sorry. We have wasted your time. Still, your place is lovely. I would have loved to do a review here.” Samine gave the woman a sad smile, and turned.
The owner looked completely dejected. “Wait. You just want to stay one night?”
Samine turned her head. It was like taking candy from a baby. “We couldn’t possibly impose.”
“But you will review us. Give us a good a review? Since they’ve built that monstrosity of a hotel a few streets over, business has been slow. I would love to have you tonight. Please.”
“It would be a perfect twist to my article. Mark, this is so exciting!”
“Two rooms then?” the woman said as she grabbed a couple of keys from the drawer. Adil looked up sharply, and Samine almost laughed. There was no way in hell that he was going to let her in a room on her own, but this woman had crosses hanging all over her walls. She wasn’t about to let them stay in the same room together.
Adil reached out and put his arm around her. “I’m not just her photographer. I’m also her husband. We’re a team in every sense of the word, aren’t we, sweetheart?”
“Oh, I just love to see a young couple so in love. How long have you been married?” the woman asked as she jotted something down in her notebook. She held out a key, and Adil reached for it.
“Just a couple of weeks, actually. This tour is part of our honeymoon,” he said with a wink.
Samine had to keep from rolling her eyes. He certainly was laying it on a bit thick. The owner of the small inn seemed to love every minute of it. “Congratulations! Venice is such a romantic city. I hope you have time to sightsee while you’re working. You’ll be staying on the second floor, first door on the left. You’ve just missed dinner, but if you stay long enough tomorrow, you can have tea and scones at two. I cook dinner on a voluntary basis at seven, so if you’d like me to make something, you’re welcome to look over the menu. Breakfast is served every morning between five and eight
.”
“I love a flexible meal schedule,” Samine said smoothly. “We’ll let you know about dinner. Thank you so much!”
Tugging at Adil’s arm, she pulled him away from the desk. They were causing way too much of a scene with this woman. If the police went door-to-door looking for them, they’d be screwed. But Samine had a feeling that once Adil’s father got involved, he’d stall the investigation. From what Samine knew about the family, the crowned sheikh would protect his son until he knew for sure what was going on. She hoped it would buy them some time.
“We need to keep a low profile. Telling her that we were on our honeymoon was not a good idea,” she hissed as she snagged the key from him. Inserting it into the door, she opened it to reveal a cozy room.
It was decorated simply. One desk and chair, a loveseat, and one bed. Small. Samine frowned. It wouldn’t be like sharing a bed in the last hotel. They’d have to sleep plush against each other.
“Sorry,” Adil muttered. “I have no practice with evading police.”
She smirked at him. “You’re a bit too flashy to be a thief.”
“Says the woman who wore orange at my brother’s wedding reception.” He crossed his arms as he stared at her.
“That was so I would fit in…” She faltered as she looked at him. “You remember what I wore?”
“Trust me, Samine, you stand out wherever you go.” Before she could respond, he turned to explore the small room as she collapsed in the only chair and pulled out her phone. “I am going to regret leaving our bags in the car.”
“No television,” Adil muttered. “You couldn’t have picked a better place?”
“I chose it because there’s no television in the lobby. If she doesn’t have a television to watch while she’s working, she won’t be seeing our picture plastered everywhere. Will you quit pacing? I need to make a few calls to trace those plates. Sit down,” she commanded.
Adil raised an eyebrow. “Please,” she added.
It took her three calls to find someone who was willing to run the plates for her. “Thanks, George,” she said before she disconnected the call. “Okay. Does the name Atone Tanning mean anything to you?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that question? You’re the one who would be more familiar with thieves. Why would I know the name?”
Samine wrote the name down on a piece of paper and stared at it. It had to be an alias, but most aliases were simple. This one was strange. Atone. Who used that for an alias? Dragging the pen around on the paper, she doodled while she stared at the name.
“Anton Negatin. It’s an anagram. That’s the man who tried to steal from you before.”
Adil turned his head and stared at her. “He’s in Interpol’s custody. We’d know if he was free, and it would be insane for him to try to steal from my family again. You’re wrong.”
Grabbing the burner phone again, she shook her head. She really needed to get her hands on a computer. It took fifteen minutes for her to find the answer.
“Anton is no longer in custody. He escaped months ago, and they are under no obligation to tell you. He wants Bathsheba’s Crown. A lot of people do. It would be hard enough for him to try again, but this time he was smarter. He’s trying to be more discreet.”
Adil didn’t respond for a few minutes. She watched as he finally knocked his head on the headboard. “At least this isn’t all on me. I’m not the first Khalidizack that Anton has duped.”
“I guess that means your fortune is still intact,” she muttered as she stood and stretched. “I don’t have the manpower to trace the plate until he stops. He’ll probably travel through the night and ship it out early morning. I’m going to bed now. I’ll get up early and start working on it again.”
“You think it’s just money,” Adil said softly. “You think all I care about is the damn money.”
“What else is it about? You forget that I did extensive research on your family. You like your women and your money. And I guess if your money is taken away, you feel like your women are going as well. Cheer up, Adil. You’re still sexy.”
She walked over to the window to look outside, and she caught a glimpse of his reflection just before he grabbed her shoulders and whirled her around, slamming her against the wall. It was more shock than pain that cascaded through her, but she caught her breath as he loomed over her.
“You think you know about me from what you read online? What would I find if I researched you, Samine Isme? Clearly, not a journalist. What else are you hiding?”
He pressed his hands on either side of her and leaned down so there were mere inches between them. She caught her breath. For an insane moment, she wanted him to kiss her again. The chemistry between them was real, and distracting. She couldn’t focus. She couldn’t think.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to judge you,” she whispered. “But it’s not only what I read. It’s how you act. The only reason you put me on the collection to begin with was so you could get me into bed.” Reaching up, she pressed her hands against his chest. “Now that you know what I wanted, what do you want?”
His pupils dilated as he stared at her. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
“It’s not seduction, Adil. We’re two adults who need a release. You wanted a piece of honesty from me? Here it is. I want you. Here. Now.”
“Wow.” He blinked. “That’s…” but before he could say anything else, she pressed her lips to his effectively silencing him.
He met her kiss with an urgency, and suddenly there was nothing playful between them. The air grew hot and thick and she felt like her body wasn’t even her own as she lifted her arms up to wrap around him.
He broke the kiss and stared at her. “Are you sure about this, Samine? Because we’re…”
Bringing his head down, she stopped his sentence with a kiss. She didn’t want to talk. She just wanted to feel. Every bone in her body was melting, and it was just a kiss. Fear set in. What would happen If they didn’t stop? What would happen if he touched her?
He slipped his hand under her shirt, and she found out. Sagging against the wall, she tightened her hold on him as his hands slid over her skin. “Adil, I’m going to fall,” she whispered into his neck.
Immediately, he lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around him. “I’ve got you,” he said as his mouth curved into a slow smile. “We’ve barely started. Do you think you can handle it?”
Cocky son of a bitch. Rubbing herself against him, her eyes lit up as he moaned. “I think I can take whatever you can dish out, Adil. So let’s see what you’ve got,” she challenged.
With a low growl, he pushed away from the wall and turned toward the bed, dropping her down and following her. She closed her eyes as he slid down her body and pressed his lips to her abdomen.
“Seriously,” she murmured as she twisted under him. “We don’t need any foreplay. I am so ready.”
“Really?” he said with a smile. Reaching for her pants, he slowly undid the button and slid the zipper down. “And how long have you been ready.”
The ache inside her grew deeper every time he touched her, and she couldn’t stop from arching into him as he slipped her pants off. “Now, let’s see just how ready you are,” he murmured as he stroked a finger along her slit. She knew the fabric of her panties was soaked, but his touch only made it worse.
“Stop playing,” she moaned. “Please.”
Chuckling, he rose up until he could kiss her lips again. “If this is my only night with you, I’m going to take my time and do everything I’ve been fantasizing about.”
She felt a nagging feeling inside her, and she reached up to frame his face with her hands. “Adil, are you doing this because you want me or because I gave in? I really need to know.”
The smile left his face, and he stroked her hair. “This isn’t about power, Samine. This is about you and me. Do you think you can handle that?”
“I told you. I can handle anything that you throw at me.” She reached up and wrappe
d her legs around him again. The sensation of his jeans rubbing against her skin sent spikes of desire ricocheting through her.
Pulling away, he locked eyes with her as he undressed. Impatient, she pushed herself up and stripped off her shirt and bra. Spread out on the bed, she finally looked up to see him.
Adil stared at her. His expression was completely unreadable, and she reached down to grab the sheet to cover herself, but he pulled it out of her reach. “Don’t you dare cover yourself,” he said darkly. “You are absolutely perfect.”
Too much. Fuck, he was too much. Afraid she would say something that she would regret, she reached up instead and pulled him down.
Perfect. The only one perfect in this bed was him. Sculpted. Toned. Smooth. She raced her hands over every inch of him and moaned.
Adil seemed to know every sensitive spot on her body. He didn’t just lick her nipples and rub his fingers over her crevice. He caressed the underside of her knees and kissed the hollow of her throat. By the time he pulled her panties down, she was ready to beg.
“Now,” she gasped. “Please.”
“I’ll tell you when I’m ready,” he murmured, but she could see the sweat on his forehead.
He wanted her. The muscles in his neck were straining, and she was ready to break. Wrapping her legs around him, she pushed until they rolled. Straddling him, she gave him a smile. “Look who’s in charge now.”
“Fuck, Samine,” he muttered, but she slapped her hand on his chest and lifted her body over him.
Breathing hard, she hesitated only a minute before she finally slid over him. Inch by inch, she took him inside her. “Adil,” she cried out. “Oh, God.”
He gripped her hips and dug his fingers into her. “Come on, baby,” he whispered. “Come on.”
Leaning forward, she relinquished control and let him guide her down. Her jaw dropped, and she closed her eyes until he was all the way in. For a moment, she couldn’t even move. “Adil.”
“I know. I know, baby.” He pulled her down for a kiss, and she began to move. With every thrust, the coil of desire only grew until she was frantic on top of him. The slapping of skin and their breathy moans filled the room. She tried to keep it impersonal, but there was nothing impersonal about what they were doing.