Wanted

by Diana Fraser

  And he let her. He just held her, saying soothing things in Arabic that he’d forgotten he knew, things his nurse had said to him when he was a small child, angry and hurt by his lot in life. He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat but it wouldn’t go. He tried to stop the tears from flowing but they wouldn’t.

  He said many things—soothing things, reassuring things, things that might help her—but none of them helped him. There was only one thing he couldn’t ask, that he was desperate to know—who was the bastard who raped you?

  Instead he helped Taina back to the house, supporting her with his strength because that was all he could do, all he had to offer.

  She walked to the window, looking out at God knew what.

  “Are you okay? Would you like something? A drink? Coffee? Water?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “What can I do for you?” He swept his fingers helplessly through his hair. “How can I help you get over this? You’ve got to let me do something.”

  “You are helping me.”

  He shook his head. “How can I be? I’ve nothing to give you, nothing to say. You won’t…” …tell me his name, he was about to add before he stopped himself just in time. That wouldn’t help her. But what else could he do? He’d been completely inept, completely incompetent at doing anything. All he had was his strength—mental and physical.

  He took a soft throw from one of the leather chairs and took it to her, putting it around her shoulders but she put her hand on it and shook her head. “It’s okay. I’m not an invalid. I’ve a little piece in my heart which will always be vulnerable, always a little broken, but since I’ve been back something’s happened that I never expected.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ve grown stronger.” She grimaced a little as if trying to think of words to express how she felt. “I’ll tell you how it feels. You know when you hurt yourself, maybe strain your back through exercise or something? Then all the muscles tighten around it, trying to protect it, knowing it can’t look after itself?” She smiled at him. It was like a watery sun after showers. “It’s a bit like that. I’m stronger. And that’s thanks to you. I came back here wanting another child to love, not able to bear the pain of Mimi’s absence. But you gave me a connection to my past, to my family, to my country and land and my art… and to you.” She extended her hand to him. “And that’s made me strong in a way I hadn’t believed possible.”

  He took her hand and she seemed to reel him in to her. She ran her fingers over his cheeks and he closed his eyes, only opening them when she trailed her finger over his lips. “You are so beautiful, Daidan. I can’t believe I walked away from you on our wedding day.”

  “You had every right to.”

  “Maybe. But I should have stayed. I should have made a scene—screamed at you, thrown things at you. Told you exactly what I thought of you and what you’d done.”

  He smiled. “I would have understood it better.”

  “Yes, our people, our cultures are so different. Us Finns are an introverted lot. I grew up with a family who was never open with their feelings or thoughts. It drove my mother to drink and my father to become obsessed with the company, with work, with diamonds. It drives the poison inside. I won’t do that again. I’ll always be open with you.”

  Again, the drive for him to ask the question that haunted him, framed itself in his mind, formed into teasing consonants in his mouth. His lips began to form the words but then she lifted herself up on tip-toe and kissed his mouth and the words were wiped out.

  He swept his arms around her, pulling her to him, tasting her lips, her mouth, as if he were a starving man. All his frustrations and anger suddenly transformed into a desperate need to make love to this woman, hurt but strong—his wife.

  The kiss deepened and she pressed her body against his, making it clear that she, too, wanted him. He put his hands beneath her bottom and lifted her up. Her legs curled around his hips as they continued to kiss. At last they pulled apart, breathless with need.

  He pulled her to him, so her sex rubbed against his, showing her how much he wanted her.

  “Take me, now,” she whispered.

  He put her down on the leather chaise that was bathed in light and began to take off her clothes. He took his time, relishing the signs that she needed him—as she tried to make him hurry, moving her body so sensuously in the flickering light from the leaves outside the window. He smiled when she grunted with frustration as he slowly stripped. Naked, he stood admiring her. It was only when she reached down and touched herself, opening herself for him to see how much she wanted him, that he moved. Lifting her legs until she was wrapped around him, he thrust into her, watching her eyes become heavy lidded but focusing on him. It was totally erotic.

  And afterwards, with limbs tangled and their breathing returned to normal, as he caressed her stomach tenderly, did he suddenly realize that she was right. Taina was no longer a girl, but a woman—a strong woman.

  She twisted in his arms. “What are you thinking about?”

  “I need to know who it was. You knew who it was, didn’t you? You knew the man who raped you.”

  She hesitated, pressing her lips together, uncertain what to do. But she’d told him things would change. She promised herself no more lies. She nodded.

  “And you still won’t tell me?”

  “Not yet. I will. After…”

  “After the launch?”

  “Yes. After the launch I’ll tell you.”

  “Because the person is connected to it?”

  “Maybe. Please, leave it for now. I promise I will tell you. But you have to promise not to do anything.”

  “I can’t promise that,” he said quietly. “But I can promise I’ll always love you.”

  She sat astride him and he knew that she was distracting him. And it was working. “Good.” She moved her hands over him, playing with him, teasing him, until he forgot what he was thinking and surrendered to the movement of her hands, and then her body moving on him.

  Taina awoke to find the soft throw had been placed over her. She turned with a start. Daidan was dressed and sipping coffee and watching her. She sat up and yawned. “How long have I been asleep?”

  “About an hour. Coffee?”

  “Thank you.” She sipped the coffee, the throw falling down to her waist, as did his eyes. He grinned. “So… are you going to sit there all day watching my breasts? Might get a tad boring.”

  “I’ll never be bored by that. I could do it all day. Such perfect breasts.”

  She frowned. “Nothing’s perfect, Daidan.”

  He grinned. “True. I think one might be a shade larger than the other.”

  She grabbed a cushion and threw it at him but he side-stepped it. “Thank you for considering my comfort but I won’t be staying long.”

  She raised her eyebrows as she sipped her coffee. “Why? Where are you going?”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” He pointed out the window to the gulf. “See the boat out there?”

  Taina looked at the launch that appeared to be heading their way. She pulled the throw around her and stood up. “Is someone coming?”

  “Our team, Taina. The whole of our team will be arriving in, oh”—he glanced at his watch and looked up at her with a grin—“in approximately eight minutes.”

  Taina yelped and her coffee spilled as she ran from the room. “Bastard!”

  Daidan smiled to himself as he heard Taina running down the hall to their suite at the far end of the house. He watched the boat approach as he calmly finished his coffee. Taina was wrong about something. He still felt unable to help her, except in this one way. He could protect her from threat. He suspected one of the Russian contingent. They’d been both in Antigua and New York before at the same time she was there. He’d make sure they couldn’t get anywhere near her before he discovered the rapist’s identity and dealt with him. Only then could he and Taina move on with their lives.

  CHA
PTER ELEVEN

  Daidan looked around, checking to make sure the discreet security was in place. No one would be able to land on the island unannounced, no one would be able to attack Taina, his home, or his company. He’d made sure of that. He exchanged a few words with his chief of security and then switched off the phone and turned to Taina. He forgot his worries instantly. She’d never looked more beautiful. The burnt orange satin of her evening dress made her look like the setting sun, vibrant and eclipsing all else with her beauty. She turned to him with eyes bright with excitement. She looked like a flower in full sun—giving forth a beauty and inner radiance that he’d never before seen in her.

  It made him swear again never to allow anyone to hurt her. She wouldn’t have liked the security measures if she knew how extensive they were, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.

  “Daidan! Look over there. Don’t the barges look glorious?”

  He followed her gaze out to the gulf which was as calm and blue as a millpond in midsummer. He could almost have believed he was back at home in Ma’in, for the brilliance of the color—except the heat wasn’t as fierce. He’d return there again, soon, with Taina. Turned out he had nothing to prove after all. All he needed was Taina.

  “It was inspired. But aren’t you always?”

  “Not always,” she said wryly. “But I probably will be in the future. I’m somehow feeling that my inspiration is going to continue for some time to come.”

  “Because you’re happy.”

  She nodded. “I am.” She glanced once more at the colorful barges, which edged ever closer to the island. “Or I will be when this afternoon’s over.” Their visitors were leaning on the boats’ railings, their beautiful clothes lifting in the warm breeze, fingers outstretched as people pointed to the castle which stood behind them. Despite the fact that most of it was in ruins, it was still stunning. On three sides its stone walls soared up from the blue waters of the lake. It was on the fourth side that she and Daidan stood waiting for their guests to arrive. The collapse of the outer wall had proved a bonus in modern times, as events could be staged in the amphitheater of the castle ruins.

  They walked down to the wharf by the castle and waited for their guests to disembark. Their staff lined up ready to hand out presents and information about the afternoon’s entertainment while Daidan and Taina prepared to greet them.

  Daidan squeezed her hand. “Feeling okay?”

  She smiled. “The best. The morning sickness seems to have disappeared—thank goodness—and our people have been brilliant. They’ve covered all eventualities.”

  Daidan’s mouth tightened, unable to rid himself of the nagging doubt that there might be something, some detail, he’d missed. “I certainly hope so.”

  She frowned. “You’re not worried about anything?”

  He didn’t answer. Instead he held up his hand in greeting as the two boats came in on either side of the jetty. Taina scanned the boats, Daidan’s reaction suddenly having made her nervous. But there was no one there who shouldn’t be. No one who could threaten her happiness.

  Daidan and Taina separated as they greeted their guests. Their staff mingled, handing out the programs and champagne to the guests as they drifted into the auditorium and took their seats, their necks craning as they admired the stunning backdrop to the performance—the gray stone of the medieval walls that soared into the blue of a perfect summer sky.

  After a brief greeting from Daidan, the orchestra began and music filled the castle keep. Slowly the curtain rose on the stage and twelve models emerged, dressed in clinging white evening gowns, sky-high heels and dripping with diamonds from their new Northern Lights collection. The combined beauty and brilliance of the models and the jewelry in the bright sunshine was met by an audible gasp. It was almost blinding and that was exactly the impact Daidan and Taina had wanted. Daidan had only invited a few journalists he knew well. He’d arranged for his own photographers and TV cameras to support them. He had to be in control of it all. Nothing had been left to chance.

  Lights flashed as the models posed and descended from the stage to walk amongst the guests before returning backstage under the watchful eye of security. The first set of models were wearing the designs the design team had put together. As each model emerged, posed for best effect, and then swept down and mingled with the guests, the style and branding became more and more obvious, more distilled. And then the final group of models emerged and the guests went wild. Taina’s designs were amongst them—edgy and sophisticated. The collection not only showcased the quality of diamonds which were being mined by the company, but also the distinctive Scandinavian design ethos—spare and stunning. They needed nothing more to add to their brilliance.

  Taina watched with satisfaction and relief as even the most hardened of the jewelry mavens became excited, talking to the designers and looking over her way as the designers referenced her work.

  Daidan re-checked the position of the security guards, dressed in dinner suits, who were positioned at strategic points. There were enough diamonds here to ensure the wellbeing of a small country for a year. And each guard had been designated specific models to watch over. Their build and authority were as much a part of the display as the models and the setting.

  He dipped his head to Taina as a model wearing the centerpiece to the collection walked past.

  “You were correct, darling. That piece—it needed the flaw to make it more beautiful, more unique.”

  “Ha! I knew you’d agree eventually.” She smoothed her hand down his immaculate black dinner jacket and he took hold of it and gripped it tightly. “I have excellent taste, you have to admit.”

  “True,” he grinned. “You chose me.”

  “Did I? I rather thought it was the other way around.”

  Although they were all still seated, waiting for the concert to begin, he kept tight hold of her hand. He wanted to know where she was at every moment of today’s events. Word had it that something was going to be attempted and he was damned sure that no one and nothing would get to Taina. Mind you, she’d be hard to miss. He glanced admiringly at her in the orange satin strapless evening dress. Her skin was tanned, making her violet eyes more intense and her blond hair even brighter. She stood out against the men in their black tuxes and the models in their all white dresses, as if all the others were only there to showcase her beauty.

  But she wasn’t perfect. Daidan knew that now. Just as he wasn’t. Although he’d always known that. But her vulnerabilities and complexities made her even more precious. Their world wasn’t black and white as he’d always treated it, but held the complexities and beauty of a rainbow, just as light split from the diamonds showered color over the gray stone walls of the castle.

  Suddenly the spotlights moved and the color and intensity changed as they focused on the orchestra. The horn section began to play and the audience went silent, impressed by the opening bars which blended the majestic—with the horns and drums—with the lyrical melody of the flutes and violins. It was patriotic music—music which described throwing off the shackles of slavery and becoming free. Daidan glanced at Taina who sat, like all the others, entranced by the power of the music. He knew why she’d chosen Sibelius’s Finlandia. It had been her idea to hold a short concert of Finnish music to further brand the event. But it went deeper than that.

  He watched as she spread her fingers over her stomach, her thumb stroking over its gentle swell and he placed his hand over hers. Their gaze met briefly before she looked back at the stage and he continued to look around, searching out shadowy areas, nodding to people he knew to be watching, but whom no one else was aware of. He felt uneasy. No doubt simply because of the amount of jewelry that was all together in one place. That would be enough to make anyone concerned. But it was more than that. He felt a shiver down his spine, as if something wasn’t right. He continued to scan the castle and beyond. There was nothing out of place. Then he heard the sound of a motorboat approaching. Late guests, no doubt. He wa
tched a couple alight on the jetty and narrowed his eyes. He was a little surprised to see them—they’d declined their invitation because of pressure of business. And yet here they were. It was Mark, a fellow diamond mine owner from Australia and his girlfriend—not his wife. He disapproved of his brazen attitude but remembered a few comments the Australian’s wife—Amelia—had made about him last year and realized that she was under no illusions about her husband. They were being stopped by security. He’d better go and greet them. He was about to tell Taina that some late guests had arrived before he stopped himself. She was utterly lost in the music and he hadn’t the heart to disturb her. Instead he kissed her hand and quietly slipped away.

  Once the music finished, Taina turned around. She’d vaguely heard a boat approach. No doubt people who’d missed the barge. She glanced around to see who it was but someone spoke to her and she had to turn away. By the time she looked up, whoever had arrived late had been seated.

  Despite her reassurances to Daidan about lack of morning sickness, she still felt a little queasy and she sat back and closed her eyes and listened to the music swell and fill the small space with its vibrations. When the music stopped and the applause began she opened her eyes to find Daidan had returned. He wiped away a stray tear from her cheek.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  She wiped her forehead which was feeling clammy. The blue sky was beginning to mist over, holding in the heat of the late afternoon. “Probably just the humidity. I think I’ll just slip away and get some sea air for a few moments.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “No, I’ll be fine. You stay and look after our guests. We can’t both leave.”

  She rose and, waving in greeting to different guests, she left the auditorium to the strains of Sibelius’s The Swan of Tuonela.