The Sheik's Dangerous Temptation

by Mary Jo Springer

The dark shadow had visited her again in her dreams, demanding her unguarded attention. Only this time, her vision had brought one more piece of the puzzle. Malik’s sister’s amulet swung before her eyes. Her recollections became crystal clear. Her eyes drooped as she became drowsy watching the swinging amulet. Back and forth it swung before her eyes as the master kept repeating the same words over and over. Oh, God! Now she heard those words as plainly as if he were in the room with her right now.

  Malik must die. Malik must die.

  Her hands flew to her mouth as a terrible fear roared to life in her gut. Worried she would wake Malik, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and padded barefoot across to the balcony.

  The dark shadow’s influence was gaining strength. She felt herself morphing into the dangerous assassin he’d forged with his beatings, torture, and threats. She gripped the cold stone of the balustrade, her legs buckling under the weight of her newfound persona—the persona of a killer.

  In the blink of an eye, the rest of her forgotten memories came tumbling back into place with clarity. She and her parents were celebrating her victory at the shooting competition in Touffian when they were all kidnapped. OMG! Her parents. That monster still held her parents! She fell to her knees as the horrendous memories overwhelmed her. Now, from the tongue of the devil whispering into her ear, she remembered her mission. She ignored the cold bite of the stone cutting into her flesh—an injury was the least of her problems. Closing her eyes, trying to expunge the inescapable, she bowed her head, pleading with God to deliver her from this fate. God please help me, I cannot do this! She closed her eyes, begging all the fates for help . . . for mercy. Her heart shuddered in her chest. She was caught in a trap so unimaginable, she wondered at her sanity. In order to free her parents, she had to kill the king of Baharah.

  She had to kill the love of her life.

  She had to kill Malik.

  Chapter 13

  Malik knew who stood behind him. He became instantly aware the minute he’d heard the swish of the secret door to his private study whoosh open. He heard the slick sound of a gun magazine sliding into place. His nostrils flared, drinking in that intoxicating perfume she always wore. No doubt about it, his wife had arrived, and his worst fear had been confirmed. He’d been such a fool to have brushed off Nazem’s warnings so casually. Bile rose in his throat, the acid taste of betrayal. Without turning, he snarled over his shoulder, “So Nazem’s worries were valid. Was everything we shared only a ploy to further snare me in a trap so you could kill me?” He began slowly clapping his hands together, “I must applaud you, you completely duped me.”

  The tap, tap of her stiletto heels signaled she was moving up behind him.

  He turned and froze. His tearful wife stood before him with a Glock and a magazine in her hand. She wasn’t loading the gun, she’d been unloading it. Relief, like a rainstorm in the desert, brushed over him. He sagged under the pressure. His wife, the mother of his heir hadn’t betrayed him. No, her love for him remain strong. She hadn’t duped him, she really did love him. His love for her at that moment was as tangent as her standing in front of him.

  “I can’t do it. Not even to save my parents.”

  “What were your orders?” He asked, coming around the corner of his desk. He halted when she raised her hand to forbid him from coming closer.

  “Kill you. I’ve been programed to kill you. That’s why I had your sister’s amulet in my shoe. They used it to hypnotize me.”

  He moved an inch closer, but stopped when he saw the anguish in her eyes. “Why don’t you start at the beginning and tell me exactly what you remember.”

  She shuddered in a deep breath. “I had just won the shooting tournament in Touffian when they kidnapped my parents and me. They threw us into this dark dungeon that scared the life out of us. Then they separated us and that’s when the torture began, the hellish beatings, and it continued until I agreed to do what they wanted.”

  “Kill me.”

  “Yes.”

  The training continued for weeks. I shot at your picture day in and day out. It was horrible. I didn’t have a clue who you were, but I didn’t care. I had to do what he wanted or he’d kill my parents and then me.”

  Malik carefully laid his hand on her shoulder, ready to step back in case he frightened her further. She was terrified. He longed to enfold her within his arms, but he dared not. Not while she continued to relate the events that brought her to him. Her teeth chattered, and her hand holding the gun shook uncontrollably. Understandably, she was a mess. Fury choked him. “Who is he?”

  Eyes swimming with tears, she glanced up at him. He reached for the gun, and she relinquished it into his hand. He prayed that the monstrous creature who’d done this to her was still alive. Still alive so he could squeeze the life out of him.

  She stared at him for a full minute. He feared she wouldn’t disclose the master’s identity for fear her parents would be killed. He understood this. But he also knew he’d go to the ends of the globe to keep her and the baby safe. Even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

  He moved toward her, keeping his hands at his side so she knew he wouldn’t harm her. “Give me his name so I can wipe this monster from our lives.”

  “I’m scared. He has men everywhere.”

  “I know, habib albi, but I will protect you.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Now is the time to put all your trust in me.”

  Her emerald eyes looked up at him, and within the depths, he witnessed the blazing fear that consumed her.

  “I trust you with my life and the lives of my parents.” She tearfully replied.

  He gently smoothed the dangling locks of her hair behind her ear. “Then you know the right thing to do. Give me his name.”

  “Safwan.” She whispered.

  “My uncle!” He shouted, staggering backward a couple of steps

  He gripped the edge of his desk for support. “This cannot be true!” He fought to remain standing upright as his knees buckled. Anger and betrayal spilled into his blood, as a hot force of vengeance overwhelmed him. Shock shifted into rage. His mind couldn’t wrap around the fact that the man who had enjoyed his family’s hospitality killed them. His uncle had slain his own blood. His own blood. “Safwan?” he uttered, dazed.

  “Yes.”

  “He killed my family?” He was lightheaded, his heart refusing to pump his blood. How did one digest such news? The world around him turned like a fast-moving carousel. An invisible fist compressed his heart.

  “Yes,” she insisted. “He’ll kill my parents just like he killed yours, and he’ll kill this baby I carry also. He’s ruthless.”

  He enfolded her in his arms, one hand pushing her head down against his shoulder. “And he beat you.”

  She nodded her head.

  His hand caressed the back of her head. “No, Allison my darling. I need to hear the word yes from your lips. He stepped back, breaking the embrace and cupping her face within his palms. “Again, he’s the one who beat you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Now is he the one who shot you?”

  “No, it was one of his henchman.”

  “He’s a dead man,” he growled, as a red haze clouded his vision. “I’ll rip his head right off his shoulders and choke the life out of his treacherous body.”

  The bastard was going to die. He’d make sure Safwan paid for this and paid dearly! Fuck! His uncle had murdered his family! How did he digest something this horrific? He couldn’t . . . he couldn’t . . . it was unimaginable. His uncle. The man who stood beside him at the burial of his family. The man who helped him through the dark days after their killings, when he didn’t know if he wanted to live, much less rule this country. His uncle! The demon! The swine! He’d kill him with his bare hands. He let out a guttural roar of pain as he turned
away from her.

  From the perimeter of his vision, he caught a glimpse of Nazem as he entered through the secret door. Panic overtook him as he watched Nazem raise his gun, aiming at the back of Allison’s head. He moved in front of Allison. “Nazim. No. This is not what you think. Allison has uncovered the plot to kill me and solved the crime of my family’s murder.”

  He turned and faced Allison. “Listen to me.” His fingers swiped the flow of tears from her cheeks. “Trust me, Allison. I will protect you, our child, and your parents. This I swear on the head of our child.”

  Behind her, he saw Nazem lower his gun and lean against the wall of his office.

  She wept into her hands. “I’m so sorry, Malik. Until last night . . . I don’t know how I ended up with this gun.”

  He engulfed her in his arms. “You haven’t done anything to be sorry about. I’m proud of you for allowing me the opportunity to capture this so-called master.” He kissed her forehead, her eyes, her mouth.

  Nazem came up behind Malik and pressed a calming hand on his shoulder as Allison filled him in on what had occurred in the past few moments.

  “Safwan is the mastermind of this entire operation. He killed Malik’s family so he could take over the throne, and he controls a vast army hidden in the desert. He financed the entire operation with desert diamonds. He kidnapped my family after he saw me compete in a target shooting competition in the United States. He shadowed my family from there to the worldwide competition in Touffian. When I won, he kidnapped us as we stepped out of a restaurant where we were celebrating my win. He forced me to train to kill Malik in order to save my parents.” Her gaze shifted over to Malik as her hand reached for his. With a heavy heart she continued,. “He never expected you to be anything but easy to kill. That’s why he trained me.” Pent up tears choked her. “He knew the kind of women you desired. He studied your likes and dislikes until he had it down to a science. I was the golden goose dropped right into your lap. Your type of woman who also was a first-class shot.”

  Allison turned back to Nazem as she continued to relate the events of the past year.

  Malik’s knees actually buckled, sending him down hard into his desk chair. The pain and suffering his family and Allison’s had endured because of Safwan’s desire for the throne made him sick. Such treachery . . . and from a member of his own family no less. A blood lust for vengeance fired through him, his anger so intense it nearly blinded him. Safwan. He growled, the grating sound that of a wounded animal.

  Screw justice, he wanted revenge! He wanted to feel the man’s neck snap between his hands. And he would relish the sensation. If he had to go to the ends of the earth, or all the way to hell, he get satisfaction. An eye for an eye. Nothing mattered more. His entire family lay in their graves . . . and for what? Greed. Power. His stomach hit his toes. The whole scenario sickened him.

  For a haunting moment, he rose and walked like a zombie over to the armoire, numb from head to toe. Picking up the crystal water pitcher, he threw it across the room. Allison and Nazem ducked as pieces of glass shattered all around them.

  Nazem, the voice of reason, intervened. “Your Highness, this is your call. I will accept your decision, whatever it is. Legal or otherwise.”

  Malik didn’t answer. He couldn’t even begin to find the words. Safwan had killed his own brother. What kind of hate took a man in that direction? Nazem’s next comment snapped him out of his nightmare.

  “We have to develop a plan, sire.”

  He shook his head, trying to focus. “The plan is to kill Safwan, preferably with my own hands.”

  “That will come, my lord, but right now we need to develop a strategy to save Allison’s parents.”

  Malik shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Safwan is not aware Allison has regained her memory. So time and surprise are on our side. He will not expect an attack.”

  “I could have the army hit his hideout with everything we’ve got?”

  “No,” Malik said. “This is personal. I want him taken alive. I want the whole country to see the man who took their beloved leader, my father, from them.” He was breathing easier now, actually getting air to move in and out of his paralyzed lungs.

  “As you will, my lord.”

  “What about my parents?” Allison asked.

  “Aren’t they with him in the desert?”

  She shook her head. “No, we were kept in some ancient stronghold. Down in a dungeon.”

  Malik rolled a hand across his chin, deep in thought. “The old fort deep in the mountains,” he blurted out. “That has to be where he’s holding them. How long will it take you to mobilize the army?” he asked, turning to Nazem.

  “Less than an hour, Your Highness. We will need Allison to accompany us.”

  Malik’s head shot up, “Out of the question!” Walking over to his desk, he sat behind it. Allison started to protest his decision, but he held a hand up, cutting off her response. “You are more precious to me than my entire kingdom, and you’re pregnant. You’ll remain here under guard.”

  “Oh, no I won’t!” She made to follow Malik behind his desk. “If you think for one minute you can go after Safwan and leave me here to wait to see if my parents survive your attack, you can think again.”

  He was adamant about his decision. “You’ve just regained the memory of your last horrific months in captivity. You’re not stable enough to deal with the pressure of searching for your parents. I will handle this.”

  Her hands staggered her hips. “I can handle myself in a gun fight. I’ve had extensive training.”

  “I’m sure that’s true, but you weren’t pregnant then.”

  “Oh, so now I must sit here like an old woman while you save our kingdom? Not a chance. I’ll wait until you leave and then follow you into the desert. But I will help get my parents out alive.”

  Malik’s eyes widened. She wouldn’t dare.

  Nazem walked up to his desk. “She’s got a point, Your Highness. If she’s with us, we can at least keep an eye on her. Keep her safe.”

  Malik growled his answer, his fist slamming against the desktop. “No! I forbid it!”

  Allison tapped her foot against the marble floor. “Once again you are being totally unreasonable.”

  “Is it so unreasonable for a man to protect his family?”

  “Not when she’s a trained killer.” She chimed in.

  “Your Highness, only Allison has been in the dungeon. Her information could be vital to saving her parents and anyone else Safwan has enslaved down there.”

  Malik came to his feet. “Why am I the only one listening to the voice of reason?”

  Allison moved in closer to Malik. “You’re the only one who can’t see how vital I am to this rescue mission. I know the inside of the dungeon like the back of my hand.”

  Malik’s shoulders slumped. “This is against my better judgment, but I can’t fight the two of you,” Malik conceded. “She stays behind me the entire time.” Pointing a finger into Allison’s face, he said, “I mean it! If you step out of line even once, I’ll have you back here so fast your beautiful head will spin.”

  Smiling, Allison agreed. “I’ll do anything to see that my parents are saved.”

  Malik blew out the breath he’d been holding for the last five minutes. “That’s what worries me . . . I want you to promise me. You’ll do whatever I tell you, even if it means your parents’ lives. I won’t trade your life for theirs. Do I make myself clear?”

  Allison opened her mouth to object.

  Malik raised his hand. “Or you can stay here. This is the only way I’ll agree to this.”

  Without hesitation, she stepped closer. “I promise.”

  “And you won’t carry a weapon.”

  “That’s ludicrous. I’m a better shot than you. I’ve proved
it in competition after competition.”

  Malik’s lips lifted into a sneer. “Killing a man is a lot more difficult than shooting at a bunch of targets.”

  ~ ~ ~

  The water seeping down the stone walls made the steps leading into the dungeon treacherous. Darkness added another factor. His bodyguards had already killed at least two of the sentinels guarding the entrance, and Malik knew many more would die this night. His uncle would not give up without a fight. His uncle wanted a high body count, and he wanted one of those bodies to be Malik’s. Placing a hand against his back, Allison followed him step by step as they inched their way down into the bowels of the earth.

  “Stay close,” he whispered into her ear. “I mean right at my back, you got that?” He still wasn’t happy with the fact that she was here. Yes, she knew her way around the dungeon, but the thought of Safwan somehow capturing her was enough to make his skin crawl.

  “Got it,” she whispered back, her hand fanning out across his back.

  Black desert robes concealed them from prying eyes. He’d insisted Allison wear the traditional men’s head covering to conceal her golden hair. This whole operation made him terribly uneasy. If anything happened to her, he wasn’t sure what he’d do. After almost losing her, he’d realized the truth: she was his life. He wanted her as far away from the danger as possible. Even though they blended in perfectly with the darkness, he still feared discovery. They crept along the stairs, his hands inching along the solid wall for guidance.

  An owl screeched, and he felt her slide closer to him, so close he could feel her breath in short bursts against his neck. This was exactly where he wanted her. He continued on, placing one foot in front of the other as they slowly descended. A light beckoned down a long corridor, and they made their way toward it, passing a number of empty cells, their metal doors flung open. Furry creatures scurried across their feet as they moved deeper into the dungeon. Allison gripped the material of his robes in her fingers.