The Princess and Her Mercenary: A Driven Hearts Novella

by Nikita Slater

  Ndari rolled her head to look at him. “You're from Ireland?”

  It was only half a question since she knew for a fact he was from Ireland. But she wanted to lure him into a conversation about his birthplace because they had never actually discussed Ireland. Come to think of it, they didn't really discuss Keane at all. He knew all about Ndari. Knew all about her life, her family, her friends. Probably even her former lovers.

  Most of it she had told him herself, but she knew Keane well enough to know that he probably had a fairly thick dossier on her, covering everything from past lovers to her favourite shade of lipstick and which ball she preferred to wear which jewels at. It was one of the things she loved best about him, he’d studied her until he knew exactly how to please her. How could a woman not fall for a guy who was that determined to be part of her life?

  She didn't care that he knew everything about her. If she had the capability, she'd have his full background too. What little she did know had been gossip from Jaya, who’d learned about him from his men and her husband. Ivan seemed to know Keane best. But when Jaya tried to do a more thorough check on Keane, at Ndari’s request, she couldn't find anything. Keane was a ghost online. She suspected he paid people to make it that way.

  “Ireland,” he repeated.

  “Yes.” She rolled against him and looked up at him. “Don't you ever want to go back to Ireland, where you grew up?”

  She felt the tension snake through his body and realized she was touching on a subject that wasn't a good one for him. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to.”

  “No,” he said gruffly. “I do want to go back to Ireland. Fucking love Ireland. It's the best. But I'm not welcome there.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Did some stupid things when I was young. Disappointed my family and got myself kicked outta town.” He thought about it. “Well, maybe I ran away. Don't remember anymore. All I know is there's no place for me back there.”

  “How long ago was that?” she asked softly trailing her fingers through the springy red hair on his chest.

  He lifted his arms and placed his hands behind his head. She cuddled into him. Rolling her head on top of his bicep and touching him soothingly as he talked.

  “Don't know,” he said thoughtfully. “Maybe 20 years.”

  “20 years is a long time,” she pointed out. “People forget, maybe stop holding grudges. Don't you want to go home and see?”

  He stared at nothing for a while, then he said, “There's nothing for me back there.”

  “Not even your parents, brothers, sisters?” she prodded.

  He glanced down at her. “Only a mother.”

  “And you don't want to go visit your own mother?” she asked incredulously. “I would give anything to see my mother again.”

  He didn't say anything. He probably knew that her mother was dead. Natalia had died when Ndari was seven. Ndari didn't really know the circumstances surrounding her mother's death. Not that it was a secret, but it was too painful for people to speak of. From what she remembered her mother had been sick for a long time before she passed away.

  Ndari didn’t remember much about the woman who gave birth to her, but if she concentrated hard, she could remember the sound of her voice, the scent of her favourite perfume, the soft touch of her fingers sifting through the fine hair on Ndari’s head. Ndari would give anything to have just one more conversation with her mother, especially as an adult. There were so many things that she didn't understand, that she wanted to know. Things she suspected the woman who gave birth to her could give her advice on.

  “Course I want to see my mom again,” Keane assured her. “But she doesn't want to see me.”

  “Nonsense,” Ndari said sharply, immediately negating him. “Your mother will want to see you. Trust me.”

  He grunted but didn't say anything.

  Ndari made up her mind.

  “Next stop, Ireland,” she said firmly.

  “No,” he replied back just as firmly.

  A slow smile spread across her lips and she tilted her face into the side of his body so he couldn’t see it. She would get what she wanted. She always got what she wanted, because he loved her enough to give her even the difficult stuff. And what she wanted this time was to reunite the man she loved with his mother.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Keane chartered a small aircraft and a pilot to get them from Prague to Dublin with the ease of a man who knew how to get anyplace, anywhere, any time. Ndari was impressed with his jet setting abilities. He made it look effortless, no big deal. He always had transportation and accommodations ready for them no matter where they went, or how short the notice was. This man really knew how to take care of a Princess.

  Ndari could feel his nerves almost the entire time they were flying but couldn't talk to him about it. For one thing the pilot was there, even though for the most part he ignored his two passengers, but he could still overhear them. Despite the pilot, Ndari would’ve drawn Keane into conversation about what was bothering him if his body language wasn’t so closed off. He was sitting turned away from her, gazing out the widow thoughtfully, a frown marring his brows. He wasn't open to talking and that was fine. She'd managed to convince him to go back to Ireland. And that was enough for now.

  When they arrived, he collected their bags and silently escorted her away from the plane and toward a waiting car. He opened her door and helped her slide into her seat, even going so far as to reach around her and buckle her seat belt. Yet still she felt his tension. He didn't have the relaxed ease that he'd had in Prague and Paris.

  Silently they drove. His eyes were on the road. He wasn't saying anything, so Ndari took the opportunity to look all around her and get acquainted with Dublin. This was a place she had never been. She’d never really had the desire to visit. There was no awesome shopping that she knew of. No royalty, not even very many rich people to hang out with.

  Yet Dublin had a charm all its own and she was more than ready to experience it with Keane as her guide.

  “Don't even know if my mum lives in the same place,” Keane commented after they've been driving for about 20 minutes.

  She twisted in her seat to look at him. “We'll find her. Even if she's not in the same house that you grew up in. We will find a way to find her. You know we will.”

  He didn't say anything. He didn't look at her.

  Another 15 minutes of driving and they were headed outside the city.

  “I thought you lived in Dublin,” she asked, confused, as she twisted in her seat to look at the city disappearing behind them.

  “Yeah, close,” he said.

  “Okay,” she murmured, content to watch the pretty scenery passing them by.

  They drove until they came upon a small town that was indeed not very far outside Dublin.

  “This is where I grew up,” he said, navigating slowly through the village streets.

  “It’s beautiful,” she murmured.

  “Here we are,” he said, pulling up to a house.

  It was a small house and it might have been considered somewhat ramshackle but Ndari could tell that someone had taken extra special care of it. Even though the paint was peeling, there were little window boxes of flowers on each window. And next to the front steps was a couple of pots overflowing with petunias. The yard was neat and tidy, not a blade of grass out of place and no litter floating across the area.

  Somebody had lovingly and meticulously cared for this home.

  When Keane saw the flowers by the front steps, he grunted, “She still lives here.”

  “Oh good,” Ndari said brightly skipping out ahead of him. “Let's go in then.”

  He followed her at a slightly slower pace as she walked up to the door and knocked briskly. It took a couple of minutes, but finally the door cracked open. A woman who looked to be maybe in her 50s or 60s stood in the doorway.

  Ndari was surprised. This woman looked younger
than she had expected. Keane was in his late 30s, maybe even 40s. And this woman looked like she could be his older sister. Her hair was red as well but a darker shade than Keane’s. She was tall and thin. And though she was probably very beautiful once, age, and maybe grief, had taken some of her youth. Wrinkles of exhaustion etched the skin beside her eyes and mouth. These were not lines of happiness. These were lines of concern.

  Ndari’s heart beat a little faster. She hoped she hadn't made a mistake in bringing Keane here. What if his mother rejected him? What if Ndari was responsible for that rejection, for helping to raise Keane’s hopes, only to watch them be crushed. Ndari decided she would beat the crap out of his mother is she dared to reject her son.

  Mrs. Keane lifted her eyes and she spotted her son. Ndari’s fears melted away. The way her eyes lit up with happiness when she saw him spoke volumes.

  “Linton!” she cried and launched herself out the door, throwing herself into his arms. “My son, you’ve come back to me.”

  The look of surprise on his face told Ndari he hadn't been expecting this reaction from his mother. She didn't know what he was expecting. Rejection, anger maybe. What he got was tears and happiness.

  He held the older woman, rocking her against him while Ndari sniffled back her own tears.

  “It's been so long,” Mrs. Keane cried.

  “I know,” he said huskily, “and I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd be welcome back here.”

  “You're always welcome in my home, son,” she assured him. “I never want you to feel otherwise. And I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way.”

  “Not you,” he grunted, shuffling his feet a little. “Some of the guys I used to hang out with… and dad before he died. I don't know. I guess I was screwed up for a long time. Should have probably contacted you over the years.”

  “Yes, you should have,” she said briskly, pushing away from him. “But it doesn't matter. You're here now, and that's what's important. Come on inside. And tell me all about your work with this Mr. Ivan person.”

  Keane and Ndari trailed after her.

  “How do you know about Ivan?” he demanded, frowning thunderously.

  She set a kettle of water on the stove to boil and then turned to look at him. “Well, his very sweet wife has been giving me updates on my son. This is how I knew you were alive and knew that I could finally stop worrying that one day I would have to bury my son.”

  Keane and Ndari shared a glance? Yep, it was just like Jaya to get herself involved in something like this. Something that wasn’t her business but would benefit her friends. She was like the hacking equivalent of Robin Hood. Which was probably a good thing considering her husband was a ruthless arms dealer. Someone needed to offset Ivan’s evil tendencies.

  She could tell by Keane’s expression that he didn't mind. He wasn't disappointed at all that Jaya had interfered with his family. Ndari was relieved. She didn’t particularly want to have to referee a fight between her lover and her best friend.

  “Come in, come in,” Mrs. Keane cried. “Have a seat, please. I'll make a pot of coffee.”

  “You don't have to do anything for us, Mrs. Keane,” Ndari said, stepping forward.

  Keane placed his hand on Ndari’s back and said, “Mum, this is my fiancé, Ndari Abudaulla.”

  Mary’s mouth fell open. “Married,” she said, her eyes big as she took in her future daughter-in-law. Ndari tried not to feel self-conscious. It was an uncomfortable feeling for someone with her great self-esteem. She didn’t like being uncertain. But she worried. Would Mrs. Keane look at Ndari and see only the colour of her skin, hear only her foreign name and accent? Would she be welcomed, or asked to leave? She didn’t usually have negative experiences when she travelled and met new people, but she also carefully vetted the places she travelled to and avoided racism like the plague. She didn’t have time for petty arguments over something so silly as a person’s ethnic background.

  And then a grin stretched Mrs. Keane’s lips and she threw her arms around Ndari, hugging her tightly. “You must call me Mary, and I’m so happy to meet you. I’ll just bet you’re the reason my son came home again. This might just be the best day of my life. Thank you, darling girl.”

  Mary sat them down at the table and then served coffee and cookies. Ndari immediately reached for the cookie platter. Mary sat down on one of the wooden chairs and beamed at her guests. She seemed so pleased to see them that the years melted away from her. She laughed as Keane and Ndari talked about their time in Paris and Prague, especially Ndari's description of Keane dutifully holding her purse while she shopped.

  Keane was careful to tell his mother only a select few stories of the past 20 years of his life, leaving a lot out. Ndari could feel some of his reticence in sharing those details with his mother. Ndari didn't think it was shame but something closer to wanting to protect his mom from the truth. Mary didn't need to know what he did for a living. The life of a mercenary was a brutal one. The jobs were usually violent and morally ambiguous. Mary seemed good knowing that her son was involved in security and that he got to travel the world and work for rich clients.

  Ndari applauded him for keeping his mother's feelings in mind. Though he came off as this great big rough and tumble guy, he was sensitive underneath all those muscles. The ones that rippled across his arms and chest when he moved, or the way they went hard when she ran her hands over them.

  Ndari shook her daydream away as Mary spoke again.

  "You'll stay here of course," Mary said insistently.

  Keane seemed to think about it and Ndari squeezed his hand to give her support of whatever decision he made. He said, “We’ll stay tonight, if you don’t mind.”

  “We’re not putting you out?” Ndari asked.

  "No, no." Mary was quick to assure them. "It's just me here. I don't know if Linton told you, but he only had one sister and she died when she was five. Got the flu, went into the hospital and never came out."

  "Oh, I'm so sorry," Ndari said looking at Keane. "How old were you when that happened?"

  He shrugged. “Twelve maybe."

  Twelve, Ndari thought. Probably around the time he started getting himself into trouble. She wondered if his sister's death had anything to do with that. Ndari started getting into more and more trouble when her mother passed away. It was like something inside her needed to be filled. So she filled it with adventure. Maybe Keane was more like her than she thought.

  "What do you plan on doing while you're home?" Mary asked. "I assume, you'll only be here for a short while." She sounded as though she hoped that he would contradict her, but he didn't.

  Keane nodded. "Yeah, only a few days. Want to show Ndari the city, some of the places I used to hang around."

  "Well, I won't get in your way," Mary told them. "We can chat when you come here to visit."

  The three of them talked until late into the evening, then Mary showed them upstairs into the guest room. "I haven't had a chance to dust or anything. I hope you don't mind," she said opening the door.

  Keane stepped inside, a strange look on his face. Ndari followed close behind. The room was fairly bare, except for a bed that was rather small for Ndari's taste, but she was willing to deal with it for one night. There was also a dresser and a poster of the solar system.

  As the door closed behind them, Ndari asked, "Was this your room?"

  "Yes," Keane acknowledged.

  And then he left to go into the washroom, his bag in hand. She suspected he needed a few minutes alone. She didn't blame him. This was a lot to take in. He hadn't been in this house in two decades, he hadn't seen his mother in two decades. And yet here he was, about to sleep under his old roof and in his old bed. She hoped she hadn't made a mistake by dragging him home.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The next morning Keane woke Ndari with a kiss behind the ear. She rolled over and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him back enthusiastically. He held her face between his palms and looked at her as if memorizing her
features.

  Finally, after a minute, he said, “You ready to go explore my town, baby?"

  She gazed up at him. “I am,” she said. “But first I think we should desecrate your childhood bed. We were too tired to do it last night.”

  He grinned down at her. "I love the way you think.”

  He kissed her hard, taking her lips and thrusting his tongue into her mouth, then dragged the tiny nightgown Ndari was wearing over her head and tossed it over his shoulder. She had her legs wrapped around his waist before it hit the floor. Keane, who slept naked, was able to thrust right inside her, driving a moan from her lips.

  This was not the lazy morning sex she had anticipated but something more desperate and frantic. There was no awkwardness or fumbling between then, just hot, desperate, incredible sex. They couldn't seem to help themselves; they were like kids in a candy store, they wanted everything all at once.

  He rolled over with her until he was on the bottom. He nearly rolled right off the side of the bed. They laughed together and then she bent over and kissed him. He wrapped his big hands around her hips and helped her move. She tilted her hips forward and back, she lifted herself with her knees, up and down, until she found a rhythm that had them both moaning in ecstasy.

  Unable to contain her loud moans Keane grabbed her head and dragged her face down to his body, pushing her face into his neck to quiet her. They didn't need his mother to hear what was going on. Like teenagers, they finished quickly. Ndari finding her own pleasure with her finger on her clit, using his cock to her satisfaction. Keane followed immediately after, the tight squeeze of her pussy on his dick sending him right over the edge.

  Ndari collapsed on top of him and they both lay together breathing heavily. Once they were sufficiently back on earth, they climbed out of bed and got dressed.

  Ndari decided for a day of sightseeing, she would wear her short jean skirt, a pair of comfortable low-heeled boots, a low-cut top edged with lace, and a short leather jacket. She looked preppy but fashionable.