by Kat Mizera
“Tell me about sushi. I know the basics, of course, but what will I like about it?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “You might hate it, but I have a feeling you’re going to love it all.”
“I’ve read the tuna is very mild and California rolls include rice and are very popular. That’s the extent of my knowledge.”
“California rolls were actually created in Canada,” he said. “And there are so many options. It’s not all raw fish, though. Sushi can be cooked as well.”
“I’m so confused,” I said with a grin. “But this will be an adventure.”
We went to a nice restaurant near the beach and I felt a little foolish as I looked around. I’d never imagined we had sushi restaurants in Limaj. I spent a lot of my time reading and studying things about the world online, but it was hard to look for things you didn’t know anything about. Fancy restaurants and beachside fantasies were in other places, not here in my own country.
“You look thoughtful,” Axel said as we sat down.
“I was just thinking how little I truly know of the world outside Vinake.”
“That’s not your fault,” he said. “You’ve been sheltered, with no chance to travel or have high-level education, living in a small town with limited access to the world. I think you’re extraordinary. Teaching yourself computers—enough to impress Jonas—and now helping out at the school. You’re pretty amazing, Solange.”
Someone poured us wine and I met his gaze across the table.
“What drew you to me?” I asked quietly. “We met under stressful circumstances, and I understand the lure of sex, but you didn’t know I was going to be willing and now that I know the man you are, you wouldn’t use a young woman who’d just lost everything for a casual lay. So what was it that drew you to me?”
He reached for one of my hands and linked our fingers together again. “I’d been back and forth from Vinake to Braksa all week, staying at the rooming house in Vinake while taking care of some business at that compound in Braksa I told you about. Each morning I went into your café to get coffee and something to eat. Your mother was in charge but I saw you in the back sometimes, with your brother and the other young woman who helped out. Your eyes… They mesmerized me. Your ass was pretty great too, but mostly your eyes. I was captivated. Can’t tell you why beyond that general attraction.”
I had to be blushing.
“What drew you to me?” he countered after a moment.
“Your strength. Your kindness. The gentle way you handled me when everything happened. I knew immediately there was something more to you than the muscled bodyguard I saw on the outside.”
“And the gift of your virginity? I’m sure you’ve met strong, kind men before.”
I hesitated. “It wasn’t a conscious decision. It happened organically. I was so upset that night. Life kept dealing me one shit hand after another and I was done just taking it, letting life fuck me, so to speak. My virginity was something I had control of and in that moment, when you kissed me, my soul understood that you were the one. I can’t explain it any other way.”
His fingers tightened around mine and something in his gaze did funny things to my heart. So much emotion lurked beneath his gruff exterior and I wanted him so much I wasn’t going to be able to focus on dinner. Was it normal to think about sex with one particular person all the time?
24
Axel
Introducing Solange to the ins and outs of sushi was a blast. It was my favorite cuisine, and something I didn’t get to enjoy much here in Limaj, so watching her try everything and seeing that she liked all of my favorites made me happy for some dumb reason. If I was being honest, everything about her made me happy. Initially I’d been enthralled by the newness of the sex for her, showing her a thousand different ways we could make each other feel good. To date, we’d only touched on a small fraction of them, but she was even more insatiable than I was, so I spent far too much time thinking about what new way I was going to fuck her.
At some point in the last few days, that had morphed into excitement about showing her life beyond the bedroom. You couldn’t call her naïve since she read a lot and kept up with the world online, but she wasn’t worldly either. She knew about many different subjects, but hadn’t tried much of anything and suddenly I wanted to be there while she experienced all the new firsts. Like sushi.
The look on her face when she took her first bite of sweet shrimp sushi nearly got my dick hard. It was my all-time favorite and after she dipped the second bite in a healthy dose of wasabi, she popped it in her mouth and moaned. I was ready to take her into the bathroom and fuck her right then and there. I was in so much trouble with Solange. I’d been keeping my feelings in check but that was over now. I wasn’t sure why a dinner date was pushing me over the edge emotionally, but here we were.
“The pickled ginger will help clear your taste buds for the next thing you want to try,” I told her, trying to focus on food instead of fucking.
“This is so good,” she murmured, fumbling a little with the chopsticks but then slowly and elegantly using them to pick up the next roll.
“So that’s eel,” I told her, watching her with a grin.
She chewed slowly. “It’s good. Not something I would expect to eat, but good.”
She had that attitude about almost everything, but her favorite wound up being the same as mine, the sweet shrimp. She loved it and we ordered an extra portion because we devoured it. It was one of the best meals I’d ever shared with anyone, and discussion about food turned into conversations about everything. We lost track of time, and for a while, I even forgot about getting her naked.
I loved her slight, lilting accent and how expressive she was when she was excited about something. I could lose myself in her round, curvy ass and big breasts. Her lips tasted like honey and, for reasons completely foreign to me, I really fucking loved holding her hand. With other women, it was the kind of thing that was expected, those gestures of intimacy that kept you from being a complete prick even if you weren’t interested in anything but sex. That wasn’t the case with Solange and when we left the restaurant, I didn’t hesitate to wrap my hand around hers.
“Do you want to walk on the beach now?” I asked her. “Or wait until sunset?”
“Can we wait until sunset?” she asked, her eyes lighting up just the way I loved them.
I brushed my lips across hers, nodding. “We can do anything you want.”
“For a woman who’s never had money to spend frivolously,” she said after a moment, “I have a new fascination with jewelry. Can we go over to that shop?”
I glanced across the street and noted it was next door to one of the places I needed to visit. “Sure. I actually have a message from Erik for the guy who owns the cigar shop next door, so I can take care of one item of business while you’re shopping.”
“Perfect.” We waited for the light to change and strolled across the street. There were people and tourists everywhere, something I was glad to see because the Limaji economy had been hit hard under King Anwar’s rule. Erik was doing everything possible to get it going again and this summer’s tourism looked like it was helping.
“If you finish first, I’ll be right here,” I said, stopping in front of the cigar shop. “Just come find me.”
“Chances are, you’ll finish first,” she said with a laugh.
We parted ways and I paused to watch her swaying ass as she walked for a second before stepping into the shop.
“Can I help you?” An austere elderly man with white hair and a pencil mustache greeted me with a friendly smile.
“Hello.” I held out my hand. “I’m Axel Winchester and I’ve come with a message from His Majesty, King Erik.”
The older man’s eyes widened. “Yes? Please, come into the back. Let’s talk.”
I walked into a small but functional back room that had a desk and office chair, a few filing cabinets, one wall of shelves that I assumed held stock, a side table w
ith a coffee machine, and a few chairs by a back window.
“Coffee?” he asked me.
“No, thank you. I just finished dinner.”
“What can I do for you—and the king?”
“We’re curious about any information you might have on active organized crime groups trying to get a foothold here in Voda.”
His eyes narrowed slightly and he nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. I’ve heard rumblings. As far as I know, nothing has happened this far south, but my son-in-law runs a smoke shop in Hiskale and said he’s heard news from shops off the beaten path, in the suburbs, having issues.”
“King Erik would be extremely grateful if you could give us any and all information you have.” I handed him a business card that had been printed specifically for this purpose. “If you call this number, you’ll be connected to someone on Prince Sandor’s staff that can take all the pertinent details.”
“Absolutely.” He nodded, putting the card in his pocket. “I have no desire to give away any percentage of my earnings to street thugs. Not after a decade of King Anwar’s oppression. I happily pay my national taxes. We need roads and schools and police, but for a group of criminals? Not on my watch.”
“We appreciate you, Leo.” I got to my feet.
“Would you bring a gift to the king?” he asked, leading me back into the shop.
“Of course.”
He dug out a handful of cigars. He wrapped half a dozen into paper, adding his business card, and then handed me a separate one. “Cuban,” he said. “Half a dozen for the king, and the princes Sandor and Daniil, and one for you.”
“Thank you.” I inclined my head. “I haven’t smoked one in a long time, and I’ve never tried a Cuban.”
He looked affronted. “This is criminal. Please, enjoy.”
“I will.” We walked to the front just as a man ran past the door with Solange right behind him. Before I could intervene, she caught up to the man and tackled him to the ground, just a few feet in front of me, snatching her purse from his hands and yelling a litany of Limaji curses at him.
I finally snapped into action, rushing onto the sidewalk and grabbing the guy by the back of the neck and yanking him to his feet.
“She’s my sister,” the guy was saying. “She’s just mad at me. Everyone is fine.”
People were yelling and we’d attracted a crowd, but Solange was furious, eyes blazing as she continued giving him a piece of her mind.
“I’m not your fucking sister,” she snapped, glaring at him.
A policeman had joined us, speaking in rapid-fire Limaji, ignoring Solange and focusing on the man who I now noticed couldn’t be a day over seventeen.
“He’s not my brother,” Solange interrupted them, getting more and more agitated.
“Then I guess we’re going to the police station.” The officer reached for Solange’s arm.
“Don’t touch her.” My voice was low but deadly serious, and the cop froze.
“Sir, this isn’t your business.” The cop seemed to think I was some random tourist. I hated to do it, but as a Royal Protector, we had a lot of options available to us when dealing with police and even military in Limaj. I had a badge, something like a law enforcement officer would use, but the Royal Protector badge was essentially a universal get-out-of-jail-free card. And garnered all the respect, all the time. I pulled it from my back pocket and flashed it at him. The policeman nearly wilted when he realized what it was.
I turned to the teenager. “Did you snatch my girlfriend’s purse?” I asked in Limaji. My pronunciation was shit and I didn’t have the best grasp of the grammar, but fuck that—I was going to hurt this guy if he kept talking.
The kid froze, his mouth working but no sound coming out as he stared at my badge.
“I asked you a question,” I said.
“Y-yes.” The kid was on the verge of tears now.
There was another flurry of activity as the kid was arrested, Solange had to tell her story to three more policemen, and we had to stand there for another thirty minutes. By the time they let us leave, it was dark and I put my arm around her, pulling her close to me.
“Did you seriously chase after a purse-snatcher?” I asked her, leaning over to kiss the side of her face.
“First time in my life I’ve ever had a little money,” she said. “Plus, it’s a leather purse I bought in Greece. I was damned if I was going to let him have it.”
“You’re something, you know that?” She kept blowing me away.
“Should I have let him go?” she asked in confusion. “I sat huddled in a closet a little over a month ago, terrified and helpless as my father and brother were almost killed. I don’t ever want to feel that helpless again. Ever.”
“You were never helpless,” I said gently. “You called Xander. You had no idea what kind of reception you were going to get, but you called him. That’s brave, honey. You’re brave.”
“I didn’t feel brave,” she whispered. “I felt frustrated and angry. And that stupid policeman didn’t even believe me. He actually thought that guy was my brother. I really hate my country sometimes.”
She stared off at nothing, her face tight with anger.
“Erik’s working really hard to change things,” I said.
“Change like that takes decades.”
“Then you can feel good knowing that your generation was part of that change.”
“I hope so.” She gazed out at the beach.
“We can walk on the beach or I can take you back to the bed and breakfast and put you in that giant bathtub?”
She smiled. “Bathtub. As long as you get in with me.”
“Couldn’t keep me away.”
I was a little frustrated that our wonderful evening had been rudely interrupted, and annoyed that I’d have to call Sandor now to tell him what happened. Using our badges was rare, and we had strict protocol to follow when we did, which included calling either Sandor or Erik directly. I wasn’t in any trouble, but it was a hassle.
When we got back to our room, Solange went to run the bath and I called Sandor.
“Hey.” Sandor sounded surprised to hear from me.
“Hey.” I told him what happened.
“With more tourism comes more crime,” he said thoughtfully. “It’s curious that the cop was so quick to believe the guy and not Solange or the witnesses.”
“I waited a few minutes but once he put his hands on her…” My voice trailed off. I didn’t have to explain how much that pissed me off.
“Yeah, I would’ve done the same.” He paused. “Of course, Lennox would’ve already beaten the shit out of the guy so more than likely I would’ve had to bail her out of jail.”
We chuckled together.
“Anyway, I just wanted to check in. Protocol and all.”
“I appreciate it. I’m going to call the police chief down there in the morning, get a feel for what’s what. But seriously, I’m glad she’s okay. Don’t worry about using the badge. We’ll sort it out on this end.”
“All right. Talk to you later.” I disconnected just as Solange came out of the bathroom. She was gloriously naked, but before I could focus on that, my eyes zeroed in on the ugly purple bruise that had formed beneath one knee. “Were you hurt?!” I demanded.
25
Solange
I hadn’t even realized I’d been injured until I undressed. It would be an ugly bruise but it hadn’t occurred to me Axel would be upset about it. His dark eyes gleamed with intensity as he practically pounced on me to inspect it.
“I didn’t realize you’d fallen,” he said in a gruff voice. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t notice,” I said quietly. “I guess the adrenaline rush masked it. Are you mad?”
He looked up, tender fingers on my calf. “Not at you. But the fact that guy could have hurt you, that you went after him without knowing if he was armed or anything…”
“I saw him, he was just a kid. I suppose he could have had a gun, b
ut weapons aren’t as common here in Limaj. It’s not like the U.S. And anyway, it’s just a bruise. I landed on my knee when I knocked him down. Don’t be angry, Axel.”
“I’m not upset at you, just at the thought of you getting hurt.” He pulled me close. “I would be extremely pissed if someone hurt you.”
“No one is going to hurt me.” I wrapped my arm around his neck. “I have you to protect me. Now let’s get in the bath.”
“Nice deflection, by the way, coming out of the bathroom naked.” He ran his hand down my ass.
“It wasn’t intentional, but I’m glad it worked.”
We soaked in the tub even though it was still a little cramped for Axel. He made me feel so safe and protected, his strong arms wrapped around me tightly, that I must have dozed off. The next thing I knew it was morning and I was nestled against his chest. He had one arm around me from behind, resting on my hip; the other was behind his head and I realized he’d been watching me sleep.
“What time is it?” I murmured. “Why are you watching me?”
“Because you’re so fucking beautiful it takes my breath away.” He smiled and, as usual, my insides got all squirmy and soft. My body was completely in love with this man. The rest of me was slowly catching up, but my body had a mind of its own, reacting to him in ways the rest of me couldn’t quite process.
“You always say the sweetest things,” I whispered, looking into his handsome face with a desperate urge to kiss him. My stomach growled, and though I ignored it, Axel heard it.
“Are you hungry?” he rumbled roughly.
“Only for you.” I moved on top of him and lowered my mouth to his. He opened for me, hands skimming my back, his lips soft and sweet as we kissed.
“I finally get to make love to you in a bed,” he whispered, flipping us over so I was on my back and he was on top of me.
