Knight of Paradise Island

by J. L. Campbell

  She could have sworn his eyes were moist, but Ryan cleared his throat and leaned toward her, his intention clear.

  “No, sir,” Khalil moved one finger back and forth. “Just one more moment. By the power vested in me by the City of Chicago, and the country of Durabia, I declare you man and wife.”

  With an indulgent smile, he said, “You may now kiss the bride.”

  Ryan lifted her veil, and his hands settled on her waist as their lips met. The hunger in his kiss was enough for Aziza to forget where they stood. When her arms encircled his neck, a familiar voice intruded on their passion.

  “Leave some for later,” Shaz said, “The longer you keep this up, the less time we’ll have to eat.”

  Ryan cut his cousin a bad look. “All you think about is food, and there’s no evidence of where you’re putting it.”

  “Mind ya business,” Shaz shot back, “and while you’re at it, be thankful you’re not the one feeding me.”

  A wave of laughter rose among the guests, which included a few Kings.

  After she threw the bouquet, which one of the Sheikh’s female relatives caught, they left the gazebo that was decorated with a cloud of white roses and baby’s breath.

  Sunita walked ahead of them, swinging the empty basket at her side. She had made a beautiful flower girl with her hair braided into a corona and threaded with miniature white roses.

  Her future worried Aziza, but she put it to the back of her mind for now, confident that her situation would work out for the best. At the garden’s entrance, she exchanged a kiss with Ryan before the men got his attention.

  They surrounded him, giving congratulatory hugs and advice about marriage.

  Julene and Naima escorted Aziza back to the room in the palace where she had dressed for the wedding. Sunita shadowed them, still hanging on to the basket where she sat on a loveseat across the room.

  Aziza stood in front of the mirror admiring the dress that had been crafted for her in less than a week. The lace-and-embroidery creation enhanced her curves and gave her the aura of a queen.

  “Thank you for inviting me,” Julene gushed, while helping Aziza out of the dress.

  “Me, too,” Naima said. “I have not attended a wedding in a long time. I am honored to be part of yours, especially after the way you helped me.”

  “You both did me a favor,” Aziza said. “If you didn’t come, there wouldn’t have been anybody in attendance for me. In the flesh, that is.”

  Aziza winked at Sunita. “You did a great job, sweetie.”

  “I was happy to help, Auntie.”

  In the past week, Aziza had conversed with Sunita to build her skills at English. Her confidence level had also risen, and she was more relaxed in Ryan’s presence.

  Under Naima’s instruction, Aziza sat in front of the mirror. With deft touches, Naima repaired her makeup. Then, Julene neatened Aziza’s hair that she’d tamed earlier with a flatiron and holding gel.

  After Julene groomed every stray hair back in place, Aziza slipped into a cream dress with a matching jacket. She ran a finger over the silky petal of the rose she had removed from her bouquet, then held it to her nose and inhaled deeply. The fragrance reminded her of the goodness of life and its many simple blessings.

  She hugged Naima, who had been a constant companion during the last week. She was currently in the shelter, but had decided to return to Senegal. Aziza wasn’t sure when she’d see her again, if ever, but they had promised to stay in touch.

  The three women descended the stairs and entered the ballroom where some guests sat and others stood around talking with champagne glasses in hand.

  The Sheikh and Sheikha sat at a table on a raised dais and were soon joined by Amanda, Hassan, Khalil, Chaz, and Blair, as well as other distinguished-looking guests she assumed were part of the royal family.

  Ryan appeared at Aziza’s side and escorted her to another table set for them and the wedding party.

  The official portion of the reception did not take long. Khalil acted as the Master of Ceremonies and those who spoke, including Shaz, kept their good wishes and tributes tight and humorous.

  At the end of a meal that included a fig salad with blackberries, creamy hummus, and spiced lamb with pine nuts, topped off by a pomegranate gravita and pistachio baklava. To honour their foreign guests, the caterers also prepared an American menu.

  When most of the food was consumed, Khalil tapped a wine glass with a knife to get everybody’s attention. The room went quiet when he stood.

  “I do not want to steal Ryan and Aziza’s thunder,” he said, “but there is no better time to do this.”

  Gesturing to Ryan, he continued, “Mr Bostwick, would you stand, please?”

  Ryan seemed mystified, but he did what Khalil asked and stood next to him at the glass podium.

  “The Kings of the Castle believe in highlighting good when it is done and encourage service at the highest level.”

  The only sound in their elegant surroundings was the random clink of cutlery and the piped music playing at a low setting.

  “For his part in rescuing the kidnapped women a week ago, and uncovering the source of a criminal enterprise, it is my pleasure to name Dorian “Ryan” Emory Bostwick, the Knight of Paradise Island.”

  A delighted grin covered Ryan’s face as he accepted a gold figure of a knight on an oval pedestal. Khalil also handed him a small box, which Ryan guessed contained cufflinks like the ones the other Knights wore. “The Kings are impressed with your initiative and skills.” Khalil chuckled, then continued, “Even if you are hot-headed, like someone else we could mention, but will not.”

  “Thank you. All the women involved can thank Aziza.” Ryan’s gaze settled on her. “When Shaz told me she’d been kidnapped, it was as if my heart had been ripped out. There was nothing I could do other than fight to get it back.”

  He returned to their table with the backdrop of rousing applause. When he sat, Aziza cupped his cheek. “I’m so proud of you, babe.”

  Eyes closed, he kissed her palm.

  The reception continued for another hour before they left for their suite.

  On her way out of the ballroom, Aziza stopped at the children’s table. Last night she had explained to Sunita that she would be staying at the palace while she and Ryan celebrated their honeymoon.

  Sunita’s anxiety was heart-breaking to watch, but now as she kissed her cheek, Sunita seemed more at ease.

  “If you need anything at all,” Aziza reminded her, “ask an adult to get me on the phone. I’ll call you in the morning.”

  One child, a girl slightly younger than Sunita, linked an arm through hers. “She will be fine, Auntie. We will take care of her. Right, Sunita?”

  To Aziza’s surprise, Sunita nodded. “I will be okay.”

  The chauffeured ride back to the hotel took ten minutes, and the moment Ryan lifter her over the threshold of the suite, he removed each item of her clothing a piece at a time. When she lay nude before his eyes, Ryan worshiped every part of her body until she squirmed on the mattress, begging him to take her.

  Their coupling was hot and frantic with need. They had agreed to wait until they were married before consummating their union, and with Sunita in the suite, abstaining made sense. Each night, they slept with the bedroom door open, in case she woke and needed Aziza.

  The next time Ryan brought her to ecstasy, Aziza yelled his name and clung to him as if she couldn’t survive without his touch. As sleep overcame her, Ryan whispered, “Mrs. Bostwick, there’s more gas left in this engine.”

  She stretched and shifted to face him. With a mischievous smile teasing her lips, she said, “I know a way we can move the needle to empty.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Three glorious days and two nights with Ryan mellowed Aziza. After a dinner of Mansaf, comprising lamb, yogurt, and rice, for Aziza and Ryan and a hamburger and fries for Sunita, they sat in the living area of the suite having dessert. The bite-sized servings of Kanafeh, a soft ch
eese pastry covered in syrup, took a little getting used to, but Aziza enjoyed every bite. Ryan declined, claiming he was stuffed.

  After she and Sunita rid their fingers and mouths of the sticky delight, the girl ran back to the living room, dropped one arm around her plump brown bear, and pulled a book into her lap. While she didn’t yet trust Ryan one hundred percent, he gave her space, and as the days passed her jumpiness around him subsided.

  Aziza forced Ryan to reposition himself on the loveseat so she could lie on his lap. She wriggled around, then settled in one position and sighed. “This is the life,” she mumbled. “Now, if Mom and Dad would stop asking when they will see us, everything would be perfect.”

  Ryan’s chest rose and fell as he laughed. He lay the tablet aside and kissed her forehead. “We need to have that talk about our future. The Sheikh made me an offer.”

  She went still, then raised her head. “How come you’re only telling me this now?”

  “Sweetheart, a man has to work out things in his head before he can explain it to someone else, especially if it’s appealing and he might have to make a case to his wife.”

  She sat up. “This sounds serious.”

  After pulling himself upright, Ryan slipped an arm around her and kept his voice pitched low. “Sheikh Kamran asked me to be part of a task force to stem sex trafficking and organ harvesting.”

  Her heart thudded in slow, painful beats. Although the few weeks had been a wonderful interlude, she’d been living in suspense and simultaneously looking forward to leaving Durabia. Now, Ryan was telling her something different.

  “That sounds like staying here indefinitely,” she mumbled.

  He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I was thinking about it, but if you don’t want to be here, I understand. In any case, I have to return home. Myles and I have a big project on the horizon, and we need to plan for the future if I’m going to be in Durabia.”

  Aziza poked him in the chest. “You didn’t even know if you’d find me, so that that tells me you planned to be here for however long it took.”

  “You got that right.” He slid one hand down to her waist. “But let’s talk about it before we say no. I believe you’d be a great asset in terms of sharing your experience with other women, letting them know there’s hope. In fact, we could even develop a self-defense course, teaching women how to protect themselves both physically and mentally.”

  She rubbed her cheek against his jaw. “You’ve put some thought into it already, huh?”

  Slowly, Ryan nodded. “It would be something new and different for me. Myles can easily handle my end of the business by hiring someone to fulfil my role for the jobs on the ground. You would be safe since we’d be working together most of the time, but I know you can take care of yourself. We’d only have to upgrade your self-defense and coaching skills.”

  “Like I said, you have it all figured out.” The thought of her family made her sigh.

  “What’s the problem?” he asked.

  “My family. I need to see them. Skype and Zoom are not the same as person-to-person contact.”

  “Agreed. When we leave here, we’ll go straight to Evanston so Miss Constance can see that I brought her baby girl home in all her perfection. And since I don’t want your father to send out a search party for me … ”

  His hand climbed and settled under her breast, kneading with gentle pressure.

  Aziza sent a pointed look at Sunita. “Don’t start what you can’t finish, Mr. Bostwick.”

  “Awww, shucks.” He laughed, then spoke next to her ear. “Should we talk to her now? Tell her what’s up?”

  With an affectionate gaze focused on Sunita, Aziza said, “I don’t see why not.”

  She leaned away from Ryan, but joined her hand with his. “Sunita, honey, we want to talk with you for a minute.”

  The child dragged her attention from the open book and edged sideways on the sofa to face them.

  “Did you enjoy your time in the palace over the weekend?” Aziza asked.

  Sunita squeezed the bear to her chest. “Yes, I like the children there.”

  “And you like Durabia?”

  That dampened Sunita’s mood, but she looked directly at Ryan, then answered, “Not El Zalaam.”

  “We understand that, sweetie.”

  Ryan’s leg tensed against hers. It was clear Sunita still thought all men were bad people. That was something they agreed to work on, along with planning for Sunita’s schooling.

  “Do you know what adoption is?” Aziza asked.

  “No.”

  “It’s when a child gets to live with a mother and a father who takes care of them.”

  Sunita considered that, throwing shy glances at them.

  Squeezing Ryan’s hand, Aziza said, “Ryan and I want to do that for you, be your mother and father.”

  When she didn’t respond, Aziza said, “Would you like that?”

  The little girl stared at the blank television screen as if she were the only one in the room.

  “Sunita?”

  She still didn’t move.

  Aziza rose and sat next to her, with an arm around her thin shoulders. “It’s okay if you want to think about it for a while.”

  Sunita shook her head so violently a bloom fell from her hair. She’d been so ecstatic with having her hair braided for the wedding, one of the adults at the palace re-did it in the same style, complete with miniature roses. With tears streaming down her face, she leaned against Aziza.

  Instead of soothing Sunita, Aziza’s comforting words had the opposite effect. She cried as if someone had died, but when Aziza attempted to move out of her hold, Sunita’s arms tightened around her. All Aziza could do was stroke her hair and allow her to empty herself.

  Aziza sensed Ryan’s helplessness, but there was nothing he could do. Seconds later, he got to his feet and went to the bedroom. He reappeared with a handful of facial tissue, which he gave to Aziza, then returned to the loveseat.

  The minutes slipped by until Sunita was calm enough for Aziza to continue their conversation.

  “Sweetie, do you understand what we are asking you?”

  “Yes, Auntie.”

  “Do you want us to be your parents? We’d love to have you.”

  “That would make me very happy,” she said, wiping tears from her cheeks. She caught her breath, then added, “Are we leaving Durabia?”

  “Ryan and I will have to go to America to see my family. Then we have to visit his home on Paradise Island, before we come back to Durabia.”

  Sunita blew her nose, then asked, “I am coming with you to those places?”

  “The answer is yes, if you would like to travel with us. If you don’t trust us enough yet, we can ask that you stay in the palace until we return.”

  She answered without hesitation. “No, I would like to come with you.”

  “That’s settled then.”

  “How soon will we leave?” Excitement colored Sunita’s voice as her eyes sparkled.

  Aziza looked at Ryan, who said, “We’ll be here for as long as it takes to get a passport for Sunita and a visa, if necessary, so she can travel.”

  Hugging Sunita, Aziza said, “I’m excited about going home. We’ll have to do some more shopping to get you ready for the trip.”

  Aziza removed the used tissues from Sunita’s hand and handed then to Ryan, who left the room. When he returned, Sunita smiled at him. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said.

  Assured that Sunita felt better and was back to exploring her book, Aziza tugged Ryan’s hand and walked him to the balcony. She stood in his embrace as evening turned to night and the calm river glinted below. The city lights flickered on as darkness fell, sealing them in a cocoon of contentment. Her heart was full, and her gratitude spilled from her lips, “Father God, we want to thank You for everything You’ve done for us and the gift of a daughter You’ve given us. Help us to continue to look up to You for help as we navigate the beginning of the
rest of our lives. We give You thanks and praise.”

  Ryan joined her in a resounding “Amen.”

  “Sounds to me like you’ve decided what we’re doing,” he said, as she turned to face the starry sky.

  She moved the back of her head against his chest. “You kinda led the way by telling me your plans.”

  “They weren’t final before you approved them.” He chuckled and turned her to face him. “I’m no fool. My mama raised me right.”

  Aziza slid both arms around his neck as love for him stole her breath. “Thing is, Ryan, you’ve ruined me for anyone else, so wherever you go, I go.”

  His teeth flashed in a wide grin. “So, you love me like that, huh?”

  “Don’t go getting big-headed. You love me the same.” Laughter spilled from her lips as her hands slid down to his chest. “I’d go even further and say you adore me.”

  He rained kisses on her forehead and sealed her in his arms as if he had no intention of releasing her. With his lips nuzzling her ear, he whispered, “I do, Mrs. Bostwick. I do.”

  About the Knights of the Castle Series

  Don’t miss the hot new standalone series. The Kings of the Castle made them family, but the Knights will transform the world.

  * * *

  Book 1 - King of Durabia – Naleighna Kai

  * * *

  No good deed goes unpunished, or that’s how Ellena Kiley feels after she rescues a child and the former Crown Prince of Durabia offers to marry her.

  Kamran learns of a nefarious plot to undermine his position with the Sheikh and jeopardize his ascent to the throne. He’s unsure how Ellena, the fiery American seductress, fits into the plan but she’s a secret weapon he’s unwilling to relinquish.

  Ellena is considered a sister by the Kings of the Castle and her connection to Kamran challenges her ideals, her freedoms, and her heart. Plus, loving him makes her a potential target for his enemies. When Ellena is kidnapped, Kamran is forced to bring in the Kings.