by Jenesi Ash
It was immediately apparent that he was a dangerous man to know. Of course, that intrigued her even more. She observed him that night from underneath her eyelashes as she asked around the party about him.
Everyone knew of the stranger, but they kept a distance from the man known only as Sahib. The man conveyed power. He had an unlimited capacity for self-control. An iron will combine with staggering inner strength. The ability to show tenderness without being weak. Without allowing his emotions and needs to rule him.
His control and power mesmerized Belinda. But what made him irresistible was that she didn’t know him. And he didn’t know her.
Belinda wasn’t really into passionate encounters with nameless faces. That didn’t give her unimaginable excitement, but having sex under the cloak of a different name gave her the freedom she craved.
When she was approached with the opportunity to have the stranger and her anonymity, she accepted without hesitation. She wanted to know what it felt like to go wild with a man strong enough to protect her. She needed to experiment within the confines of the rigid set of laws…
Belinda needed Sahib. Wanted to feel the might lurking under his golden skin, the harsh features pressed against hers, her fingers threading through his wavy blue-black hair.
The same thick hair like the man in front of her.
Stop that, Belinda admonished herself silently. That is not Sahib. She would wait until he turned just a little bit. She would see his face and prove—
He straightened. The man’s exotic and gloriously male face was achingly familiar.
Oh, God! Belinda’s stomach twisted violently. She lurched from the acute pain.
Their eyes clashed. His brown eyes aggressively sliced down her trembling figure. Her black Donna Karan dress offered little protection. Belinda knew better than to battle him with a glare or frigid stare. She retreated by looking away.
She acted on her first instinct. She ran.
Belinda jerked to the side, hunched over as she pushed her way through the crowd of people. She muttered her apologies as she darted for the exit, all the while hoping that she was hidden.
Ohgodohgodohgod. Why was he here? It didn’t matter. He was here. That meant she had to get out and get out fast.
She didn’t fully understand the need to run. She wished she had the courage to throw her arms around him. Hang on tight and hold him forever. But that would reveal her true feelings. If he ever knew how much she loved him, he would seduce her mind, body, and soul and never give up his ownership.
She swerved to the right when she spotted the exit sign. The fine hairs on her neck prickled with awareness. Swallowing the metallic taste of panic, she hastily looked over her shoulder. Belinda froze as she saw him pursuing her, effortlessly cutting through the crowd.
Shit. She wouldn’t make it to the elevators in time.
Where could she go? Where could she hide? Somewhere he wouldn’t think of going. Some place beneath his dignity.
The women’s room. He wouldn’t step in there. But she was on the top floor of the damned office building. It wasn’t like she could crawl out of the window. And Sahib would wait and draw her out like his prey. She would have to find an escape once she was safe in the restroom.
Belinda dashed into the hallway, frantically looking for signs to the restrooms. Her thin heels and gasping breaths reverberated in the shadowy hallway. The place was deserted. It was the last place she wanted to have a reunion with him.
The softly illuminated sign to the restroom was as welcoming as a lighthouse’s beacon on a stormy night. Just a few more steps…
“Noukrani.” The calm, husky voice bounced against the marble walls. It held more power than an angry bark.
Belinda staggered to a stop. From his voice or from the pet name, she wasn’t sure.
She wanted to turn around, but apprehension paralyzed her. His approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Her muscles screamed for her to bolt.
“Turn around,” he softly ordered.
She bit down onto her lip, but reluctantly complied. Old habits died hard.
She nervously cleared her throat. “Hello, Sahib.”
His name had a physical effect. A faint shudder rippled through him. He moved closer, his eyes grazing over her.
“Belinda?”
Belinda flinched violently. How had he found out her real name? She didn’t even know his!
“Belinda, are you all right?”
She sagged with relief as she realized it was Ryan’s voice. She glanced around Sahib’s broad shoulders and saw the pale vision of Ryan at the other end of the hallway.
Belinda flashed a cautious look at Sahib. His ferocious expression struck fear inside her. “Sahib—”
“You’re here with a man?” he growled softly. “A date? A lover?” His eyes glittered with anger.
“Please,” she whispered, the momentary relief congealing into dread.
“Please what?” he taunted in a sinister whisper.
“He doesn’t know.” She barely moved her mouth as she watched Ryan walk towards them.
The quivering tension disappeared in Sahib’s body. “Then he must not be your lover.”
“Sahib.” The pleading held a note of warning. He would not make a scene, would he?
“You owe me.” Sahib pivoted on his heel and strode away.
Owed him? she thought hysterically as she watched him retreat. He didn’t give a backwards glance.
“Belinda?” Ryan hurried over to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry, Ryan. I’m feeling unwell.” She pressed her hand against her stomach. It wasn’t a total lie. Her stomach was a butterfly war zone.
Ryan’s forehead burrowed with a frown. “What was Khan doing here?”
Khan? Was that his name? It suited him. “He saw me make a very undignified dash to the bathroom. I guess he was concerned.”
“Amir Khan was concerned?” Ryan wasn’t buying it.
Belinda bent to her waist as her stomach cramped. “I think I must be getting the flu that’s going around.”
Ryan jumped into action. “Let me take you home.”
“No, no.” Belinda shook her head as he guided her to the elevator. “You stay here. After all, you’re networking.”
“Nonsense.” He punched the call button and the metal elevator doors immediately slid open. “I’m taking you home now.”
Belinda smiled and looked at him through her lowered lashes. “You’re very sweet.” And she felt guilty. Ryan was too nice a guy for a woman like her.
Ryan’s ears turned red from the compliment. “You go to the lobby and sit down. Let me go get our coats.”
Her fragile smile crumbled as the elevator doors slid shut. Sahib – no, Amir Khan was in town. He knew her first name. It would be a matter of time before he found her. And then she would understand the true meaning of the word trouble.
“You owe me.” The words played in her mind again and again. She shook her head angrily. The arrogance of the man! She was doing him a favor as well. How would the business community react if they found out about her?
Had she been his ex-wife, they wouldn’t blink an eye.
Ex-lover? Former mistress? It might cause a few tongues wagging.
But his former sex slave?
She shuddered. It would be a scandal that neither would survive.
Chapter Two
When the present arrived two days later, Belinda’s heart stuttered. The package came in a plain brown wrapping. It appeared innocent, but she knew differently.
The moment she signed for the package and closed the door, Belinda tossed it on the hall table and went back to her home office. She tried to ignore Sahib’s invasion and concentrate on her spreadsheets. After reading the same numbers for fifteen minutes, she threw her papers onto her desk and marched back to the hallway.
Folding her arms across her chest, she studied the package from a distance. She didn’t know why she was acting al
l weird about it. She knew what was in there. She knew what to expect from Sahib – Amir.
Belinda chewed on her bottom lip. There was no reason to open the box. No reason to glance inside. All she had to do was write something like ‘return to sender’.
But what if she was wrong? What if something entirely different was in the box? Belinda closed her eyes and forced down the rising fear. That would be a curt, indifferent rejection. Which would be Sahib’s style.
She raked her hands through her pale blonde hair. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She had to know. Belinda grabbed the box and carefully pulled the tape from its perfect crease. In seconds she was ripping strips of the paper off and revealed a hard black box.
She chewed her nail as she studied the jewelers’ case. It was long, flat and wide. The perfect size.
Her hand hovered over the latch. Why am I doing this? she asked herself wearily. She didn’t want to get involved with him again. Hell, she’d fallen in love with the guy and didn’t even know his real name!
And, perhaps, that was what really frightened her. That she could work for all the tools that would make her self-sufficient and safe, but ultimately, she would abandon it all for a seductive man.
She needed to protect herself. The way she’d been doing it for years. Belinda considered her options, plucking the latch with her thumb. Yes, she would face her fears head-on. That would be the only way to get Sahib—Amir out of her life.
First thing first. With her heart banging against her ribs, Belinda slowly opened the box. Her heart beat faster as she gasped in recognition at the first glimmer of gold.
It was her necklace. Her choker. The one Amir had given to her when she’d first entered their agreement. The reddish gold was of the highest quality. A thick filigree collar wrapped around her neck. Ribbons of gold fanned out against her chest ending in heart-shaped designs.
Belinda stroked the metal with a loving finger. She frowned at the coldness. “Wait a second,” she said, muttering to herself. Her necklace was never cold. Never. The warmth comforted and excited her. It made her feel cherished. Never alone.
Her first thought was that maybe it wasn’t her necklace. Her eyes widened at the possibility of the jewelry being a copy. That would be the worst insult.
She pressed it against her neck. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it did feel warm, maybe it would feel right against her flesh.
She flinched at the icy touch. She pressed it closer to her throat. Slowly, the warmth of her skin seeped into the mellow gold. The constricting sensation sent a bolt of longing through the center of her body.
Belinda sighed with relief. It was still her necklace. It hadn’t lost its magic. It was just lonely.
A lot like her.
Curious to see how it looked, she walked to the mirror. The beauty of the necklace was overwhelming. The sight of it on her neck and all its symbolism made her breathless.
“No.” The defiant tone rang through her hallway. She curled her hands into fists. She was not going to be with Amir ever again.
* * * * *
Belinda tugged at her fitted pinstriped jacket while the receptionist murmured in the phone. She clutched to her briefcase that held the necklace. She couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Truly.
“You may go in,” the receptionist said, eyeing her, obviously wondering how an unknown woman could waltz through to the president’s suite without an appointment.
Belinda tried to look calm, cool – professional – as she strode through the intimidating décor. She knew Amir’s headquarters were in Chicago, yet the St. Louis offices were opulent. Just how wealthy and how powerful was Amir Khan, Belinda wondered as she walked to the secretary’s desk.
“I’m Belinda Hathaway. I’m here to see…Amir Khan.”
“One moment.” The unsmiling woman walked to the ornate double doors and gave a brisk knock. Belinda took the moment to pat her snug bun and make sure it was in place.
The secretary poked her head into the office that possessed a forbidden quality. “Miss Belinda Hathaway is here to see you.”
“Send her in.” Belinda tensed at the familiar growl. Her insides liquefied. Her feet refused to move.
Take charge. Take charge. This is not a D/s scene. This is real life.
“Thank you.” Belinda gave a tight smile to the secretary and strode in the office. She forced herself to walk to the desk. Amir Khan rose from his seat. He looked every inch the ruthless businessman. His severe black suit accentuated his muscular frame, but it couldn’t contain the blatant aura of his power.
Neither spoke until they heard the click of the door.
“Noukrani.”
Why did her knees threaten to buckle every time he said that name? “Mr. Khan.”
Amir’s eyebrows rose. “Please sit down.”
“No, thank you,” she answered in her best no nonsense tone. “I won’t be here long.”
“Why are you here?” He laid his hands flat on his desk and leaned closer.
“To return this.” She set her briefcase on the desk, using it as a barrier. Snapping the case open, she briskly placed the box on the desk.
Amir stared at the box. His jaw popped, but he didn’t move. Despite his stillness, or maybe because of it, Belinda wanted to jump out of reach. She fought for composure. Any hint of weakness and he would move in for the kill.
He looked away from the jeweler’s box and studied her. His mouth twisted in a smile at her prim appearance. “The necklace is yours to keep.”
“I can’t accept it.” She looked away. Now would be a good time to get out of the office. She did what she had to do. Belinda hurriedly closed her briefcase.
“Consider it a memento.” With the flick of his finger, Amir opened the case and slid it to her.
“I don’t need one.” She fought the impulse to flick it back at him. The last thing she needed to do was taunt him. Or touch the necklace that meant so much to her.
“Is that so?” Amir’s words held the bite of annoyance. He pocketed the necklace with a carelessness that scratched her soul. “Does that mean you don’t want to remember what happened between us?”
Belinda yanked the briefcase off his desk. “That is not what I said.” She was quickly losing control of the meeting. She had to get out fast.
Amir moved away from his desk. “Did you find yourself another master?”
“I’m not in the market for one at this time.” She had to get to the door while Amir was still behind the desk.
“You’re not looking?” That stopped him in his tracks. “At all? Are you turning away from the lifestyle?”
Belinda shrugged and moved for the door.
“Or just from me?”
She stiffened. Had he figured it out already?
Amir was at her side. She had forgotten he had the stealth of a panther. “Why did you leave?” he murmured close to her ear.
“I had to.” The admission fell from her in a whisper.
“Did I push you too hard? Too far?”
“No.” Amir was the ideal master. He understood her needs and predicted her wants and cravings. It was comforting as well as disturbing.
“Did something scare you? You know you could tell me. Our relationship doesn’t work unless we communicate.”
He spoke as if they still had a relationship. She cleared her throat, breaking the spell. “You did nothing wrong, Amir. It’s my fault and my decision.”
He reared his head back. “Your answer is unacceptable.”
A sad smile formed on Belinda’s mouth. She could handle his haughty arrogance more than his kind understanding. “That’s too bad, Amir. It’s the only answer I’m willing to give.”
“You’re not going to tell me why you disappeared?” His voice raised a notch, startling Belinda. He never lost his temper. “You discarded your job, your home, your life, and you’re not going to tell me a thing?”
“No, I’m not. It’s been good seeing you, Amir.”
He fastened his hand on her
arm. She ignored the heat forking through her skin at lightning speed. “I could make you tell me.” He said the words casually.
Belinda shook her head. “No you couldn’t. You’re not like that. It’s against our agreement.” She didn’t question his integrity. Amir Khan never strayed from the parameters of a promise. He honored his word because it was a part of him.
“Why should I follow our agreement? You didn’t.”
Her eyes squinted with confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“The contract,” he answered. His innocent expression did not bode well for her. “The one we made up and signed.”
“What’s the big deal about the contract? It’s not even a legal document. We signed it as Sahib and Noukrani. Not to mention that the mediator at the D/s club is hardly a lawyer. He’s more like a matchmaker.”
Amir ignored her reasons. “You ended the relationship before the stipulated time was over. You ended it without telling me.”
“So sue me,” she said irritably as she shook off his hand. She could easily get out of a slave contract. A fancy term for writing down what the master and slave will and will not do in the relationship. It was made only to protect the participants, not make them indentured for life.
“Now there’s an idea. I might do that.”
She froze from the simple statement. “No, you wouldn’t.” Could he? The contract wouldn’t hold up in court, but maybe that wasn’t his goal. He probably had a stable of hungry legal advisors and a disposable income that could feed a nation. But would he reveal his private life to get an answer? Would he destroy hers because she didn’t give him what he wanted?
“I won’t if you tell me why you left.”
Belinda strode to the door, her feet suddenly wobbly in her shiny black pumps. “I have nothing to say and I’m not the least bit impressed by your threat. You wouldn’t harm your precious image.”
“Try me.”
“I’ve tried you. I’m moving on.” She regretted the words the moment she said them. She struck out at the first flash of panic and she was disgusted in her behavior.
“With that boy?” Amir sneered at the thought.
