by C. M. Steele
There was a lot to do in the coming week. I wanted her married before someone could steal her from me, and I wanted the country, the world to know that she belonged to me. Plus, I probably filled her womb with my heir today, the future ruler of the kingdom. I ran my hand down her back, just needing to hold her close to me. Her warmth gave me a sense of purpose. Since I first saw her photo in the playbill something changed in me. Nothing seemed to shake the constant anger and annoyance. Mina fixed all that and made my world right.
My cellphone rang in my pants pocket, but I didn’t want to move her. She seemed so peaceful in my arms. It was on the third call that I decided to get up and answer it. I rolled her onto the bed gently, then crept off the bed. Of course the called ended, so I looked at the caller ID to see it was my mother. Shit. Fucking Michael must have told her.
I called her back as I put my boxers and pants back on. “Mother, is everything alright?”
“Is everything alright? My son…the king of his own country doesn’t even tell us that he’s met someone and is getting married to someone we never met. Are you sure she’s not looking to be some Khaleelian lottery winner?”
“Mother. What did Michael say?” I growled on the phone, ready to deck my brother in the face.
“That we all had to go to Khaleel because you’d found your queen and were getting married in a week.”
“Mom, she’s not from here. I’m marrying Mina.”
“Mina? Michael’s Mina.” She gasped and I lost my temper, something I never did with her.
“She isn’t his, damn it.”
“Calm down, Amir. It wasn’t what I meant. The Mina I met at Michael’s performance.”
“I’m sorry, mother. I shouldn’t have gotten loud with you.”
“No, that I can understand. Now, are you marrying her for love?”
“Of course not. I don’t love Mina. She’s just beautiful and I wanted to steal her from Michael,” I said sarcastically. I heard the gasp behind me and I realized that she’d woken up. Fuck. “Mother, I’m going to be getting married to the woman I love and I have to catch her before she thinks she can run away.”
I hung up and made a mad dash to the bedroom and she wasn’t there. I looked around and shouted out her name in the hall before making it to the room that she stayed in last night. Grabbing the handle, I turned the knob and there was nothing; she locked it on me. “Mina, open the door,” I said calmly.
“Once you call me a cab, and leave me be,” she shouted through the door.
“Never going to happen, so get that out of your pretty head.” I couldn’t let her go. There was no two ways about it. No way was I going to be able to live without her. I pounded on the door again. This was my home, and as they said, I was the king of my castle.
“Amir, leave me alone. You had your fun. I have to go back to my real life.”
“I said open the damn door, Mina,” I growled this time, tugging on the door hard. “If you don’t open it, I’ll knock the fucker down.” For the first time in my life I was going to kick down a door and I didn’t have a second thought about it. I couldn’t stand the distance between us. Not the physical distance, but the emotional one.
I heard her feet on the wooden floors; she opened the door and tried to move past me, but I stopped her, wrapping my arms around her waist and tossing her over my shoulder before walking back to our bedroom. There wasn’t going to be anymore damn slammed and locked doors and there sure as fuck wasn’t going to be anymore tears. She was going to turn me into an uncivilized brute.
Mina
“Put me down, you asshole,” I yelled, but all that got me was a smack on my ass. I tried not to like it because I was fucking lost to the fact that he used me.
“Calm down, Mina. You’re overreacting.” He took us back to the bedroom, but instead of putting me on the bed or even on my feet, he carried me to the bathroom, locking us in. Sitting me on the cold granite counter top, he caged me in. “I was being sarcastic. My mother was asking asinine questions. I love you more than I can ever imagine or even understand. It happened before I knew it and I was done in for. You were the one from the start and you’ll always be.”
“Oh…I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I get it. You gave me your innocence and I disappear on the phone claiming I’m just using you. I’m not. Well…I love using your body,” he finished with a smile before he dropped his head down, pressing his lips on my neck and placing lingering kisses on my pulse. All that anger and hurt quickly vanished and turned into lust. Make up sex was on my mind, and it was on his, too. I felt his hard cock pressed on my clit, then he started grinding against me. Up and down, steadily picking up speed and making me moan. My panties were soaked and a total waste at the moment.
He pulled his pants down just enough to pull his cock out of his boxers. The massive tip was glistening with his pre-come that he used to stroke his length. I moaned as I watched him take his strong, large hand to run along the shaft. It was so sexy that I tried to clench my thighs together for relief, but he wouldn’t let me. “Don’t close the doors on me and never close your thighs on me again. It only makes me want you more, and I know your pussy is sore, so I need to take it easy on you.”
“Don’t ever say you don’t love me, even as a joke,” I said, trying to come out strong, but my heart was in it and he saw that I was still hurt.
“Mina, I never will. If you want, I’ll shout it out everywhere I go every day. Has someone ever taken back their promise of love to you before?”
“No, it’s just I’ve lived a world of make-believe since I was a baby. With people who know how to show affection that they don’t mean. Look at your brother, he still kissed me every night on stage.”
“Stop. I get it, but don’t remind your husband that you were kissing his brother. It’s seared in my brain already. It makes me insanely jealous.” With his cock in hand, he slid my panties to the side, then pushed his way into me. I moaned as he grunted, his mouth taking mine in a kiss of possessiveness. “My brother is lucky he likes the dick because I swear if he didn’t I’d smash his face in for tasting those lips that belong to me.”
“You know that kiss that night was for you. I imagined it was you kissing me. I hoped you’d even come say hello to me.”
“I would have kidnapped you and taken you to my bed, worshipping you until you forgot about Michael,” he admitted. It made my pussy throb knowing how much he wanted me when I was pining away for him.
“Damn, I really missed out,” I said, sounding put out. “I guess it’s always the quiet ones.”
“You’ve no idea, my queen.” He began to slow his movements, rocking back and forth lazily. He cupped my ass and my hair, taking control of my body. Pulling on my hair, he licked my neck before sucking on my flesh, my pussy squeezing in reaction. I was about to come again, and he felt it. “Come, my queen. Give me what I need. I want you screaming for me. Come for me,” he demanded, pounding his cock into me, I gave in, screaming his name. His come emptied into me and set another mini orgasm to course through me.
“You’re going to make me a cock slut, Amir.”
“As long as it’s only mine,” he said, the possessive glint in his eyes telling me he was afraid of losing me.
“Always you, Amir.” I loved the way he lost control of himself with me. It was like I was the only one he was different for. I read about him and I heard everything Michael ever said, never once was he mentioned to have lost control. With me, that was all he seemed to do, but in the most perfect ways.
He carried us into the shower and turned on the water. It was automatically warm. “Wow. Why is it warm?”
“A bit of technology. The water in the pipes is heated when I flip the light switch. It isn’t meant to make it hot, just warm, but it wastes a lot less water waiting for it to heat up.”
“I love it.” I squealed like a little girl getting her dream pony.
“You are easy to please, my love.”
“Are we al
ways going to shower together?” I asked, wondering how much trouble we’d get into.
“I don’t think it’s wise,” he growled, pressing my back to the wall, still carrying me. His cock pulsed inside of me.
“Yes, it may not be that wise,” he said, grinding his pelvis against mine, his cock fully in me.
“Then again, I could get used to this, but it’s just shower time now.”
“But you’re still hard,” I said, blushing in the process.
“It’s fine. It’s only because I’m with the woman I love and buried in her. I don’t want to break either of us. I’m sure you’re getting sore; I know I am.”
“Yes, I am.” He looked upset for a moment, then pulled out slowly and set me on my feet. I thought I offended him, but I said, “Look at me.” He was sad.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I don’t ever want that. I’m sorry I got carried away.”
“I love the feel of you in me. I’m tender, but then again this is all new to me and you’re well…endowed.”
He gave a hearty laugh and pulled me into his arms; he tilted my chin, looking me deeply in the eyes. “Thank you. Thank you for making me feel like a king.” His kiss came deeper and with more feeling. I loved this man before he even knew who I was.
Chapter 8
Amir
After washing up, we grabbed her things and brought them into my bed chambers. This was her room. Right or wrong, I refused to sleep alone ever again. I’ve waited to find her.
“Are you hungry or do you have a dinosaur in your belly?” she asked me. I never had anyone talk to me like that except my brother. Even my parents thought I was too serious to tease. I loved when she did it. I pulled her into my arms, kissing her before grabbing her hand.
I led her down to the kitchen, forgetting there wasn’t anyone here to cook. When I gave everyone the day off, I didn’t think about eating anything but Mina.
“Don’t panic, Amir,” she said with a giggle, pressing her hand on my chest for a moment.
“What makes you think I’m panicking?”
“Your eyes.” She walked over to the large fridge and searched through it. “I can cook.” She looked sexy in a pretty dress. It wasn’t a fancy one, just something she could wear every day. It accentuated her curves, which I didn’t care for, but I couldn’t ask her to wear a shapeless outfit.
“Thank heavens, I can’t. Just tell me what you need me to do and I’ll be your handy assistant.” I came up behind her and squeezed her breasts, finding a perfect place for my hands.
“I can’t cook like this; no matter how nice it feels.”
“What a pity,” I grumped. “I suppose I’ll just stand here and gaze at your beauty.”
“You make it sound like it’s a chore.” She put her hand on her hip and stared me down, waiting for me to correct myself. I was considered a great orator, but she had me muddling up a lot.
I shook my head, tilting it down then lifting it back up with a serious gaze on lips. I had to correct myself before I make it worse. “No, just like when your mother is baking a cake and you can’t lick the bowl until she’s done.”
“You’re getting spoiled, Amir.” She playfully tossed the kitchen towel at me.
“That I am,” I growled and took a seat at the counter just to watch the pretty lady in action.
My cell phone went off again, and I was kind of getting annoyed. I still had time to relax. The meeting with Mr. Amini had been the only thing on my schedule. I just was going to try and plan it out in between seducing Mina.
“Hello...” It was Michael calling me, but he wasn’t answering. “Hello,” I repeated. “Michael. Answer the phone.” It clicked off.
“Maybe he butt dialed you,” she said. It was possible I suppose, but then why hang up, so quickly.
I called him back but he didn’t answer. I sent him a text message. Then fifteen minutes later I received a call from him. “Hey, Michael. What’s going on?”
“Sir, I’m not Michael. I’m Officer Giddings. Your brother has been taken to the hospital. He was attacked in his apartment.”
“What,” I roared. “Tell me he’s okay.” I was starting to lose my cool, running my hand through my hair as I waited for the police officer to tell me what happened.
“We don’t know, sir. He’s been taken to Mt. Sinai. I can’t say anything else.”
“I will contact my family and be there as soon as possible.” I hung up. He didn’t have anything else to give me, so there was no reason to speak to him.
I didn’t say a word to Mina yet because time was of the essence. “Hassan, I need the jet, yesterday. We’re on our way to the airport.”
“What’s going on?” Mina asked, dropping the towel on the counter and scurrying to my side. I grabbed her hands and looked at her in her already watery eyes. She knew it wasn’t good.
“Turn everything off and we’re going. Michael’s in the hospital. Don’t pack. We’ll get everything we need back there.” She turned off the stove and left everything where it was before grabbing her purse, and we were on our way to the airport. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Mina
He looked like a man in control as we left, but I knew he was crumbling down inside. I felt the same way; well, even I couldn’t understand it because they were brothers, twins. Even though they’d grown apart, they stayed as close as possible. Michael constantly talked about Amir and their talks.
He took my hand in his for the entire drive to the airport. I really regretted the staff getting the day off now because he wasn’t in the frame of mind to drive. “I’m sure he’s going to be okay, Amir.”
“I hope so. Or I will move the ends of the earth to destroy the bastard that did this.” I took my hand from his and ran my fingers through his hair, trying to calm that rage that was running through him. He was a natural born leader and I knew he was already planning everything out in his head.
He took out his cell phone and ear piece and spoke into it. “Call Mother.”
“Mother, it’s Amir. Michael has been hurt, please get to Mt. Sinai.” I could hear a screeching cry on the other end of the phone before he continued. “I’m on my way to the airport. I will be there as soon as I can. I love you, too.”
He hung up the call and I saw the tic in his jaw that screamed the pain he couldn’t. I ran my fingers through his hair again before taking his hand back into mine. “Will your men meet us at the plane?”
“Yes, love,” he said, lifting my hand to his lips and placing a kiss on the back.
Chapter 9
Amir
Almost the entire flight, Mina sat on my lap doing what she could to calm the raging storm inside of me. I wasn’t filled with just anger; I was living with regret. My brother, my former best friend, was fighting for his life and I was thousands of miles away, physically and emotionally. He couldn’t tell me the truth about his lifestyle even though we used to be so close. I didn’t know exactly when the divide happened. We had been buds up until we were about seventeen. I didn’t want to go out and party because I knew that everything I did would be held under a microscope. As the heir apparent, I couldn’t misbehave, not in our Eastern culture. I may have grown up in a Western world, but it wasn’t the place I had to rule. Even my father had tried to get me to enjoy life as a teenager, but I didn’t. It wasn’t until I saw Mina that I realized I was missing anything. For the first time in my life, I felt empty. With Michael in the hospital this was the second time my world was tipped on its axis. I missed the two of us watching Star Wars, The New York Yankees, or stopping into the city to see the museums. It was simple things, but those were the moments I cherished.
The plane finally landed at JFK and the limo was waiting for us. My men were there waiting for me. They were supposed to be with Michael.
“What happened? Where were you at when he was attacked?” They were supposed to be watching the apartment and Michael.
“He snapped on us when we were standing outside of the apartment door. Your br
other said he didn’t need bodyguards. Ms. Holden wasn’t there and neither were you, so if we wanted to watch over him from outside then it was fine. He was in his meeting in his apartment for an audition. We were sent to get them something to eat and when we got back there was chaos everywhere. The cops had us in cuffs until they cleared the scene. It was nuts. Someone called the cops and gave our descriptions.”
“The casting person was involved?” I asked as we drove on. “Did you get a license plate or anything?” Mina held my hand the entire time, letting me know she was there for me.
“I took a couple photos of the guy going up there, but he didn’t drive. When we got back, he was gone. We think he took the subway. More information should be on his phone, which the police have for their own examination.”
“Once we find out who he called we can track him down. I will call the phone company. Let me see the images. Mina, baby, I want you to look at these, too. Maybe you’ll recognize the person.” He handed this camera over to us to the first image. It was a larger man, not fat, but strong and a bit older. It wasn’t how I pictured a casting person.
Mina let out a loud gasp; she knew who the guy was. I knew he was a little big for a casting director, but who was he? I waited for her to calm down before she said, “It’s our set crew guy John Borg. OMG, he’s my stalker. He has to be.”
“He’s a dead man.” I was seeing red. He attacked my brother, trying to get to my woman. There was no other way around it. He was a dead man. She had her head ducked down, staring at the camera, when my guard said in Farsi, “She’s crying.” He was right. It was a silent cry and he could see the tear drops land on his camera.
“Mina, look at me, my love.” I tipped her chin and forced her eyes up to mine.
“I’m so sorry, Amir. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” She shook her head, pushing it away from my hand. I couldn’t stand the rejection from her.
I didn’t care that my men were around, I lifted her up onto my lap, cradling my little world. “It’s not your fault, Mina. It’s not. This bastard came after you and my brother because he’s a sick fuck. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
