Taken by the Sheikh

by Mel Teshco

  Rafi kept his other hand pressed against her lower back, keeping her in close, then he bent his head and sucked on her nipples.

  The sensation seared through her breasts to gather between her legs. She closed her eyes and threw her head back as a deep moan left her lips. Everything splintered around her until she was aware of nothing but her and him and what Rafi was doing. Her whole body stiffened as she shuddered and groaned out her release until finally, she gasped, unable to take anymore. And yet it still wasn't enough. She wanted him inside her with a crazy obsessed passion. "Rafi, please," she choked out.

  In one smooth motion he angled his cock and slid the head of it into her. He stopped, watching for her reaction.

  May whimpered at the burn of his entry. "It hurts."

  "Don't be frightened. Your body will learn to accept me."

  May swallowed and tried not to cry out. Instead she gripped his shoulders.

  With slow deliberate action he rolled his hips upward, keeping his motion controlled, his gaze locked onto her face.

  She contracted around him. "You're too big." Her whole body stiffened and she dug her fingernails into his flesh. Her thighs tightened around him. She wasn't sure. A whimper left her lips.

  "Relax, my love. It won't hurt for long. This is so new for you and I’m bigger than most men." He stilled inside her, leaned forward and kissed her with a gentleness she couldn’t believe he was capable of.

  Something in her heart opened to him at that moment. She wasn't an ignorant girl. She knew what went on in the bedroom, enough to know that this prince cared about how it was for her. Really cared. Pleasure still resonated in her body and Rafi moved from kissing her lips to licking her nipples, his tongue hot and wet.

  She could feel herself relaxing, allowing more of him to enter her. When he began to strum her clitoris again with the pad of his thumb, May closed her eyes, allowing her body, weightless in the water, to sink down onto him. He was unleashed power holding back so he didn't hurt her, and she was grateful.

  "Move over me. Get used to the feeling of having me inside you."

  She opened her eyes and looked into his. "You want me to like it."

  "I want you to love me so much you throw me on the bed and demand I satisfy you."

  May almost laughed until she realized he wasn't joking. Instead she saw the bright intent in his eyes. He wanted her to love him, with her heart and her body. "Maybe one day I will." It was too soon for her to fall in love but she certainly enjoyed the feel and touch of him. He was a sensual man who wanted her to appreciate the marriage bed. She was more than willing to explore what it could offer. She was slippery and wet, and her muscles began to clench and unclench around his hot, hard cock.

  Rafi leaned back with a smile on his face. He raised his arms and clasped them behind his head. "You're a quick learner. Use me for your pleasure, princess. Take your time. We have all night."

  "Don't you sleep?" She rose on her knees and slid back down on him, so that his cock moved further inside her. She concentrated on getting a rhythm, having him inside becoming more enjoyable with every downstroke.

  "Sleep's overrated compared to having my beautiful wife riding me." His eyes were hooded and his mouth slightly open, his chest rising and falling.

  Leaning forward with her hands on his hard chest, she spread her knees further apart and moved over him, surprised that it no longer hurt.

  A groan left his lips and his eyes gleamed. Encouraged that she was able to give him such pleasure when he'd given her so much, she increased her pace, noticing the tension build inside her too. Water sloshed and splattered the deck. She no longer had to wonder what all the fuss was about when it came to sex. This was the most exciting thing she'd ever experienced in her life. Her nipples were tight and her whole body pulsed with desire. Although he was large she could feel her inner muscles accepting him as she moved.

  "That's it. Oh May," he groaned. He reached around her nape gripping her tight as he thrust up into her. His moan was low, almost a growl like a lone wolf as he came, his whole body stiffening. He lay, his chest heaving, his expression well pleased. He pressed his face to hers and kissed her before taking her by the waist and lifting her off him.

  May cuddled close, not wanting to break the bond. The spa on automatic timer switched off and in the still night air she could hear him breathing heavily beside her. She was confused by the emotion that played inside her. She liked this man, more than liked him, yet several hours earlier she'd attacked him, trying to get away. How was it that the pleasure of sex made her feel close to him like a wife should?

  "What are you thinking?" He stroked some of the wet hair from her face.

  "It was different from what I thought." Her whole body seemed languid, as if every bit of tension had left. She was almost floating.

  "In what way?"

  "I can't say. You'll think me ridiculous." May nibbled on her bottom lip.

  "Tell."

  "It was not as it was described to me. I thought you'd be on top of me. I thought it would hurt more and that I'd be squashed."

  Rafi turned his head in a quizzical fashion. "Is that how the English have sex? No wonder they have such a bad reputation."

  May laughed. "Well, my university friends never told me it was this good. Anyway, who said I was talking about the English? Those details came from a relative of Sanura's who came to visit."

  "What size was her husband?"

  "He was tall with a big stomach."

  Rafi smiled and shook his head. "Figures. I promise to stay fit."

  "I was surprised you put me on top of you and let me do what I wanted."

  "Why? Do you think I'm so controlling?"

  "Yes."

  Rafi laughed, a real heart-felt chuckle. "I guess I deserved that after marching you out of your apartment against your will."

  "I was scared. But this has changed things for me. Sex with you was wonderful."

  A contented grin passed over his face. "I have a lot more surprises in store for you, which I hope you'll enjoy."

  May climbed out of the spa on spongy legs.

  "Hey, where are you going?"

  "I need to towel off, plus I'm thirsty." Besides she was looking forward to testing out the bed. Would it seem too forward to say so? Sex was a subject whispered about by her servants and female relatives. It had always been a forbidden topic, though something told her she would be able to talk to Rafi about anything she chose.

  Rafi followed her, picked up her clothes and handed them to her. He too dried himself off and pulled on his trousers. "I'll fix you a drink. More wine or would you prefer water?"

  "Water, please. I'm parched."

  "Two glasses of wine will do that."

  "Did I drink that much?"

  "I want you to enjoy my family's produce. Anyway, you were nervous."

  "Not any longer. I've never felt so relaxed. So free." Once dressed, May flopped back on the daybed. Happiness resonated through her body. The stars in the sky seemed brighter, more luminescent. She couldn't remember feeling this good in a long time.

  Rafi walked from the bar with two glasses of water. "Here, this will hydrate you."

  May sat up and took the glass from him. He was such a handsome man. If he continued to be kind to her, maybe they did have a chance at having a life together. Part of her wanted to bottle this moment and keep it like this forever. "Thank you."

  He sat next to her and put his arm around her. "So a few hours of marriage has freed you?"

  "In a strange way, yes. All my life I've had to behave in a certain way. My father raised me under so many rules. I wasn't allowed to talk to men unless they were family. I was always supervised until all I wanted was to leave my country. That's why I begged my mother to take me to Australia on school holidays to spend time with my grandparents. I wanted to know what it was like to live without such restraint all the time. In some ways, London was a relief, but I still felt the rules. I knew I was watched. It's like you've lifted
that off my shoulders." May shifted on her seat and faced him. "Please tell me I'm not going to be some sort of prisoner in Omana? I planned my whole life around finding freedom."

  "When you are with me in Omana, you'll live in the territory I govern. You'll be the first lady there. Every wish you want will be granted. If you desire to work there are many projects you could take charge of."

  "Married women work there, don't they?"

  "About twenty percent. We have always been more liberated than Qtara yet we are mindful that not everyone is moderate. Some of the older generation don't agree with the changes my father brought in. If you choose to work you'll be a good role model for younger women."

  May sat processing what he told her, so relieved that she would be allowed some freedom. She'd never even considered she could be a leader amongst women. The thought was thrilling. "You're not who I thought you were."

  "I hope as you come to know me, you'll understand the only rules that I have in place are for your safety. I've lost too many loved ones. I don't want to lose you."

  His words hung in the air. She could feel the warmth of his body next to hers and she put her arms around him. Everything was so new to her. The strangest thing was that she cared about him. She hadn't expected that, especially in so short a time. "Rafi, I think it's time we went to bed."

  "Have I wearied you, princess?"

  "Not at all." She stood and held out her hand for him. "Come."

  Rafi's expression changed from concern to delight. He scrambled off the daybed and took her hand. "You make me happier than I've ever been."

  She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I plan to make you happier still."

  Chapter Four

  Rafi didn't feel the shift of air in the bedroom, focused as he was on May. He was so delighted with his bride he wondered how soon he could tumble her again as she walked just ahead of him in to the bedroom.

  "What a beautiful space. This reminds me of my brother's yacht, but it's bigger," May said, letting go of his hand and walking over to look out the stern window. "The layout is so slick. It's like a modern, floating palace."

  "Actually, I bought this yacht on your brother's recommendation. This is the latest model. You're right. It's larger."

  May rolled her eyes. "So you're competitive too."

  "Saladin enjoyed advising me. I used his designer to put in the modifications I wanted."

  "Designer? Is that what Saladin's man called himself? My brother's yacht was a floating war machine. He took great pleasure in showing me his arsenal."

  Rafi shrugged. "What can I say? We're both military men. Saladin was a weapons expert. He was so accurate with a knife, he astounded me".

  "I don't know why he didn't just take one of my father's navy vessels onto the water."

  "That would hardly be beneficial to courting." He followed her and put his arms around her, his arms circling her front. "So you like my yacht?"

  "I love the way the bed looks out onto the water. That's so peaceful." She turned to face him.

  He was about to reply when he heard a noise to his right. May's eyes widened and her mouth dropped in horror at something to the side of him. A black shadow bearing down on them, lethal and silent. He thrust May out of the way and lashed out with a rounded kick. A grunt of pain told him he’d found his mark.

  On repositioning himself to face the man, he registered the intent of the assassin in his ghutrah headdress, black shirt and jeans. Dark eyes glinted death as did the lethal scimitar in his hand. The stranger steadied himself to strike again.

  Weapons. Saladin's man had placed them all in their secret compartments. There were guns hidden in the bulkhead of the bed and knives concealed in the padded base. However, this was one of the rare times Rafi was unarmed, given carrying a gun was not conducive to seducing Maysarah.

  As the man shifted his weight, Rafi noticed the limp on the attacker's right leg. Good. His kick had done damage. One weakness. He'd find a way to exploit it and take the intruder out. "May run to the bathroom and lock yourself in."

  May edged her way from the stern toward the bed, putting it between her and the attacker. "I'm not leaving you."

  "Go. Now." Rafi feinted, circling and making sure he stayed between May and the intruder, his large body sheltering hers. If the assassin threw the knife at May he'd see the warning triangulation of the arm movement. He'd be on him before the knife left his hand.

  Senses on alert, he could hear May breathing somewhere behind him. Why wasn't she running? He didn't dare glance at her. He'd be gutted if he did. He moved into an even fighting stance, keeping his arms in tight ready to move in. He knew a knife buried into his torso was one way to kill a man, slicing a main artery in an arm or a leg was a guaranteed quick death. "It's me you want, leave the woman," Rafi said to the intruder.

  The assassin let out a low growl and lunged at him. The blade glinted as it swept upward to gut him. Rafi shifted and deflected the strike with his arm, landing a jabbing blow to the side of assassin's head as he went past.

  May was just in his field of vision. The damned girl was on her knees at the side of his bed, head down, her lips moving as if in prayer. "May, run." The attacker was under the stern window. May could get to the door. She had a chance.

  His parent's faces flashed in front of his eyes, Saladin's too, as the man came for him a third time, blade in a lethal saber grip.

  Something soared through the air and the assassin let out a piercing shriek. His scimitar clattered to the carpet. Blood covered his forehead and he fell to his knees, clutching at his face.

  Rafi swept up the weapon from the floor and the one imbedded in the wall.

  May raced over, another knife in her hand.

  "How the hell did you learn to throw a knife like that?" Rafi asked May, astounded.

  "Saladin," she answered simply. "He said I was too short and weak for arm to arm combat, which is why he focused on knife skills."

  "Unbelievable. Glad I didn't come across you in the kitchen."

  "You would have lost a body part which would have been a waste."

  Rafi shook his head, still getting his mind around the fact that his petite princess had saved him. His brothers would never let him live it down. "We have to question him before he loses consciousness."

  "I only nicked his forehead as Saladin taught me. 'A man blinded by blood cannot fight,'" she recited, as if memorizing a lesson.

  He patted down the groaning man, extracting several knives. Making sure May was at a safe distance, he ran to the bed, opened the bulkhead above, pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and a pair of handcuffs. He wasn't foolish enough to think the assassin would work alone. First he secured the assassin with the handcuffs, then he grabbed his cell phone from his pocket, jabbed in the number for the security team he had on standby and snapped out instructions.

  "You keep handcuffs above your bed?" May asked him.

  "You just gave a man a blood toupee and you're worried about handcuffs?"

  She flashed him a look. "You'll learn not to underestimate me."

  "You know how to fire a gun?" Rafi asked her.

  "Of course. Saladin made sure I did weapons training."

  "Go grab the other pistol from the bulkhead. It's loaded. He could have accomplices."

  Rafi unwound the man's headdress. His weathered face and deep lines revealed the tribal face of what looked to be one of the northern people. He would make sure. A thin line just above the assassin's eyebrows ran bright with blood but Rafi had no mercy. "Who sent you?"

  "I don't know."

  Rafi gripped his hair and the man shrieked in pain. "You speak. I'll let you live, which is more than whoever hired you will do. Two of your people are dead." It was a stab in the dark, but whoever was hiring these assassins covered their work by arranging for them to die soon after.

  The assassin rocked back and forward on his knees. "I don't know who he was. A rich lord. Paid me in gold. Half now. Half later."

  "What did he
look like?"

  The man groaned. "His face was covered."

  "His accent?" Rafi insisted.

  "Omana. He was Omani. Educated."

  "Rich on the blood of others," Rafi said, eying the man and taking in his thick guttural accent. "Where are you from?"

  "Ketaya." The assassin mentioned the name of the wild northern province in Omana administered by his uncle, Hashim Salah al Din, younger brother of their late father. He ripped open the man's shirt to reveal the tribal tattoo of the Ketayan nomad, the same tattoo as had been found on the body in the Qtari desert.

  "Did this lord hire the other assassins?"

  "I don't know what you mean."

  "I think you do." Rabi grabbed the man's hair and twisted it. The wound opened, spilling more blood.

  The man groaned. "They were from my tribe. They never returned."

  "Because the man who hired them arranged to have them killed after the job, which is what he will have planned for you." This was no coincidence. Whoever had done this was trying hard to cover his tracks. He needed to call his older brother, Shahzad.

  "Please lord, have mercy." The man lay prostrate at his feet.

  "If you wish to live, you will cooperate and identify this man who hired you."

  "Anything you ask, my lord. I beg you, do not kill me."

  The sound of a cruiser drew near. Male voices speaking in Arabic, followed by the sound of men jumping on the deck signaled his team had arrived. "Keep your gun trained on this man. That sounds like my security back up," Rafi said to Maysarah.

  May aimed her gun at the assassin. "You brought a team? I thought this was meant to be your honeymoon."

  "I always travel with security."

  "I hope they weren't watching us in the hot tub."

  "Now there's a thought."

  "Rafi!"