by Sophia Lynn
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone hollow even in her own ears.
He looked surprised at her question. She wondered if he had thought her so bought and paid for that he would have no problems. Unexpectedly, for the first time, she felt a lick of rage appear deep in her heart.
"I have come to see you," Rasul said, as if the answer should have been obvious. "Here, I have brought you some things."
Numbly, she allowed him to guide her to her couch, where he handed her several packages.
"I ordered these for you," he said, "and my assistants brought them to me this morning. Berry … what is going on here?"
He was looking around at her half-packed apartment. Berry ignored him as she opened the packages. She knew that she shouldn't torture herself like this, but she couldn't stop herself. What was she worth? What did Rasul think he could use to buy her?
There was a silk scarf. There was a silver ring with an enormous ruby, and there were not one but two pairs of earrings, one with gold and one with pearls. The piece that truly finished her off though, was a silver bangle.
"That came off of an antiquities site," he said proudly. "It's more than four hundred years old …"
"And it was worn by the wives of the Sheikh," she said flatly. "It was given to young girls new to the harem, a bit of music to go with them when they walked."
She jingled the bangle, and the music to the jewelry was as true now as it was when it was made. This was what he thought of her. How could she have been so blind?
Rasul watched in confusion as she shoved the gifts back into their packages.
"I don't want them," Berry said, doing everything that she could to keep her voice level, On the last word, her voice cracked, and Rasul made a noise of concern. He reached out to touch her, and Berry knew that if he did, she would lose everything she was. She would let him convince her. She would listen to his sweet words, and she would fall into a dream with him, where she was never more than a concubine or a whore. Perhaps he would even give Farnsworth his deal …
"No!" she cried, yanking away. "No—stop."
He pulled his hand back, but he looked at her with complete dismay and surprise. "Berry, what's the matter? You've been acting strangely since I arrived, you don't want the things I got you?"
"Damn straight I don't want them," she snapped. "Do you really think that this is what my price is? A bit of silk and jewelry? My God, do you know what I thought when we were together up on that mountain? Do you know what I almost believed?"
To her fury, he was still maintaining his innocence. "Berry, I swear to you that I have no idea what is going on. For the love of heaven, sit down and speak reasonably with me …"
"No!" she nearly shouted. "No, I'm not listening to you anymore. I don't want to hear anything more about … about worship, or devotion! I want you to get out of here."
He frowned at her words, standing up to match her. A part of her noted that even at this point, she was not afraid of him. She never would be. She knew that he would never hurt her physically. She was learning that emotionally, however, was a different story.
"Berry, sit down. I have had a long few days, and I sincerely don't know what you are talking about or why you are so angry …"
She laughed—an ugly sound that made him flinch. "Really? Really, you have no idea? Well let me spell this out for you, since it's so confusing. I am not for sale. I don't have a price, and you cannot buy me. Is that clear enough?"
Rasul went pale and then dark with anger. "Are you serious?" he demanded. "Is that what you think these gifts are? That's all they are, Berry. They are gifts, tokens of my regard for you …"
"Don't you get it?" she raged. "I don't have a price tag. You and Farnsworth don't seem to know that. There's no price you can put on me, no favor, nothing that assures you the ability to be with me, to touch me …"
Rasul looked thunderstruck. "Berry …"
Without thinking of what he was doing, he reached for her, and Berry knew that she could not, under any circumstances, allow that to happen. She slapped his hand away, the sound an echoing shot in the rest of the room.
That physical contact, no matter how light, seemed to get through to Rasul in a way that nothing else had yet. He backed away, and if she weren't convinced of how he had tried to buy her, she would have been shocked at the pain and surprise on his face. She tensed to shout more, to defend herself if she had to, but it seemed as if he had gotten the idea.
Without a single word, he turned on his heel, and strode out, leaving the things he had brought her scattered on the floor as if they were trash.
For a moment, Berry couldn't believe that he was gone. A part of her was screaming to go and bring him back. Just seeing him for those short moments had brought back everything they had shared together. Somehow, she managed to prevent herself from running after him. Instead, with all of the resolution that she could bring to bear, she resumed packing.
CHAPTER TEN
The Alamun airport was busy and bustling. Berry had gotten there quite early and found her seat next to her gate. She had just another two hours in the country. After that, she would be back in the United States. Berry told herself that it was for the best, but despite that, she felt a deep wrenching at the idea of leaving Alamun. In the short amount of time that she had been there, it had come to feel more like home than any other place on the planet.
She deliberately prevented herself from thinking about Rasul. Somehow, she had shipped off everything she needed, packed what was essential, and gotten rid of the rest. At the moment, however, there was no place where she could put her need and love for him, not yet. She prayed that at some point, she would be able to get the distance she needed, but it was not happening yet.
Idly Berry watched the people around her. Some looked anxious while others were simply excited. One or two looked worried. She wondered who was waiting for them on the other end of the voyage. Would they return to families that loved them? To lovers? To no one at all?
She was wondering if she should try to get a nap before they called the departure when two men walked up to her. Dressed in dark suits, they stood out from the crowd at the gate like sore thumbs.
"Ms. Caine, you will need to come with us," one of them said as they came to a stop in front of her.
Berry was aware of every eye in the seating area on her. She lifted her chin defiantly at them. "And under whose authority are you detaining me?" she asked.
"Under the authority of Sheikh Rasul," the other man said bluntly. "Here is the warrant if you need it."
He offered her a piece of paper that she scanned. It was a very impressive document, and at the bottom was the bold black signature of Rasul himself.
The murmurs began all around her, and with a sinking sensation, Berry knew that she was not going to get any help from anyone.
"I see. And there is nothing to be done about this?"
The men looked apologetic, but the one who had spoken first nodded. "That is correct. Our orders are to bring you to the Sheikh."
Berry could see that she had a choice. She could fight these men, causing a spectacle that would no doubt frighten all of the people at the gate, she could burst into tears, or she could simply go with them. They did not look like they were men who would be moved, and finally, she sighed, standing up, and giving the men a frosty look.
"All right, let's go," she said as she followed them out.
***
In the car ride, she seethed, wondering what Rasul thought he was playing at. She was an American citizen, and even if she was one with no real standing, surely they could not simply take her when they wished to do so?
Berry could feel her temper boiling and simmering as they drove her farther and farther away from her flight. She had known that she was not going to make it, but something about this simply felt wrong.
How dare he, she thought. How dare he think that he could dictate her life like this, misuse his power for this purpose? Rasul was meant to be a
man who put his nation's priorities first. What kind of priority was being served when she was taken captive like some kind of war prize?
Berry came out of her reverie when she realized that they were no longer in town.
"Where are we going?" she asked, unable to keep a bit of fear from her voice.
The man in the passenger's seat glanced back at her, his gaze more compassionate than she thought it would be.
"We are taking you to one of the Sheikh's private residences," he said. "I understand that you are alarmed, but please do not be. The Sheikh has said that under no circumstances should you be harmed. Rest easy, Ms. Caine, that all will be well."
She shook her head, too exhausted to try to talk to him. She thought that if she had her head screwed on straight, she might have tried to bargain with the men, to have them help her make another flight. Once she was back in the United States, surely Rasul couldn't reach her, couldn't touch her. Surely his reach didn't extend that far?
Several hours later, after they had been in the desert for some time, they finally came to an absurdly green spot in the desert. She realized that it had to be an oasis, a place of green beauty in the wastes.
At first she thought that there was no habitation at all, but then coming around a rocky outcropping, she saw a small manor tucked against the trees, its front towards the desert.
"What is this place?" she asked in surprise.
"An old retreat for the Sheikh and his family," said one of the men, handing her out of the car. "It is a place for friends and family alone."
She had to admit, she wasn't feeling too friendly or family-like. When Berry was out of the car, the men got back in and left in a cloud of dust. She supposed it made sense. With miles of killing desert all around, there was no way that she was going to escape on foot.
With a sigh, she picked up her bag and began to walk towards the manor. When Berry was close, the door opened and Rasul appeared in the doorway. She looked up at him, and suddenly, she felt a deep and powerful rage overcome her.
"You've got some nerve," she growled, looking up at him. "You had no right to take me off that flight."
He gazed at her calmly and with some sadness. She was struck by how stoic he seemed. If she was a raging forest fire, he was the imperturbable rock face, the one that could not be swayed.
"I have every right," he said softly. "I am the Sheikh of Alamun, and my word is law."
Berry's eyes flashed dangerously. "You have decided that you are going to hold me in this country against my will?" she said. "Pray tell, what else are you going to force on me whether I want it or not?"
He flinched a little at her hard words, but to her inner dismay, he looked resolute. "Nothing else," he said. "Berry, what we have between us does not happen very often. Someone might get lucky to have it once in a thousand years …"
Berry shook her head hard. "No, I don't want to hear it," she said. "I know all about connections, all about passion, all right? In case you forgot, you were the one to teach me. You were the one who made me wake up to all of those possibilities."
"And now?"
"And now I know who you are and what you want. I am no longer listening to you, or to Farnsworth."
"You will listen to me," he said, his voice brooking no disagreement. "Sooner or later, you will."
"Not likely," she retorted.
When she realized he wasn't going to relent and call back the car, she walked into the house, her face set like a stone. She refused to give in. She would not listen, she would not heed him.
***
Rasul looked after her stiff back, wondering what had happened to the beautiful woman who had laid all pliant in his arms. He wondered all over again if he weren't making an enormous mistake, one that would cost him everything in a way that was completely irrevocable.
He had thought about this course of action long and hard though, and he knew that if he did not at least try, he would never forgive himself. The truth was that he was not simply doing this for himself. He was also doing it for the beautiful wide-eyed woman who had laid in his arms. She was still in there somewhere, buried under what felt like concrete layers of hurt and pain.
He had to find a way to get through to her, but she certainly was not going to make it easy. He was prepared for that. At least, he thought he was prepared for that.
For the rest of the day, she sat in stony silence. No matter what he did, she would not look at him. When he entered a room, she tried to leave. If he wouldn't let her leave, she would simply glower up at him, her eyes brilliant emerald fire.
That night, as she resolutely closed her bedroom door behind her and locked it, he sat on the couch in the living room, head in his hands.
He didn't know how much of this he could take. It was one thing bringing her here, but dealing with her fury and her recriminations was physically painful. Rasul knew with some pain that his chances for success were likely very low.
All he knew though was that he had to try.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sunsets were lengthy affairs in Alamun. From the screened porch of the manor, Berry watched the sun descend into the desert, the sky growing darker and richer. When the sky overhead was a deep indigo and purple, and the sun a mere streak of orange against the clouds, Rasul came out of the house to stand behind her. It occurred to her that she was exhausted. For the first time in what felt like a small eternity, her rage ebbed to where she could speak to Rasul again, even if the pain was an undercurrent that fouled everything in her.
"It is beautiful," she said softly, not turning her head. She knew where he was. She could feel him as if there was a magnetic pull between them. She thought that this attraction would always be there, no matter what happened or how much space came between them.
"Not as beautiful as you," he said.
Rasul came to stand behind her, making the skin at the back of her neck stand on end. He didn't touch her, and she couldn't tell if she was disappointed or grateful.
"I don't know what to think," she said, her eyes focused out over the desert. "Not about you, but more so, not about myself. Who am I, to have the feelings that I do? They're so powerful … they frighten me."
His sigh was as soft as a puff of west wind. "You don't have to think," he said. "Not tonight. You are powerful, strong, and clever, but here, you do not have to be anything except happy. That's what I want you to have."
After a moment, she tilted her head back, resting it against his gentle hand. He stroked her hair for a moment before sending his quick fingers to undo her braid. In a moment, her hair was loose and flowing down to her shoulders. Berry closed her eyes as he ran his fingers through the length before coming up to stroke the tension out of her temples.
"I want …" Berry bit her lip. What she wanted was impossible. She told herself that. She told herself over and over again that the decadent Sheikh of Alamun could never be the man that she wanted him to be, the one she wanted to walk beside her through her life. The thought contrasted with his actions, and suddenly, it was simply too much. She couldn't stand to turn questions that had no answers over and over again in her head. Her exhaustion rolled over her like a tide, and when it was gone, it left behind the rawness of her desire, like an exposed sea bed.
"Berry? Are you all right?"
She laughed a little as she stood, turning to face him. Her white dress fell in soft folds down around her ankles, but she knew how sheer it was. He could see the shadows of her curves through the fine fabric, and for a moment, his dark eyes flickered down her body. He was a sensuous man, and the fact that he was drawn to her made her heart beat faster.
"I am," she said. "Right now … right now, I want you to touch me."
He looked momentarily eager, but she held up a hand, stopping him. "But this will change nothing. You are still who you are. I am still who I am. Nothing will change. Only … I want to touch you."
He hesitated, and for one moment, she thought that he would refuse. A moment of pain crossed his handso
me face, but then he nodded. "I understand."
Those words were all she needed. In another heartbeat, she was in his arms, and his mouth descended on hers as if he was starved for her. In his arms, she could feel the beginning of the pleasure that had always lived between them spark pure fire. In that moment, she knew that there would never be another man who made her feel like he did. There would never be someone who could make her feel as if her soul had been set on fire.
Their kiss was slow, but there was a passion to it that made her warm from the inside out. His strong hands ran up her back before sweeping down again to cup her rear, squeezing gently. When she lifted one leg at the knee to run it along his, she felt the tremor run through his frame. He was as affected as she was, and it thrilled her to know it.
She could hear the first cries of the oasis's night birds as he scooped her up in his arms. She thought he was going to take her to the bedroom, but instead, he lay her down on the tall swinging nest in the corner of porch, her legs dangling down over the edge. Before she could ask what he was doing, he flipped a switch and the chain supporting the swing shortened drawing her up higher until her legs were swinging free of the ground. She started to ask what he was doing when he came to stand between her legs.
"Do you like this?" he said, pushing the swing just slightly.
"It's like being in zero gravity," Berry murmured, looking up at him. "Like a single touch could move me wherever it wanted me …"
He chuckled. "That's the idea," he said, and he reached for the hem of her dress. She thought that he meant to remove it entirely, but he only skimmed it up to her waist, revealing the long length of her tanned legs and the wispy lacy panties that covered up her most secret flesh. He bent down to run his mouth over the soft skin of her thighs, sending tremors of desire through her body. Without thinking of what she was doing, she reached down to tangle her fingers into his hair, tugging gently, always asking for more.
Though she could feel that his need was as intense as hers, he took his time, nibbling at her thighs and at the sharp bones of her hips before he even started to press a gentle palm against her mound. With a soft groan, she started grinding up against him, growing increasingly desperate for the pleasure that she knew he could bring her. She had never known a man like him before. She knew she never would again.
