Dark Horses: (Blood Brothers #5)

by Manda Mellett

  A loud thundering noise wakes us, she jumps in my arms.

  “Good morning, habiti.” I place a kiss to the side of her neck.

  “Jasim,” she turns and then blinks as she looks up at me, “What, where?”

  I smile at the dazed look in her eyes, watching as recollection of the night before dawns. Memories confirmed as she stretches and groans, her over-used body protesting her movements. “The helicopter has arrived to take us back to Z̧almā.”

  Her hand touches her bum, “I’m glad we’re not riding horses today.”

  I bark a laugh, “Sore? Let me look.” Obediently, she turns over. There’s not much to see, but a small area of darkening bruising on each cheek. “You’re carrying my marks.” And fuck, does that make me hard. But I’m not that much of a bastard, she’ll be too sore for another round.

  She notices my cock hardening, and licks her lips.

  “No, it’s too soon. You need time to recover.” But her eager eyes glisten, and I refuse her again, “Trust me. It will be better if we wait. You’ll be too sore for me now.”

  She shoots me a cheeky look, “I thought you were a sadist and wouldn’t care about that?”

  A grin comes to my face, “Oh, I can find ways to torture you without penetration. How about I bring you to the edge and leave you that way?”

  Her eyes widen, as she remembers my threat of last night. Her brow creases, “Don’t we need to get up and not keep the helicopter waiting?”

  “No rush.” My smile widens, fueled by the look of horror in her eyes. Yes, there’s a million ways I can make her suffer, and I’ll enjoy every one. Knowing, of course, her, and my own, eventual reward will be worth it.

  She pulls away and sits on the side of the bed, her eyes falling on her discarded dress.

  “There are fresh clothes for you, in that chest over there.” I point it out, “And behind the curtain, a small shower. Just don’t expect much from it, but it’s enough to freshen you up.” There’s a small header tank that’s been filled with water which, by now, should have been warmed by the heat of the sun. Functional, if not luxurious.

  She washes up first, I follow after, there’s not room for both of us at once. But the thought of showering with her in a more adequate cubicle has the unsurprising effect on my cock. Uncomfortable, I try to ignore such thoughts as I make myself ready, dressing for the day in clean robes.

  Today I don’t fly myself, but sit in the rear two seats with her, as we’re piloted over the desert returning to my temporary home. She’s nervous at flying, a revelation that fills me with guilt as I remember how I’d ignored her when we’d flown to the desert. Her nerves being the only reason I sit holding her hand. But that doesn’t explain the strange reluctance to break our connection when I eventually have to let it go. She grounds me.

  As the desert palace appears beneath us and we come in to land, I mentally gird myself to return to the real world. The world where I’m the president of a major oil operation, and brother to the emir. My infatuation with the woman beside me must be locked away. At least until tonight. This is good sex between compatible people, nothing more than that.

  I start to explain, “Janna, I’ve work to do when we land.”

  “I know, you’re a busy man.” At least she understands me. “And I’m supposed to be flying back with Sally today.” A shadow falls over her face as reality hits.

  She’s given me the perfect out, a way to end this cleanly. I could let her return to the capital and then back to London. Meet up with her when I’m home, and take her to the club. Yes, that’s a sensible option. But a twisting feeling in my gut tells me I’m not ready to let her go. “Can you stay a while longer? I wanted to see you tonight.”

  She thinks for a moment, her manner changing as we come back to reality. “I don’t know if I can. How I’ll explain that to them.”

  She means to her protectors, the men who’d take her away from me if they had any inkling of how I want to, have already, corrupted her. But she can’t hide forever, and when she sees them, her face will give her away. “Tell them the truth.”

  She bites her lip, “And what exactly is that, Jasim?”

  I take a deep breath, and a leap into unchartered waters, “That we’ve gotten together, and want to see where this goes.”

  Her eyes open wide, it wasn’t what she’d expected, as if the words I’d uttered in the night were spoken only in the heat of the moment. Little movements on her face, slight changes in her expression shows me she’s trying to be sensible, probably remembering how I’d described myself. But then a short laugh accompanies her reply, “They’ll kill you.”

  I shake my head, “You’re a woman, now. No longer a girl,” I’d made sure of that. “They have to cut you lose sometime.”

  A bite of her lip, a small nod of her head, “Okay. I’ll stay. I don’t need to go back straight away, they’ll still be wrapping things up. We’re not leaving Amahad for another few days. And you’re right. It’s time I showed my mettle and give it to them straight.” Then one of her cheeky grins, “I don’t think I’ll tell them everything.”

  And now she makes me chuckle. Hmm. I really do think it’s best if some details are kept to ourselves.

  The helicopter sets down gently, and I help her out, already half in work mode, thinking of what I’ve got to do today to catch up on slacking off the day before. Well, really I’m trying to occupy my mind with anything to stop reliving the wonders of last night with the predictable consequence for my libido, which otherwise will have me going through the day with a semi-hard dick. Helping her down, she understands that a blatant display of affection would not be appropriate back at the palace, nonetheless she holds my hand just a little too long, before pulling her fingers from mine…

  “Sheikh Jasim! Ladayna mushkila.” I turn to see Rais, pacing toward us, his face black as thunder. The fact he’s addressed me in Arabic showing the disturbed state of his mind.

  “Mushkilata? Madha hdth?” I find myself using the same language as I ask what the problem is, then revert back to my preferred English, “What the hell has happened?”

  Rais looks down at his feet, and scuffs the sand, a gesture of disgust, “The Englishwoman, the one who filmed in the desert. She’s missing.”

  “What?” I say, almost at the same moment as Janna’s hand goes to her mouth.

  “Sally?” she squawks. “What do you mean, she’s missing?”

  My hand goes to her shoulder and I give it a slight squeeze, “Come,” I gesture to Rais, “Let’s go to the office and you can tell me everything you know.”

  Ryan’s standing waiting, his posture fraught with concern. Whatever has happened, he knows what’s going on. Quickly, he takes the lead and we follow him into the palace. Anxious to know what’s going on, but aware of discussing business that might be best not overheard, I wait until we’re in the more secure location before swinging around, “Talk to me. Rais.”

  Rais shrugs off his headdress, throwing it onto a chair, “Fadi.”

  My eyes widen, Fadi? Why’s he throwing that name out now, Sheikh Fadi leads the Khahri, one of the less progressive tribes who initially threw their backing behind Abdul-Muhsi—may he rot in his grave—when he attempted a coup. Easily led, Fadi, one of the younger desert sheikhs, came to his senses just in time and saw the error of his ways. He’d provided some men and horses yesterday. I’d had a short, amicable conversation with him, and found nothing untoward or suspect.

  I glance at Ryan, hoping he can enlighten me, but he’s just standing there, his cheeks red with rage. I turn back to Rais, “In the name of Allah, will someone tell me what’s going on?”

  Rais shakes his head and swears, “He was there, yesterday.”

  “Yes, I saw him. Some of his men brought horses…”

  “Seems Fadi was intrigued by the event. And by the fair-haired woman,” Rais continues as if I hadn’t interrupted him, “As we were packing up, he spirited the woman away.”

  Yesterday evenin
g? And he’s only thinking of telling me this now? “Why wasn’t I informed?”

  “At first, I wasn’t worried, thought she was doing some extra filming or something. And I didn’t want to disturb you, Excellency.” The use of my title sounds like a sneer from one of my best friends. And it probably is. He doesn’t see me as a desert leader, and, why should he? It’s been years since I’ve been resident in Amahad. “But when she didn’t return, we started to make enquiries. He’s taken her.”

  Fuck. This will be the last thing Kadar will want to hear. An Englishwoman kidnapped in the desert? When she should have been under my protection? I’d been so wrapped up in my plans for Janna, I hadn’t given a thought to the camerawoman left behind.

  “What have you done about it?” I snap.

  A shrug from the rugged sheikh, “I’ve tried to reach out to him, but can’t get in contact.”

  “His phone?”

  “Is turned off. Or he hasn’t got it with him.” Some of the sheikhs are not fans of using satellite phones. Or any modern technology, for that matter.

  Shit. “Have you sent out a search party?”

  “Of course I have. We’ve been to the main settlement of the Khahri, but he’s not taken her there. There are rumours he’s taken her to alqaleat fi alssama'.”

  The castle in the sky. Not a castle at all, but a fortified ancient building high in the hills, approachable only on horseback. And there’s only one reason a man would take a woman there. If he wanted to keep her, and prevent her being taken back.

  “What does this mean, Jasim? Why would this Fadi chap take Sally?”

  I’d almost forgotten the woman at my side.

  Now Ryan steps forward, his hand holding a note. “This was delivered this morning.” The Grade A operative looks weary, his anger for the moment contained, but the narrowing of his eyes tells me I’m not going to like what the note says.

  Reaching out I take it, unfold it, and rage sweeps through me as I roar, “No. No fucking way. Never.” My hand thumps down on the desk, “He’s signed his death warrant just by asking for this.”

  Chapter 20

  Janna

  What on earth is on that piece of paper? Jasim’s bellow of protest had made me jump, my concern for my friend escalating in a rush. Looking at the man beside me, I see his body quivering with barely controlled rage. What is this man, Fadi, asking? It’s clearly something terrible if his death is on the cards.

  “Jasim,” I start, hesitantly, “What’s the matter? What’s happened to Sally?” I start to feel sick with worry. I’d been so caught up in last night’s glorious activities that I hadn’t given a thought to my new friend. Now guilt washes over me. I’d left her alone in the desert. I never dreamt she wouldn’t be safe.

  But Jasim doesn’t answer. Instead he ignores me, just staring ahead, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. It’s then I realise I know nothing about this man. Oh, I’ve learned he likes to take control in bed, that he can read my body and knows how to excite me better than I do myself. But what do I know about the man he really is? What makes him happy, sad? And what fires his temper to the extent that it is?

  Is he worried for Sally? Would this Fadi person hurt her? Why has she been taken? And what can I do to help?

  “Jasim,” I try again, “What’s going on?”

  This time he hears me, and his face looks down, his dark eyes wide and flaring, and I take a step back, bumping up against the hard, muscular chest of the bodyguard, Ryan.

  And it’s Ryan who speaks to me, “Don’t worry, Janna. It will be alright.”

  “You can’t tell her that,” Jasim snarls, “Who knows how far this lunatic will take this?”

  “He’ll see reason.” Rais answers him, “What he’s done is treason, he’ll soon understand that.”

  The piece of paper Jasim’s holding is now crushed in his hand, balled up, and thrown across the room. “I must speak with Kadar.”

  I’d rather he spoke with me, not knowing what’s going on is killing me. But the man who’s before me is so different to the person I was with last night, and I don’t know how to appeal to him. His intensity, his rage, scares me.

  “Come with me,” Ryan bends to speak into my ear, “You can’t help here. I’ll take you back to your room.”

  I round on him, “My friend’s been kidnapped. I have to do something.”

  Again, Jasim’s eyes meet mine, his face tightens, then his mouth works, but no words come out. It’s as though I’m watching him fight an internal battle. Then, at last, he growls, “Go with Ryan.”

  Dismissed, my cheeks burn with frustration and anger. Once taking last look at Jasim’s unyielding features and know there’s no other option. Nodding at Ryan, I let him lead me out through the door, hoping to get some information out of him on the way. But the taciturn bodyguard stays silent until we reach the room Sally and I had stayed in the night before last. On entering, I notice how empty it seems.

  Ryan looks like he’s just going to leave me, so I grab hold of his arm, “What’s going on, Ryan? What’s happening? Where’s Sally? And what can I do?”

  Putting his arm on the door jam, he leans his head on the wood, “Christ, Janna, I wish I could tell you. But Jasim needs to work through it first and decide on a course of action. It’s a fucked-up situation. That’s all I can say. Look, get in touch with your friends, tell them what’s going on. Whatever happens, I doubt you’ll be returning to the capital today. Just trust him, Janna. Can you do that?”

  Trust a man who just blocked me out, after everything that had happened between us? I feel so frustrated, so angry that he’d ignored me, and so powerless that I didn’t know how to comfort him.

  “Ryan, please…”

  “I can’t tell you more. It’s Jasim’s decision if he wants you to know any more details.” Pushing me gently into the room, Ryan pauses before turning to go, “He’ll do everything in his power to get Sally back. You can bank on that. Okay? And with Rais and myself beside him, we won’t let any harm come to her.”

  I hate being in the dark, but what’s happened today is something completely outside anything I’ve ever experienced before. While I despise feeling so useless, what help could I possibly offer? I know nothing of the desert, or of their primitive ways. Why did this sheikh take Sally? And how will they get her back? How would I know where to even start to get a kidnapped woman back where she belongs? Knowing I have to leave it to them, even while hating being left out, I shake my head, partly in dismissal of the things Ryan has said, but also because there’s nothing I can do. A hand under my chin, soft fingers brushing away tears I didn’t even know had escaped. And then a final nod when he sees I’ve accepted my limitations.

  And then Ryan’s gone.

  And I’m alone.

  Rolling my head on my shoulders, I wonder what I should do now. Ring Mickey. Whether Jasim had asked me to stay or not, I’m going back to the capital, not until I know Sally’s safe. And they need to be told the bad news. So that makes two reasons why that’s going to be a very awkward conversation.

  Picking up my phone, I dial and don’t have to wait long before it’s answered.

  “Hey, Janna. We were just talking about you and wondering how the filming went. Hold on, we’re all here. I’ll put you on speaker.”

  Oh no. I’d hoped it would just be him at first.

  “Hey, girl. How’s it going? You survived the horses? You and Sally still coming back today?”

  “Yeah, Joe. I did, but…”

  “Did you get some good footage? We going to be able to use it? What time are you getting back?”

  “Yeah, Ben, but…”

  “Did it go to plan?”

  “Yes, it did. For goodness sake! Will you let me get a word in edgewise?”

  There’s laughter and then silence, which I embarrassingly fill by bursting into tears, huge wracking sobs which I can’t stop. Now voices all speaking together, “Fuck, Jan, what’s going on?” “What’s the matter?” and fi
nally, “What HAS that bastard done? I knew we shouldn’t have let you go off with him.”

  “Jasim’s done nothing.” I sob, realising too late I shouldn’t have said his name.

  “Janna, speak to me.” It’s Rory who asks, a little more calmly than the rest. “What’s happened? Why are you upset? Have you slept with Jasim?”

  As I wonder how they’d known that was even a possible outcome, Mickey takes my silence for assent and snarls into the phone, “Fuck, Janna. We knew you wanted to from the way you looked at him, but never thought he’d be interested.”

  “Shut it, Joe. He’s a man. She offered, he’d take. And by the sound of it he’s had enough and…”

  “It wasn’t like that.” I try to stand up for him, fleeting memories of last night reminding me how special he’d made my first time. “Look, I’m not calling about that. Whatever I did or didn’t do with Jasim, well, that’s my personal business. There’s something else.” And then quickly, before they can ask me for any more details, continue, “Sally’s missing. She might have been kidnapped.”

  That shuts them up. For a moment. Then they all speak at once, asking me unanswerable questions. Sunny’s crying in the background, she’d been her friend too.

  “What’s Jasim doing? Is he there?”

  When I tell Joe he isn’t, he swears, “Fuck, girl. He should be comforting you.”

  “He’s organising things, trying to find her and get her back,” It’s automatic that I come to my lover’s defence.

  There’s mumblings and mutterings, then, “You get your arse back here, Janna. It’s obviously not safe down there.”

  “No, Mickey. I’m not coming back. Not until I know that Sally’s safe.” And I’m not leaving Jasim until I’ve had another chance to talk to him once he’s calmed down.

  It dawns on me this is the first time since I met them I’ve had distance between us, the miles meaning they can’t control me for once. I let their ranting wash over me, ignoring their instructions to return. Disregarding the plans they’re making to go back to England and civilisation where women aren’t kidnapped by rogue desert sheikhs.