by Albany, Cara
If Ella wanted the truth, then Raz would supply her with all the answers she needed. The boat would allow Raz to prove once and for all that he meant to do whatever it took to convince Ella that he was the man for her.
Raz nodded with satisfaction. One thing was for sure. Ella would approve of his idea. He was sure of it.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"You mean to say that I should go with you on your boat?" Ella asked, a look of incredulity on her face.
Raz nodded. "Exactly that. I told you I would do what it took to clear up the mess at the border. I want you to be happy." Raz saw the way Ella looked at him when he said that. Maybe his choice of words had been too obvious, but the time for avoiding their attraction to each other was over.
They were in the dining room the following morning, and they had just finished eating breakfast. The sunlight streamed in through the open doors. There was a fresh early morning breeze. It was going to be a good day, Raz thought. Even better once he'd succeeded persuading Ella to go with him by boat to the border between his kingdom and Karim's.
Ella put down her cup of coffee and frowned at Raz. "What's the catch?"
Raz feigned innocence. "No catch. I want to make a gesture. A mark of our newfound friendship," he said in a friendly tone.
"Friendship? After last night?" Ella queried.
Raz shrugged. "I didn't force you to stay. Did I ?"
Ella pursed her lips and scowled at Raz. She paused, and he could see the thought behind her beautiful eyes. There were small dark rings beneath her eyes, but somehow they only added a surprising element of attraction. Even when she didn't look her best, Raz found Ella irresistible.
"How long will it take to sail to the border?" Ella asked, sounding like a tourist asking a tour guide for more information. Was that all he was, Raz asked himself. Someone to help Ella get what she wanted? Because Raz already knew what he wanted, and it wasn't anything to do with merely being a glorified cultural advisor.
"My boat has a fast top speed. We can be there in a couple of hours," he replied.
Ella's eyes widened. "That soon?"
Raz nodded. Good. She was becoming interested. Tempted, even. That was what he wanted, above all else. To show Ella that she could not hide from his unrelenting desire to become her tempter. And, what a pleasure it would be to entice her into his bed. That was where she belonged.
"And once we get there, what can we do?" she asked.
"We can answer your questions once and for all. The evidence will be clear to see. In that area, I have no outflow pipes which lead back to my processing plant. If the source is from Karim's facilities, then we shall see for ourselves."
"Why didn't you do this before?" she asked.
Raz shrugged. "I have hardly had the time, Ella." He grinned. "You've been keeping me more than busy, have you not?"
Raz was pleased to see Ella's face redden.
"In any case," Raz continued. "My brothers advise me that Karim is presently in Qazhar City about to attend the oil producers conference. He has other matters on his mind. He doesn't know we are about to find out if he is indeed a liar or not."
Ella grinned. Obviously, that last part had struck a nerve. She looked visibly pleased with Raz's suggestion. Her eyes narrowed as she considered what he had said. Finally, she nodded. "Fine. We can go. I take it you have video equipment. We'll need some good images, especially if, as you say, the proof is incontrovertible."
"We have all the video equipment you could possibly need."
Ella nodded and stood. "Okay. I'll go get ready."
Raz stood, drinking in the sight of Ella as she stood at the other end of the breakfast table. She was simply astonishing. He felt his heart racing at the prospect of having her on his boat for the entire day. Raz knew what he wanted to happen. Whether his desires would become a reality was another matter.
"I've had my men prepare the boat."
Ella's brows rose. "We won't be alone?" She sounded disappointed, Raz thought with a rush of satisfaction.
"Alas, no," he said with a note of sarcasm in his voice. He saw Ella frown on hearing his tone. "I have a crew of four men who do all the navigating and general running of the ship." Raz sighed like a spoiled child. "It's just too much work for one man. Especially since I have far more important matters to deal with," he concluded.
Ella squinted at Raz. "I take it you mean the border situation?" she asked.
Raz forced an ironic smile. "But, of course. That's exactly what I mean. What could be more important than that?" he asked sarcastically.
Ella shook her head and sighed. "I won't be long," she said storming off.
And, indeed, she didn't take long to join Raz. A short while later he guided Ella down the long flight of steps that led from the terrace of the palace down to the jetty. He held her hand, anxious that she shouldn't fall. Carved out of the mountain rock, the steps were treacherously steep. As he guided her down the steps, he took the opportunity to scan her exquisite figure encased as it was in a plain blue dress. She wore strappy sandals on her small feet.
Once on the jetty, Ella paused and gazed at the boat. Raz had to admit that it was an impressive beast. It had cost more than it should have, but he had asked for many features to be tailored to his own specific preferences. They included a custom designed bedroom and elegant dining room on the lower deck. Above, on the main deck, there was an open area designed for lounging, complete with everything necessary to accommodate a large party of friends.
Today, however, it would be just Raz and Ella with the crew tending to the boat.
Standing by the side of the boat, Raz glanced at Ella and saw she was impressed.
Ella narrowed her eyes. "Tell me again, why you need this boat?" she asked.
Raz shrugged, realizing he still hadn't let go of her hand. "Its a toy. Nothing more," he said.
"A toy? An expensive one," she said.
"I never talk about money," he said. "It's so vulgar."
Ella shook her head. "Especially if you have too much of it," she exclaimed.
"Money isn't everything, Ella," Raz said gazing into her eyes.
"It is if you haven't got any," she retorted. "I'm sure those tribes people would appreciate any help they can get cleaning up their land."
"If I can be of any assistance, I will be," Raz replied.
Ella's brows rose. "Really?"
Raz ignored her surprised look and gestured for Ella to board the boat. He helped her step onto the deck, savoring the way she moved, the elegant way she maintained her balance as the boat shifted on the waters.
A short while later, the crewmen had cast off and the most expensive yacht for a hundred miles headed out into the blue waters of the sea bound for the Qazhar border.
****
Ella sat back in the soft chair and sipped on the fruit juice and gazed at Raz sitting opposite her, his gaze fixed on the coastline which slid slowly by. They were heading east at a fast pace, as if Raz had given instructions that they reach the border as soon as possible.
Ella had to admit, the boat was impressive. But, then again, so was Raz. The previous night she had eventually fallen asleep, the memory of Raz's presence making her body tingle as she lay in bed. She had known he was a short distance from her, in the next room. Until the moment she had fallen asleep, she had expected to hear a soft knock at the door, and Raz asking for permission to visit her in her chamber.
But that hadn't happened. Whatever she might think of him, Raz was obviously a gentleman. Of sorts. He obviously had his own code of conduct. She could tell that he had his own way of doing things when it came to affairs of the heart.
And, wasn't that what this was fast becoming, Ella asked herself.
An affair of the heart.
The way she had felt down in the courtyard last night, as he had stood inches from her, had convinced Ella that there was something powerful growing between herself and Raz. How that had happened, she had no idea. But, it was undeniable.
; The man was having the most extraordinary effect upon Ella. Every time he moved closer to her, she felt every nerve in her body start to vibrate; felt her heart thud hard; felt a tightness in her breathing and a desperate desire which she could hardly control. It was a desire to be touched by his primal male force. Raz had obviously decided that Ella was to be his; that she had to be claimed.
Ella was at a loss what to do. Should she submit to the feelings that coursed through her every time she was near Raz? Or, could she just set those sensations aside, and concentrate on the real reason she was in Qazhar? Was that even possible?
And now, here she was, on his luxury yacht, temporarily savoring the delights of a lifestyle that she could only dream of. For his part, Raz seemed slightly bored. He had tried to sit alongside Ella, but she had made it clear she would prefer it if he would give her some space to think, time to take in this incredible sudden turn in her quest to obtain the evidence she needed.
But, there was plenty of evidence that Raz was intent on making the most of their time together while on the boat. It was funny that, even here on the open seas, Ella still felt as if she were under Raz's control. She imagined it would have been no different if they had been snugly settled in one of his desert encampments. She knew that the sheikhs had such things.
He had fussed over her, making sure that she was comfortable, giving specific instructions to the staff below that Raz and Ella should be left alone. He was firm with the two cabin staff, and they seemed to respect the sheikh.
Raz could hardly take his eyes off Ella. For the entirety of the trip so far he had chatted with her, pointing out some of the landmarks back on the coast. The mountain range continued to stretch along the coast. Raz told her that the range carried on all the way to the border.
Eventually, the boat started to slow, and Ella knew that the were about to arrive at the border.
Raz stood up and went to the port side, holding firmly onto the wooden railing. Ella's gaze followed Raz's gaze.
"We're coming up to the border," he said.
Ella felt a rush of excitement. This was the real reason she had come in the first place. She peered toward the land. The mountain range seemed to fragment at one point. There was a series of deep gullies and steep valleys that cut back in toward the desert interior. Ella saw some white spots on the side of the mountains. Goats. Then she saw a scattering of plain adobe buildings scattered across the valley floor, leading down to a beach area, where she saw people going about their business, dressed in what looked like plain robes.
"That's the tribal village!" she exclaimed excitedly.
Ella saw Raz turn to her and smile. "That's it," he said. She saw him take a pair of binoculars from a bag by the side of the table. He peered through the binoculars. He twisted and looked to the east. He scanned the coast for a minute or two. Then, she heard him sigh sharply.
"I can see something," he murmured, and there was a sudden angry tone in his voice.
Ella turned and looked in the same direction. Raz handed Ella the binoculars. "Take a look for yourself," he said, a hint of disgust in his voice.
Ella took the binoculars and peered through the lenses at the distant coastline. She had to search and narrow her focus, but after a few moments, something popped into vision that made her breath halt in her throat.
"What is that?" she asked out loud.
Ella heard Raz grunt. "That is Karim's kingdom you're looking at," he explained. "We're still in our waters, and we can't cross over into his while we are this close. But, I think it's plain to see what's going on there. Don't you think?" Raz said.
Ella sighed and gritted her teeth. She turned the focus control on the binoculars. She had to be sure.
Away in the distance, a few miles beyond the village, Ella could see something distinct on the edge of the water, down by the beach.
There was an escarpment that ran along the coastal area. It seemed to stretch for miles away into the blue haze. But, Ella could clearly see something odd looking. Something that wouldn't be visible from any point on the land. But, from the vantage point of the sea, it was clearly apparent.
A pipe.
An outflow pipe of some kind had been laid in such a way as to be almost invisible. But, what was emerging from the pipe was a great deal more obvious.
Noxious looking, thick, black liquid oozed out from the pipe's opening. The black liquid was creating a dark fan in the clear blue waters. Ella could see that there must be times when the currents would shift and move the black liquid westwards and straight toward the location of the village.
Ella dropped the binoculars from her face and turned quickly to Raz. His features were deadly serious. In fact, Raz looked completely disgusted. His gaze met Ella's, and there was deep emotion in his eyes. "I owe you an apology, Ella. You were right. I can't believe Karim would do such a thing. This goes against every environmental law all of our states have agreed upon. Probably waste products from the processing plant inland."
Ella didn't know what to say. She had been right all along. Except about one thing. Raz had nothing to do with any of this.
Ella saw Raz's jaw tighten, and there was a bitter fury in his eyes. "Karim will answer for this," Raz said.
Ella felt she should say something to Raz, perhaps admit that she had judged him too hastily. But, she could see the fury on his features. Now wasn't the right time to say such a thing to Raz.
"We need evidence," Ella said.
Raz grunted. "Don't worry. We're going to get it. Right now."
Raz stormed off quickly and moved quickly up to the navigation room. Ella saw Raz talking with his captain. Both men nodded and then Ella saw the captain reach across and pull on the helm. She felt a sudden surge and was almost knocked off her feet as the boat's powerful engine drove them forward.
Toward the border between Qazhar and Karim's kingdom.
"What are you doing?" Ella yelled above the roar of the engines.
Raz came to her and held on tight to the railings, gazing ahead. "We're going into his waters. We need evidence. And not just videos. Samples, as well," he declared.
Ella gasped. "You can't do that. It's against the law."
"I use the law in this case," Raz stated. "Karim will pay for this." Raz turned to Ella. "And for what he has put you through," Raz said gazing deeply into her eyes. "I give you my word, Ella." Raz pointed toward where the tribal village hugged the side of the mountain range. "Those people will be well cared for. I will ensure they are well compensated for the harm they have undoubtedly suffered at the hands of Karim's arrogance."
"You don't have to do that," Ella said. "Not if it's Karim's responsibility."
Raz shook his head vigorously. "Public exposure will be penalty enough for him," he said. Raz's brows furrowed. "My selfishness has caused those people to suffer," he said with a tortured tone of voice.
"You weren't to know Karim was lying, Raz," Ella said touching his arm.
Raz glanced down at her hand, then back toward the coastline. "Those people have endured enough." Raz gazed down at Ella. "You were right. You have my apologies. I should not have doubted you, Ella."
"No apologies are needed, Raz," Ella said. She turned and looked toward the coast of Karim's kingdom. "Let's do our job and get out of here," she said.
Ella looked at Raz and saw him smile at her. "You're right. We must be quick, but thorough," he replied. "And then there will be a time of reckoning."
And at that moment, Ella couldn't help wondering just what reckoning Raz was referring to.
The one ahead of them on the coastline, or the one awaiting them both, much later, back at his palace.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ella and Raz had finished eating the delicious meal that the cook had prepared in the galley, and they were lounging on the comfortable chairs set out on the rear deck of the boat. The early evening sun was low, and they still had an hour to go before they arrived back at the palace.
Ella sat on a long sun lounger, feeli
ng the cool air against her face as the boat made steady progress westwards. She watched Raz on the seat adjacent to her own. He looked tense, and had been quiet during their shared meal. Now, he gazed out to sea, apparently preoccupied. Ella was sure no-one could see them. The crew were under strict instructions to respect the sheikh's privacy.
Back at the border, Raz had worked with one of the crewmen to gather the filthy sample from the sea. They'd put it inside a glass container, and it was now stowed safely below decks. Ella had concentrated on taking lots of video and still images. She'd felt a sense of completion after packing away the cameras. She had what she had come for. But, the thought tugged at her mind that she had also fallen into something completely unexpected with Raz. Throughout the meal in the yacht's luxurious dining room, Ella had wondered what was the next step in her friendship with Raz.
But, surely it was much more than that, she told herself. She had seen a new side to Raz back there at the border. His anger had been genuine as well as his determination to make things right for the tribe so badly affected by Karim's illegal actions. Ella had misjudged Raz. That much was certain.
Ella took a sip of the champagne that she had agreed to try down in the dining room. As long as it was a small amount, she figured a modest celebration was called for. It looked like she would be leaving soon, and that thought caused a troubling sensation in the pit of her stomach.
She glanced across at Raz. He was resting his chin on the back of his hand and gazing longingly out across the darkening sea. His brows were deeply furrowed. There was such emotion in that man, she thought. He was an enigma, one that had tormented her since she had arrived. But, she felt they had been forced together to resolve something truly important. Maybe he would learn from this. Perhaps, once she had left him for good, he could use this experience to become an even wiser sheikh.
But, that simple thought caused a tightness to clutch at Ella's throat.
Did she want to leave him? Could she deny her feelings? Only a short while before she had only thought of defiance, only considered how she could escape Raz's determination to control Ella, to possess her.
