Hunter’s in the suite when we return. We exchange nods, me letting him know the day had gone as planned, and while he greets her, he doesn’t stand or crowd her or say anything to make her uneasy. His relaxed posture encourages her. Once she realises Hunter, too, isn’t going to refer to the previous night, she begins to speak. Animatedly, she relates to Hunter all that she’s seen, and starts coming up with ideas. Ideas that suggest she’s considering staying local. Taking a seat, I relax back with my hands clasped behind my head. Stage one complete. Successfully.
Rami appears, and like Hunter, simply acknowledges everyone when he comes into the room, nothing in his language or behaviour referencing back to the evening before. We order dinner to be brought in and eat it. It’s only when we’ve had a catch-up conversation, allowing her time for her food to go down, that we put stage two into action.
I excuse myself and enter the bedroom. When I re-emerge, I’ve lost my robe and headdress, and am dressed only in dark denim jeans, and I haven’t done the top button up. My shoulder length hair hangs loose.
My movement catches her attention. Looking up, she swallows fast. If I wasn’t already hard in expectation, the sight of her throat working would have achieved that result. If it was my cock in there…
Hunter stretches lazily, then sits back, his arms straight out to either side, resting on the back of the couch. Rami walks out of the bathroom. He’s also disposed of his robes and is wearing jeans and a sleeveless top that showcases his muscles.
As the levels of testosterone rise in the room, Aiza stands, looking like a she wants nothing more than to turn and run.
“Stay where you are,” Hunter barks.
Immediately she stills, her hands fluttering as if she doesn’t know what to do with them. “What’s going on?” She glances at me, licking her lips without knowing what she’s doing, and definitely not noticing the effect it has upon me, and then looks away, choosing to address herself to Hunter.
“Rais is going to help you with that, er, issue you mentioned last night.”
Her eyes widen, and she seems to have difficulty finding words. In the end plumping for a question. “Rais? Issue?” I swear her voice is an octave higher.
“Yes.” That’s all I say.
Her eyes snap quickly to me, then back onto Hunter. She doesn’t pretend not to understand. “Why Rais?” She attempts to inject some humour, though her voice squeaks as she asks, “How come he drew the short straw?”
Ignoring her lame and totally untrue joke, Hunter shrugs. “As he’s going to be the one to marry you, it seems fitting.”
“Marry me?” This time she’s squeaking as she swings around to Rami. “You were the one who proposed.”
Rami throws himself down on the sofa next to Hunter. “I’d still marry you in a flash, sweetheart. I’ve been persuaded this way is better.”
She’s looking totally lost. Her eyes flicking wildly between us. “What if I don’t want to marry any of you? Or have help solving my issue.” She uses her hands to put the last three words in quotes. “This is crazy. None of us know each other.”
“I’ve known you forever, Aiza,” I correct. “I’ve watched you grow from a child into a beautiful woman.”
“I too.” Rami adds. “I was brought up with the knowledge I was going to be tied to you. Every time we met, every time I saw you, I knew that wasn’t going to be a chore.”
She looks at Hunter and sneers. “We’ve only just met.”
He refutes it. “I’ve been around even when you didn’t notice me. Providing security. Staying out of sight meant I was doing my job. When I first saw you, there was an immediate attraction, which I don’t think you can deny was mutual.”
“What if I want someone else?” She sucks her lower lip into her mouth. “Sure, I can’t deny there’s something between us, I’ll admit that. I’ve been attracted to many men…”
“Though you might well have been, you’ve never acted on it, have you, Aiza? Last night, habiti, it wouldn’t have taken much of a push for you to give yourself to three men.”
Her olive skin, much paler than mine, does little to hide the pinkening of her cheeks. Her dark eyes flash, and it’s me that she challenges as her voice returns almost to normal as she sneers, “Marriage, Rais, really?”
I step closer, crowding her space. “Marriage. A lifetime commitment. A lifetime of loyalty. You already know I’d give my life for you.”
“You’ve not mentioned love,” she blurts out.
“I’ll love you.” Rami stands, his face far gentler than mine. He smiles at her nervously.
She stares at him, her brow creasing, her voice cracking again. “But you’re not the one proposing to marry me!”
“Rami will visit. Make his second home here with us.”
“What?” Her voice goes to the top of the range once again.
“I’ll be here as often as I can. With the three of us, Aiza, you’ll never be alone.”
She shakes her head. “With the three of you I’ll probably wish I was.”
“Aiza,” Hunter snaps. “Here is the ideal base for your charity. You must have seen that. We can work with you smoothly the way to get sick kids here and any specialists needed. You’ll have your mahr, the bride price from Rais, that you can use as you want to. Rais will be the stability this relationship needs, that’s why he’s going to be the one who puts the ring on your finger.”
I’ve moved behind her. My hands rest on her shoulders, and leaning down I murmur to her, “I’m a man of the desert, Aiza. Not one for words. Agree, and I’ll show you with my body just how much you mean to me.”
She shivers, and I see her nipples peaking, betraying how far she is from immune to my touch.
“You three hardly know each other.”
“What’s the worst that can happen?” Hunter challenges again. “You’ll be married to Rais. If something happens to me or Rami, you’ll have your life with him.”
She suddenly twists in my hold, turning to look at me. “Rais, this is crazy.”
I press my advantage. “The only crazy thing would be if you pushed me away.” For tactile confirmation I move my fingers gently up and down her biceps, feeling goosebumps rise on her skin.
She draws in a breath and lets it out on a sigh, then pulls away from me. Fuck it. Have I lost her?
For a moment I think she’s going to retreat to her room. If she did, we’d let her. It’s not our intention to force her, or even use pressure on here. I sigh. We did our best.
She turns around before she gets to the door and comes back, coming to a halt equidistant between us. She folds her arms around herself, then spares a quick glance to each of us in turn.
“Twafiq bought me as a slave. I wasn’t his first.” She pauses and lets that sink in before spelling out, “He’d have used me and killed me. Accidentally or on purpose.” Another break. “Or I’d have died trying to escape. I knew I hadn’t got long.”
“Habiti…” Fuck, I don’t want her going through it again, even if only in her head.
“No, Rais. You’ve had your chance. Please let me speak.” She waits, and when I reluctantly nod, carries on. “I didn’t expect to be kidnapped. But life happens, doesn’t it? Things you can’t prevent. Yes, I’m a virgin. I was saving that. To give to someone. Certainly not for a man like Twafiq to steal.”
“Habiti…” I try to stop her again.
She’s almost talking to herself. “Now al-Fahri wants to take me again. For another buyer? Who knows. If there’s the slightest chance of him taking me… Well, I’d rather experience my first time with someone I, myself, want.”
I don’t like her reasoning, however it’s led her to the conclusion I’d hoped for. “With me?” I ask, hopefully, advancing on her again.
Her eyes go to Hunter, and then to Rami, and then landing back on me.
Hunter moves nearer. He lifts his hand and puts it under her chin. “You have all of us. You’ll have all of us. Just not for your first time.”
> She shivers and unfolds her arms.
Chapter 29
Aiza
I must be certifiably insane to even be considering this. There’s no real reason why I’ve held on to my virginal status, no conscious decision, there’s just never been a man I wanted to give it to before. I play in clubs, and though while I let men service me, they’ve all been submissive by my choice.
Perhaps I was waiting for someone more dominant than me? Now I’ve ended up with not one, but two. Then there’s Rami, he hasn’t got a dominant bone in his body. Each of them with something different to offer.
It’s preposterous to give a single thought to this ridiculous idea. A bizarre arrangement that I should dismiss out of hand. Rais is standing far too close for me to think rationally. I sneak a peek at him from under my eyelashes. He’s standing there, tall, ruggedly good looking, a scar I hadn’t noticed before running over his bare, hairless chest down his abdomen and disappearing into those unbuttoned jeans. I have the sudden impulse to follow it down with my tongue to see how far it goes.
I realise with a start that I’ve been staring, transfixed on the body that proposes to become one with mine. While I’ve been feasting my eyes, Rami and Hunter have advanced towards me.
I look in a daze at the hand Hunter’s extended to me and take it automatically, at the same time as Rais murmurs into my ear, “Come.”
Rami’s got the door open, and I let Hunter lead me through. Not to the dungeon. Not for my first time… I needn’t have worried, as Hunter stops me facing the foot of the bed.
“Rami?”
As if Hunter’s already given him instructions, I feel the prince’s hands reaching around me, sliding my blouse off my shoulders, his mouth nuzzling at my neck, then drawing back to pull the tunic up over my head. Wrapping my arms around my chest I try to hide, but eager hands gently push them back down, encouraging me to submit. My bra drops to the ground. I’ve been undressed before, bared my breasts. That was only when I’ve been the one in charge. For some reason I can’t analyse, having the decision taken out of my hands sends a shiver of excitement down my spine.
Picking me up, Rami gently puts me onto the bed, then his mouth descends and takes mine in a kiss which rapidly becomes urgent. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, his lips moving enthusiastically over mine. As I give in and simply allow myself to enjoy the experience, I feel hands at my breasts, then two mouths working in tandem. Arching my back, I give in to the sensations that start overwhelming me, shooting my level of arousal up into the hemisphere.
Fingers tracing, lips soothing, tongues circling, and teeth nipping. My clit’s throbbing almost painfully, and I writhe on the bed as I try to seek some relief. Masculine aromas surround me, I can’t distinguish one from the other. I moan into Rami’s mouth.
Now my left breast feels neglected as a head pulls away, but Rami takes his place, and someone is taking my trousers off. Wantonly, I raise my hips to help, desperate for someone to touch me, to give me some relief.
“You’re fucking beautiful,” Rais’s deep voice informs me as he bends my legs at the knees and pushes my thighs apart. Opening my eyes, I find him kneeling at the end of the bed, and our gazes lock. His expression is tight, as though he’s having difficulty controlling himself. He resembles a warrior preparing for war. And tonight, I’ll be the victim of his onslaught.
I groan once again as he lowers his mouth and starts kissing his way up my inner thigh of my right leg, then his mouth fixes on me, and I feel a nip, the small bite of pain adding to everything else that’s overloading my senses.
As he pays the same attention to my other thigh, his hand gently strokes the one he’s now neglecting, and I start to wriggle, wanting to force him to make his way up. Remembering who and what I am, I give him an instruction.
“Lick my pussy. Make me come.”
He slaps my thigh and barks, “You’re not in charge. I am.”
His voice, that tone which oozes authority, seems to vibrate through my body. For a second I panic, never having relinquished total control before.
Hunter raises his head a few millimetres only to say, “Your safeword’s red. Don’t forget you can use it.” His breath washing over my wet nipple makes it peak even more.
I’ve always been the one giving subs a safeword. Until we came to the Desert Palace and these three men ganged up on me, I’ve never had the need to use one myself. Never given anyone control over me. I feel adrift, out of depth, not sure what I want. The jerking of my body which I can’t stop tells me I need some relief. Even my skin seems alive, and as a hand strokes my stomach I twitch.
Then Rais plants a kiss to my clit, and I jump. The attention they’re paying to my nipples, the little bites and stings of pain zoom through me. I try pleading. “Please, Rais.”
“I’ll give you what you need, habiti. Be patient.”
Then ignoring that bundle of nerves that want his attention, he places a finger inside me.
As my body automatically tenses at the intrusion, Rais growls, “Fuck, she’s tight.”
His words make Hunter and Rami groan, and I almost scream with frustration as my nipples tingle and another zing shoots through me. My clit must be swollen and pulsing.
Rais adds another finger and starts scissoring them inside me. My hips rise to try and get him deeper, all I provoke is a short laugh. Then I feel him breathing over that throbbing bundle of nerves which seem to be on fire. My stomach muscles clench and unclench, my desire overwhelming, almost painful. I momentarily consider saying my safe word, then remember that they’ll stop.
I could finish myself off.
If they’re making me feel this good already… I choke the word back down, wanting, needing to see what else they can do.
At last Rais puts his mouth where I want it, circling his tongue around that tight bud, then sucking and licking. I try to raise my hips to push myself against him, his strong arms hold me down.
“Don’t come,” he instructs. The bastard. What?
“Rais…”
He ignores me. “Hunter?”
I feel Rais removing his hand, his mouth leaving my needy clit. Moaning with frustration, I open my eyes to see what’s happening. Rais is directing Hunter to take his place on the bed, and now another hand’s touching me, and another mouth is on me. He’ll let me come.
“Don’t you dare,” Hunter says with a laugh.
Oh, the times I’ve taunted a sub. Used cock rings until they had sweat running down their faces. Now I’m being paid back. I thrust down with my hips to get more pressure, but Hunter moves his head away.
Then my attention is caught by Rais, who’s removing his jeans. He’s commando underneath, and fuck, his cock’s enormous. Knowing how he intends to use it, the sight of it makes me catch my breath.
I know we’ll fit, most people do. But that monster is so large it doesn’t look normal. Its purplish head looks angry, and I see the veins protruding….
Rais catches my eye and reads my unease. “Leave us,” he instructs. I breathe a sigh of relief that even while it’s only Hunter and Rami, we won’t have an audience. Now the moment is near, I’m anxious enough. Especially having seen his size, he’s thick as well as long.
The door closes, and we’re alone. Rais comes to the head of the bed, curling his hand around my head, taking hold of my hair and turning me to face him. He stares into my eyes for a moment. “We don’t have to do this if you’ve changed your mind.”
“I’m nervous.” With my admission, my arousal begins to fade. While a moment ago I’d have done anything he wanted, the enormity of taking this step hits me.
“You’re going to be my wife.”
“Do I have any say in this?” I try to lighten my voice and make it into a joke.
His expression grows serious. “I’ve spoken to Kadar and got his blessing.”
“To marry me or defile me?” I snap.
He looks amused. “The latter comes with the territory.” His hand trails down my stomach, m
y skin quivering at his touch. He moves to resume his position at the foot of the bed, and once more puts his mouth on my traitorous clit. As his talented tongue and lips work, my arousal rushes back. Soon I’m shaking, trembling, my muscles tightening, my head leaning back.
His deep velvet voice rumbles, “You’re going to come with me inside you.”
Before I can get enough breath to speak, I feel pressure, something too big is trying to get inside me. All the while his fingers are strumming my clit, and I don’t know what to concentrate on. The burn of his invasion or the desperate need for release.
I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling a sudden thrust which hurts. Then he stops moving and leans over me, both his hands now touching my face, stroking my cheeks in a soothing gesture.
“Look at me, habiti.”
I shake my head.
“Open your eyes.”
As the pain starts to recede, I peer through my eyelashes and see a gentle expression on his face that I’ve never seen before.
“Your pussy feels amazing, habiti. Ah…” As I experimentally squeeze my muscle, it’s his turn to squeeze his eyes shut, and a look of pure satisfaction comes over him. I do it again, he pulls back a little, then pushes in.
That feels good.
“Aiza,” he begins as he gently slides in and out. “Fuck, I wish I wasn’t wearing a condom for this. I can’t wait to take you bare.” His hands tighten around my face. “No one else ever will. Any child will be mine, understand? I want your ring on my finger and my baby inside you.”
My stomach convulses. My eyes open wide. “I…”
“I’m not going to rush you, though you can take this as fair warning. One day I want you pregnant.”
I didn’t even know he wanted to marry me until a short time ago, so what I’m thinking is ridiculous. It must be my fear that despite all the precautions al-Fahri will get to me, or just send an assassin to kill me, there’s part of me wishing I could experience everything now. Why wait? When I’d been playing with the babies back in Al Qur-ah, I’d longed for one of my own. To have Rais’s baby.
Hard Choices (Blood Brothers #6) Page 25
