The Princess and Her Mercenary: A Driven Hearts Novella

by Nikita Slater

  "Your brother will keep sending more of us," Tareq pointed out.

  Ndari looked up at Keane and said quietly, "It's true. He's never been good at losing. If he thinks he’s right about something he’ll keep fighting for it."

  Keane growled something not very polite, took Ndari by the wrist and backed out of the kitchen with her. The palace guards looked like they would follow, but Keane's men closed in around them. "Please don't kill anyone," she shouted as Keane pushed her out the back door.

  "Looks like our date's over," he said.

  "Looks like," she repeated mournfully, disappointed that they didn’t get to have sex. She thought about their dilemma for a second, then glanced up at Keane through her eyelashes as he escorted her to one of his SUV’s. "Or is it? How do you feel about Prague?"

  “It’s a city,” he said, starting the SUV. “Don’t care for it more or less than any other place.”

  “You learned to love Paris,” she pointed out as he pulled the vehicle onto the road. She figured he was just going to leave his men behind to deal with the mess of palace guards.

  He flashed her a heated look. “I’ll love any place as long as you’re in it.”

  She smiled happily. “Then you’ll love Prague. Because that’s where I want to be.”

  “What’s in Prague?” he asked gruffly.

  “My favourite dessert.”

  They planned their trip as Keane drove to the train station, preferring a private car where they could make love and nap over an airplane that would get them there too soon.

  Keane bought the tickets while Ndari kept watch for their pursuers, wearing one of her brand new wide-brimmed hats as a disguise. It was a joke and she knew it. The palace guards weren’t going to hurt her, and they didn’t seem interested in hurting Keane. Though she knew they were well trained, her brother was clearly not planning on a violent confrontation. Slipping through their fingers was child’s play. Especially for a man like Keane.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I’ve never had this much fun in my whole life,” Ndari said seriously, her dark eyes on him. “This is fucking amazing. We escaped a palace and a country that are locked down tighter than my sister’s virginity.” Ndari tilted her head, thinking. “Actually, Alyssa is probably a secret freak in the sack.” She continued her earlier thought, “We fucked and shopped in Paris. Now, in Prague, we’re eating trdelnik. And I would guess by your expression that we will soon be having sex too!”

  He was looking at her like he was a hungry wolf and she was a tasty treat. His eyes followed her every movement. They always did, even back in Jakarta all those months ago. He watched her with a sharp intensity that might have been disconcerting if Ndari wasn’t used to it. He stood and crossed to where she was sitting on top of a picnic bench. He leaned down and licked her lips, tasting the sweet treat and the even sweeter Princess.

  “No,” he said huskily. “It doesn’t get better than this. And yes, we very much will be fucking the minute I get you someplace private with a bed.”

  “I don’t need a bed,” she said breathily.

  He gripped her waist tightly. “Baby, you must be my soul mate. You say all the right things.”

  Ndari was having the best time of her life. She was running away from the palace guards once more, but this time instead of doing it alone she was doing it with her lover. They were like children, escaping from France and finding their way to Prague.

  Ndari took a great big bite of her trdelnik, a kind of cake wrapped around a stick, grilled and covered in sugar and spice. She got some of the powdered sugar on her nose and sneezed. Keane laughed at her and reached out to flick the sugar flakes from her face. Then he leaned down and licked the corner of her mouth.

  "Mmm. Good," he said.

  She pulled away from him and gave him a frown, protecting her treat with her hands. "You could have gotten your own. Don't even think about touching mine. I don't share my sweets."

  He grinned at her. "Oh, you'll share your sweets with me, baby."

  She laughingly rolled her eyes. "Why does everything have to be dirty with you?"

  "You know you love it."

  "I do," she said primly. "But before we do anything about me sharing sweets we're going to hit up all the Prague hotspots."

  Keane grumbled something. And she reminded him about Paris and how much he loved it.

  He said, "I don't love Paris, I love you, baby."

  Her heart stopped, then melted. She looked at him, really looked at him, taking in the vulnerability he was allowing her to see. It couldn't be easy with a man like him. From her time in Indonesia she’d learned that he’d been born in a rough place during a rough time in Ireland and the bad times continued from his childhood through into adulthood when he was forced into becoming a slave mercenary for a sadistic employer. Eventually he managed to escape his captor and turn on the man, but it had come at great personal cost. Ndari suspected he avoided close relationships, perhaps thought himself dirty and unworthy. Thank goodness he was somehow unable to resist her charm. The smile faded from her lips.

  "I love you too," she said, swallowing hard. "I don't know why. You're not my type. But I do love you very much."

  He grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her off the picnic table, up against his chest and onto her tiptoes. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "You better love me," he growled, kissing her hard on the lips. Then he pulled back a couple of inches. "What do you mean I'm not yer type?"

  She giggled. "Well you're big, you're angry, you're always looking for a fight. And you're usually armed to the teeth. I'll tell you right now that none of that weaponry you have hiding under your jacket makes a fashionable accessory. The guys I date are the type that understand the benefits of facials and manicures. They have yachts, they jet around the world. They do things like take me to New York for shopping sprees."

  "Fuck no," he snapped. "You'd manage to get yourself in too much trouble in a place like that. Gives me the chills just thinking about it."

  She laughed. Little did he know, she could get herself into trouble no matter where she went.

  "I get around," he protested.

  "Where?" she demanded. "I'm guessing it isn't the rich and famous shopping hotspots my other boyfriends were interested in.”

  He stewed over her answer, then said, "Botswana has good shopping."

  She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, forcing his lips to hers. He willingly gave her what she wanted. "You didn’t shop in Botswana, did you?"

  He shook his head. "Took out a rebel faction though. Botswana was fun."

  "You want to take me to Botswana, or should we explore Prague first?" she asked, kissing his jaw and neck.

  Together they explored the Old Town Square, then went to watch the Astronomical Clock as it struck the hour 2:00 PM. They strolled across the St Charles Bridge together. And they went to visit the Prague Castle.

  By the time they were finished their first day in Prague Ndari was exhausted but satisfied. She couldn't believe how much fun she was having. It was like she had never lived her life before Keane. Until now, she'd seen things, done things, even enjoyed things. But she hadn't been living. Not until she found someone to share these moments with who took as much pleasure in them as she did. As she spent more time with Keane, she began to realize that she never wanted these moments to end.

  This thought started a small bubble within her, like a flare up inside of her body, but not a good one. It took her a while to realize, especially as she grew more and more tired, that the feeling, that little bubble that felt like it was pressing on her chest and choking her with fear. She feared for the future of her relationship with Keane. Not because she feared he would do anything to her. But she feared losing him.

  He was completely unsuitable as consort to the Princess. Her brother would never allow a long-term relationship between Ndari and Keane.

  Not only was her brother a potential problem to their future together, but Keane's job wa
s dangerous. He worked for an international arms dealer. What if he was killed in the line of duty?

  As they headed back to their hotel, Ndari leaned against Keane in the back of their taxi, her head on his shoulder. "When do you have to go back to work?" She tried to sound casual so he wouldn't hear the worry in her voice.

  He glanced down at her and used his big thick finger to brush some hair off her forehead. "I choose my work baby. I take contracts. I don't need to work every day, like normal people. I choose lucrative contracts, fulfill my duties, collect the money and take as much time off as I need."

  "That sounds wonderful," she said.

  And it did. She understood what a working day looked like. She'd seen it at the palace with the servants, she'd read about it, she'd heard about it. And she'd watched it on TV. Of course, she'd never lived it personally. Her life had been one of privilege and idleness within the palace walls. She thought it was enough. She thought it was fulfilling. Until she met Keane.

  "What about Ivan and Jaya?" she asked.

  "I had a five-year contract with Ivan," he said. "He contracted me to set up security for all of his homes, hire and train teams and find him his hacker. I completed the terms of the contract. And now I’m free to do what I want."

  She said, "I hadn't realized that you were on contract with Ivan."

  "Won't do it any other way," Keane said. "I won't be any man's servant."

  "But doesn't Ivan want you back?" she asked curiously.

  Keane chuckled. "Of course he does. Everyone wants me back. I'm good at what I do."

  He was good at what he did. She'd seen it when they were living together in Ivan's penthouse in Jakarta. Keane took his job seriously. He knew what he was doing. He was vigilant. He managed his security team like they were a well-oiled machine. Each man had a job and was expected to work with precision and skill. Keane also seemed to develop friendships with his team; they looked up to him as both a boss and a friend.

  His security was tight. The few times that Jaya had managed to bypass security had taken a lot of work for the very intelligent, very talented hacker. Rather than being angry at his employer's wife for besting him, Keane had been willing to learn about the flaws in his system and his security, and to fix them so that would never happen again. By the time Ndari had been called back to the palace, Keane and Jaya had turned their tug of war into a game. She would try to find holes in Keane's security, and he would patch them up.

  Ndari was a little sad to hear that Keane would no longer work for Ivan. The two terrifying men and the hacker queen had made a good team. And who didn’t need a Princess tagging along on adventures?

  As if sensing her feelings, Keane asked, "Do you want me to take another contract with him? So you can spend time with Jaya? I'll do it if you want me to. The money didn't hurt none."

  She smiled. "The selfish part of me wants you to go back. But if that isn't the type of work you like to do long term, I guess I want what's best for you."

  She realized it was true; she actually did want what was best for another person and not herself. Her entire life she'd been taught that she was special, that she deserved all the grand things she got in life. She had also grown up lonely, unable to share herself with either her family or the staff. There was too much jealousy, too much palace intrigue for her to get close to anyone. Except her brother. Despite their differences, they had always managed to maintain a fondness for one another. Of course, this was the reason Ndari constantly pushed the boundaries of her royal duties. She knew her brother would never really punish her.

  It was a strange feeling, wanting to put Keane's feelings above her own. But it was also exhilarating, like opening herself up for the first time. Maybe she would make a good mother. If this is what being a mother was. Caring about someone else above herself. That little epiphany occupied her all the way back to their hotel room in Prague.

  Chapter Fifteen

  When they arrived at the hotel Keane helped her from the taxi. She smothered a wide yawn and leaned heavily against him, borrowing some of his strength.

  “Tired, Princess?” he asked, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

  She nodded and turned her face against his arm to smother the next yawn.

  Keane hoisted her into his arms, settling her comfortably against his chest. Ndari wrapped one arm around his neck. He carried her into the upscale downtown hotel. People looked at them and the concierge frowned his disapproval, but neither Ndari nor Keane cared what anyone thought. They were too wrapped up in the moment. Ndari was tired from their long day of exploring Prague and Keane was the type of man who would do whatever it took to ensure her comfort.

  He wasn't about to let her take any more steps to their hotel room than absolutely necessary. He held her easily in his strong arms as he entered the elevator, ignoring the sidelong glances they got from the other two people in the elevator, a man and a woman who looked like they had been out sightseeing as well.

  Keane shifted her against his body and reached out to hit the 21st floor. They traveled in silence, still completely wrapped up in each other. Ndari gazed up at him and he returned her look with one of intense scrutiny. When they reached their floor, he strode off the elevator up to their room and flashed a card. He did it all with such ease, without any kind of fumbling.

  The moment the hotel room door closed behind them Keane leaned down and kissed her. It was soft and beautiful. This was an exploration kind of kiss, one meant to woo her, to show her love and respect.

  Of course, she wanted him, and she wanted him badly. She'd been thinking about fucking him all day, since their conversation that morning. She wasn't going let him get away with any more of these soft kisses, as beautiful as they were. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back enthusiastically thrusting her tongue against his.

  Keane wasn't a stupid man. He wasn't going to pass up an opportunity like that. He kissed her back with full measure and before she knew it, she was being swung up into his arms again and he was carrying her into the bedroom. Her clothes were already half off before her back even hit the bed.

  She laughed. “You are one talented man.”

  He grinned back at her. “I know what I want, baby, and she’s spread out underneath me.” He continued stripping her clothes off her body.

  His movements were rushed but they weren't rough.

  He shifted her this way and that as easily as if she were a doll and she went with it. She didn’t usually like being bossed around or physically moved. She'd grown up in a country and a home without a lot of autonomy, especially for women, so she took what independence she could. But when it came to Keane, she found that she wanted to give up that control to him. She wanted his hands everywhere. She wanted him to move her like she weighed nothing. He left her breathless, exhilarated and happy.

  He held her pinned to the bed as he swept his hands over the curves of her body, followed by his lips and his tongue. He held her down, controlled her, but he also worshipped her. He left nothing untouched. He made sure she knew he found her beautiful and desirable. He filled her heart as he filled her body.

  They made love as though it was the first time again, as though it was going to be the last time, though she sincerely hoped not. They wrestled with each other for supremacy as they fought for their mutual pleasure. They rolled across the bed, one moment he was on top, the next she was on top. Though when she was on top, he was still gripping her, either by the head, forcing hard, stinging kisses on her, or gripping her hips, rocking her body on top of his.

  They laughed, and then they would grow serious. Finally, he flipped them over, dragging her underneath his big body and shoving a knee between her legs. He surged inside her warm, wet welcoming body. She enveloped him in her arms, pressing him tight against her while he rocked his body against hers in long fluid movements.

  Keane was not a selfish lover. He made sure Ndari reached the heights of her excitement, carrying her up, up, up, with his warm, firm touch
es. His fingers dug into her hips, then slid up to pluck at her nipples. He caressed her neck, her mouth, her ears, everywhere. Nothing was off limits. He knew exactly where to touch and he knew how to touch. She felt electric and before she knew it, she was exploding like a star underneath him as he held her.

  And when she finished hers, it was his turn. He hammered into her, his hips smashing against hers. All she could do was reach over her head, grip the headboard and hang on for the ride. And what a ride. She came again and again. She really didn't know how many times she came, but she was sure it was a lot, because by the time he finally came inside her, his semen bathing the walls of her pussy, she had nothing left. She was fairly certain if she orgasmed one more time she would die. Just expire right there underneath him.

  And then, just as she was determined she was completely satisfied, Keane was pulling out of her, crawling down her body and thrusting his face right into her dripping pussy. She tried to slam her legs closed but he forced them back open and dipped his tongue into her folds forcing her through one more orgasm.

  As she screamed her pleasure to the ceiling, Ndari was pretty sure she’d just died and was now in heaven.

  “Don't touch me,” she moaned dramatically, as they sprawled out next to each other.

  He chuckled and reached out to place his hand possessively over her belly.

  She tried to move the hand, but he wouldn't budge. “Too sweaty,” she complained.

  He rolled over against her, plastering his sweaty chest against the side of her sweaty body. She heaved a puff of air and lay next to him, unmoving. Keane was going to do what Keane wanted and there was nothing she could do to change that. Luckily, it seemed like most of the time, he wanted exactly what she wanted. As the minutes passed, they slowly came down from the heights of heaven, their panting breaths becoming even.