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CHAPTER TEN
ITWASLIKEthe whole world caved in on itself. Like the sound and the ever-loving fury had come to collect. In many ways, he was a man of discipline. And in many ways, a man of none. In many ways he was a man without equal, a man who would not be tested.
But the problem with Ariel was she had been trying him and testing him since he was a boy. The problem with Ariel was that she was symbolic of all that he hoped to achieve.
And the problem with Ariel was that she had just professed her innocence. And what would that mean? He was to give her beautiful virgin body over to his brother? A man who was little more than a beast?
To atone for his sins, he would compound them by giving her to Riyaz as if she was his to give, and maybe...
Maybe it would be better to let her choose him now. For this.
To be the first.
You know that isn’t why you’re bending here. It isn’t for her. It’s for you.
It didn’t matter why. She didn’t even know how to pleasure herself. And he... He was brought back to that moment when he had entered the jewel room. When he had shown her the crown. The necklace. The bracelets. He remembered the way that he had wanted to put them on her. The way he had wanted to take the silken scarf and wrap it around their hands.
As a boy, that had been the highest expression of his desire. As a boy, it had been his version of wishing to take her to bed, he supposed. He wanted to kiss her. That much she’d known.
And now here she was, naked before him. In her body was a glorious splendor that he had never seen before. The smooth cast of her skin. Pale pink nipples and high, firm breasts. The indent of her waist, the flare of her hips. But the shape was unimportant. It was that it was her. That was what mattered. That was what signified. It was what made her irresistible. It was what made her...
His.
He gritted his teeth together and curled his fingers into fists.
And he wondered... What she hoped to gain from this.
Riyaz never has to know.
No. He didn’t. And he didn’t know when he was going to be able to deliver her to Riyaz. But the beast within him hated those options. The beast within him roared against it. And yet he realized it would not be better. Not ever. The idea of any other man putting his hands on Ariel destroyed him.
But he had promised her to Riyaz. He had promised that he would fix this.
Fix this nation... He could not be what Ariel wanted or needed. And so the plan would have to remain in place.
But he could have her.
In the meantime, why could he not have her?
To teach her. To show her what her body could feel.
He refused to finish the thought. Refused to go down that road. For it was a fury within him.
She took a step toward him, and the crack of desire that went through him was like a bolt of lightning.
And if Riyaz had not requested her specifically, he would’ve abandoned the plan then. Would have given her a chance to run. Either away from him or to him.
But Riyaz wanted her. Had asked for her by name, when he had spoken of nothing else from the past.
His brother seemed set on carrying out the plan as it had been laid out before them, so how could he deny him that?
But now...
He had taken this pause to ensure Ariel’s safety.
He wished to ensure her safety in all things. He reached out his hand, brushed his fingertips along her cheek, and down, cupping her breasts and moving his thumb over her nipple. Her head fell back, her lips parting, a raw sound escaping her lips. “This is what you want?”
“Cairo...”
