AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lilies …I thought as it filled my nostrils. The only reason why I was still holding back was that I knew I couldn’t let myself touch her again. If I had, I would never be able to stop.
Nina was the one woman I couldn’t have. She was my best friend’s sister, and she deserved better than a guy like me who couldn’t commit to anyone.
All I’ll do is put her in danger.My life was a constant circle of danger and death. I couldn’t drag her into all of this. I couldn’t let her know about it either.
I swallowed hard, and she trailed her hand down to my waistline, then used her finger to circle close to my belt.
“So, you’re just going to torment me?” I asked in a voice that barely sounded like my own. “Because I refused to talk about that night?”
“Doesn’t affect me either way,” she answered. “I don’t care either.”
She pulled away from me and walked away. My gaze followed her till she entered the bathroom, and then I broke out into a deep sigh and turned around to face the bed.
Once I heard the water from the shower trickle down, I picked up my shirt from the couch, put it on, and tucked it in. I had to get away from Nina before I did something as crazy as joining her in the bathroom, damn the consequences.
She’sdrivingmeinsane!Did the shay kaha give her that dress on purpose? Why did it have to look so seductive on her?
Nina was a fine woman, and she had no trouble making the men in the room admire her. The dinner had just begun. The sheikh was on the front stage giving his speech, and the prominent friends he had surrounding us were all attentive, but I could still see people turn in our direction.
Red was Nina’s color, but tonight she was ravishing.
Sayed, the man she was talking to, also couldn’t get his eyes off her. The glass of sparkling champagne in her hand wavered, and she kept giggling at whatever he said.
Hearing her laugh like that and smile at him made me want to poke his eyes with my fingertips—or worse, bury the 9mm bullet in my pocket in his skull.
But that was extreme … the man was just being nice.
Get a grip, Jack, and focus …. Nina is your wife … She’s yours here, and he can’t take her away from you.
All of that talk of control snapped away when it was time to dance, and Nina let Sayed lead her to the dance floor instead.
What is she doing?
I clenched my fist without realizing it and was about to march towards them to interrupt when a clear voice said behind me. “Your wife is a true American. I can tell from how she acts and that tickling laugh of hers.”
The shay kaha held my gaze and smiled radiantly. I took her hand and pressed a kiss to the front of her palm, then pretended not to feel the hot course of jealousy snapping through me. “She is indeed. It’s why she has me hooked.”
“I can see you love her. The way you look at her is amazing. My darling Zayed looks at me the same way.”
A dimple flashed on her cheek as she smiled, and then she sipped from her glass.
“You must know, Jack, that the sheikh is a nice but formidable man. He’s not the kind you want to deceive or make a fool of.”
Her words sounded like a warning, and it made me tense. It was hard to tell if she was threatening or just advising me at that moment because she kept on a pleasant smile and even waved and tipped to other guests in the room.
“I do fear the sheikh,” I answered. “He’s a man I respect. Why would I want to fool him?”
“Many have tried,” she answered. “All have failed, and lost their lives for it.”
She met my gaze fully then, and after looking at me for a while, she looked at Nina. “She looks lovely in that dress. It would be a shame to have to wrap her in black and bury her.”
“Is this a threat or warning?” I queried, wanting to know if the shay kaha suspected something, or if she was just being tense to instigate fear. My palms turned sweaty for a bit, and I flanked in Nina’s direction.
I never feared operations like this, but I had never had to bring a woman I cared about to this dangerous place before.
“It’s just how I make sure our guests don’t cross the line, Mr. Muller. I’m sure you understand. Just in case you have the intention of doing so.”
When she walked away from me, I dropped my champagne glass in the first server’s tray I saw, then walked over to Nina and Sayed. “Times up,” I announced, then took her arm and tore her away from Sayed’s embrace.
