CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE — A SERIALIZED NOVEL
Pride and Audacity — Part 14
A stranger — a secret agreement — a changed destiny
“He was the last man on earth she wanted, but she was the only woman on earth he’d have…From the skyscrapers of New York City to the ancient sands of Ahalamin, two untamed hearts war for supremacy…”
Before she could balance her teetering emotions, he released her hand and retrieved another piece of jewelry from his pocket, a silver bracelet with tiny charms around its circumference. With swift dexterity, he attached the piece of jewelry to her left wrist. The charms tinkled like bells. She focused on the bracelet, using it to divert her mind from hand kisses more potent than any man had a right to give. She wondered what significance the different charms of butterflies, rings, and flower petals held for him. Studying its artful beauty, she noticed the absence of a clasp or fastening.
“I can’t seem to find the fastener,” she said.
He slid his thumb across the bracelet. “I have already secured the fastening.”
She turned the bracelet again. “I mean, I don’t see a way to remove it.”
“Its locking device is permanent. Only the hands of a skilled artisan may unlock its mechanism without damage. One day I will explain its significance. Now, however, we need to prepare to leave.” Taking her arm, he urged her toward the forward exit.
The bracelet created the faintest musical sound as she walked toward the exit door where the two men who’d been with Rashid the night before stood at the top of the stairs. Positioned as they were, they would form a body shield as he exited the plane. To think of him harmed by an assassin’s bullet made her wince. She wasn’t sure whether it was from the thought of him suffering or the surprise that she should care.
“Are you ready?”
She didn’t register his words until he turned and intimately framed her face in his strong hands. His kindly touch and quiet tone telling her she could, if needed, have more time. Anticipation lit up his eyes with warm chocolate highlights. What could she say? Words weren’t going to change anything. She was going to have to follow him off this plane and onto foreign soil. Time and circumstance were her only allies now. She nodded her head.
“We step into a new life, Victoria. On behalf of myself and our people, I welcome you to your new home.” He brushed a light kiss on both her cheeks before releasing her, then turned and exited the plane.
Without his presence in the doorway, the sun’s full brilliance slammed into her. If she believed in such things, it would appear to be a portent, as if he could control the light in her life. Putting her hand up to shade her eyes, she saw the two men comprising her security escort waiting at the bottom of the ramp. They looked more like jailers to her, responsible for keeping her exactly where Rashid wanted her.
Catching hold of the handrail with one hand and lifting the hem of her caftan and robe with the other, she made her way down the stairs. Reaching the bottom, she stopped between her two escorts. Sandwiched between them, she knew what the cream filling in an Oreo felt like. They didn’t move or speak, so she assumed they were waiting for her to act first. Glancing around to find Rashid, she spotted him several yards away heading not for the modern-looking terminal, but for a rather menacing looking helicopter.
She took a step in Rashid’s direction. Her escort matched her movement. She stopped. The two hulking shapes on each side halted in perfect sync with her. She toyed with the idea of breaking into her jogging pace but decided against it. Antagonizing Rashid wouldn’t strengthen his trust in her.
Instead of speeding up, she slowed her pace to a stroll, giving her a chance to observe what she could about her immediate surroundings. The three-storied terminal was huge, what one would expect from an international class airport. Trams carrying luggage and other cargo sped back and forth around the massive shapes of aircraft waiting to be boarded.
The private plane she’d just exited taxied toward another set of buildings further along the runway. Her reconnaissance ended as she reached the waiting helicopter. The two attendants stepped to the side without offering any assistance. She guessed she was to board on her own. Before she could try, Rashid appeared in the opening. Strong hands slipped under her upper arms and lifted her into the helicopter’s belly and into an empty seat. He pointed to the safety harness and watched until she had secured its fastening. Apparently done to his satisfaction, he turned and made his way toward the front.
Being the only female encased with him and three of his companions, she fully appreciated how a few words could signify one’s status. Without them, she was no more than a large sack of cargo — loaded, stored, and ignored.
To her surprise, Rashid took the pilot’s seat. She rechecked her safety harness. How badly she wanted to ask if he possessed a pilot’s license. Remembering his earlier instructions, though, she chewed her lip and kept silent. A slight jolt and the helicopter lifted off the ground. After a few minutes without mishap, she began to enjoy the panoramic view of the city below.
Victoria stared at the modern architecture and landscape appearing through the helicopter’s small window. The tall office buildings, hotels, and apartments of glass and steel would look natural to any large city. Public parks, large gardens, and two good-sized lakes made a pleasing, tranquil scene. She had even caught a glimpse of a small herd of elephants and several giraffes in what appeared to be a spacious zoo or wild animal park.
The modern soon gave way to older buildings with domed roofs, several adorned with towering spires jutting toward the sky. Very exotic and ancient, they reminded her that this part of the world was the very cradle of humanity.
Mutinous sparks of adventure teased her mind. To explore this strange world might be worth dealing with Rashid. Another advantage would be the modern communication and transportation options available in a city. Rashid didn’t know how resourceful she could be when given an opportunity.
She continued to study the landscape below while playing with several escape scenarios in her mind. The American Embassy would be her first choice. Once there, she would be as good as free. Rashid may be a man of immense power in his own country, but not in hers. Her American citizenship would be the ticket out of his world. With it, she could shrink his arrogance to that of a tadpole in Lake Superior. How sweet the thought. For once, she would be in control.
The repetitive scenery below unfolded like a huge age-darkened scroll. When had the city disappeared? The green, urban environment had given way to the copper, cream, and tan of sand and rock. This was unexpected. She assumed the palace would be close to the airport, certainly in a large city. Perhaps she worried for nothing. Surely his country would have more than one city or airport.
Dune after dune passed below her, an hour of the same barrenness, and still no city. The helicopter suddenly tilted and turned to circle a small encampment before lowering to rest on a flattened area. Now, she was more than worried. She was furious. Of all the dirty, underhanded maneuvers at his disposal, this was the worst.
Except for a small oasis surrounded by ten or fifteen large black tents, there was nothing of any consequence in sight. No palatial palace. No road. No airport. Nothing. For her sake, she hoped this was a temporary stop.
With the helicopter safely on the ground, Rashid cut the engine. Then, one by one he and the other three male passengers exited without a glance in her direction. She watched his straight back as he walked far enough to clear the rotor blades and stopped. Turning toward her, he gave a small hand gesture, indicating she should follow him.
She gave his offer some consideration and then dismissed the invitation. She was not moving. After another few minutes, her impatient husband did. Levering himself back through the helicopter’s side opening, he again blocked the sun from her face.
“Victoria, you need to exit the helicopter.”
“Why?” she asked through trembling lips. “Surely, we are just stopping for fuel or something. I’m not in the mood for sightseeing. I’ll stay here while you do whatever you must.”
“No. You will not. This is our destination. We will be staying here for some time.”
“No, I won’t!” she hissed.
Rashid tilted his head and tightened his lips. “Lower your voice.”
His commanding tone added to her irritation, like sand under a swimsuit, chafing her until she was raw from its presence. “You promised me a palace. This is not my idea of a palace. I’m not a naturalist. I don’t do bugs, dirt, and heathens. You don’t expect me to stay in one of those mangy looking black tents, do you?”
“I expect you to accept the accommodations I provide for you,” he said with the sharpness of a dagger. “Now get out.”
“No,” she whispered for his ears only. “If you want to play in this over-sized sandbox, that’s just fine. However, you’ll have to do so without me. I want to be taken to the palace, a hotel, or something which passes for civilization. Better yet, just take me home.”
“Your home is wherever I am and, at the moment, I am here. Do not argue further. Get out of the helicopter.”
Victoria quickly ran through her options. Zero options didn’t take long. The sound of multiple voices drew attention to the crowd gathering in a circle around the helicopter. Who were these people, and why were they circling them?
Rashid reached across her, the latch on her harness snapped open. “If I have to drag you out and carry you, you will lose honor with these people. I, on the other hand, will gain quite a bit of respect. Is this what you want?”
Dignity was a commodity she’d learned to value in life. Dignity equaled credibility, and credibility was everything in the world of high finance. She didn’t know how credibility was going to help her here, but, no matter, it was all she possessed.
“Get back and don’t touch me. I’ll get out by myself.” Something easier said than done with an unexpected breathlessness making her dizzy.
“Remember,” said Rashid, “Walk behind me and keep your eyes lowered.”
“No problem. I can’t stand the sight of you anyway.”
Without bothering to give her warning, Rashid lifted her to the ground and then walked back in the direction he’d come. She followed in his footsteps.
As Victoria followed her husband toward the circle of robed figures surrounding their helicopter, the crowd broke into a roar of shouting. Her first instinct was to run until she realized the commotion was some type of welcome for Rashid.
In surprise, she realized her two male escorts had disappeared along with Rashid’s bodyguards. Evidently, security was not an issue here…little did they know. If she got the chance she was going to kill the man herself and damn the consequences.
Walking in the sand which shifted under her feet one moment and mired her shoes the next was taking all her concentration. Her abductor, at the very least, could have provided her with footwear fit for her surroundings. If she tripped and fell in front of all these people, she was for sure going to kill him.
Victoria hit a solid barrier and came to a jarring halt. With her thoughts on murder, she’d not noticed Rashid stopping to converse with a small group of men and had walked straight into his back. What sounded like subdued snickers caused her cheeks to color.
“Victoria, when I said to keep your eyes down, I did not mean on the ground.”
Not exactly sure what he did mean, she raised her eyes to where his belt buckle should be.
“If you stare at every man at such a level, you’re going to cause some unsolicited responses.”
She did not appreciate the humor in his voice one bit. He was getting an excessive amount of enjoyment out of her discomfort. Biting her lip to keep a ready retort from escaping, she raised her eyes to his shoulder area and held them there. She seethed with humiliation. If she were not trying to lull him into a false sense of trust, she would tell him and this crowd of barbarians just what she thought of this god-forsaken place and its ruler.
“Much better, now you can see where you’re going,” he said with a long sigh. “Come now, if you keep biting your lip you are going to make it bleed. If you have to say something, do so.”
Victoria bared her teeth and whispered, “I really, really, really, hate you.”
Rashid threw back his head and laughed with complete abandon. As if this were not insulting enough, he turned and said something to the group of men who then laughed with him. Victoria seethed while the voices around her took on the odd sound of buzzing bees. Her skin, which had been itching for some time, began to sting from the heat. How long was he going to keep her standing in the sun while he and his friends laughed at her?
The sand suddenly seemed to roll beneath her feet. She grabbed Rashid’s arm with both hands and sank to the ground, her body jerking with uncontrollable spasms. Gasping, she sucked the tiniest amounts of air into her depleted lungs. She could hear Rashid barking commands as he scooped her up into his arms. Their bodies lifted and fell with his running stride. She knew when he laid her on something soft and cool. Too weak to move, she couldn’t protest when he shoved the skirts of her robe and caftan up to her waist. A stabbing pain in her upper thigh, accompanied by a rush of pressure in her head, pushed her into sweet oblivion.
Victoria broke through a thin veil of consciousness into wakeful confusion. She lay on her stomach in a large round bed inside a room with black cloth walls. She breathed deeply then exhaled to the count of eight, an exercise she often did to relax and clarify her thinking. Her dizziness cleared and her memory kicked into instant-replay, dredging up a detailed slide show of her ignominious arrival in a desert oasis filled with strangers and black tents. That would explain the walls surrounding her. But another round bed? Did the man have an obsession for round beds?
She needed more information. Pulling her arms up and under her chest, she lifted her upper body. An overwhelming mistake! Except for a thin cover across her hips, she was naked. An earthquake could not have shaken her more. She trembled from the shock. Then something wet slid up the back of her leg. She lowered her chest back to the bed and turned her head to see what was happening. She looked straight into Rashid’s grinning face. She groaned and wondered if it were possible to induce an unconscious state. Anything would be preferable to returning to this nightmare.
Her criminally insane husband sat on a low stool beside the bed holding a small bottle of pink lotion which looked ridiculously out of place in his big hands. She didn’t like putting together the fact that his fingertips and the back of her legs were the same color. His smile was a revelation, open, joyous, and inviting. His eyes actually twinkled with mischief. He looked just like Aaron when he was caught doing something she would not like, but was sure she would forgive him for anyway.
“It pleases me you are awake again. Are you in pain?” His voice rang with sincere concern as he peered intently at her.
“I…I am not sure,” stammered Victoria. “Where are my clothes?”
“The doctor recommended your skin not be covered until the rash has completely subsided. Perhaps in two or three days you will be able to get up and dress.”
“Two or three days? What doctor?” She groaned.
“The one I consulted by satellite communication. He assured me the small blisters will heal properly if exposed to the air.”
“What happened?” she asked hesitantly.
“You are highly allergic to a new variety of hybrid plum, the fruit you ate on the plane. You experienced a severe reaction which hampered your breathing.”
“I thought I couldn’t breathe because of the heat. What happened then, did you give me something?”
“We keep a fully equipped first aid kit on the helicopter. I administered an epinephrine injection. The medication restored your breathing to normal. However, you’ve been experiencing fever and chills for almost a day.”
The possibilities such a scenario opened up were enough to give her a fever. A whole day naked in this man’s bed, unconscious, helpless. As much as she wanted to ask the obvious, she forced herself to refrain. Better to say something which would keep her from drowning in embarrassment.
“I’ve never had an allergy to fruit before.”
“Let us hope you do not experience another. You caused a great panic falling at my feet the way you did.”
The last thing she remembered before dropping at his feet was being the object of his, and the crowd’s, ridicule.
“Besides getting a good laugh, maybe now you will admit I’m not a proper wife. I can’t even eat your fruit. Better for you to take me back and get yourself a wife your people will not find inadequate.”
“You are my choice.” His bold stare assessed her openly. “No one will question my decision. Do not worry yourself. Our guests are anxious for the return of your good health and are eager to meet their new princess.”
The intent of her words had not deterred him at all. With dexterity, he resumed his application of lotion to her leg. His warm fingers moved over her calf and the back of her knee. The creamy lotion spread easily, allowing his hand to make long, effortless strokes without hindrance.
Watching him strained her neck and she knew she would have to change position soon. His fingers moved up the back of her thigh and dipped under the edge of the sheet barely covering her bottom. An electrical charge bolted through her. Jerking the sheet to her chest, she flipped over and scooted away from his prowling touch.
Rashid cocked one eyebrow and leaned back on the stool, his eyes filled with teasing sparkles.
“I’m, I’m…” she stuttered, “I’m just not comfortable with your playing nurse.”
“How unfortunate,” he said, as his eyes inventoried her. “I have quite enjoyed the new experience.”
“Another offense I can add to your list of crimes.” Affronted embarrassment burned her cheeks.
“What man would not assist his wife when she is ill?” he asked with mocking innocence.
“We’re not really…you know. I don’t want this kind of assistance from you.”
To be continued…
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