| The Sheiks Of Kumar - Part II The Warrior By CJ |
| Chapter 2 Shawna was sorry she’d made Tara that promise, as almost a week later she was lounging in the cooling afternoon fall sun upon a floating raft in the mansion’s pool when someone arrived that would change the course of their plans. They’d discovered little on Gabe aside from his determination to make Tara his and Shawna was relaxing upon the water, dry as a bone and thinking about their next move when someone yanked her raft out from under her and she was suddenly treading water in the deep end. Choking on the chlorinated water she had swallowed from the sudden dunking, Shawna failed to make out the figure standing upon the stone pool deck. When she finally kicked to the side and pushed her wet hair out of her eyes, she focused on expensive black leather shoes, pleated black pants and a form fitting black T-shirt. The shirt covered a broad chest and strong shoulders. And when Shawna finally reached the man’s face, she almost forgave him for dumping her in the pool, for he was quite striking. “What in the world are you doing and who are you?” Shawna asked as her eyes leveled on his. The man glared at her with eyes that were light brown, almost gold when the sun reflected off of them just so. His short hair was jet black and he wore it in a near tousled style that was supposed to look accidental, but which Shawna was certain was carefully planned. And his face…well, Shawna gulped despite the fact that she was trying to sound angry from the dumping, for he was handsome. His brow was finely chiseled, his nose perfectly cut and straight. And that stern mouth of his was almost as strong looking as his squarish chin with the small dimple. And the light bronze color of his skin told Shawna that he more than likely belonged to the Kumar clan that now owned Villa Serena. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice deep and commanding. But Shawna had expected it to be so. What she hadn’t expected was how his alluring accent caressed her ears. “I asked you first,” Shawna quipped. He squatted down and his handsome face neared hers. His gold eyes were nearly ice cold as he looked at her and said, “Tell me who you are, or I’ll never let you out of that pool.” Immediately he grasped her arms and pealed them away from the wall. Placing a large hand upon her head, he dunked her into the water. She came to the surface sputtering again and re-ignited with anger. “Who in the hell do you think you are?” Shawna spat out as she grasped the pool edge again. The man again grabbed her upper arms, only this time he did not dunk her. Instead, he easily pulled her out of the water and set her upon her feet on the pool deck. Shawna rubbed at her arms where they stung from the “assistance” he’d offered her with his masculine hold and then bent to retrieve her towel. The man, however, had beaten her to it and he held it hostage in his grasp along with her arm. “Get your hands off me,” Shawna demanded just as a cool evening breeze filtered across the pool deck. She may have been enjoying the sun, but getting wet had not been part of her plan. The water upon her skin mixed with the cooling air was making her almost as uncomfortable as the grasp of the tall man next to her. “Not until you tell me who you are,” the man answered her. Just when she thought they’d be in their standoff for the rest of the evening, another man exited the house and stood in front of them with a concerned look upon his face. Like the man next to her, this new man was also handsome. But he had a kind, refined look to his handsome face that made Shawna feel at ease and she was positive this man would come to her rescue. “Rafee,” the new man said, his voice with a similar accent, “what is going on?” The man holding her, whom Shawna now assumed was named Rafee, answered in a foreign language. Turning to look at the second man, Shawna asked, “Could you call the goon off? He is trained, isn’t he?” “And you are?” the kind man inquired. “I’m a guest here. Who are you?” Shawna snapped. “I am the owner of this estate. So I guess that means you are my guest. It would be nice if I had a name with which to address you.” Shawna suddenly felt like a fool for being so rude, but the man holding her had started it and she was not one to back down—even if the man was taller, wider and stronger than her. “I’m Shawna Patrick, a friend of Tara’s. I guess you must be Nik,” Shawna said. The man nodded and Shawna could see why her friend had fallen for him. He was handsome, polished and seemingly eloquent. As for the man holding her…well, he was handsome, but he lacked any other positive qualities. Turning to Rafee, Nik instructed, “Rafee, if you would, please.” Reluctantly, she felt the large hand loosen on her arm and Nik handed her her towel. She was thankful, for not only was she cold, she felt self-conscious wearing only a skimpy baby blue bikini in front of two handsome strangers. And a wet one at that! “You will have to excuse my brother, Rafee, Ms. Patrick,” Nik told her. “But we were unsure as to who you were.” Shawna accepted the explanation and upon hearing that Rafee was Nik’s brother, she was not surprised. After all, they did look very much alike. It was only in their personalities that they differed. Immediately after discovering her identity, Nik began inquiring of Tara. Shawna was hesitant to tell him anything because Tara was out riding with Gabe Bryant. The appearance of Nik was going to throw a wrench into everything they had planned and Shawna wanted to give Tara a warning before she ran across Nik. And she would have succeeded in stalling both Nik and his overly inquisitive brother had not Jenny appeared. Jenny quickly told Nik that Tara was down at the stables. Shawna understood Jenny’s willingness to talk to Nik. For one, Jenny adored the man of the house, it was obvious. And secondly, she greatly disliked Gabe Bryant. Tara and Shawna had relayed their plan to no one, Jenny included, and the young girl was convinced that Tara was genuinely interested in the scoundrel of a lawyer. Apparently, this sheik that had just returned was convinced too, for as soon as Jenny left his side to find another member of the Kumar clan inside the house, Nik insisted briskly, “I must go find Tara.” Shawna attempted to halt him, but he flashed her a glare that did not fit his polite air and said, “You will stay here, Ms. Patrick. My brother will keep you company. I must find Tara.” It was impossible to argue with a man in love, Shawna reasoned. And though Tara had constantly argued during the week they had spent together that she had no future with Nik, it was apparent from the urgency in the man’s actions that there was. It was only unfortunate that Nik had returned so suddenly, for now that pending future may be jeopardized. ** “Gee, lucky me,” the woman quipped as Rafee’s brother walked away and had given the order for her to remain behind. Rafee shared her sentiments for it was obvious from the first dunking that a certain amount of friction was building. But what did Rafee care? He enjoyed friction, especially when he was the cause, and seeing how he was in a country he didn’t like and on a mission he detested, he may as well have some fun. And that, for this evening, meant keeping the wet and shivering Shawna Patrick company and hopefully making her miserable at the same time. “Would you care for another swim?” he proposed through clenched teeth as his hand again grasped her arm. He felt toned muscles in her arm and saw them in her bare legs. It was obvious this woman took care of herself. But she was still no match for his strength and he could easily toss her back into the water if she wanted to continue with the sarcasm. She glared at him for a long moment, then let out a deep breath and answered, “Not really. What I would really like to do is ditch you and go find Tara.” Rafee tightened his grip instinctively. He may not like the fact that his brother had abandoned the family palace in Kumar in the midst of a crisis to fly back home and win the heart of Tara Malone, but he certainly was not going to hinder his attempts. And if Nikash had instructed him to keep Shawna out of the way, he would obey. After all, family was sacred to him and though Rafee did not understand the ways of his older brother at times, he would always serve him. “Sorry, Ms. Patrick. You will have to make do with me. If Nikash wants to talk to Ms. Malone then we must oblige him. He flew a long way to see her and he is a determined man,” Rafee told her. “I see that runs in the family,” she drawled. With a sardonic smile that never reached his eyes, Rafee replied, “Finally, a compliment.” She pouted, her full pink lips pulling off the expression expertly. “I didn’t mean for it to be.” He ignored her quip and saw that those pouting lips were turning blue. The wind had settled in quickly and she was dripping wet, even her towel was damp as she held it to her. Though Rafee was exhausted from the long flight out of Kumar and was in no mood to deal with a feisty American woman, he still possessed a mannered disposition. After all, he had been raised in a royal family and he would carry his cruel taunts and insults only so far. Any further and he would tarnish the Armanjani family name. So, sticking to the gray areas of gentlemanly protocol, Rafee tugged the woman inside the house and up the stairs to his room in the left wing. When Shawna found herself dragged inside the house and up to a room, she was speechless. Rafee had acted so quickly and without consulting her that she had had little opportunity to fight back. But here she was, standing in one of the guestrooms of the Villa Serena mansion decorated in dark tans, blood reds and midnight blacks and she felt slightly vulnerable. Wrapping her wet towel around her waist, though it offered her little in the way of protection, she stood on the hardwood floor of the room and awaited the man’s next move. Rafee, the brother to the Crown Prince of Kumar, was an interesting character. Not only was he handsome and moved with lithe athleticism, he was also unpredictable. Shawna couldn’t remember the last time someone caught her so off guard and it had her brain scrambling to keep up. When he moved to a large walk-in closet, Shawna’s brain quickly locked onto a thought and she shot out, “What? You going to lock me in a closet or something?” “The thought did cross my mind,” Rafee mumbled back. Shawna was sorry for mentioning the thought for she was certain this man possessed the nerve to carry it out. But when he returned from the closet and flipped off the light behind him, Shawna saw no intentions of doing so written upon his face. Moving in front of her, he held up a dark maroon sweatshirt with a European soccer team logo on it. Gathering it at the arms and holding it above her head, he instructed, “Slip into this.” “Why?” Shawna asked, stunned by his offer. “Because you are a guest on my brother’s estate. And though I may have already determined that I do not like you, it is only appropriate that I ensure your comfort.” He threw her a mischievous grin and added, “Besides, I do not feel it is a fair fight with you dressed so scantily.” She was first stunned that the man was showing her any concern and then shocked that he had even noticed her attire. He’d barely looked at her except to glower at her face and she never once was given the impression that his eyes had traveled below her neck. But apparently he had taken the time to look her over, for he was making comment now of her sparse attire. “Fine,” she relented and dived into the baggy sweatshirt he was offering. Rafee pulled the sweatshirt over her head then reached down and yanked off her towel. Shawna gasped, for the move had been so unexpected. Assisting her with a sweatshirt was one thing, but his actions now were alarming. She froze and stood with wide hazel eyes, wondering what this man would do next. Rafee was sorry he’d taken her wet towel away. He was simply attempting to be both efficient and taunting at the same time. From the moment the woman had opened her mouth she had been defiant and abrasive. He knew his best course of action with her was to keep her off balance. Taking her towel away had seemed like the perfect means to accomplish just that. But when his eyes landed on those toned thighs and calves he’d tried not to notice down at the pool, he lost a bit of his resolve to hate her. He would not argue that this woman, as with most American women, was stunning. They possessed a beauty that far few other women around the world owned. Shawna was no exception. Her face was pert and finely structured, her eyes a soft hazel, almost green. And of course there was that fine athletic build of hers with the generous womanly curves. Yet there was something that American women possessed that he loathed. They were shallow. In fact, the entire culture of America lacked something in the way of history and tradition and it annoyed him to no end that his brother had pulled up roots overseas to purchase this home in America. With such renewed thoughts, Rafee easily pulled his eyes from Shawna’s bare legs and stepped into the large bathroom behind him. He took down at clean dark blue towel and threw it at her while he hung her wet one in the shower to dry. “Throw me your bathing suit too,” he ordered. “You have got to be kidding me,” Shawna retorted. “Do I look like I’m joking?” he asked. “Or would you rather sit here for the next couple hours wet and cold? Because its all the same to me.” Shawna rolled her eyes and threw him a look she saved only for her brothers when they were at their worst. Even a bad day with the Patrick boys was easier than the last ten minutes with this man had been. Wrapping the thick, dry towel around her waist, Shawna reached under her sweatshirt and untied her bikini top. “Fine,” she relented. “But only so you’ll stop harassing me.” She threw her top at him, then carefully, so as not to expose anything, removed her bottoms and carried them into the bathroom. She kept her eyes pealed to Rafee as she hung them in the shower next to her top. “Satisfied?” she inquired with a sneer in her voice. He didn’t answer her, he merely glared back and Shawna had a feeling this man could win any battle she started. “You know, if you hadn’t dumped me in the water in the first place, we wouldn’t be having this silly little undressing contest to begin with,” she told him. “And if you had answered my questions the first two times I asked them, I would not have had to dump you in the water,” he returned, remembering that when he had first voiced his presence she had been oblivious. “I didn’t hear you approach,” Shawna argued. Leaning his head closer in a challenge to see if she would back away, he growled, “You should always be aware of your surroundings. I caught you off guard.” She didn’t back away from him, though those handsome features were way too close. She did, however, frown at him for it was true, she had been caught off guard. As a private investigator, she needed to be aware of her surroundings at all times. She’d been beaten this round. When Rafee saw the woman’s lips again pull that negative expression, he realized she did not like the fact that he had gotten the best of her. He respected that, anyhow, for so few women were as tough, as confrontational as this one. The fact that she was angry that he had bested her made him think there would be several challenges ahead for them. “Now, dry your hair. There should be a dryer in here someplace,” he ordered as he straightened and exited the bathroom. As soon as his backside crossed the threshold, Shawna pushed the door closed with a thud. Who was he to order her around? She stood in the middle of the gray marble tiled bathroom, her hands upon her hips, pouting to no one. If she had no audience, then why was she even bothering to show her displeasure? With that realization, she sighed and looked around. She knew this house pretty well, and though the new owner had made some decorating changes with tiles and paint, he had made no structural changes. This bathroom connected to another guestroom that she could easily exit out of. However, she had nothing on but a towel and a borrowed sweatshirt and her sandals were still down at the pool. And then there was the problem of the sentry in the next bedroom. He would no doubt come looking for her and once he caught her she would again be his prisoner. What were her options, then? She wanted to warn Tara about Nik’s return, but by now, Tara had already discovered that. Had Nik discovered Gabe Bryant as well? And if so, what tragedy was unfolding at this moment? Quickly, she opened the bathroom door and found Rafee busying himself with some unpacking from a garment bag. His eyes fell upon her immediately and he asked, “Did you need something?” “Look, Raf,” she said, shortening his name because it somehow sounded right to her. “Rafee,” he corrected. “Yeah, whatever. Look, we have a problem here. We have to warn Tara that Nik’s back. You don’t understand what’s going on here.” His eyes narrowed and his body stiffened as he returned curtly, “I understand that Ms. Malone led my brother on, then decided to take up with Mr. Bryant as soon as Nikash was away.” He walked toward her, stopped in front of her and added, “I understand very well the ways of such American women.” Indeed, he’d had an up-close and personal experience with an American woman whom he’d thought he’d loved when he was a young college student. He’d learned his lesson about loving an American woman a long time ago and he would never make the same mistake twice. As for Nikash, well, he was more of a romantic, more trusting of people. And until Tara Malone, Nikash had never had his heart trampled upon. Rafee was positive that after this experience, his brother’s outlook on women would change drastically. “No, you don’t,” Shawna argued. “What’s going on with Tara and Gabe is not what you think.” “Then what is it?” he inquired with disbelief. Shawna hesitated. Tara had specifically instructed her not to let anyone know what was happening. And as for the Armanjanis knowing that Villa Serena was once the Malones, well, Tara had also said she did not want to relay that information. Shawna wasn’t sure why, but it was obvious Tara had her reasons. “I can’t tell you,” Shawna finally said. A crooked grin pulled at the corner of Rafee’s mouth. Shawna noticed that his smiles, either sarcastic or real, never reached his eyes as if he was always holding himself back. She wondered about that, then changed her mind and decided it best not to wonder about this man. “Of course you cannot tell me, because you are only making up a fib to protect your friend.” He turned on a heel and strode away to resume his unpacking. “I’m not lying,” Shawna defended. “I will hear no more of this, Ms. Patrick,” Rafee said with finality and kept his back to her. Frustrated because trying to reason with the man was like talking to a mule, Shawna slammed the bathroom door and found the hair dryer. She may as well be comfortable and dry if she was going to be a hostage and from the way the man had just cut off her explanation, it was obvious she was going nowhere. It only took a few minutes to dry her dark blonde locks. A smattering of bangs framed her face and the rest of her hair hung in a blunt cut to about mid-neck level. Usually her strands were silky and straight. After being doused in chlorinated water, however, they were a little wavy and unruly. She left the bathroom and found her “friend” had changed. It caused her to hesitate for a moment, for without his all-black designer wardrobe, he appeared more approachable, more casual. He was dressed in a navy T-shirt with a logo stenciled on the back and above the shirt pocket and long, baggy gray cotton shorts. Upon his feet were simple white athletic socks. Shawna’s eyes scanned him for a moment, and she paused on his nicely muscled calves. There was no doubt this man worked-out and often to have developed such a build. “Going out for a work-out or something? ‘Cause if you are, I can certainly watch myself,” she said, knowing the answer, but inquiring none-the-less. “No,” he returned simply. He continued to busy himself with items in the room, putting things away, moving them to another location, so Shawna took the opportunity to study the room more carefully. The center of the room boasted a queen-size bed covered with a black and tan comforter. It was an elegant four-post bed with canopy and gauzy red curtains gathered at each post that also matched the curtains in the two windows overlooking the pool below. Black lacquer furniture adorned the room and on the floor was the most exquisite Persian rug with black, red and tan that Shawna had ever seen. Moving to one of the bedposts and toying with the satin chord that served as a curtain tie, Shawna said, “Nice room. Dark. Fits your personality.” He glared at her, but said nothing. “You didn’t happen to decorate this, did you? Because if you did, San Francisco is certainly the city for you to visit,” she taunted. She watched him bristle at her statement and return, “No, I am afraid my talents do not include interior decorating. I am certain my brother paid someone a fortune to do this for him.” Untying the satin chord and watching the curtain fall around the post, Shawna agreed, “You’re right. The thought of you doing this makes no sense. After all, this décor requires taste.” He chuckled at her, but it was not a genuine laugh. There had a deviousness to it. “So, you think I lack taste? Let’s not travel down that road, Ms. Patrick, seeing how I come from culture and you are…well, let’s just say that you are American.” Keeping the satin chord in her hand and thinking this bed would have made a really neat fort when she was a kid, Shawna sat. Not only was the bed exquisite, it was also comfy with a plush pillow-top mattress that she was positive she could acquire a good night’s rest upon. But when the man in front of her had just insulted her and her country all in one breath, there would be no thinking about sleeping in his bed! “Is that so?” she asked back. “Well, you are royalty, now, aren’t you? And with that must certainly come snobbery and arrogance.” “Arrogance, perhaps, but not snobbery,” he defended. “You just insulted my entire country and culture, did you not?” He moved closer and leaned against the post she had just been at. His face and eyes said nothing as he stared down at her. “Do you not like America or something?” she then asked. “You must have read my mind,” he drawled. “Why is that? I mean, America’s not such a bad place. How much time have you spent here?” “As little as possible,” he told her. “Then that’s your problem. Once you get the hang of life in America, you might find we harbor some tastes.” Crossing his arms over his chest as he remained against the bedpost, Rafee asked, “And just how much time have you spent abroad?” “Aside from Mexico and Canada…none,” she said. “Then that’s your problem, Ms. Patrick. Once you discover the vast cultures of the world, I am positive you will find your own lacking.” Honestly, Shawna said, “Its not that I haven’t wanted to travel elsewhere. On the contrary, I would love to see other countries. But, I just haven’t had the opportunity.” “You should create the opportunity.” Standing, Shawna shot out, “Look, Rafee, not all of us were born into wealth and oil like you. I happen to work for a living and I just can’t take a month off to go tripping across Europe.” “So you think that is what I do with my time? Trip across Europe?” Shawna’s eyes scanned him, and though he was still as handsome as when she’d first laid eyes upon him, she pretended to find only displeasure in the sight. “That is exactly what I think you do,” she returned. Suddenly, Rafee’s hand reached out and caught her around the arm. He was getting too good at grabbing her into his snare. His light eyes darkened with anger and Shawna realized she had finally broken his armor with one of her insults. “Do not continue to taunt me so, Ms. Patrick, or I may forget about hospitality. And though I owe you no explanation, I will provide one none-the-less. I do happen to work for a living. In fact, when I am not being dragged back to America to help settle my brother’s problems, I am quite busy working in the family business. And that business just happens to take me all over the world.” Shawna watched as his anger disappeared with his words. The more he talked, the more he seemed to relax. Even his grip loosened, but Shawna did not pull free, for she found his explanation interesting. Rafee had loosened his grip in the hopes that Shawna would step away. His anger and come and gone quickly. She may have ignited a fire with her insults, but as soon as he’d touched her, he’d felt a strange calming presence. He rarely lost his temper, though his demeanor usually gave one a different impression. On the contrary, he was always in control of his actions and emotions. But he had not slept in nearly twenty-four hours and that was surely the most logical explanation for his out-burst now. Otherwise, he would not have allowed Shawna’s insults to sting. “And just what is it that you do for your family’s oil business, Sheik Rafee?” she asked with an edge of sarcasm. A small smile played upon his lips at her inquiry. She appeared both interested and disinterested at the same time and that intrigued him. “Security. I take care of all security, internal and external, for our company as well as for the royal palace,” he told her. His hand was barely holding her arm now and Shawna could feel the heat it generated through the thick sweatshirt. She told herself to just back away and find some remote corner of the room to sulk in until she was released, but she remained in front of him, his hand upon her arm. “Security…I should have figured as much. You have that pit-bull mentality about you,” she said. He wrinkled his forehead and asked, “Pit-bull?” “Yes, it’s a fighting dog. They can be very aggressive,” she explained. He smiled again and this time it reached his eyes for a brief second. “Then I will take that as a compliment and bestow the same upon you.” It was agreed, they both found each other aggressive and determined. It was the only common ground they had to stand upon, but Shawna would take it to declare a truce for the rest of her imprisonment. Before she could declare that truce, however, a knock sounded off the door and then it opened. Shawna immediately jumped back as her eyes landed upon a lean, handsome man and Jenny. Jenny appeared to be much more at ease than she had when she’d cried to Nik down at the pool about Tara and Gabe Bryant. “Excuse the interruption, Rafee,” the man said as he bowed his head. “You are not interrupting, Dev,” Rafee answered. Then he turned to Shawna and said, “Ms. Patrick, have you met Nikash’s assistant, Devesh Badawi?” Shawna was shocked that Rafee would bother to introduce her to anyone, but then she remembered the man did possess a refined, mannered side. It just didn’t surface with her. With everyone else, Shawna was positive he was a perfect gentleman. With her, he was barely civilized. “Devesh, nice to meet you,” Shawna said, moving forward and shaking his hand. He had a kindly manner to his disposition and looked to be about her age, maybe a year or two older. And Jenny seemed to look up at him with the same adoration she showed around Nik. It was obvious Jenny adored these men and Shawna would have agreed with Jenny had she not suffered the company of Rafee for the past half-hour. “Shawna?” Jenny inquired. “Would it be all right if I went out to dinner with Devesh and Omar? Since it looks like Tara might be busy for a while, I thought it might be a good idea.” Before Shawna could answer, Rafee stepped forward and said, “It sounds like a wonderful idea, Jenny. I am sure Ms. Patrick would not mind.” Shawna glared at him and agreed reluctantly, “No, I suppose I wouldn’t mind.” “Come with us?” Jenny offered. Shawna glanced down at herself and realized she would be going nowhere dressed in a towel. Placing her hand upon Jenny’s shoulder and consoling her with a friendly rub, she answered, “I wish I could. But I don’t think a towel would be very appropriate for dinner.” “We could stop at the house first and you could change,” Jenny insisted. Rafee again intervened before Shawna could answer as he placed a hand upon Shawna’s shoulder and pulled her back toward him. “Ms. Patrick has already promised to dine with me so that we might become better acquainted,” Rafee said. “Besides, I have heard from Nikash that you, Dev and Omar are fast friends. I am sure you would rather have their company all to yourself.” Jenny smiled at Rafee, obviously liking the idea and agreed, “Okay. See you Shawna. Bye, Rafee.” She walked out of the room and Devesh began to follow. “Dev,” Rafee said, halting him. “Be sure to phone before you return. As you may already know, Nikash is down speaking with Ms. Malone. Who knows how it will all turn out or how long it will take. We should afford him as much privacy as he needs.” “Of course, Rafee,” Devesh said with another bow of his head before he left, pulling the door closed behind him. As soon as the door shut, Shawna stepped away from Rafee’s hand. Again, she could feel the heat through her sweatshirt and that bothered her. She didn’t want to be aware of anything about this man aside from her aversion to him. “I never said I would dine with you,” she immediately snapped. “Nor did I ever invite you to,” he returned. “I was merely giving Jenny a valid excuse to stay away from the stables and her house until Nikash returns.” “You’re just bending over backwards to help out your brother today, aren’t you?” Seriously, he told her, “He is my brother, Ms. Patrick. I would do anything for him, whether or not I enjoy it.” She had to admire his dedication to family, for her own family harbored those same traditions. Her brothers, though they sometimes angered her, would always be around to support her. She could rely upon them not only to pull practical jokes, but also to comfort and protect her. Rafee obviously felt that same fierce loyalty and so she said nothing back to him. She was, however, going to inquire as to what they were supposed to do for the next few hours while they were alone in the house, but the ringing of a cellular phone on the high dresser across from the bed interrupted them. Rafee picked it up and within seconds he was in a deep conversation with the person on the other line and his English disappeared into a foreign tongue that Shawna assumed was Arabic. She found she enjoyed the enchanting ebb and flow of the language he was speaking and as he paced the room, completely caught up in his conversation, Shawna laid back upon the pillows of the bed and watched. His tone was serious and confident, his words final. She was certain he was conducting business, the business of security for the family oil empire, and his air impressed her—not that she’d ever tell him that. So, she laid back and watched, hoping he would remain on the phone until Nik returned so that she would not have to suffer any more of Rafee’s harsh words. ** She’d gone from watching him work, to lying in his arms. His lips touched hers and they were just as strong as she’d imagined. And not only were they strong, they were also surprisingly tender. But could she continue? Could she kiss this man who had professed to not liking her or anything about her culture? No, she could not. And if she kept kissing him, he’d know he had the best of her. Pulling away, she blurted out, “No!” and rolled away. Instead of escaping him, she bumped into something solid. And that’s when her eyes flew open and she realized she’d experienced no kiss from Rafee, but a nightmare instead. She was asleep on his bed and her feet were tangled in a thick velour blanket. She tried to kick it away and escape while her mind fought off the fuzzy veil of sleep when two hands grasped her from behind—one around her shoulder, one around her waist. “You have already thrown one elbow and now you are kicking me. Do you mind?” It was Rafee and she suddenly realized he was the solid object she’d jumped into while attempting to escape her dream. His touch was burning through the sweatshirt she was wearing and she struggled for a moment to free herself, but he held fast. Finally, she relaxed, slumping against his broad chest and hoping he would let her go soon. “Sorry,” she finally said. “I didn’t know I was in bed with you.” “You aren’t in bed with me, merely sharing the same space. There is a huge difference, Ms. Patrick.” There was an insult in his words and Shawna wanted to turn and catch the look in his eyes, but she was trapped in an unmovable position. And his hands still held her from behind. “Of course there is. And don’t think I was insinuating otherwise—especially with you,” she quipped. All he had been trying to do was catch up on some much needed rest and taking advantage of the fact that his “guest” had been unconscious as well. He’d laid down on the opposite side of the bed and awoken to a hard jab from an elbow. Now, the first words out of her mouth were taunts and Rafee was in no mood for such a quarrel. But he was at a loss as to how to halt it, for the woman was pressed against him and causing a strange sensation in his gut. “Then we are in agreement over something,” he said with little jest or taunt. He was tired and merely wanted to end the arguing so he could get back to sleep. “If that’s the case, would you let me go?” Shawna asked, though his body felt awfully warm and cozy next to hers. “Certainly,” he replied and released her. She scooted to the opposite end of the bed and he added, “Just keep your hands and feet on your side.” “Gladly.” Her skin tingled oddly in the places that had touched him and she silently chastised herself for she knew it was only a reaction to his maleness and the fact that she had not been on a date in several months. She’d grown tired of dating the losers of California, so she’d stopped dating all together. It was no surprise that after months of no male companionship she’d feel something a little odd when this man touched her. Before she could read much more into her feelings, Rafee suddenly sat up and announced, “Nikash is home.” “What?” she inquired, thinking he was hearing things for the house was silent. Rafee was rounding the bed, running a hand through his hair and when he reached the door, he instructed, “Stay put.” Shawna remained knowing he would only find an empty house when she heard a man calling Rafee’s name. “Up here, Nikash,” Rafee said back as he stood in the hall. Shawna heard footsteps up the stairs and then Rafee asking a question in his native tongue. She could hear the inflection in Nik’s voice and it was one of disappointment. Knowing that things had not gone well for Tara, Shawna scooted off the bed and hurried into the hallway. Nik’s dark eyes landed upon her then he glanced up at his brother with curiosity. Apparently ignoring his brother’s silent inquiry, Rafee turned to Shawna and said, “You may leave now, Ms. Patrick.” “Thank god!” she said with a sigh and started for the stairs. But Rafee’s hand caught her one more time and he pulled her to him and bent his head near hers. “Next time you plan to venture up to the house, please send warning so that I may make myself scarce. I suffered one afternoon with you and that is all I wish to tolerate,” he whispered. Shawna shared his sentiments and replied through clenched teeth, “And I feel the same.” Yanking her arm away, she jogged down the stairs and out of his life—hopefully for good. Rafee turned from the stairs and saw the inquiry from his brother still remained upon his face. Nikash was no doubt wondering about Shawna and what had transpired between them during the course of the afternoon. But Rafee was in no mood to relate how abrasively they had clashed, so he said quickly, “Do not even ask, Nikash. And do not ask me to watch over that woman again. Now, tell me how things went with Ms. Malone.” “Things did not go well, that is why I am returning alone,” he replied. “It took her less than three minutes to turn me away. I spent the rest of my day riding.” “So it is true? Is she with Mr. Bryant?” Rafee asked. Nik turned and started for his study at the end of the hall. Over his shoulder he said, “It would appear so.” “Then let’s return to Kumar. Our family needs us now. Father has received three threats of unknown origin and I should be there investigating it myself instead of watching over you while you chase a lost cause.” Nik stopped at the entrance to his study and turned toward his brother. With subtle sarcasm he replied, “I appreciate your support, Rafee.” Knowing his words had been harsh to his brother since they had left Kumar, he took a breath and said, “I apologize. But I am worried about matters elsewhere.” “I know you are. So am I. Yet at the same time, I am concerned about Tara and my home here at Villa Serena.” “Forget about her, Nikash. If she has turned you down, do not grovel. Leave this place at once,” Rafee suggested. They entered the study as Nik said, “I am not as prideful as you, Rafee. I will beg and I will grovel because I am in love. And because something is not quite right here. Tara’s refusal was not sincere.” “I suspect nothing about her is sincere,” he said harshly. “Enough!” Nik snapped. “You either help me, or you leave. I do not need to quarrel with you as well.” Remembering his place in line behind his brother and also remembering that their father had specifically asked him to follow Nikash, Rafee sobered and nodded. “Fine, brother, I will do as you ask.” “Thank you,” Nik returned. “Now lets sit and try to figure out what’s going on around this place. Things have changed while I have been away. I can feel it.” So Nik took a long while describing what had transpired down at the stables. He told Rafee that Tara had been shocked, then happy to see him. And when Gabe Bryant made his presence known, she’d suddenly turned cold. That was what had Nik so confused. In fact, he was so perplexed over all that had happened he paced his study for a long while. Rafee tried to listen for as long as possible before he drifted off on the couch. He knew his brother was distraught over his affair with Tara Malone and Rafee’s advice from the start had been to avoid the woman all together. Of course, his brother never heeded his advice and that was why they were back in California attempting to solve Nik’s relationship crisis instead of tending to the family back in Kumar. It wasn’t until Devesh entered the study, having dropped Jenny at home, that Rafee woke up. His nap in the office added to today’s nap with Shawna Patrick equaled a total of three hours sleep. Though he was exhausted, his brother was pacing his study as if he were ready to run a marathon. “You should get some rest, Nikash,” Rafee suggested. “I cannot sleep,” Nik insisted. “Not until I talk with Tara again.” “Nikash, its night, she turned you out already. Sleep on it, would you?” “No, Rafee, because I do not believe all is right.” Nik kept returning to that same droll point. Rafee would admit that his brother’s instincts were good. Perhaps he was more of an optimist than Rafee, but Nik rarely read people wrong. So if he was insisting something was amiss, maybe he was correct. “You are the man who professes to being the security expert. You have to act like a detective—so help me out. What happened?” Nik then asked. “She doesn’t like you?” Rafee offered with a sarcastic note in his voice, hoping to calm his brother with humor. Nik frowned. “Right, all the women like you,” Rafee amended then stood. “Well, since you do not want to sleep and will not allow me to sleep, lets try and figure out what happened. Start from the day you met Tara and do not skip a single detail.” For the next hour, Rafee forced himself to remain awake while he listened to his brother’s story about how he had been attracted to Tara from the moment he saw her. Of course, with his brother, it was always a bit of a romantic tale. If Rafee had been the one relaying it, he could have described everything in five minutes. For example, this afternoon with Shawna could be summed up very quickly: he dunked her in the pool, she was uncooperative, she has a nice body but a mouthy disposition and they will never get along. But Nik was so much more endearing and descriptive with his words. When he was finished with his story about Tara, Rafee then inquired of Gabe Bryant, Tara’s current suitor. “He was in charge of the sale of this estate. He knew Tara and recommended her for the job at the stables. And aside from the fact that I do not trust him, I know little else,” Nik explained. Thinking about all that Nikash had said and Shawna’s words this afternoon about having to warn Tara led Rafee to believe that indeed something was up. “Let me see the paperwork on Villa Serena Mr. Bryant prepared for you,” he then requested. Nik looked for it and stated, “I have not read it over myself. Taj prepared everything.” When he found the documents, the handed them over to Rafee. Rafee moved away and his eyes scanned the documents for several minutes and found a clue as to what was at the root of his brother’s conflict. Finally, he turned back to his brother and said, “This is precisely why I am glad I do not have your job in the company. You have too many people doing your work for you, brother, and because of that, you have missed a very important detail.” “And that is?” Nik inquired with impatience. But Rafee did not answer him immediately, instead, he said, “If you had read these papers yourself, you would have saved yourself an awful lot of heartache.” “Rafee,” Nik chastised. Tossing the papers at his brother, Rafee announced, “Villa Serena’s former owner was none other than Ms. Tara Malone.” Nik caught the papers and his eyes quickly searched the documents. “She owned the house, the land, the winery, and all the horse stock,” Rafee added. “Did she ever tell you that?” “No,” Nik said. “Of course not, because she was more than likely using you to get back what she had lost!” Rafee snapped, feeling angry that his brother was in such a compromising position. He was at times too loyal and now was one of those precise moments. He wanted to berate Tara Malone himself for breaking his brother’s heart, but Nikash was a capable man. If he wanted that done, he could do it himself. “Tara would not do that,” Nik said in her defense. “Are you certain?” Rafee questioned. “After all, you were sure Tara would not leave you for Gabe Bryant either.” Nik hesitated in the study for a moment, then suddenly he turned for the door. “Nikash!” Rafee called. “I must speak with Tara,” Nik returned as he disappeared down the hall. “Damn it, Nikash!” Rafee shouted, but remained where he was. Again, he could not step in and halt his brother. Nik had to make his own mistakes. Rafee heard the front door open and close. It echoed in the large house. Rafee paced in the room for a moment until a figure filled the doorway. Apparently his curse had awoken Devesh. The man stood in dark blue pajama bottoms, rubbing his eyes. “What is wrong, Rafee?” he questioned. Devesh was a loyal associate of the Armanjani family. His uncle Taj Badawi had served the Armanjanis for as long as Rafee could remember. They traveled with Nik and Rafee and assisted in both their business and personal lives. Even now, in the middle of the night, Devesh was up and inquiring of their situation. “The crown prince is what’s wrong,” Rafee quipped. “Sometimes he acts as if he is already master of our homeland.” Devesh moved to the window and looked down toward the stables. “You mean because he is running to Ms. Malone’s house in the middle of the night?” Devesh inquired. “He is really running?” Rafee asked with amusement. “Faster than I have ever seen,” the man said with jest. Rafee chuckled, thinking how lucky he was that no woman had him tied around her little finger. Then again, no woman had for nearly thirteen years now. He’d learned his lesson at age twenty and since then, he’d been manipulated by none. “I hope he is up all night pleading with her then,” he said with a surly tone he wasn’t feeling. He was only feeling tired. “Ms. Malone is not such a bad person. In fact, she is very poised, very sweet. If you took the time to talk with her, you might like her. She is very knowledgeable about Nikash’s horses,” Devesh said. “Is that so?” he asked. Devesh nodded. “Well, then, perhaps they are suited for each other and Nikash will solve his problems tonight. That way, I will be back on the first plane to Kumar.” Rafee fell back into the couch, nearly completely drained. “Until then, I plan to sleep for the next twenty-four hours. Do not wake me unless it is urgent.” “Of course, Rafee,” Devesh said as he flipped out the light and closed the door to the study. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Warrior - Chapter 3 |