Sheik Down (7 page)

“More sentimentality,” Raid dismissed.

“You didn’t have to build anything for that kid. You didn’t have to take him to the zoo or pay his family’s mortgage—yeah, I knew about that—but you did.”

“My only kind gesture. If I’d known you were so easily fooled, I’d have planned another one.”

Lucas ignored him. “Want to know what else I found out?” He waited for Raid to answer, but when he didn’t, Lucas continued. “I did a little research on you and the Faisal family.”

At that Raid struggled in earnest. “Stay out of my business.”

Lucas secured his wrists and pushed him to the floor. “I know your dad pretty much abandoned you when your mom died of blood poisoning overseas. I know you grew up in boarding schools, and there was even a school article on the net about a young sheik who spent holidays at the school doing charity work. I’m guessing that was something that began because you had nowhere else to go. Am I getting close?’

Raid’s dead stare locked on him. He’d stopped fighting but his jaw had clenched making a muscled jump in his cheek, and his fine brow had an arrogant arch.

“I researched your early career when Al-Hazzaz stepped down to relinquish control of Kanz to a young grad student named Raid Faisal. I followed that lead back to discover Al-Hazzaz worked for Prince Faisal.”

“He could hardly leave the company to a child,” Raid defended.

“How often did he come to see you?” It was a question he knew Raid wouldn’t answer. “I’d wager not much since Prince Faisal found a hobby in impregnating women all over his country.”

Raid turned his head away, but not before Lucas saw the dull blush high on his cheekbones.

“I know for a fact he hasn’t visited the States in over twenty years. It was in a Forbes report of foreign billionaires.”

“What do you want from me?” Raid asked, his voice flat. “Money? Take it. Admission? My father provided for me when he didn’t provide for any of his other offspring that I know of.”

“You loved him. When he was around you loved him, and you had your mother and you loved her too.”

“Stop,” Raid snapped. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You loved them both and you feel that they left you to fend for yourself. Isn’t that right?” Lucas pressed on.

Raid surprised him by arching up and knocking Lucas off balance. Raid made a dash for it on his knees. Lucas caught his heel and climbed up his leg to take him to the ground again.

“Raid! I’m not Prince Faisal and I’m not dying. I’m here and I love you and it’s okay to know that.”

Raid pushed at his chest. Lucas could see moisture in his lover’s eyes. His words were hurting Raid—or they were finally breaking through the brick wall he’d built around his heart.

“Love is impossible.”

“How?” Lucas demanded to know.

“It dies like everything else. Why did you have to question what I offered you? Why wasn’t it good enough to have the time together in the dungeon without bringing it to some pathetic, romanticized ending?”

“Because loving you stopped being a choice. Because no strings wasn’t good enough when I can’t imagine sharing you with anyone else, ever. Because you deserve more than controlled fucking and so do I. Because—” Lucas got nose to nose with him, “—because I have enough faith for both of us that we could work as a couple even if you don’t, but you’ve got to let me try.”

“And if I don’t?” Raid choked, tears spilling from the outer corners of his eyes.

“Then we’ll grow into old, miserable bastards spanking each other’s wrinkly asses and hoping our balls don’t get rug burn when they inevitably swing against the carpet,” Lucas answered.

Surprised laughter exploded from Raid. He turned away again, this time closing his eyes.

“Raid. I know you love me. You’d never have let me in here if you didn’t. You’d have stopped me with that one important word, and you’d be stopping me now with that same word. But you haven’t said it, have you?”

“Because,” he whispered.

“Because why?” Lucas pushed.

Raid rolled his head so he was back under Lucas’s desperate scrutiny. “Because I didn’t want it to stop.”

“Because part of you knows I’m right,” Lucas finished for him.

They stared at each other for several seconds. Lucas smiled down at him. Raid’s eyes grew sadder.

“I don’t let people in,” Raid admitted.

“I know.”

“It’s not worth the pain when they leave.”

“I know,” Lucas repeated softly.

Raid licked his lips. His brow pulled and his dark gaze trained on Lucas. “When you go, it’ll hurt me.”

“Then stop kicking me out.”

“You aren’t listening to me,” Raid said.

“I am listening. It’s you who isn’t paying attention. Let me explain something to you. I spend my year planning around your arrival. I know you’ll hire me to work for you, and I know I’m going to take whatever job you give me—even,” Lucas added, “when they are devices for my own sexual torture.”

“You come because I hire you.”

“Nuh uh. I
come
because you turn me the fuck on. I work for you because you’re honest and I like being around you. But I love you because I love you. Get used to it.”

Raid’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “How can I trust that will always be?”

“The same way you take a risk with a new line of jewelry at Kanz. Instinct and faith.”

“You believe you love me,” Raid murmured.

“I also believe you love me, but you’re too much of a stubborn jackass to admit it yet. So we take it easy.”

“What does that mean to you—taking it easy?” Raid asked.

“Dungeon play as much as we want. Bedroom sex several times a week. I’ll keep living at my place so you don’t feel crowded. You go out of town as usual. I’ll keep on being here every time you get back. Just one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“No other guys. I’d have to kill them.”

A slow smile relaxed Raid’s features. “Deal.”

“Excellent,” Lucas proclaimed. “Now get off your lazy ass and help me shower. I’ve always wanted to screw you against a stone wall.”

Eighteen months later…

Raid had Lucas right where he wanted him, bent over the padded stood, strapped and open. After half an hour of bringing him to the edge, Raid knew his lover was reaching his limits.

Raid switched on the vibrator. Lucas’s head shot up and that’s when Raid pushed it in, hard and fast. He cranked the buzzer on high and hit the gyrating button.

Lucas screamed as he came, spilling his come over the floor and still Raid left it in him. Lucas moaned and tried to wiggle into the vibrator as Raid kept it trained exactly on Lucas’s sweet spot. He knew it would soon be overwhelming, but for right now, this moment, he’d give Lucas the most he could pleasurably take—and he knew Lucas’s limits very well.

“In about ten minutes, you’re going to be on your feet and climbing the stairs,” Raid told him.

Lucas was in no position to talk. He probably wouldn’t register Raid’s words until later, but he’d hear them.

“We’re going upstairs and you’re going to suck me until I can’t walk. And do you know why?”

A shuddering grunt came from Lucas. His thighs shook. “Yellow.”

Raid turned off gyrator and reduced the vibrations to a low hum. “Because,” Raid continued as though Lucas had asked why, “you love me.”

Raid slipped the toy from Lucas’s spent body. He crouched down beside him and pulled Lucas’s head back with a fistful of hair.

“And I love you,” Raid said.

Lucas’s blue eyes flared and a tired smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I knew you did,” he declared over roughened vocal chords.

He untied Lucas, and Lucas propped himself up on his elbows. “You finally believe that I’m not going to leave?”

“I believe that you haven’t and I believe I want as much time with you as I can get. The rest you’ll have to keep proving to me,” Raid teased.

“I’ve got a lifetime.”

“So do I.”  He cupped Lucas’s chin and kissed him softly. “You know what else I have?”

“What?”

“A mover.” Raid cocked his head, feeling a little less sure of himself. “If you want to move in with me.”

Lucas’s grin split his face wide. “First I have a hankering for a mouthful of royal cock.
Then
you can call the movers. And Raid?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s about damn time."

Mia makes her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she divides her time between a job and spying on people. Mia enjoys long walks by Lake Algonquin, daisies, dancing in the snow...(Delete prior sentence, meant for personal ad)...

Mr. Perfect may apply in person for a thorough evaluation and trial. All others will be towed.

Find Mia at her website at miawatts.com or email [email protected].

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