ROMANCE: BAD BOY ROMANCE: Basketball Daddy (BWWM Alpha Male Billionaire Pregnancy Romance) (African American Unexpected Pregnant Contemporary Romance) (159 page)

Estion, Palace of the Darrenkar, circa 2370
[1]

“He will be of good use, my lord,” Gezek said, as two guards dragged Erdal before King Zutaar in the throne room. His hands and feet were in shackles, he only wore dark leather pants and his bare, muscular chest revealed battle scars from years of fighting in the arena. Sweat gleamed on his alabaster-white skin as the sunlight streamed down from the huge skylight above onto his kneeling form. The light made the coppery streaks in his long, dark hair glint with fiery rebellion as it fell around his shoulders.

“He’s a Darrenkar, but he is the most experienced gladiator in the arena,” Gezek explained. “They call him DeathRaze there.”

Erdal felt the king’s eyes on him. He was a hulking man over seven feet tall. His sharp, silver-gray eyes glinted as he assessed the man kneeling in front of him as if he were an animal to be bought at the bazaar. His whole demeanor exuded haughtiness as he sat on the throne, head tilted to one side.

“He can show us what he can do on the training ground tomorrow. If he can please me, we’ll keep him. If not, kill him,” Lord Zutaar said.

“Yes, my lord,” Gezek said, as he bowed low and motioned for the guards to take Erdal away.

Erdal thought he had got lucky, as the king liked his fighting skills. He was given the lowest rank in the King’s Royal guard.

***

That was two decades ago, when the king’s advisor, Gezek, had found Erdal fighting in the gladiator’s arena on the Andromeda 13 space station. He had seen the man’s agile moves and the finesse with which he held his katana, the Light-Shard. Erdal had picked it up at the bazaar where the spoils of war were sold. He had felt the strength of the blade, deathly sharp, and ever since Light-Shard had been his friend. With some effort, Gezek had bribed his owner and bought Erdal that day. And since then, Erdal had been steadily rising in the King’s ranks.

It had been almost over a century now since the Rok invaded the planet. A warrior like any other, he walked the same palace halls as head of the Royal Guard and King’s mercenary, not knowing that he once lived there as Lord Erdal, heir to the ancient Urquiorra throne.

Erdal remembered nothing of the night his parents were assassinated. All he remembered was that he woke up one day shackled in a small room with a headache, and he didn’t remember anything from before then. From then on, he had served his master and learned to sword fight. He didn’t like killing but he had to survive and that was what he had learned. To survive. 

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember how he had ended up a slave, and his master told him he had found him unconscious in an aircraft that had crashed outside the city. He didn’t even remember his name. And it was from the half damaged record chip in his arm band that the slave master learned his real name, Erdal. Nothing else. He was told the Rok had killed the King and Queen and the entire Urquiorra household, and the bloodline had ended there. The Rok were the new rulers.

Sometimes he had vague dreams. Nightmares, mostly. He would see the bodies of a man and woman in royal robes sprawled in a pool of blood, and an old man telling him something important, although he couldn’t tell what, Then, there was darkness, and later, he would wake with a headache.

He didn't think much about the nightmares. He didn’t want to. Last year his wife Kira had been killed in a space battle with humans, and he had had a hard time getting over her. She had been like a pleasant summer dream in the dark world he lived in, but that dream had been short-lived. They had only been married a month, and she was a brave warrior like him, a Darrenkar warrior. But the lowly humans had killed her. And he couldn’t accept that. He wanted to go numb, to stop the pain gnawing at heart. Nobody saw the growing torment in his intense, emerald eyes. And nobody would care if they did.

Now, King Zutaar wanted him to go the human planet Earth, and find a bride for him. As the King gave him the orders, he felt like slashing the king’s throat with his Light-Shard. Abducting women for the king hadn’t bothered him before. He was usually indifferent. But this time he hated it. If he had had a choice, he would have refused. But knowing King Zutaar was ruthless and rotten to the core, he did it to survive.

Everybody knew the king was a debauch and a known philanderer, as he had taken over a hundred wives during his reign on Estion. They were all different women, preferably virgins from different planets. The king chose the planet, and the rest was Erdal’s job. He would travel to a planet and observe the culture there. He would scrutinize the inhabitants and get familiar with their norms. He would look into the history of bloodlines and then choose a woman he thought the king might like. And then he would abduct him. But this time, rage clouded his judgment. He didn’t bother to check on the planet or the people there. He just packed up to go.

He wore a dark suit, dark pants and a long hooded cloak that partially shielded his eyes. His V-neck shirt was slightly open at the front, revealing his muscular chest. He sheathed his katana and slung it across his chest as he strode toward the space ship’s control room with a determined step. He tapped the controls on the panel and set the course for Earth, a small planet in the far-off galaxy called The Milky Way. He sat back in his chair, and his cold emerald green eyes gazed out of the huge windows of the cockpit as he left Estion’s atmosphere. The moment it was out of the planet’s orbit, the ship went into warp drive, and far into deep space.

Earth, Present Day

She stared at the ghost of a woman reflected in the mirror. Pale face, long dark hair matted to her face and bloodshot eyes with dark circles underneath. Her mascara was smeared down her cheeks, marking a dark trail, and her lipstick was smeared. It was an ugly sight. Natalie Donovan knew it then. She was one ugly woman. Ugly and fat. That’s why he had left her for another woman. A much prettier one. She must be a skinny bitch, Natalie thought, as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. At that moment, she really hated the pathetic sight in front of her. She should have known. At twenty-six she was twenty pounds overweight, ugly and unsuccessful. Who would want an ugly woman like her?

Her stomach twisted and her head reeled. Nausea rose up inside her as she bent over and retched in the sink. Her body shuddered and her breathing became labored as she gripped the rim of the sink with trembling hands, steadying herself. She had downed more than a few glasses of Margarita and now her thoughts were beginning to get fuzzy. She splashed cold water on her face and wiped it clean with the back of her hand.

She had been trying to reach Matt like crazy and he hadn’t returned her calls or texts in the past two days. She had tossed and turned at night, wondering why he won’t return her calls. It was unlike him. Tonight she had texted him to meet her at the bar. She had been constantly checking her cell, and when finally it beeped, her brown eyes had lit up hopefully. But her heart sank when she read his reply. The text clearly stated that he wouldn’t be coming and he was not going to be seeing her again. He was engaged to Tyra.

Tyra? Tears streamed down her cheeks as she blinked. Oh, Tyra. She was the skinny model he was going to be working with in New York on his next photo shoot.

Oh why, why, why, Matt? She furiously texted him back, asking him why he was leaving. Did she do anything wrong? Oh, she had been so careful not to displease him and to take care of his every need. And although he had never said those three magical words, she had thought he was happy with her.

Natalie was working at a coffee shop as the assistant manager when she met Matt almost a year back. She thought she had finally found the right man, a man who loved her. At least, she had thought he did. He was ruggedly handsome, with blue eyes and dark hair. He’d been sweet to her, and he’d always told her she was good in bed.

That was it, then. He was just having fun. Men didn’t like fat girls, and they definitely didn’t marry them. She had been a fool. Why else would he break up with her and marry that model?

She heard the door to the restroom open, and she quickly applied red lipstick and straightened the hem of her knee-length black dress, which clung to her curvy figure. Then, grabbing her clutch, she walked outside.

She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the fluctuating, neon lights. Her head spun as the loud music thrummed in her chest. Staggering, she made her way back through a throng of swaying bodies to the bar on the left. She sat on one of the stools and thought about going for another Margarita.

Erdal had frequented this very bar for almost a week now without any success. He had a hard time trying to control his rage as he imagined unsheathing his Light-Shard and ripping every human there apart. To add to his frustration, he just couldn’t find the right girl. And he was running out of time. Tonight was his last chance. He had to go back and report to the King. He didn’t care what punishment Zutaar had in store for him.

He was about to give up when he saw the woman stumble up to the bar. She sat next to him, oblivious to the world around her. His cold, emerald eyes were half hidden under the hood of his cloak, and his piercing gaze took in her full breasts, her waist and her black dress, which clung deliciously to her softly-curved hips. But what interested him most was her face. His breath hitched when he saw her big eyes, her lips, her nose... it was so much like
her
. For a moment he thought he was seeing a vision and that Kira was there with him. But that was ridiculous. He was far away from home, on an alien planet. This human was not Kira. She was gone. But the resemblance was uncanny. The only difference was her hair color. It was darker. And she was on the chubbier side, but he didn’t mind that. He thought she looked good.

Natalie didn’t notice the stranger who sat next to her, quietly observing her every move. She didn’t even notice the tiny, round translation device he slipped into her ear as he moved up next to her.

“May I buy you a drink?” he asked her, in the way that he had observed other human males do. His voice was deep and had an unusual lilt to it.

She turned toward him and looked up. Her red-rimmed eyes were bright and he saw that she was drunk.

“Y-yeah. I would love that,” she slurred, as she gave him a crooked smile. She saw the way he looked at her, and his cold, piercing gaze made her shudder.

He ordered a Cosmopolitan for her.

“So, what do they call you?” he asked, as he kept gazing at her with those piercing eyes.

She giggled and couldn’t wipe that stupid smile off her face. He sounded funny, she thought.

“I’m Natalie. And you are...?” she asked him, as she bent forward, gazing into his emerald-green eyes that were so intense, and so different. He seemed thirty-five or thirty-six, maybe? She couldn’t see his face properly. What was it? He seemed different and he didn’t seem to like her. No, she was being stupid. Why would he buy her a drink if he didn’t like her?

“Erdal,” he said, in his deep voice. He took a swig of his beer and gazed at her as she sipped her Cosmopolitan.

“C’mon, dance with me,” she said, slipping off her stool. She grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor as the music changed to a slow number.

Natalie leaned in on him, rested her head on his shoulder and slowly started swaying. He stood rooted to the spot. He didn’t understand why these humans were moving like crazy, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly, to the noisy beat. It seemed like some kind of weird mating ritual to him. Or maybe more of a prelude to the ritual.

“We should get going,” he said, in a sober tone. He was growing a bit uncomfortable with her body against his, and it was her scent that unnerved him: her sweet, intoxicating scent, which ensnared his senses. His breath hitched and he felt like getting out of there.

What was it with this woman? He would have to find out later.

“Umm, OK...” Natalie said, as he led her outside into the warm, balmy night. She should spend the night with this handsome stranger, she thought. It would get her mind off Matt. She might regret it later, but she didn’t care.

Erdal opened the door to his Ford Mustang and she got in. He came around the other side and got in, then quickly revved up the engine. He quietly drove out on the street and into the night. He still wore the hood on his head. Why wouldn’t he take it off? Natalie wondered. It seemed as if he were hiding something.

Her mind drifted to Matt once more as she stared out of the window. Just before he had left for New York, she had been making plans for his upcoming birthday. He hadn’t said anything, just smiled and went away. Tears welled in her eyes and streamed down her face at the memory.

“Oh, I miss him so much!” she burst out loud. She couldn’t take the silence in the car anymore and she didn’t care what the stranger thought about her.

Erdal gave her a sidelong glance as she sobbed uncontrollably.

“I thought we were happyyy... I… I... was hoping h-he would propose! B-but why would he want to marry me? I-I’m ugly, you see?” she stammered. “He is m-marrying Tyra... because she’s pretty.” Her breath came in gasps as she heaved a shuddering sigh.

Erdal wished the woman would shut up. Her sobs were really distracting. What was she talking about? It seemed that her lover left her for another woman, big deal. So she definitely wasn’t a virgin, but he didn’t care. He wanted to get this thing over with.

He turned onto a dirt road away from the freeway and drove down a few miles toward the open fields.

“I’m stupid. I… I should have known...” she said, in a quiet voice. “He didn’t love me,” she whispered. Then turning toward him she asked, “You... Would you dump an ugly woman like me?”

“Please be quiet,” he said, as his jaw clenched. This woman was so confused. She didn’t make sense. Her lover might have left her for some other reason, but she was far from ugly. She was beautiful.

He drove on for a while and parked the car near the edge of a grove.

“Follow me,” he said curtly, as he got out and opened the door for her.

He took her hand and pulled her out as she steadied herself. Still holding her hand, he led her toward the thicket. They walked among the trees and came to a clearing on the other side. Then he stopped and, turning, he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her body against his. She gasped as she looked into his emerald eyes. He tapped the band on his wrist a few times, and soon small, white, glowing particles appeared to surround them, as their bodies vanished into thin air.

***

Natalie’s heart raced. What was happening to her? Within the next few seconds, she was standing close to him again. But the field was gone. She was in a dimly lit cabin which resembled the inside of an elevator. The glass doors opened and she clung to him. He had to pry her hands off him as he led her outside into a narrow hallway, although he kept hold of her hand.

W-where are we?” she asked, a bit dazed, as her head spun.

“No more talking, woman,” he said, teeth clenched.

“My name is Natalie!” she said, as tears pooled in her eyes.

Natalie couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t tell her. He strode on down the hall and came to a door. He tapped the figures on the panel on the wall and the doors slid open. He dragged her inside and let go of her hand as he walked over to the console and tapped in more commands there. She stood there, gazing at his back. They were in a circular room with huge windows on one side, and a large console with an array of panels lining the center. There was a chair, too. It seemed like some kind of control room. This wasn’t real. Oh, she must be dreaming. She would wake up soon, she thought, giggling.

There was a distant humming around them. The ship went into warp drive as it streamed across the universe. He came back toward her and she saw that his hood was down. She gasped as her eye caught the subtle ridges at his temples. What was wrong with the man? But before she could ask him, he grabbed her by the arm and took her outside into the hallway.

“Where are you taking me?” she implored, tears streaming down her face.

“To your quarters,” he said.

Quarters? He meant a room, right? What was going on? She had a feeling this was a very strange hotel and something wasn’t right.

He stopped by another door and tapped on the panel as it slid open. He stepped in and pulled her along with him as the door closed.

He turned her in his arms and gazed deeply into her eyes. He had long dark hair and his ears were pointed, she observed. She gasped as she took in his intense gaze, his dark brow, the subtle ridges, straight chiseled nose and the strong jawline.

“Wh-what happened to you?” she whispered, as her hand reached up to touch the ridges on his temples. He grabbed her wrist gently but firmly as he gazed at her. He caught her heady scent again, mixed with the scent of her arousal. His breath hitched, and his intense gaze pierced her very soul. She had a dazed look in her eyes, and he saw that she still couldn’t figure out that he wasn’t human. She clung to him, not wanting to let go, and he saw how vulnerable she was. Her brown eyes were clear as day, and for a moment he forgot everything and thought he held Kira in his arms.

Natalie gazed at him and, leaning forward, planted a soft kiss on his lips. A dark shadow flitted across his eyes as he felt her silky lips on his.

“Kiss me, Erdal... Kiss me now...” she implored, murmuring against his lips, gazing at him, as she bared her soul to him.

Natalie didn’t care who he was. She
wanted
him. She
needed
him so she could numb the pain in her broken heart. And she didn’t care anymore.

No. No. No... Get away from her. She is not Kira. The king won’t like it! He will kill you!
A dark voice inside his head screamed.

Fuck him, Erdal thought. He grabbed the nape of her neck, tilting her head back, and bent his head, claiming her mouth with his at a perfect angle. His other hand caressed her back as she gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers entangled in his hair. She was eager, demanding as she slid her tongue into his mouth. He gasped, pulling back, surprised by her fiery passion. Her eyes were glazed and she wanted more. Desire raged through his blood as his eyes darkened and he fiercely claimed her mouth again. His tongue slid inside her mouth and grazed hers, urgent, demanding. She matched his dark passion as desire pooled deep down in her belly. His hand grabbed her behind and pulled her closer, his hips grinding against hers. They pulled apart to catch their breath as he peeled her dress off and admired her full breasts. Silly woman... how could she think she was ugly? He picked her up and roughly dropped her on the flat gray mattress, then took off his shirt and stepped out of his pants. His alabaster-white skin glowed in the dim, white light of the room, and his long, dark hair fell on his shoulders as she gazed at him. He bent down and peeled off her panties and, in a swift move, he was on top of her.