The Sheikh's Island (Sheikh's Wedding Bet Series Book 4) (8 page)

I
t was almost
midnight when someone knocked on her door. Wynifred looked up from the latest proof of her book and frowned. Who would be visiting her this late at night?

All sorts of thoughts ran through her head. There were sinister people living in the city. Popping on her tiptoes, she glanced out the peephole. Relief and confusion swept over her as she threw it open. "Rameez. What are you doing here?"

Moving past her, he ignored her question and started pacing around the room. Concerned, Wynifred closed the door. She was only dressed in a thin nightgown that fell mid-thigh. Grabbing a robe, she wrapped it around herself and stared at him.

"Rameez, I can tell that you're angry, but I can't help you unless you tell me what's going on."

He stopped pacing and turned to her. There was an intensity about him that took her breath away. As her lips parted and she took a step back, he relaxed his body and sat on the edge of the bed. "I didn't mean to scare you.” There was something dark and lethal in his voice, but she sensed the strain. He was trying to keep from lashing out.

Careful to keep her distance, she gave him a small smile. "That's okay. I'm here if you need to talk. Why don't you tell me why you came here?"

"For you."

His tone held the only message her body needed to hear. She felt warm desire spread in her body, but she still kept her back against the wall. "To talk?" she asked in a high-pitched voice.

"I'm tired of talking, Wynifred. You always want to talk about how I'm feeling, but when I want to tell you how I feel, you push me aside. I know you want me. I knew it the moment you laid eyes on me. So why don't you come here, and we can act on what we've both been fantasizing?"

"Rameez, I can't."

"To hell with the damn job," he roared. "There's nothing to mediate, Wynifred. Haris never hired you to help us. He wanted to seduce you into taking his side. He needed a woman between us so I didn't kill him when he finally told what he wanted. And when you didn't fall all over him, he invited my ex-girlfriend into town to drive a wedge between us. He looks at you with lust in his eyes. Do you feel the same way?”

Something had happened. She could see that, but his emotions were all over the place. In an effort to ground him, she moved quickly across the room and pressed her hands to the sides of his face. "Talk to me," she whispered. "Tell me what happened."

Instead of calming him, it did the complete opposite. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tight against him. His erection was obvious, and she gasped. Not out of indignation or anger.

Out of desire.

He knew it too.

“You didn’t answer the question,” he said darkly.

“I shouldn’t have to. You’re not an idiot.”

He chuckled and ran a finger down her cheek. "You're so sweet. So naïve. It's almost comedic that you're caught in this situation."

Leaning toward her, he kissed her. Hard. As his tongue slipped into her mouth, butterflies exploded in her stomach, and she couldn't do anything to fight off the desire. Moaning, she could only wrap her hands around his neck and hold on for dear life. The first kiss had only wet her appetite, and tonight, she was dying for the main course. "Rameez," she whispered when he pulled away.

"What, habibti? Tell me what you want." His hands moved to the tie of her robe, and with a single jerk of his hand, the knot came undone. She locked her knees to keep them from buckling as he lifted her hands from him so that the robe could slip off her shoulders and fall to the floor. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, as he looked at her in obvious admiration.

She was still wearing the nightgown, but in his heated gaze, she felt completely exposed, naked. She was too shy to tell him what she was feeling. Instead, she told him what she feared most in her heart. "It's not going to make you feel any better."

"You're all I think about," he growled. "You've completely taken me over. Now that I've tasted you, I can't let you go. Tell me that you don't want this."

Her mouth dried, and she found that even if she wanted to, the words weren't there. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, maybe even more. With a whimper, she wrapped her arms around him again as he stood up and scooped her into his arms. Turning around, he laid her on the bed. Her hair cascaded around her head like rays of sunshine.

“You are so sweet,” he whispered as he settled down on top of her. His hand cupped her breast, and his thumb rubbed over her nipple through the thin fabric. Wynifred felt dizzy with desire and arched into his touch. “You like that don’t you? Do you want more?”

Unable to speak, she nodded her head, pleased that he was accepting her nonverbal cues. If she had to talk now, she was sure she would ruin the moment. He grinned wickedly and reached down to grab the hem of her nightgown. Lifting her hips, she rubbed against him as he lifted the gown up her body. Pulling her into a sitting position, he lifted the gown the rest of the way off her, before she collapsed back on the body still too tongue-tied that this gorgeous man was looking at her with such desire.

Pressing against her, she could feel his erection through his jeans and she moaned as her legs wrapped around him seemingly of their own accord. It felt so good to give in to her desire. From the moment she’d laid eyes on him, she’d denied the lust inside her, but now it threatened to consume her.

Naked and writhing under him, she tugged at his shirt, pulling it over his head so she could lay her palms flat against his skin. Rameez grunted at the contact and raked his teeth over her shoulder. “Touch me again, sweetheart,” he begged her.

It was a request that she was more than happy to comply with. Running her hands across the sinewy muscles of his back, she delighted in discovering every inch of him.

Moaning, he inched down her body until he could take a swollen nipple in his mouth. “Yes,” she gasped as pleasure spiked through her. His tongue danced around her nipple as it tightened in the heat of his mouth before he switched to the other one drawing it tighter than the first.

Wynifred made noises of appreciation, as her moans turned to what sounded like a purr , body coming to life under his capable hands.

Lifting his head, he kissed her again, resting his body on one arm, so as not to put all his weight on her. His free hand skimmed down her body lighting her on fire as he blazed a path over her hip and then abdomen, before settling in the heat between her legs. Her pussy ached for his touch, and when he slipped a finger inside her, he froze.

“Wynifred,” he moaned. “You are so wet for me.”

He slowly stroked her, and she closed her eyes and felt the pressure inside her build. It was slow and sweet, but he wasn’t moving fast enough for her. “Harder,” she demanded as she leaned up for a kiss. His tongue plundered inside her, and his fingers moved faster to keep up the pace. Impatient, she reached down to unsnap his jeans and push them down around his hips. Pulling his erection free from the confines of denim, she circled her hand around him, causing him to growl in response.

“Is this what you want?” he demanded.

She squeezed him in answer, and he pushed himself up and off the bed so he could finish undressing. Wynifred raised herself up on her elbows to watch him, but he was already leaning over her to run his tongue along her slit. Crying out, she lifted her hips up, but it was only a tease. Releasing her, he slithered up her body and slowly pulled one of her knees up.

“Wynifred,” he panted as he probed her entrance. “I need you.”

“I’m yours,” she whispered, finding her voice at last.

With those words, he lifted both her legs before plunging deep inside her, causing her to whimper as he filled her so completely. There was no time for adjustment. He was already pulling out and plunging deep inside her, again; each stroke stretching her so she could better accommodate his surprising girth. Time stood still as he changed angles, touching her in all the secret places that made her quiver in response.

Adjusting her legs, she wrapped them tightly around his hips, digging her heels into his backside as she tilted her pelvis up, causing both of them to groan in appreciation. Everywhere he touched her, she cried out, begging him for more.

Finally, when she thought that she could take no more, her body began to shake in as pleasure coursed wildly through her tickling her feet as she curled her toes. Reaching between them, he found her swollen clit and pinched it lightly, as he commanded her, “Come for me, habibiti. Show me how much you want this.”

She dug her nails into his back and screamed his name, as her orgasm washed over her. Her body shook, as her muscles clenched tightly around him, pulsing against the heat of his cock.

His thrusts grew shorter, more eratic. Stilling, he pulled almost all the way out before plunging back in hard. Calling out her name on a groan, his own orgasm coursed through him, her body eagerly milking him, as she continued to pulse around him.

The light from the lamp still washed over them, and she kept her head buried in his shoulder. Sex had never been like that with anyone, and she was terrified to look at him. It wasn't possible for her to hide her emotions from him. Not after he'd stripped her bare and wrenched every ounce of pleasure from her.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he whispered as his fingers brushed her hair off her face and over her naked back. "Are you okay?

The idea that she'd be even remotely okay struck a chord inside her, and she could only laugh. His hands stilled as she shook. "Okay. I didn't expect that reaction from you," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," she said as she finally lifted her head. "It's just so unexpected. I've never ever slept with a client before, and I'm not sure how to act. Professionally, this could ruin my career."

"Is that all you care about?"

She could see the hurt in his face, and it made her relax. "No, of course not." Reaching up, she stroked the rough stubble around his jaw. "But I feel like I'm stumbling blind in the dark here. You didn't come here tonight to sleep with me. Whatever is going on, sex isn't going to fix it, Rameez. You have to tell me what's happening. You have to tell me so I can help you."

Staring at her, he slowly rolled her body off him. "Always the therapist, huh?" he said as he sat up on the bed before standing. It was the first time she'd seen his entire naked body at once, and she couldn't help but drink him in. He was magnificent.

He was also angry.

"Don't think of me as your mediator," she pleaded. "After what we did, it's certainly not appropriate."

His body stilled, and he took a deep breath. "Haris wants the island."

Anger shot through her, and she bolted upright. Wrapping the sheets around her body, she narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"He told me this afternoon that he'd do whatever I wanted if I turned the island over to him. This was never about a truce. He saw a way to get what he wanted, and now he's playing on my guilt to get it." He bent down and grabbed his jeans and t-shirt.

Wynifred tried to keep her voice calm. "Rameez." He didn't stop dressing, and she finally slipped out of bed and grabbed him. "Rameez!"

"If you're about to tell me that he's hurting, that he's lashing out because of some unknown trigger that we can't identify, you can save it," he said angrily.

"I'm not." Taking him by the hand, she led him back over to the bed and gently pushed him down. He watched her carefully as she slowly straddled him and let her weight settle in his lap. There was something erotic about the feeling of his jeans on her bare pussy, and she had to fight the urge to rub herself on him, as if she were a cat. Threading her fingers through his hair, she smiled at him. "I don't want you to leave like this."

"You're going to seduce me into staying the night?" he asked hoarsely.

"Are you okay with that? If you walk out of here, you might do something that you’ll regret." Feeling brave, she leaned closer to him until her nipples brushed across his t-shirt, the sensation of rubbing against the fabric making them tighten again. Pressing her lips to his throat, she made a little sound when his arms came around her.

He didn't say anything, so she leaned back and studied his face. It was oddly void of any emotion. She couldn't tell if he was angry or tuned out. Hesitantly, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her hip. Her body wanted him again, and if it kept him from doing something stupid, she was more than willing to seduce him into spending the night.

Rules be damned.

T
he first morning
, light warmed her skin, and she stretched and yawned. Opening her eyes, she looked at the wall on the other side and frowned. Her body was still sore from the night before, and she couldn't help but smile at the memory.

Nobody had ever made her feel like that before.

Lifting her head, she realized that his half of the bed was empty. Anxiety settled in, and she shot up in bed. "Rameez?" she called out. He wouldn't have snuck out in the middle of the night, would he?

"I'm right here," he said softly.

Wynifred turned her head and frowned. Rameez was fully dressed and sitting in the chair in the corner. His face was relaxed, but she could tell that his body was tense. "Do you need to leave?" she asked as she cleared her throat.

"Does it matter? You got what you wanted last night." His voice was so cold that she had to suppress a shudder. Something wasn’t right.

"Rameez, what's wrong? Talk to me."

Standing in one fluid move, he flashed her a dangerous smile. "You wanted to keep me busy so that I didn't do anything to hurt your precious Haris, and you got what you wanted. Thanks to your excitement last night, I'm well sated with a level head. But Haris will get that island when he pries it from my dead hands, and you can tell him that next time you speak to him."

"What?' Wynifred felt all the air escape her lungs. Clutching the sheets to her chest, she shook her head. "Rameez, I did want to keep you here last night, but it wasn't for Haris. I didn't want you to do anything that would get you hurt. I care for you. I'm not the type of woman who uses sex like a weapon."

"Aren't you though? It's funny. When I first met you, I thought you were this fresh ray of sunshine, so full of hope and positive energy. It's not very often that I'm wrong."

Angry tears pricked her eyes, but she pushed them back. She had no idea what was going on in his mind, but she wasn't about to let him see her cry. Taking a deep breath, she narrowed her eyes. "You are wrong, Rameez. I asked you to stay last night because I wanted you. You. Not your cousin. Whatever you think you see is only because you are expecting to see it. If you really follow your gut instincts, listen to them now."

"Aren't you the one who told me that gut instincts aren't always right?" His voice had a steel edge to it, and Wynifred flinched. "Pack your things and leave, Wynifred. You're done here."

He rose from the chair and strode to the door, as Wynifred slowly sank back down in the mattress. When the door slammed shut, she finally let the hot tears streak down her cheeks. Never in a million years did she think that Rameez could be so cruel.

Maybe she was wrong. Love didn't conquer everything. It only got people hurt.

Sliding slowly from the bed, she moved to the shower. Her feet were as heavy as her heart felt, but determination and stubbornness kept her going. Under the hot water, she tried to imagine the last few minutes washing away from her body and spiraling down the drain. When that didn't make her feel any better, she tried to imagine the whole night washing away.

If she had kept things professional, if she had not succumbed to Rameez, none of this would have happened.

The water ran cold before Wynifred shut it off and reached out for the towel. Drying off, she wiped away the steam and studied herself in the mirror. Where was the confident woman who thought she could fix the world's problems?

Maybe love wasn't the problem here. Gripping the counter top, Wynifred bit her lower lip as an idea formed in her head.

Shifa hadn't said a word about raising the boys outside the city. Why would she keep that information from her?

She knew something that she wasn't telling.

Steeling her resolve, Wynifred tried to block out Rameez's harsh words. She had never given up on a problem before, and she sure wasn't going to give up on one now.

An idea formed in her head, but first, she needed help from a certain gorgeous model.

* * *

Q
aura met Wynifred
outside Shifa's house. Her eyes were full of concern. "Rameez is an idiot," she spat as she reached out and hugged Wynifred.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Wynifred asked softly. What she was asking of her new friend wasn't going to be easy.

"No," Qaura admitted. "But the truth needs to come out."

"Yes, it does." Wynifred turned her head to stare at the house. "And that starts with Rameez's mother. Come on."

They marched briskly up the front walk. Rapping smartly on the front door, Wynifred put her hands on her hips and waited. They hadn't called Shifa to announce their visit because she wanted to catch her off guard. If she'd been hiding her secret for this long, it wouldn't be easy to get her to talk.

"Wynifred! Qaura! I had no idea you were in town. It's so lovely to see you," Shifa said as she opened the door. Qaura hugged Shifa, and Wynifred could see that the two women had bonded in the past.

Good. That would make everything easier.

"Have you finally reached those stubborn boys," Shifa asked brightly as she ushered them in.

"As a matter of fact, I haven't," Wynifred said in a low voice. "Things are actually much worse."

"Worse? How could they possibly be worse?"

"Haris has demanded that Rameez sign over the island before he agrees to a truce."

Shifa's eyes widened, and she bit her lower lip. Panic was finally starting to set in. "He wouldn't do that," she protested. "He probably only wants attention. That island means a good deal to Rameez. Haris knows that."

"Yes, he does," Wynifred said as she crossed her arms. "And that makes it the perfect weapon to use against him."

Shaking her head, Shifa wrapped her arms around herself and turned toward the living room. Unwilling to give the woman any peace, Wynifred quickly followed behind her. "Shifa, I'm trying hard to help you, but I can't do that when you're not telling me everything."

"I've told you everything," Shifa muttered, but her voice was too high pitched. "I have no idea what goes on in their minds. That's what you were supposed to find out."

"That's the problem. They don't know why they hate each other. They only know that they do. Something happened to them when they were children, and its embedded deep in their subconscious. It's something big or it wouldn't still be controlling them."

"And you think I know what that is?"

Qaura stepped forward and smiled sadly. "Shifa, I know that you and Rameez moved here after his father died. Why didn't you tell Wynifred?"

Shifa's shoulders slumped, and she closed her eyes. "I promise that I didn't withhold information on purpose. It's just that the past didn't follow me here, and that was nice."

"Is there something that you're ashamed of?" Wynifred pressed.

"Ashamed?" Shifa scoffed. "Of course not. I would not change anything about my past. Not a single moment. Rameez and Haris are both good men, but they're not always good to each other. Had I chosen differently, they may not be the strong men that they are now."

Wynifred sat down on the couch and put her hand on Shifa's arm. "What do you mean chose differently? You may not think that this is important, Shifa, but it is. Tell me what happened."

Shifa closed her eyes and sighed as she sat down. "My husband was a good man. He was kind to me, and he loved me with all of his heart. He was an amazing father to Rameez, and I mourn his passing with every breath I take. He was the love of my life, but I met him through his brother."

"Haris’ father?" Wynifred asked softly.

Shifa nodded. "I met Mohammed when I was sixteen. He was devastatingly handsome and charming. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when he asked me out. I was a naive teenager, full of dreams, and I couldn't have possibly predicted what would happen. After dating him for a year, his mother got sick, and his older brother moved back to help take care of her."

"Rameez's father." Qaura sat on the other side of Shifa and touched her arm. "You fell in love with Mohammed's brother."

Shifa nodded. "I was supposed to meet Mohammed one day, but when I stopped by the house, he wasn't there. Asad was. Something happened when I laid my eyes on him, but I tried to ignore it. Asad invited me in and told me that I could wait, but he didn't leave my side. We talked. We got to know each other. By the time Mohammed finally walked through that door, I knew that I was deeply in love with his brother. Still, Asad was a gentleman. He never touched me, and he never did anything to indicate that he had any feelings for me. I didn't leave Mohammed for Asad. I left him because I knew that I didn't love him."

"How long until you started dating Asad?" Wynifred asked softly.

"Six months." Shifa smiled fondly. "I stayed away from the whole family, but I would occasionally run into Asad. At the time, it felt like the universe was pushing us together, but Asad was actually orchestrating things so that he could run into me. He'd fallen in love with me, but he didn't want to hurt his brother. Finally, one night, I was walking home, and I could feel his eyes on me. I stopped and looked up, and there he was. Staring at me from across the street. I knew in that moment that I couldn't ignore my feelings for him anymore, and he felt the same. He nearly killed himself crossing the street to get to me. He kissed me like I'd never been kissed before, and we were wed within a month of that night."

"That is so romantic," Qaura murmured.

Wynifred thought the same, but she wasn't about to let that skew her feelings for the situation. She asked the obvious question. "How did Mohammed take it?"

"At that time, he was already seeing someone else. He didn't say anything until the night before my wedding. He showed up at my house drunk. Took one look at me and told me that his brother didn't deserve me. We never spoke of it, and he never made any accusations against his brother or our marriage after that."

Wynifred sat back and frowned. "He couldn't. Asad was his older brother. He probably worshipped him, respected him, just as Haris worshipped and respected Rameez."

"I'm not ashamed of what happened, but I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was relevant. The boys were competitive growing up, but it wasn't until a few years ago that the competition turned bitter. That was long after Mohammed and Asad were gone."

Wynifred turned and stared at Qaura. "Yes, it was long after they were gone. But something happened when they were children, something to drive them apart. And then something happened to them as adults to trigger it."

"You don't think?" Qaura asked with a frown.

"I don't think." Wynifred closed her eyes and took in a shuddering breath. Everything was so clear now. "I know."

A look of horror crossed Qaura's face. "But they don't know."

"No, they don't. And if we don't do something quick, they might do something they can't come back from."