To Bed a King Read online

  Raven finished off his fig and held up a finger. “Give me a second.” He stood and jogged towards the water. Although the sea was quite salty, at least it got the majority of the sticky juices off his skin.

  He returned to the rug and made himself comfortable before addressing Ghazi’s comment. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what the King had been told. Flat on his back, Raven settled his mirrored sunglasses into place. “I suppose you’re referring to my enthusiastic activities in the bedrooms of some of my former clients.”

  Ghazi finally joined him on the rug after wiping his hands with a towel. “Do you try to seduce all the men you work for?”

  “All? No. I’m not a complete asshole. I do have standards.”

  “So this is just another game to you. Is that right?”

  The remark, hell the entire conversation, hurt for some reason unknown to Raven. He rolled to his side and propped his head up on his hand. “Let’s get something straight. If all I wanted was a cock in my ass, I’ve had plenty of opportunities since I’ve been on Jurru. For that matter, if I wanted yours badly enough, I’d have already had it.”

  “You think so?”

  Behind the shelter of his sunglasses, Raven raked Ghazi’s body. Although Ghazi’s swim trunks were much looser than his own, Raven could easily see the interest the conversation had provoked in the King. He leant in and scraped his teeth across the pebbled brown nipple that dared to tempt him.

  Ghazi’s cock filled even more at the action. Raven decided to make a point. He reached out and circled the abused nipple with the tip of his finger before running it down Ghazi’s toned and muscled abdomen. Before Ghazi could protest, Raven had his hand under the waistband of the trunks and wrapped around the large prize he’d been dying to hold.

  “Faris,” Ghazi reminded him.

  “Yes. His presence is the only thing keeping me from sucking this fat cock all the way down my throat.” He released Ghazi’s erection and leaned back. “I’ve made no secret of wanting you, but I have also, purposely, given you the space you seem to need. However, I’m tired of jacking off three times a day.”

  Ghazi readjusted his trunks. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that I need to be fucked. Call me a slut, call me anything you want, but I feel at my best with a nice fat dick inside my ass.”

  “Are you saying this to shock me?” Ghazi asked.

  “Not at all. Just putting it out there. I’ve seen the way Malik looks at me every time he comes into the palace. I’d rather be with you, but I’m tired of waiting for you to make up your mind.”

  “That horny sod. You stay away from Malik. He’d fuck a goat if it would let him.” Ghazi jumped to his feet and strode towards the sea at a fast clip.

  Raven grinned and settled back to soak up some of the early afternoon sun. It was only a matter of time before Ghazi started seeing things his way.

  * * * *

  “We should probably get Faris back,” Ghazi said, looking at his sleeping nephew.

  “Why? He’s obviously enjoying a peaceful nap in the shade. I’d say it’s a perfect time to go for a dip.” Raven stood and took off towards the sea.

  Ghazi studied the two large wings tattooed on Raven’s back as he walked away. He’d caught a brief glimpse of them earlier when they were eating their lunch with Faris but hadn’t felt he had the right to study them in depth with his nephew there. He sighed when Raven stopped and stepped out of his swim shorts before diving into the water. Give me more time, he silently begged.

  “Feels good. You comin’?” Raven yelled.

  The thought of Malik putting his hands on Raven had bothered him the entire afternoon. Every time he looked at Raven he could imagine the man on his hands and knees with Malik’s big body pumping its way in and out of him.

  Ghazi continued to fight himself for the next several minutes before rising to join Raven in the cool water. Unlike Raven, Ghazi opted to keep his suit in place. It simply wouldn’t do for Faris to wake and find his uncle and his bodyguard fucking, and Ghazi had no doubt that’s exactly what would happen if he were to strip his clothes.

  The moment Ghazi entered the water, Raven stood. The shallow water hit Raven mid-thigh, exposing his magnificent cock to Ghazi’s gaze. Bloody hell I’m in trouble. “Must you expose yourself for my nephew to see should he wake?”

  Raven grinned and walked towards Ghazi until they stood toe to toe. “I guess you’d better take me out deeper then, but just so you know, I don’t swim.”

  Giving in to temptation, Ghazi wrapped an arm around Raven’s waist and pulled the smaller man against him. “You don’t or you can’t?”

  “Same thing. I didn’t grow up on an enchanted island.” Raven clasped his hands behind Ghazi’s neck and pulled his head down for a kiss.

  Ghazi moaned as Raven’s tongue snaked its way into his mouth. The man was going to burn him alive with just a kiss. He started walking Raven backwards, deeper into the blue water.

  The further the water rose on his heated body, the more passionate the kiss became. Ghazi wasn’t sure if either of them would have enough spit left by the time they broke apart to swallow, but damn, it felt good to let go. He bent down and grabbed Raven by the back of the legs, pulling him up into his arms.

  Raven skilfully wrapped his legs around Ghazi’s waist without missing a single tongue thrust down Ghazi’s throat. With Raven’s ass in his hands, Ghazi began kneading the muscled globes, moving his fingers closer and closer to the hole he was dying to explore.

  “Fuck,” he groaned, sinking his middle finger into the hilt. “How is it that your body is so accommodating if you’ve been celibate since being on Jurru?”

  Raven wiped spit from his chin as he began to fuck himself on Ghazi’s finger. “I sure as hell didn’t come empty handed. I’m a man who likes toys, so sue me.”

  Ghazi inserted another finger, wondering if he could make Raven come without touching his cock at all. Despite the desire to throw the man onto the sand and fuck him senseless, Ghazi’s eyes strayed to his sleeping nephew. “We can’t do this.”

  “I think we’re doing a pretty good job of it.” Raven moaned as he reached between them to massage Ghazi’s cock through the thin material of his swim trunks.

  “No. I mean. Faris. The election.” Ghazi shook his head. “I have other things I should be concentrating on.”

  Raven stopped moving and stared into Ghazi’s eyes. “I’m not asking you to fuck me on your desk during a meeting. You do have to sleep, right?”

  “Yes, but I have a million things on my plate right now. I simply think it would be better to wait before jumping into a sexual relationship.”

  “Says the man with his fingers up my ass,” Raven replied in a dry tone.

  Ghazi sighed and rested his forehead against Raven’s. “You deserve my full attention. Not the scraps left over at the end of my day.”

  Raven bit his swollen bottom lip, looking both vulnerable and gorgeous. “I’d rather have a small portion of your time than no time.”

  With regret, Ghazi removed his fingers and placed a gentle kiss on Raven’s mouth. It would be so easy to agree with Raven, but he knew better. He’d had lovers in the past who couldn’t handle the demands Ghazi’s position required. His affairs had always ended badly because of it, and for some reason losing Raven wasn’t an option. Since he’d first met the man, he’d known there was something special about him. The more time he spent with Raven, the more sure he became.

  “A month. That’s all I’m asking for,” Ghazi pleaded.

  Raven unwound his legs from Ghazi’s waist and stood. “At least give me one date a week for the next four and you have yourself a deal.”

  “A date? As in dinner and dancing or kissing and fucking?”

  Raven shrugged. “I’ll leave that up to you.”

  Chapter Two

  Raven sat outside Faris’ classroom like he did every day. The waiting game didn’t usually bother him, but with his f
irst date only two days away, time seemed to crawl. He picked up the book he’d been reading and stared blindly at the pages.

  “Shit,” he mumbled, dropping the book back down to the floor. He needed to get his mind off Ghazi and back onto his job. Raven glanced up and down the empty halls of Jurru’s one and only school. What job? He was a damn babysitter.

  There hadn’t been any action on Jurru since Faris’ mother, Princess Almas and her husband Naji had been arrested for hiring men to assassinate Sheik Ali. Raven thought he’d enjoy the slow-paced lifestyle of Jurru, and he did most days, but he simply didn’t feel needed.

  He pulled the cell phone out of his pocket and ran his thumb over the keypad. There was an eleven hour difference between Jurru and Sparks, Nevada. A quick check of the time and Raven shoved the phone back into his pocket. As much as his mother loved him, he doubted she’d appreciate a call at one-thirty in the morning. Although, now that Susan Stone had begun dating again, maybe she would be up?

  Images of what his mother might be doing if she happened to still be awake sent a violent shiver through Raven’s body. No. I’m definitely not going there. He shoved the phone back into his pocket. It had taken his mom almost eight years to get over the sudden loss of her husband enough to take a chance on love again. Raven knew he should be happy for her, but there was a part of him that resented any man who wasn’t Sheriff Joshua Stone touching her.

  He was saved from himself when the school bell rang, signalling the end of the day. “Thank God.”

  Raven stood and waited for Faris to come through the door. As soon as the twelve-year-old stepped into the hall, Raven knew something was wrong. “What’s up?”

  Faris handed Raven his backpack and gestured towards the door. “I need to talk to you but not here.”

  Raven went on alert. He grabbed Faris’ upper arm and pulled him closer to his side as he studied the many faces roaming the hallway. “Are you in danger?”

  Faris surprised Raven by punching him in the side. “Look around. Do any of my classmates appear dangerous to you?” Faris shook his head and laughed.

  Because of the tourist trade in Jurru, the official language of the island was English, but many Jurruans spoke Arabic in their homes and with their friends. Although Raven understood Arabic, it wasn’t an easy language for him and listening to surrounding conversations took concentration, concentration he didn’t have at the moment.

  He hurried Faris out to the waiting car and climbed into the backseat with him. It would’ve been easier for Raven to just drive Faris to school, but they had all agreed leaving a vehicle in an unattended parking lot all day was a risk they didn’t need to take when the palace had several cars and drivers on hand.

  Settled in the seat, Raven gestured to the driver that they were ready. “Now, tell me what’s going on?”

  “Just a rumour, but I thought you’d like to hear it. Remember that kid, Nalu, who wanted to play soccer with us?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He hasn’t been in school all week. I heard a couple of the kids from Sanctuary say he stumbled back to his room a few days ago beat up. Then two big guys came and took him away.”

  “Sanctuary? What’s that?” Raven questioned.

  “It’s a boarding house of sorts. The yatim live there.”

  Raven knew yatim was the Arabic word for orphan. Why didn’t he know there was an orphanage on Jurru? He wanted to know more about Sanctuary, but first things first. “Did these kids say where the men took Nalu?”

  Faris shook his head. “No, just that they carried him back towards the harbour.”

  “Fuck! I knew something was wrong when Nalu left that evening to meet the incoming yacht.” As soon as they pulled up to the palace, Raven quickly ushered Faris inside. “No soccer today. I’m gonna see if I can find the kid.”

  “I don’t think I would do that if I were you,” Faris said, taking his backpack from Raven. “The kids at Sanctuary seemed pretty afraid of these guys.”

  Raven gripped Faris’ shoulder. “I’m not a kid, and I’m damn good at my job.”

  Faris looked uneasy. “Just be careful.”

  Raven grinned. “Always.”

  He left Faris and hurried to Ghazi’s office. Halim, Ghazi’s secretary sat at his desk outside of the King’s door. “Is he busy?”

  Halim glanced at the phone. “He’s ended his call. Would you like me to announce you?”

  “No time.” Raven knocked once at Ghazi’s door before stepping inside the office. “I need to talk to you.”

  Ghazi was standing at the window with his hands clasped behind his back. He slowly turned to address Raven. “What is it? I have things on my mind.”

  Raven was momentarily stalled by Ghazi’s cold demeanour. “Just thought you’d like to know that one of the boys from Sanctuary has been beaten and taken away by two strange men.” He held up his hands. “But hey, if you have more important matters to deal with don’t worry about it.”

  Ghazi’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, beaten?”

  “Beaten, as in bruised. Faris heard other kids from Sanctuary talking about it. And for that matter, why the hell didn’t you tell me Jurru had an orphanage?”

  “Because we don’t. Sanctuary is a privately funded facility. Other than routine inspections by the health authority, the government has no involvement.”

  “Yeah, well, I’d suggest you get involved.” Raven stepped further into the room. Even though he was pissed, Ghazi’s body still called to him. “I think he was taken to the yacht that came in last Friday. I’m on my way to get him. I just thought you’d like to know.”

  “We have a police force that can handle it,” Ghazi said. “It would be best if you stayed here.”

  “I’ll handle it. I’ll be in and out before the police have time to arrive.” Raven shook his head. “You’re just like Faris. You hired me because of my skills as a protector, right?”

  He waited for several seconds before Ghazi eventually nodded.

  “So let me protect. It’s better than sitting around here doing nothing.” Raven turned to leave but was pulled up short by Ghazi.

  Before he knew it, Raven was pulled against the King’s chest accepting the tongue that was licking at the seam of his mouth. The kiss was so good, Raven almost lost himself in it. He stroked his tongue against Ghazi’s once more before withdrawing. “I need to do this.”

  Ghazi nodded. “I have a special evening planned for Saturday. Don’t do anything to jeopardise your ability to join me.”

  Raven grinned and scraped his teeth across the heavy black stubble on Ghazi’s chin. “Is that your way of telling me to be careful?”

  Ghazi ran his lips over Raven’s forehead. “I wish that no blood be spilled, yours or theirs.”

  “Can I bring Nalu back to the palace?” Raven asked.

  Ghazi’s spine stiffened. “Nalu? Why didn’t you tell me it was Nalu who’d been taken?”

  Raven shrugged. “I didn’t figure you knew the kid by name.” He narrowed his eyes. “As a matter of fact, why do you know his name?”

  “Nalu is a rarity on the island. He just appeared one day. No one knows where he came from, and he has never been forthcoming with the information of his background. When he was twelve he applied for citizenship. It was then that I learned his name.”

  “And yet you still allowed him to live on his own?” Raven asked.

  “Despite what you think, Sanctuary was established for children such as Nalu. I felt he was reasonably happy there.”

  Reasonably happy? Raven swallowed around the newly formed lump in his throat and took a step back. As much as he wanted to blame Ghazi for his way of thinking, Raven couldn’t bring himself to challenge the man’s opinion, especially not when Nalu was in trouble.

  “May I bring him back to the palace with me?” Raven asked.

  Ghazi’s head tilted to the side, no doubt wondering at Raven’s sudden mood change. “Yes. If it is important to you.”

  “It is.
”

  Ghazi reached out and ran the back of his hand down Raven’s cheek. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, but we have things to discuss when I get back.”

  “Very well.” Ghazi gave Raven a quick, soft kiss. “Return safely.”

  * * * *

  After a quick check with the harbour master, Raven was able to ascertain which yacht had rented a slip Friday evening. The luxurious boat was huge, worth more than Raven could make in two lifetimes.

  With his Glock clearly on display, he approached the gangplank. He wasn’t surprised to find a large man standing at the top with his arms crossed. On his way to the harbour, Raven had decided against a sneak attack, knowing it would only end in gunfire, something Ghazi had asked him to avoid.

  “You speak English?” he asked the guard.

  “Who wants to know?” the man asked, a sneer on his pudgy round face.

  “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Raven Stone, personal bodyguard for His Majesty, King Ghazi Zahar. I am here for the boy, Nalu.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Raven settled his hand on the Glock. “Oh, I think you do. You have five minutes to get the boy and bring him to me.”

  “Or else?” the man questioned.

  “Or else, jackass, I’ll call the King and his soldiers to come down and rip this fucking boat apart. Unless you release the boy, I’ll see to it that everyone on board will be arrested and charged with kidnapping.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed. “Nalu is here working for my boss of his own free will.”

  “Really? Is that why you went to his room and carried him back onto this ship the other night?” Raven shook his head. “It’s not looking good for you. I’d suggest you go get Nalu and bring him up here.”

  The man turned around to speak into a radio. The action drew Raven’s attention to the slight bulge hidden under the man’s jacket. Fuck. It was Jurru law that all visitors surrender any weapons in their possession upon arrival on the island.

  “Stay here,” the man said before walking away.

  “Like hell I will.” Raven pulled out his phone and called Ghazi.