One Hot Desert Night (6 page)

“So exactly where does your land begin?” she asked to disrupt the silence that had gone on way too long.

“We passed the property’s boundary twenty miles ago.”

“Wow.” All she could think to say in light of the revelation. “You obviously own half of Bajul.”

“Not quite half.”

“How did you manage to wrangle the property away from the royal family?”

“A portion of the land was willed to me upon my aunt’s death. The rest I purchased since the area is not conducive for development.”

“I can understand that. Most people don’t care to live in the middle of nowhere.”

“I am not most people.”

That personal assessment wasn’t remotely up for debate. “Is that why you haven’t built your own palace?”

“I have no need for a palace,” he said, his tone surprisingly serious. “I travel much of the time.”

“I assume you have no need for a wife and kids, either.”

“Not presently.”

She would have sworn she heard a touch of wistfulness in his voice. “How much longer until we get where we’re going?”

A split second after Sunny posed the query, Rayad took a sharp right turn and stopped the Mercedes in front of a fortress-like entrance, complete with barbed, ten-foot fencing. He then lifted the console, took out a remote control and pointed it at the heavy steel gate that opened wide to allow them entry.

She felt as if she were entering a prison and that resurrected memories she was hard-pressed to ignore. “What is this place? Some kind of military compound or maybe a sheikh commune?”

“You will see soon enough,” he said as he drove forward.

If she wasn’t so darned inquisitive, she might have demanded a better explanation before she allowed him to proceed. But crazy as it seemed, she didn’t consider him threatening. “I’m looking forward to it.”

They traveled down an afterthought dirt road that narrowed between two large stone formations. After threading the rocky needle, they finally reached a wider spot next to one of the behemoth boulders.

Rayad put the Mercedes in Park, turned off the ignition and shifted to face her. “Before we enter, you must promise me you will never speak of this place to anyone.”

Sunny did a quick visual search but found nothing that even remotely resembled a structure. “I don’t even see a
place
.”

“Promise me.”

Rayad’s stern tone said he meant business. “All right,” she conceded. “I promise to keep my mouth shut, like I do when I’m protecting an anonymous source. But if you want me to climb that wall, you should know I didn’t bring any spikes or rappelling equipment.”

“No climbing will be involved at this juncture.” He opened the SUV door and told her, “Come with me.”

When Rayad walked to the back of the Mercedes and retrieved what looked like a cooler, Sunny reached back to grab her own bag. She slid out of the seat and retraced his path, her mind caught in a web of confusion when he stopped in front of the mini-mountain. That confusion turned to blatant curiosity when he set the cooler down and opened a hidden panel set in the red-orange rock face, revealing a hi-tech keypad. While she looked on, he punched in a series of numbers, and just like that, the seemingly smooth stone parted. Definitely the stuff spy movies were made of. She wouldn’t be a bit surprised to find a houseman greeting them with a tray of martinis.

After Rayad stepped aside, Sunny moved forward to find no servants, but she did discover another set of narrow stairs descending into darkness. Fortunately, this time she’d had enough sense to wear sneakers, not stilettos. Unfortunately, her heart began to beat at an accelerated clip when she noticed the narrow walls. “You seriously want me to go in there?”

“I promise it is safe.”

She shifted the bag’s strap to her shoulder. “No bats?”

“No. Or asps.”

She could use some oxygen after hearing the reference to reptiles. “Thank goodness for small favors.”

Rayad put the cooler down again, picked up a torch leaning against the wall, retrieved a lighter from his pocket and transferred the flame to a pair of sconces on either side of the steps. Then he turned and pressed a button to his left, closing the door behind him. “Follow me, and take care with your footing.”

He certainly didn’t have to worry about that. She’d take care all day long if necessary. While she followed behind him, Rayad lit more sconces as they traveled downward into the abyss. The scent of earth and a slight chill assaulted her. Luckily, she didn’t smell fire and brimstone, although right now she wouldn’t be surprised if they came across Hades.

Much to Sunny’s relief, they eventually reached the final stair where she exhaled slowly when her feet hit the dirt floor.

Rayad paused and flipped a switch that illuminated several overhead lights, revealing a lengthy corridor. “A generator provides electricity, but I use it sparingly.”

Sunny joined him and did a quick survey of the room to her right that held no real furnishings but a lot of electronics. “What is all this?”

“My means to communicate with the outside world.”

Awareness began to dawn. “Is this a covert military installation?”

“In a manner of speaking,” he said. “It’s a natural bunker available for the royal family should Bajul come under attack. I discovered it several years ago.”

“And that’s when you found the artifacts.”

“Yes. I have spent many days here exploring the surroundings and modifying the caverns to house occupants. I come here often when I am not on duty.”

Now it all made sense. “So this is also your own personal hideout.”

“Perhaps some would view it as such.”

Including her. She couldn’t help but wonder exactly what he might be hiding from. Granted, he’d claimed to be involved in military intelligence, but she sensed there might be more to the story. “Is this all there is to it?”

“No. I will show you the rest.”

And he did, beginning with one room that held several bunks and what appeared to be an adjoining latrine. “This is huge. Do you sleep here?”

“I have my own private quarters that you will soon see, and you may leave your bag here.”

She really didn’t see much of anything other than a long, narrow hallway. “Can’t wait,” she said as she set her duffel on the dirt floor by the door.

They continued on to a stockroom with rows of shelves holding what appeared to be military K-rations. A self-contained, primitive hostel. “I take it you don’t have a refrigerator.”

He placed the cooler on a table in the corner then faced her again. “No, but since the cave holds steady at fifty-eight degrees, spoilage is not an issue when I have fresh fruit delivered.”

“All the way out here? That must cost a pretty penny.”

“Money is not a concern when comfort is involved.”

Of course it wasn’t. The man probably had a fortune holed up in a wall somewhere. “Did you bring some fruit with you today?”

“Yes, and some other supplies,” he said as he rejoined her in the corridor. “Should we require more, several outlying villages are not far away.”

“Since we’re only going to be here today, I’m sure we have enough to get us by.”

“Perhaps,” he said. “Let us now continue the tour.”

After they traveled a few more feet, the hallway hit a dead end at another stone wall. Sunny assumed the tour was over, until once again Rayad revealed a keypad much like the one at the entry.

“What you have seen has been designed solely for security,” he said. “What you will soon see is designed solely for pleasure.”

He then punched in another code, and the walls parted like that proverbial Red Sea. The view he revealed absolutely stole her breath, but not because the area seemed confining. On the contrary, the place was massive—and mystical. The palace-size cavern, with glistening stones dotting the natural walls, could best be described as a fantastical, natural wonderland. Across the way, stalactites hung from the towering ceiling while stalagmites jutted up from the ground. And in the middle of the Caribbean-blue pool of water, a beam of light shone down from a large circular opening in the cave’s roof.

A few moments passed before she recovered enough from her amazement to speak. “This is unbelievable. It reminds me of Jeita Grotto in Lebanon.”

“Yet not quite as large,” Rayad said from behind her. “And it is virtually untouched by man.”

She couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from the remarkable sight. “It’s truly a desert oasis. Where does the water originate?”

“From an aquifer fed by runoff from the mountains. Another of Bajul’s hidden treasures.”

Amazing. “Water is definitely in short supply in the region.”

“That is why Zain has begun the conservation efforts. Eventually, it will be exported and in turn, secure the country’s future, as well as save lives.”

“Zain has seen what the lack of water can do to people. So have I.”

She heard footsteps and sensed Rayad’s presence before he said, “Are you not curious about my personal quarters?”

Sunny turned to find he was only a foot or so away. “Actually, I am.”

“Then look behind me to my left.”

Only then did she see the makeshift bedroom carved out of the rock. And on the raised ledge, a huge bed covered in dark blue satin and draped with a sheer canopy. A cave boudoir definitely fit for a prince. “Incredible. Do you have an en-suite bathroom? Maybe a steam shower and a whirlpool tub?”

He smiled. “Who needs those accoutrements when you have your own pool?”

“You bathe in the pool?”

“At times I have.”

That unearthed some fairly naughty images involving a very masculine, well-toned body wet and slick with soap... “I suppose that makes you a modern caveman.”

His low, sexy laugh echoed off the walls of the cavern. “I suppose that would be accurate.”

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts against the onslaught of shivers, resulting from the cool temperature and his overt sensuality. “Well, as long as you don’t beat me with a club and drag me by my hair, I can deal with that.”

His expression went suddenly somber. “I would never do such a thing.”

“It’s a joke, Rayad.”

“My apologies, but I find no humor in abusive behavior toward women.”

Evidently he didn’t bring his wit along with him. She also suspected a story existed behind his attitude. “I truly appreciate that. And in case I haven’t said it before, I feel very safe with you.”

Rayad surprised her by drawing her into a light embrace then rubbed his palm gently up and down her back. Funny, she hadn’t even flinched, demonstrating how her trust in him had grown.

A few moments later, he framed her face in his palms and kissed her forehead. “Your faith means a great deal to me.”

She smiled. “You’re welcome. And now that you have me here, what’s next?”

“We still have much to explore,” he said as he kept his arms around her.

“Oh, really? What will we be exploring?”

“The cavern, of course.”

“Too bad.” Her face heated over her spontaneous comment. “I’m sorry. I meant I’m getting kind of hungry.”

He stroked his knuckles softly up and down her cheek. “We will take a brief tour, then we will have lunch.”

“Not that food in the supply room, I hope.”

“No. I have brought something special from the palace.” He studied her eyes. “I am very glad you are here.”

“So am I.”

And she was. By day’s end, Sunny hoped that still remained true.

Six

H
e’d traveled through the tunnels many times before, yet seeing the cavern through Sunny’s eyes made the experience seem new to Rayad. But when they had ended up in tight quarters several times, she had inadvertently brushed against him, stirring his body and his fantasies.

Even now, as he walked behind her and watched the gentle sway of her hips, he wanted her greatly. His fantasies took flight as he imagined Sunny naked, her long legs wrapped around his waist. He wanted to know how her bare flesh would feel against his palms, how she would feel surrounding him as he buried himself deep inside her.

Shaking off the images, Rayad remembered his vow to move slowly. He must accept that quite possibly nothing would come of his desire for her.

“Which way should I go?” she asked when they met a crossroads.

“To your right.”

Once they emerged from the passageway, she turned to him and smiled. “We’re back where we started.”

“Yes, we are.”

She snapped off the flashlight. “Any chance we can have lunch now? I’m really, really hungry.”

As he was, but not only for food. “I suppose I could accommodate you.”

“Gee, thanks. I’d hate to start foraging for wild berries since I doubt I’ll find any.”

“Berries actually are a possibility.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please don’t tell me we’re about to trek through the desert to pick berries.”

She brought about his smile that arrived more often in her presence. “No need for that. Now if you will follow me, I will bring our meal to you.”

“Gladly.”

He guided her around the bank of the aquifer and across the small wooden bridge he had built with his own hands. Once they reached his private quarters, he told her, “Wait here, and I shall return shortly.”

“Hurry,” she called out to him as he entered the bunker. “Or I’m going for the granola bars I brought with me.”

He strode into the supply room to retrieve the container housing their meals. After he returned to Sunny, he nodded toward the pair of large crimson pillows next to the bed. “We will sit here to dine.”

Sunny lowered herself onto the cushion and crossed her legs before her. “I’ve heard of breakfast in bed, but never lunch next to the bed. So what’s on the menu?”

After he took his place on the opposing pillow, Rayad opened the cooler, lifted the platter, set it between them and uncovered it. “This is the palace chef’s specialty.
Shawarma
on taboon bread, topped with hummus and olives.”

She picked up the sandwich, studied it briefly and then took a bite. “This is delicious,” she said. “And I can’t wait to dive into the dates and cheese.”

He might have to dive into the nearby pool if he kept watching her mouth as she ate—and imagining how that lovely mouth would feel on his body. Instead, he handed her a bottled water, small silver plate and white cloth napkin. “Please eat as much as you would like. We have another tray for our dinner if this is not enough.”

She paused midbite and frowned. “I thought we’d be heading back before dinner.”

He tamped down his disappointment, with effort. “I had planned to have the evening meal here, beneath the stars.”

Sunny mulled that over for a moment before she addressed him again. “I have to admit that sounds tempting, as long as you have me home before midnight in case I turn into a pumpkin.”

“Pumpkin?”

She laid the sandwich down and dabbed at her mouth. “You know the story. Fairy godmother. Handsome prince. Young girl with evil stepsisters... Never mind. I tend to forget we’re not culturally on the same page.”

“Actually, I do know the fairy tale. Yet if my recollections are accurate, the young woman’s gown turns to rags at midnight. I do not recall the threat of becoming a pumpkin.”

Her laughter gave Rayad surprising joy. “Apparently, you can be very literal in your interpretation of folklore.”

“Do you believe in these fairy tales?”

“If you’re referring to happily-ever-after, I’m on the fence. My grandparents have been married for over fifty years and seem to still be in love. But my mother, and I use that term loosely, went from one man to the next, so obviously, she’s never found what she was looking for in a relationship.”

“And your father?”

She turned suddenly sullen. “I have no idea who he is. I did some investigating a few years back and after seeing the possible prospects, I gave up the search. Some things are better left unknown.”

He would have to agree with that in terms of his past. “My parents have been wed over thirty years, although their marriage was arranged. However, they seem genuinely fond of each other.”

“Fond isn’t the same as love. I sincerely hope for Piper’s sake that forever love does exist. But I’m certainly not looking for a charming prince to ride in to rescue me.”

“You do not strike me as a woman who needs to be rescued.”

“Are you sure that’s not what this is all about?” she asked. “The noble sheikh attempting to save me?”

He would be foolish to believe he could save her when he had already failed another. Yet in some small way he needed to try in an effort to atone for his transgressions. “I am an ordinary man spending time with an extraordinary woman who needs a respite.”

“You’re definitely not ordinary, and I’m anything but special. But I do appreciate the compliment and that you’re concerned about my well-being.”

He reached out and touched her face. “As I have said before, I appreciate a beautiful woman whose humility prevents her from realizing her true worth. However, beauty is not only about physical traits. It involves the soul, even one that is injured. Yours might be wounded, yet it makes you no less attractive.”

“Before we head in that direction,” she began, “I’d rather talk about something more pleasant.”

At some point he hoped she would talk to him about her experience. Since that would not happen in the imminent future, he opted for a suggestion that did not involve conversation. Perhaps not his first option but one that best suited her situation. “Would you wish to swim?”

She averted her eyes. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

“Did you not pack your suit as I suggested?”

“I have it.” She finally raised her gaze to his. “I also have a reminder of my recent experience. A not so pretty scar.”

“Show me.”

“Maybe later.”

Needing to encourage her, Rayad pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, revealing his own scars. “I received this six years ago,” he said as he pointed to the jagged line on his left side. “The bruise on my right is from the broken ribs. On my back you will find a random pattern of slashes, compliments of a murderous insurgent who held me hostage and attempted to beat information from me.”

Her green eyes widened. “How did you escape?”

Barely with his life. “My captor made the mistake of freeing my hands to move me to another chamber. He suffered a broken jaw for his efforts, and I managed to steal away without detection.”

“I know all about fighting for freedom.” Her tone hinted at a very real fear.

“Each scar we earn in our lifetimes has a story, Sunny. Every wound marks a challenge that we have overcome. If you will not show me your scar, then I implore you to tell me your story.”

She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “If I do this, will you promise not to tell Piper the details?”

He worried the details were much worse than he had first presumed. “As I told you previously, what is shared between us, remains between us.”

“I’ll try to be brief.”

“Take as much time as you need.”

When a long span of silence passed, he thought she had reconsidered. Then finally she began to speak. “We were staying in a small village in Angola, covering a story on a group of aid workers. We knew going in that the area drew a dangerous criminal element due to the diamond trade. I don’t think I realized how dangerous until that night.”

As she hesitated again, Rayad took her hands into his. “You believe your attackers were a part of this element?”

She shook her head. “I’m not sure. I never saw them. They spoke broken English, and their accents had a Spanish note to them, but that’s not what they were speaking because I know Spanish.”

“How did you come upon them?”

She shifted on the pillow, a certain sign of discomfort. “Cameron and I were staying in a small bungalow in the center of the village. We’d had an argument about our future. He wanted to settle down and return to the U.S. and get married and have kids. I wasn’t ready for that, and he knew it, but he kept pushing me. When I told him it might be best if we parted ways since we didn’t want the same things, he demanded I leave and find somewhere else to spend the night. He insisted he didn’t want to spend even one more minute in my presence. I decided to go for a walk until he calmed down.”

He muttered an oath aimed at the man’s disregard for his partner’s safety. “He should not have allowed you to leave. He should have been the one to leave.”

She sighed. “He realizes that now. He feels very guilty about the whole incident.”

“As he should.” In an effort to return to the abduction, Rayad asked, “What happened when you went on the walk?”

As if she could not tolerate the contact, she wrested her hand from his and gripped the pillow on either side of her thighs. “I was upset, so I wasn’t aware of my surroundings. I passed by an alley and was ambushed. Someone pushed me to the ground and taped my mouth shut before I could even scream. They blindfolded me before I could get a good look, but I know there were at least two of them. One held me down, and the other tied me up.”

“Is that where they kept you captive?” he asked, though he knew that most likely was not the case.

“No,” she answered, confirming his suspicions. “Someone carried me to a small house, although I didn’t know that at the time. I only knew I was put in some sort of tight space, like maybe a closet. I heard a door close, but I couldn’t see a thing, and I could barely breathe, thanks to the tape on my mouth. I felt like I’d been buried alive.”

“And that is the cause of your fear of enclosed spaces.”

“Yes, it is,” she continued. “I did get a periodic break when every now and then, I’d get yanked out, put in a chair and slapped around for unknown reasons other than I was an American journalist, or so I assumed.”

His stomach pitched at the thought of anyone raising a hand to her. He had to pose a question that, depending on the answer, could change everything. A question he had presented Piper, yet he could not trust the answer. “Forgive me for asking, but were you sexually assaulted?”

She released a laugh that held no humor. “One of them tried. He came into that closet, closed the door and pawed me. He whispered things in my ear that I didn’t understand, but I could just imagine what he was saying, and it wasn’t pleasant. I still remember the way he smelled, like booze and sweat, as he climbed on top of me and tore at my clothes. I try not to think about it.”

When Sunny seemed to mentally wander away, Rayad asked, “Do you wish to stop now?”

“There’s more,” she said, as if unburdening had become a total necessity. “The second time he came to me, he was more forceful, and that’s when I started to realize it was only a matter of time before he...before it happened. And after that, I sensed they would kill me. The fight-or-flight response took over because I knew I had to find some way to escape.”

“You fought him?”

She sent him a slight smile. “No. After he ripped the tape from my mouth, I knew what was going to occur if I didn’t get away from him. I started to retch and told him I was going to throw up when he tried to kiss me, which wasn’t far from the truth. I said I needed air or a bathroom or something. He dragged me out of the room by my wrists, pulled me to my feet then barked out an order to his partner. The next thing I knew I was being dragged somewhere. When I felt a breeze I realized I was outside, but I was terrified over what might transpire next.”

“Clearly, you evaded them, or you would not be here,” he said after a long pause in the conversation.

She drew in a ragged breath before continuing. “Luckily, my tormentor’s partner untied my arms and legs, and that’s when I saw my chance to kick and bolt. Before I could do that, I heard a voice whisper in my ear, ‘Run.’ And I did, as fast as I could. I stumbled while trying to remove the blindfold, but I recovered quickly and kept running. Then I heard the gunshot and a bullet whizzing by my head.”

Rayad gritted his teeth against the force of his fury. “He gave you your freedom and then attempted to kill you?”

“It wasn’t a
he
.”

That temporarily shocked him into silence. “Your captor was a woman?”

“Yes, and I believe she wanted me to escape. I also believe she shot at me in an effort to convince her partner she tried to prevent me from getting away.”

“After all that they did to you, you still believe in their humanity?”

“
Her
humanity. She may have been caught up in some Bonnie-and-Clyde scenario. She might have even been jealous that I was receiving her cohort’s attention. I’ll never know her motives or exactly why they targeted me.”

“You believe these two were possibly lovers?”

“Maybe. I just remember him repeating the name Emma or maybe Erma, but it always sounded so sarcastic.”

A possible clue to her abductors’ nationality. “It was most likely
irmã
, Portuguese for
sister
.”

“That would explain the accent and why she let him have his way with me. A sick sibling relationship for sure. Regardless, she did allow me the opportunity to escape, and for that I’m grateful.”

Her attitude, though honorable, took him aback. “I unfortunately cannot share your sense of compassion. I have no use for any person, male or female, who systematically tortures another.”

She rested a palm on his forearm. “I can only imagine why you might feel that way in your line of work. But I have to continue to believe that most people are inherently good, or at least have some goodness in them. Otherwise, I might have totally withdrawn and stopped living for fear of running into bad guys around every corner. That is no way to exist.”