To Bed a King (7 page)

Raven seemed to pick up on Ghazi’s dilemma but with the wrong conclusion. “You know I’m right, don’t you?”

“No,” Ghazi barked, shaking his head vehemently. “I’m trying to figure out what to say to make you understand that it’s not about being good enough.” Their earlier attempt at making love suddenly became clearer in his mind. “Do you always make love while facing away from your partner?”

Raven reared back. If it hadn’t been for Ghazi’s grip, he would have fallen from the bench. “I don’t make love. We were fucking, and yeah, usually I prefer the position we were in or all fours. Why? Is that not good enough either?”

“No, it’s not,” Ghazi said, surprised that he was willing to be so honest about his feelings. “For me, it was making love.”

“You don’t love me. How could you?” Raven asked.

Ghazi shook his head. “I don’t believe you have to be completely in love to make love to someone. It’s a step, one of many, a couple must take to fall to the point of giving up one’s independence to be with another person.”

Reaching up, he ran the back of his hand against Raven’s smooth cheek. “I want to take those steps at your side.”

“It would be a stairway leading nowhere, Your Majesty.”

“Don’t. Don’t throw that title in my face, not now.”

“But it’s who you are. You may be able to forget it. Hell, I might even be able to forget it for a while, but eventually we have to face the truth.” Raven leant in and gave Ghazi a soft, TO BED A KING

Carol Lynne

44

brief kiss. “There isn’t a society in the world that would welcome someone with my background being publicly linked with their king.”

“I have no intentions of putting a crown on your head and making you prance around as my queen. Don’t you see? That’s why your position as my bodyguard is perfect. You can forever be at my side without raising the political repercussions neither of us is ready to deal with.”

Tears filled Raven’s dark eyes as he untangled himself from Ghazi’s lap and started towards the palace. “Don’t you have a meeting to get to?” he asked without bothering to wait for Ghazi.

Ghazi wanted to call Raven back. He wanted to ask what he’d said to cause such an emotional reaction in the man. He’d thought the reassurance that the two could be together, regardless of politics, would help ease Raven’s mind about their future. Obviously, he’d fucked up yet another aspect of his life.

* * * *

Standing on the tarmac, Raven waited anxiously for his friends to disembark the King’s private jet. He doubted he’d ever needed friends as much as he needed them now. The last several days had been pure hell.

Knowing Ghazi wanted to be with him, but only in private was a double-edged sword.

Once again he wasn’t good enough, not that he’d had illusions otherwise. He’d always known a real relationship between the two of them was impossible, but hearing Ghazi’s solution felt like the final nail in the coffin of his dream.
It was a stupid dream anyway.

The door opened and Seb stepped out of the jet, shielding his eyes against the bright afternoon sun. He pulled a pair of mirrored sunglasses out of his pocket and settled them onto his handsome face.

“Hey,” Seb greeted, walking down the steps of the plane.

Raven strode over and shook his boss’ hand before turning to greet Jared. “Good flight?”

Jared nodded, his body practically vibrating as he tucked himself against Seb’s side.

“That was the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” Jared said. “There’s even a big bedroom in the back. Seb initiated me…”

TO BED A KING

Carol Lynne

45

“That’s enough about that,” Seb said, cutting Jared off. “I don’t think Raven cares to hear all the details of our trip.”

Raven winked at Jared. “You can tell me later.” He did it to get a rise out of Seb and it worked. The man actually growled at him.

“Are you two going to peck at each other this entire trip?” Jared asked, slapping Seb’s stomach.

Raven decided to let it drop. He glanced up at the jet. “Where’s Brier and Jackie?”

“The pilot promised to show Brier the cockpit once we landed,” Jared explained.

“So, how’re things going with the investigation?” Seb asked.

“Slow. The kids at Sanctuary aren’t talking, and the bank in Cayman refuses to give up the name on the account.”

“Hey!”

Raven glanced up and grinned at the wildly waving Brier. “There’s a happy face,”

Raven said.

Brier came down the steps slowly with Jackie right behind him. Raven knew what Brier was doing from being around the pair in the past. Although Jackie got around well with his artificial leg, Brier was a worrier. There was no doubt in Raven’s mind that Brier was going slow so Jackie would have to take his time.

Once they reached the runway, Raven greeted Brier with a hug. “God, I’ve missed you.”

Brier leant back and smiled at Raven. “I’ve missed you, too. Thanks for inviting us.

Jackie said I could swim in the ocean.”

Raven nodded. “I know the perfect place.” Raven regarded Jackie. “A private cove with calm waters. Perfect for Brier’s first dip.”

Jackie nodded. “Sounds good.”

Brier stepped aside. Jackie surprised Raven with a quick hug, ending the gesture with a sturdy pound on the back. “You’re looking good. Paradise must agree with you.”

Raven wanted to point out that paradise wasn’t always what it was cracked up to be.

How many sunsets had he witnessed alone, longing to have Ghazi’s arms wrapped around him? “The palace has a nice gym.”

Raven gestured to the waiting limousine. “Shall we?”

TO BED A KING

Carol Lynne

46

* * * *

Dressed in a suit, Brier shifted uncomfortably on the bed. “Do I have to wear a tie?”

Jackie came into the room from the en suite. “It’s your first-ever dinner with the King of Jurru. I think it’s appropriate.”

“When you worked here, did you have to wear a tie to dinner?” Brier asked.

“No, but then I worked for Sheik Ali, not the King. Ghazi was away at college when I spent time on Jurru.” Jackie held out his hand. “Come on. Just a few more hours and you can get naked with me.”

Brier liked that idea very much. He took Jackie’s hand and was pulled up and against his lover’s chest. “I hope I don’t embarrass you at dinner.”

“There’s no way you could ever embarrass me, babe.” Jackie gave Brier a deep kiss. “If you’re worried about which fork to use, just follow my lead.”

Brier’s eyes rounded. “There’s going to be more than one fork?” His breathing picked up, and he thought he might be sick. “I can’t do this,” he said, trying to push his way out of Jackie’s arms.

The action threw Jackie off balance and he nearly stumbled to the ground. Brier managed to catch the man he loved in time. “Sorry.”

Jackie got both feet under him again and reached out to hold Brier’s face in his hands. “I love you. So what if you’ve never dined in a formal setting. You make the best spaghetti I’ve ever tasted and your kisses are better than homemade brownies. A couple of dinners aren’t going to change the way I feel about you.”

Brier couldn’t help but smile despite the nerves still swimming around in his stomach.

“You like my spaghetti?”

Jackie chuckled and leant in for a deep kiss. Brier opened immediately, sucking Jackie’s tongue. Breaking the kiss, Jackie stared into Brier’s eyes. “Your spaghetti’s excellent, but those kisses are hard to beat.”

“Will that boy be at dinner?” Brier asked when Jackie released him and turned him towards the door.

“No. Raven said Nalu went back to Sanctuary a couple of days ago.”

“Well how am I supposed to talk to him then?” Brier wondered aloud.

TO BED A KING

Carol Lynne

47

Jackie kissed the side of Brier’s head before locking the room door. “It’ll work out. You worry too much.”

Brier nodded. He knew he did, but this seemed so important to Raven. For some reason Raven actually believed in him, and the last thing Brier wanted to do was let his friend down.

Hopefully they would let Jared come with him to the Sanctuary place they were always talking about. Jared was better with words. No one, not even a teenager was going to take Brier’s advice, even though he’d lived through years of being used by men who should know better.

“Can Jared come?” he finally asked before they entered the dining room.

“Sure. That’s why we invited him along, right?”

“Yeah, right.”

When they stepped into the dining room, Brier was struck by all the shiny crystals on the chandelier.
Wow. This country must be rich.

Jackie gently pushed Brier further into the room with a gentle hand on his lower back.

“Let’s go introduce ourselves to our host,” Jackie whispered in Brier’s ear.

Brier would have rather retreated to the opposite side of the room where Jared and Seb were talking in hushed voices. Were they telling secrets? Brier loved secrets. He started to wander towards his friends, but Jackie wrapped an arm around his waist.

“I thought we were going to introduce ourselves?”

“You go. He probably doesn’t care about me anyway. I’ll go see what Jared and Seb are whispering about.”

Jackie shook his head. “That would be rude, and I know you wouldn’t want to hurt King Zahar’s feelings.”

“No,” Brier shook his head. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just thought…” Brier let the sentence hang unfinished. Jackie didn’t like it when he talked bad about himself. It was usually the only time they argued. “Okay.”

The closer Brier got to the handsome King, the more he wanted to turn and run.
Please
help me, God.

The King stopped talking to the man beside him and smiled. “You must be Brier. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Before Brier could answer, the King turned to the man at his side. “That’ll be all for the evening, Halim.”

TO BED A KING

Carol Lynne

48

“Very well, Your Majesty.”

Should Brier call him King Zahar or Your Majesty? Jackie hadn’t told him about that name. What if he said the wrong thing? “Nice to meet you, King Zahar Your Majesty.”

The King’s smile finally reached his eyes. “While we’re in such an informal setting, feel free to call me Ghazi.”

Brier glanced around the room. “This is informal?”

Ghazi laughed. “Not really, but it’s the only dining room the palace has to receive guests. I have one in my suite, but I don’t normally eat in there.”

Jackie released his hold on Brier’s waist. “Nice to finally meet you. Your brother used to talk about you often, but I doubted I’d ever get the chance to meet you.”

Ghazi glanced down at Jackie’s artificial leg and foot. “I was remiss in not extending my condolences at the time of your injury. Please accept my sincerest apologies. I’m grateful my brother had you in his service to protect him.”

“Thank you,” Jackie dipped his head slightly. “I think highly of Sheik Ali.”

“Sorry I’m late,” Raven said, striding into the room.

Brier noticed the sad expression that crossed Ghazi’s face before quickly being replaced with an indifferent one.

“You’re just in time. I was moments away from asking our guests to join me at the table,” the King said.

Brier leant over to whisper in Jackie’s ear. “How come Raven doesn’t have to wear a tie?”

“Because Ghazi insists I eat dinner in here every night, and I’m sick of trying to swallow around a damn necktie,” Raven answered with a chuckle in his voice.

“I never said you had to wear a tie,” Ghazi said.

“No, but I’ve heard you reprimand Faris for not showing up properly dressed for dinner.” Raven crossed his arms.

Brier couldn’t figure out what was going on between the two men. It was almost like they were purposely picking a fight with each other.

“Faris is the Crown Prince, and thus is held to a higher standard,” Ghazi said in explanation.

Raven’s complexion paled as he took a step back. “Yes. We wouldn’t want anyone to know he’s a normal twelve-year-old under that crown.”

TO BED A KING

Carol Lynne

49

Ghazi started to say something but snapped his mouth shut.

“Shall we sit?” Jackie asked.

“Yes, please,” Ghazi answered.

Brier still didn’t understand what was going on, but he hoped dinner would be over soon so he could take his dress shoes off and wiggle his toes again.

TO BED A KING

Carol Lynne

50

“Are you sure you’re okay to go without me?” Jackie asked Brier.

“I’ll take care of him,” Raven reminded his friend. He glanced over his shoulder at Jared, who was obviously trying to reassure Seb of the same thing. “We’ll only be gone an hour, two tops. Surely the two of you can find something to keep you occupied.”

“I still don’t understand why Seb and I can’t come,” Jackie continued to argue.

“Because these kids are spooked enough as it is. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you and Seb aren’t average-sized guys.”

Brier tried to hide a chuckle behind his hand. When Jackie looked his lover’s way, Brier shrugged. “He’s right, honey. Sorry. You’re just too big and gorgeous to take to Sanctuary.”

Jackie sighed. “Fine, but make sure you keep your cell phone on.”

Brier pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It’s right here. See? I have it on.” He leant over and gave Jackie a kiss. “Go lay out by the pool or something. I’ll be back before you can miss me.”

“Not possible,” Jackie grumbled.

Shaking his head, Raven opened the driver’s door. “Let’s go if we’re going,” he called to Jared.

Seb gave him a narrow-eyed stare which made Raven laugh. The man was so uber protective, it was a wonder he let Jared go to the bathroom on his own. Brier and Jared neared the car and stopped. With the windows rolled up, Raven couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but suddenly they began to play rock, paper, scissors.

Raven rolled his eyes as they obviously played best two out of three. With a big grin on his face, Brier climbed into the front seat as Jared opened the back passenger door.