Chapter Eight
Carl pulled into a retro-looking motel lot, the sort of place that only stays open along old highways that used to be the lifeblood of American travel. He took Gabrielle’s arm and forced her into a room. Locking the door, he peered out the window to see if they’d been followed.
Gabrielle decided to play it cool. “You’ve been watching too many cowboy movies, Carl. If Arran was going to follow you, you’d never see him coming. He has professionals working for him. You’re dust – start saying your prayers.”
His head whipped around and there was a brief look of fear in his eyes. Gabrielle knew that at heart he was nothing more than a stupid, greedy bully. She only had to keep away from him and Arran would figure out a way to get to her. Or so she hoped.
* * *
Arran listened to the phone click and motioned to Alahan, speaking to him briefly in low tones. Alahan disappeared and returned immediately, Serra in tow. Her eyes were huge. She had failed in her only assignment and the Sheikh was known for his temper when it came to people who were close to him.
Arran kept his voice even. “Where did she go?”
“She said she had errands and insisted on going alone.”
“You take your orders from me. She does not understand the potential dangers. You will locate her and report back to me.”
Alahan’s face remained impassive but inside he knew Serra was probably in greater danger than she realized, and certainly more than Gabrielle. Serra bowed briefly and immediately sprang into action.
Arran began pacing. He knew how to deal with professionals. That was like a chess game with anticipated moves and strategy that had purpose. In this case he was dealing with an ignorant amateur, and that’s what made Gabrielle’s safety all the more at risk. There were no rules here. His cell buzzed and he saw it was a business call, but ignored it.
Serra stood on the perimeter, waiting to be recognized. She handed him a printout and he now knew exactly from where the call had been made. The rotating blades of a helicopter could already be heard in the distance. Arran disappeared momentarily inside and emerged in more rugged clothing and wearing a bullet-proof jacket to which was strapped several weapons and ammunition. Serra and Alahan were likewise outfitted and the three of them climbed into the waiting aircraft.
They approached the coordinates from the cell call and headed over the highway as it led from town. Scanning the landscape, they spotted the motel and one lone vehicle parked in front of a room. At this time of day, travelers had not yet stopped so it was easy to pick out. Arran tapped Gabrielle’s phone number and within one ring, Serra signaled him that their tracking had confirmed his suspicion.
The copter landed three miles down the road where a black, unmarked vehicle waited. It sped down the highway toward the motel and its occupants leapt out as soon as they hit the parking lot. Arran strode determinedly toward the building, while Serra and Alahan fanned out at ninety degree angles to him. Arran dialed the phone once again and Carl answered it.
“Hello?”
Arran’s intent was to keep Carl’s attention away from Gabrielle and focused on the money he sought. “Let me speak to Gabrielle before I leave the money. I need confirmation that she is alive.”
Carl handed the phone to Gabrielle. “Hello?”
He spoke quickly and succinctly. “We are outside. If possible, get into the bathroom and lie flat. At least lie flat. Now!”
Gabrielle calmly held the phone out to Carl. “He hung up,” she said. “I need to use the bathroom.”
Gabrielle turned and went into the bathroom, immediately dropping to the floor as Arran had ordered. Carl stood in the room, holding the phone to his ear and shaking it when there was no response. In the next moment there was a din as bodies crashed the door and burst through the room’s window. Two simultaneous clicks and Carl lay on the floor in a pool of his own blood. As the assailants stood aside, Arran stepped over the body and strode to the bathroom door, opening it. Gabrielle, lying on the floor with her arms over her head, looked up and began to cry when she saw who it was. He picked her up and lifted her onto the bed where he sat and held her. His hands ran through her hair and he kissed her forehead.
There was the sound of the helicopter landing immediately next to the building and within moments, Arran had Gabrielle inside, buckled and ready to take off. Alahan boarded while Serra stayed behind to remove any traces of their presence. She planted fingerprints, paraphernalia and remnants of drugs. Then she climbed aboard and within minutes, they were landing at the compound.
“I’m okay,” Gabrielle insisted as Arran moved to carry her inside.
Arran stopped and turned toward her. “That threat is gone, but there are as many equally, and far more lethal, threats who would like nothing more than to get to me by harming you. You are never to leave this compound unaccompanied again. Is that clear?” His voice was rough and tears formed in Gabrielle’s eyes as she realized how much danger she’d actually been in and that he’d rescued her.
Arran thought she was crying due to his harsh tone. “Don’t you know how I feel about you?” he burst out in a ragged tone.
This made her catch her breath. She nodded and he put his arm about her as they walked indoors. “Go now and rest. Wash away the memory of what has happened. It never happened, do you understand?”
Gabrielle nodded and then turned toward her room. Her mind was reeling. Who could get away with what he just did and have no consequences? It was then that she realized just how powerful he really was. Likewise, how dangerous he could be.
As the hot water of the shower cocooned her naked body, she began shake. Not only was her nemesis gone, forever, but she had innocently wandered into something she was not prepared for. The shock of realization set in and she felt the cold wave of fear descend over her.
She slid to the floor of the shower and cowered in the corner in a fetal position. All the memories of her random, miserable youth flooded over her. The shaking increased and eventually the hot water became warm and then chilled. She couldn’t seem to move outside the inner sensations. In the distance she heard noises that sounded like a drum beating and then there was a rush of cool air as the shower door was thrust open. Arran stood there, feet planted wide and as he looked down over her, a thousand emotions passed over his face. He hit the water faucet, stopping the stream of cold and scooped her up. He kicked shut her bedroom door with his foot and used one hand to throw back the covers on her bed. He slid her beneath, as carefully as one inserts a love letter of parchment into an unrelenting envelope. Stripping off his own clothes, he slipped in beside her, folding her against his own heat.
Arran grabbed a far corner of the blanket and gently patted her hair dry, kissing her forehead and murmuring things she couldn’t understand. He leapt from the bed and opened the window, allowing the heat of the dying sunlight to warm the room. This time he covered her with his body and although his first thoughts were to make her safe, the dampness of her womanhood cradled him. His need for her was taking precedence and with great restraint, he held to the task of getting her warm.
Eventually she fell asleep and the shaking subsided. Arran rolled to one side and slid his arm beneath her, holding her still against the length of his body. He laid there for a very long time, thinking. He’d never felt protective of anyone before. It was an altogether new emotion for him. Indeed, with all that life had to offer being within an arm’s reach, he’d never known the concept of coveting another human being. Yet now, he lay there with the only person in the world for whom he would gladly sacrifice his own life, and she wasn’t even aware of it. Overcome with the maelstrom of confused emotion, he realized he had tears pooling in his eyes. He reached with one hand to wipe his eyes and the movement awakened her.
He looked down to see her eyes opened and looking up at him. She reached to touch his cheek, wiping away the moisture that had spilled over. “What’s wrong?” she whispered.
His answer was to bend his head and kiss her hard upon the lips. As if she was a fragile doll, he pulled her against him and wrapped arms around her nakedness. “Don’t ever leave me, Gabrielle,” he whispered furiously. “I won’t allow it.”
“Silly you,” she whispered. “You can’t order me to do what I’d already planned.”
Arran kissed her again and his lips moved to her cheeks and he nuzzled her neck. He breathed in the scent of her as though to burn in it into his memory. He filled his hand with her hair, holding it high and letting it slide off his fingers like a waterfall. Indeed, it reminded him of a silver ocean.
His hand cupped her round breast and it felt like a palm full of gold. He teased her pebbled nipples with his flicking tongue and she tasted like sweet honey. “I want you,” he whispered, but she didn’t think he was asking permission. Nevertheless, she gave it, nodding.
He began his journey of conquer by sliding up between her opened legs. Running a tanned finger slowly between her thighs, his hands pushed them open wide and his mouth took over the assault. His tongue invaded her labia, pushing the swollen lips aside and he tasted her willing juices, flowing freely now as he tenderly massaged the nub of her clit. Her hips pumped a rhythm as old as memory as she moaned and her head rolled from side to side, holding out her arms to him to be taken, thrusting her hips toward him and begging to be sucked. He chuckled and enjoyed her submission.
Moving on to her breasts, he suckled there, his hand continuing to massage her soaked pussy with a circular motion. He dipped in his finger and then licked the scent of her from his own finger, the woman juice stimulating his dick to full attention. He moved her hand to touch and to hold his dick and she sighed with relief as she felt his massive erection, knowing he would more than fill her and the mere idea made her ache deep inside with craving. She knew now that he wanted her and would accept nothing less. They had come too far, the two of them, to turn back now.
Arran entered her with a reverence that befitted a queen. She accepted him, reaching to part her own lips with her fingers and invite him; the feeling went far deeper than just a tactile sensation. She accepted him, his love and everything he was. She had no doubt he was capable of anger, greed, and all the evils humans possessed – but she knew that with her, he would always be loving and gentle.
She felt the quickening begin low and as it spread out, her vaginal muscles gripped him inside herself more tightly, pulsing to milk his dick like internal lips. Their souls seemed to be in time; a bow to a sweet violin. When it was over, she laid in his arms and fell back to sleep. Arran was content. For the first time in his life, he felt as if he truly did have everything the world had to offer.