Sweet Obsession (9 page)

“Mother, you dare to go against my wishes!” he barked, more of a statement than a question. “You know by law she has to be punished for what she did! She stole our black stallion. She is a thief! I will not have you breaking the law for the likes of her!” He walked up to us, grabbed my arm in a tight hold, and pulled me away from the queen.

I saw the king’s smirk before he turned and walked inside the palace. The queen stood frozen, staring at her son in disbelief.

“No one is exempt from punishment if he or she commits a crime. Not even Loula!” he said arrogantly.

The queen opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but her son silenced her by putting his hand up in the air. “Enough, Mother!” he warned.

And the queen heeded the warning and clamped her mouth shut.

The prince pulled me through the palace doors as the guards stepped aside, and he marched me down the corridor to our chamber. He threw the door open and pushed me inside, closing the door behind us. Standing in front of me, Nidal gave me the meanest, cold look I had ever witnessed on his beautiful face.

“If you ever do that again, Madam, you will not be so lucky. I will personally see to it that you end up in the dungeon,” he growled.

“And if you ever humiliate me again, I will personally see to it that you will never see me again!” I was quick to yell back without thinking.

Nidal threw his head back and laughed aloud. “If I were you, I would check my manners because my patience is running thin with you, my dear. You have overstepped your boundaries quite a few times today. In case you haven’t noticed, you are but a prisoner bound to me for life. I will have you at my will for the taking whenever I feel like it, and when I am done with you, I will pass you along to my guards, for that is your worth now, Madam!” he sneered.

Without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped his face, catching him off guard. Immediately, he seized me and raised his right hand to strike me. I closed my eyes and feared the blow to my head. But instead of his wrath upon me, he crushed his lips on mine and kissed me brutally.

My heart raced rapidly, and I lost all my senses. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him hungrily. I could feel his beard stubble grazing my skin as he kissed me savagely. He took my breath away. Then almost immediately, Nidal stopped. His mouth was set in a tight, determined line, and his eyes were now blazing with anger. I could feel his hands tremble as he loosened his hold on me. He was wounded, and he needed time to heal. I wondered if I had killed his feelings for me. I would die a slow death if that were ever true, for I could not live a life without him.

Nidal walked away from me. With long, easy strides, he reached the door and opened it and walked out, swinging it closed behind him. I heard the key on the other side. He locked me in. I was his prisoner now, a prisoner of love, a toy to be used at his will and tossed aside until the next time he craved me. He was true to his word. He did punish me, for this was torture. I’d rather suffer a thousand deaths than feel the pain of being rejected from my one true love. That night, I lay alone in the bed. Nidal did not come to me. I tossed and turned all night.

Two weeks later, Nidal still had not come to me. I was brought three meals a day and then left alone to fend for myself. The window was my only escape to reality. I sat in the chair by the window all day, every day, and waited for a glimpse of Nidal. A few times, I saw him walk across the grounds to the stables and ride away on a black stallion.

Tonight, to my surprise, as I lay in bed aching for Nidal, I heard the door unlock, and I saw Nidal’s silhouette enter the room. It was a full moon, and the moonbeams shined through the window, allowing me to make out Nidal’s body. My heart stopped beating as I looked hungrily at him. Then I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. I could hear him undress, and then he slid into bed with me. I held my breath. But I could not stop the tears that escaped my eyes and slid down my face. They were tears of joy. He had come back to me at last.

After Nidal’s head hit the pillow, I heard him sigh. A few minutes later, his hand lightly caressed my face.

“Don’t cry, Loula,” he whispered softly.

I did not respond. Instead, I continued to fake sleep. Nidal caressed my face, and then his hand roamed downward, and he grabbed my breasts. He played with them gently, sending tingling ripples of sensation up and down my body. It was getting harder for me to fake sleep. Nidal’s lips kissed my neck slowly as he licked his way down to my breasts. My nipples hardened, and I wrapped my hands around his head, enjoying the sensation that was coursing throughout my entire body. My body betrayed me, and I trembled as Nidal’s lips continued down a path to nether land.

Nidal parted my legs, and he cradled his face among my most private part and played me until I heard myself scream in ecstasy. He continued to rock my world until I lay breathless, as my tears once again spilled down my face. Nidal’s lips traveled slowly back up my body, creating an electrifying sensation, traces of his lovemaking, all over my entire body. I lost myself again in this world of bliss.

When his lips came up my neck and found my lips, he kissed me with fierce possession. I wrapped my arms around him and held on to him tightly. I was in heaven, and I never wanted to leave this place ever. But almost immediately, Nidal pulled back and rolled over to his side of the bed, turning his back to me. I stared at him with disbelief. My heart was still pounding. I did not understand what was happening. I was blown away. He was punishing me. He had made love to me, and then he had pulled away from me without any regard to my state of mind. I lay still, hurt by his sudden change of mind. His withdrawal was like a knife in my heart.

Suddenly, Nidal jumped out of bed and dressed quickly, and before I knew it, he was out the door. I heard him lock me in. Even if I tried, I could not stop the flow of tears that made their way down my face. In a way, it was therapeutic for me to allow myself the luxury of crying my heart out. In the end, I just closed my eyes and pictured Nidal here beside me. I slept with that thought every night until he next came to me, two weeks later.

I was by the window staring out at the moonless night when I heard the lock turn on the door. Like a thief in the night, Nidal unlocked the door and entered. After he closed the door, he stood there without moving for a few minutes. The small flame that was left on the candle was about to be extinguished. He was naked from the waist up, I could see the muscles on his bare chest, and I felt my body heat rise.

I stood frozen, waiting for Nidal to make the first move. The excitement of his appearance was shooting throughout my entire body. It took every ounce of strength I had to control myself. The minutes ticked by slowly. Finally, Nidal stepped forward, and he grabbed me, lifted me, and thrust my body against the wall. His mouth came crashing down on mine, and his hands cupped my butt and pulled it toward his manhood. His breathing became heavy with lust, and my heart skipped a beat when I felt his enlarged shaft pressing against me. I untied the strings to his pantaloons, and they dropped to the floor. I reached inside his underpants, grabbed his shaft, and played with it. Nidal groaned as soon as I touched him, and he grabbed my nightgown and ripped it off my body.

Within seconds, Nidal had discarded his undergarment, and he pushed his body up against mine. He put his knee between my legs and parted them, allowing for his groin to enter me hard as he plunged deep inside me. Electricity coursed throughout my entire body, and I dug my nails into his skin. Almost immediately, my body trembled with desire. I came long and hard. I cried out his name passionately in the heat of the moment. That drove him mad with desire. He moaned out loud as he continued to savagely thrust himself inside me. He was out of control and did not realize the wild way that he was making love to me. His hands slid down to my butt just as he was about to spill his seed inside me. Nidal stopped kissing me. His eyes met mine passionately, and I could tell that he was about to reach his peak. He pulled my butt tightly up against his groin as he slammed into me one more time, and then I felt his body shudder. His lips parted as he moaned aloud.

I was still trembling from the aftershocks of Nidal’s sexy lovemaking, and my hands slid inside his thick, long, black hair. I pulled his head toward my lips, and I kissed him fiercely. I was lost in this moment of heavenly bliss. It came as a shock to me when Nidal instantaneously pulled his lips away from mine. Confused, I looked at him, questioning his behavior. Nidal ignored me and stepped away. Standing naked up against the wall, I watched Nidal pick up his clothes from the floor and dress quietly without even a glance my way, and then he swiftly exited the room.

Chills ran up and down my spine. It was suddenly cold in this room. I bent over, retrieved my nightgown, and threw it over my head. I walked over to the bed and slipped under the covers. I felt numb, unable to feel anything at all. I realized that even the tears were absent this time around. Suddenly, the flame from the candle extinguished, and it was dark in the room. The pain from my heart was absent. My heart was frozen. I sighed. Sleep claimed my body instantly that night, not allowing any room for regrets.

Almost a month later, Nidal came to me again. I was sitting by the table reading a book late at night. Many candles were lit around my room, casting shadows of the furniture across the walls. Nidal walked in the room and locked the door. He hesitated for just a few seconds before he walked across the room and dropped to his knees in front of me. Nidal looked up at me, and I saw sorrow in his eyes. He looked unshaven and disheveled. I did not understand what he wanted.
Why he had come to me after all this time?

Try as I might, I could not feel anything. I was completely empty, void of any life inside me. I looked away from him, unable to seize the moment. Nidal dropped his head on my lap and wrapped his arms around my legs tightly, weeping silently. I really do not know how long we stayed in this position, but it was quite a while. Finally, breaking the silence and without looking up, Nidal whispered my name. His voice sounded like a tortured animal. I remained silent, unable to respond.

Slowly, Nidal raised his head and looked up at me. I was unable to tear my gaze away from him this time. His tear-stained face looked tortured. And slowly the old feelings crept up out of nowhere. I could not help myself. My tears flowed freely down my face, unashamed of my feelings for this man who was the love of my life. I threw caution to the wind and whispered his name. I knew I was taking a chance that history might repeat itself and my heart would not be able to bear the pain, but living without him hurt even more.

Nidal’s gaze never left mine as he stood slowly and pulled me into his embrace. He sighed with relief and then lifted me up in his arms and walked over to the bed. He gently put me down and flipped over the covers, and I lay down and waited until Nidal pulled off his pantaloons and joined me. We fit comfortably together. Nidal held me in his arms all night. I was overwhelmed with happiness. We did not talk, for words were not needed at this time. We did not make love either. It was just simple and sweet. Two hearts reuniting and connecting strongly with each other again in silence. I dared not think of the morning. I didn’t know if I would find Nidal still in my bed. I just enjoyed what I had for now until sleep claimed me.

When the first hint of morning hit my room, I awoke and noticed immediately that I was alone in the bed. My heart sank as I realized that he had abandoned me yet again. Fresh tears threatened to spill forth, and then I turned and saw him. He was kneeling on the floor at the side of the bed, looking at me with adoration. Tears were in his eyes too, and my heart raced so fast that I was at a loss for words.
But are words needed at this precious moment?

I reached out and caressed Nidal’s face lovingly. He tenderly put his hand on mine, pulled it to his lips, and kissed it. All was forgiven. I looked at him and realized I was his to eternity. I knew without a doubt that I was not complete without him.

“Am I forgiven?” he asked in a husky tone.

And I answered simply, “Yes.”

Nidal dropped his head and whispered, “Thank you.” He stood up from his position and ran his hands through his hair with a sigh of relief. “I must leave now. Get dressed, Loula. I will be back for you in a little bit.” He left so quickly that I had to ask myself if he was really here to begin with or if I was just daydreaming.

True to his word, Nidal was back, and he burst into the room, smiling from ear to ear. I wished I could share his enthusiasm, but I was still scared that my world would turn upside down again at any moment.

“You look beautiful, Loula,” he said breathlessly and pulled me into his embrace.

I had put on a fuchsia gown and tied a matching ribbon to my hair. I slipped on my slippers, and I was ready to go. Nidal took my hand, and I followed him out the door. It was the first time in over two months that I had left my room. It felt good being outside. We walked along the hallway, and everyone stared at us. They were surprised to see me out and about. Nidal stopped and kissed me, and he stole my breath away. I heard murmuring behind us. Nidal gave them something to talk about. I couldn’t help but smile after seeing the expressions on their faces when they witnessed our little escapade.

The guards opened the palace doors, and we stepped outside. Nidal gently pulled me with him toward the gardens, and right before entering it, from the corner of my eyes, I witnessed Abdul and his mother further up by the stables. I stopped in my tracks and looked to make sure it was them, and when I confirmed it, I let go of Nidal’s hand and ran to them.

Abdul’s mother started to cry when she saw me. She dropped the basket with all the vegetables that she was holding and stretched her arms out to receive me. I fell into her arms, and she squeezed me tightly. We were laughing and crying at the same time. Abdul hugged the both of us, and the three of us, teary-eyed, were happy to see each other.